Getting to the West Coast

We were sitting at our gate at the airport early yesterday morning when they called us over to the desk. They said that because our plane was delayed, we were going to miss our connecting flight in Chicago. They then informed us that they couldn't get us to Portland, OR until this afternoon. Since this conference began last night and ends this afternoon, this was not an option. Finally, they got us on a different airline that could get us here by 6:44 pm. The show was in Vancouver, WA (about 20 minutes away) and began with a band at 6:30.

At that point, we had to run to another gate and board another plane to Atlanta where we had a 4 hour layover. After eating lunch at the Atlanta airport, I heard someone calling our name. It was our friend, Charles. He didn't have to fly out until the same time we did, so we hung out until it was time to leave.

We finally arrived in Oregon and all of our luggage arrived with us! Someone picked us up and took us over to the venue and Brock rushed onstage. He did one illusion and began to speak. Many people were saved. It was great! Then, we did a late night show. It was really late for us since we had woken at 6am central time. However, it was a lot of fun!

Busy Week

We worked all day on filming a video. Then, we had to go back over to the Grand Ole Opry to get the motorcycle. It was raining after the show was over last night, so Brock couldn't drive it back. Long story short, I'm tired.

We leave early in the morning to fly out to Vancouver, WA to do a show there. We fly back Sunday afternoon and then drive a couple of hours to Paducah, KY to watch a David Copperfield show. Then, we fly out Tuesday and return on Thursday. We fly out again on Friday and come back the following Monday, so we are going to be busy this next week. Please pray for strength and that the Lord really uses us for His glory.

Performing at the 2007 GMA Dove Awards

So last night, Brock performed at the GMA Dove Awards. What the audience saw:
The emcee introduced Brock and he came out with me behind him (yes, I got to be onstage!). Then, Brock said, "My manager told me to come out onstage and present a dove" as he placed a blown up balloon on the little tray I was carrying. "So here you go!" Brock said as he threw a card at the balloon and it became a real live dove. A little while later in the show, Mark Shultz was onstage on his bicycle talking about how he was going to ride across the country in the next two months. After an awkward pause that turned out to be funny, Brock enters the stage on a loud Harley. Brock said that it took him a little while because he couldn't find his keys! (That was funny!) He then told Mark that he should ride this kind of bike instead of a little tricycle. Then, he helped present 4 awards. This is how he read the winner of one of the awards..."Shannon likes nachos and the winner is..."

Backstage it looked like this:
We were trying to practice the bird thing with the stage hands. After telling them that the dove (whom we named Oscar because the Dove Awards are kind of like the Oscars of the Christian music industry) would not fly away, it took off. Oscar flew up into the rafters. Brock quickly ran up a ladder and caught him. That was a close call! Then, as I was getting ready frantically in the bathroom, others were getting ready as well. Britt Nicole tried on about five dresses and was asking me and another girl what we thought. She ended up wearing the dress that I suggested! I asked a girl involved with the press if I should wear my hair partly up or down. She liked it up and even let me borrow some bobby pins. Later on when we were in the press room after our performance, she yelled out, "I like your hair!" The dove thing went well and we were waiting to go onstage with our friends' Harley (his bike is much nicer than ours). As we are waiting, Geoff Moore told us that he was thinking it was a little dull out there and needed something to crank it up. When he saw Brock and the bike, he thought that it would do the trick! We also talked with the director as well as Mark and Aegis Stuart about the chocolate in the green room. Yes, the Cocoa Tree was present backstage at the Dove Awards! In the meantime, Shannon texted Brock and told him that his next task was to use her name and nachos in the same sentence onstage. Just then, the stage director said to go! However, it was dark and Brock couldn't find the right button to make the bike start. That's when I began to freak out a little but only for a few seconds. Then, Brock got the bike started and rode out onstage! What a night!

If you have any more questions about last night or this week, ask me in the comments!

Old and Current Friends at GMA

I'm having a great time this week because I'm getting to see some of my old friends. We started off in Texas, so we go way back with people like Chris Tomlin and Mercy Me. Shannon is meeting so many famous people, but she only gets introduced and then they are gone to their next interview. She asked me when do you actually get to hang out and get to know all of these people. I told her that it's not at GMA week. We met most of the artists we know back years ago when nobody knew their names. When you are at a camp for a whole week together, bored out of your mind, you get to know the people with you. I literally remember our friend David Nasser saying, "Name your favorite dessert right now." We went around the circle doing just that.

However, I'm also seeing people that I know as well. My friend, Stephanie, is on all of the GoTee's advertisements. A compilation cd called GoTee Girls just came out yesterday and she has the first track (you should go buy it). She was around talking about it. My friends, Malori and Jarrett, are singing in the choir for Toby Mac at the Dove Awards tonight. One of my other friends, Clay, is going to be driving the bus for Mark Shultz as he rides his bicycle across the country. Other friends are in bands such as Sonic Flood. Many of us that were around went out to dinner last night together. It's wonderful to see old friends and current friends as well!

We have a video of Brock shooting the president of GMA with an air bazooka on the front page of Brock's myspace (www.myspace.com/brockgill). We are also collecting some pictures in the blog on his myspace entitled GMA week. Keep checking those!

The Class Clown of GMA

We had great interviews and TV appearances yesterday. I'll try to find out when all of it airs. Every person who is interviewing seems to comment about how much fun Brock is. In between interviews, we would hang out in the hotel where everything is taking place. We see so many people that we know and it's great!

After we were done with all of our interviews and were feeling rather good, the Building 429 guys came by. They had on hard hats and were carrying around this toy that looked a lot like a bull horn. If you aimed it and someone and pulled the slingshot-type thing inside it, it would shoot air at a person. It would shoot up to 30 feet away or so. They should have never let Brock get a hold of that thing! We happened to be sitting in an area by elevators, so he would shoot people with a blast of air as they were going in and out of the elevators. It was so funny! He even shot the president of GMA. The president just laughed and basically said that he expected something like that of Brock. Some others were saying that only Brock could get away with that.

Then, we went to a fancy dinner over at Rocketown. Before we entered the dinner, we checked on our friend, Lucas, who is building ramps at the skatepark in Rocketown. While we were in the dinner and the president of Compassion International was speaking, we heard a loud sawing sound. Everyone noticed because it was rather distracting. Brock and I looked at each other and both mouthed the word, "Lucas." I texted Lucas and told him we could hear him just as Brock was getting texts from people saying, "You're bmx boys are being loud..haha." Many knew that Brock had something to do with a saw going off in the middle of the president's speech. It was funny again! I think that Brock is like the class clown of GMA. He's like the guy in high school that everyone likes even the teachers. He doesn't take himself too seriously.

Guest Appearance at the Worship Service

I went with some friends to the worship service of GMA last night. This is one of my favorite parts of GMA week. Hillsong Live led us in an amazing time of worship. Michael W. Smith was the host. At one point he came out and introduced...Jim Caviezel.

Jim told about his filming the Passion of the Christ. He said that his shoulder was separated by the cross when he was carrying it in the film (that part is in the actual movie). He also had hypothermia while he was hanging on the cross. In fact, he almost died according to the doctor on the set. He thought it could go either way, so he prayed that the Lord would either use his life or his death. At his lowest point, he had to say a line and he couldn't speak very well. Someone came up a ladder and gave him some headphones. The guy played "Above All" by Michael W. Smith. After hearing the song a few times, it gave Jim the strength to continue on. Last night, with Jim Caviezel standing right next to him on stage, Micheal W. Smith led us in that very song. It was moving!

The best thing Jim said was that he wouldn't trade all of the Oscars and awards here on this earth for being one name in the Lord's Hall of Fame in heaven. Coming from him, it was very sincere and impacting.

GMA Time

This weekend was fun, but now it's time for GMA week. I will give you a play by play, but pray for us each day. We start today and do interviews as well as TV show appearances and it goes through Wednesday. Also, pray for everyone else involved in GMA. It's a big week for all of us.

Food and Fun

Last night, we went to a Crawfish Boil. I must say, they don't know how to handle a crawfish boil here. Only about ten of us were actually eating and really experiencing it. Most of those people were from Louisiana. It was still fun though.

Tonight, we are having another bonfire at our house. We're going to roast marshmallows and make smores. I'm really excited! I guess that this is a food weekend! What are your plans for the weekend? Does anyone else base their time around food?

The Doves

We just found out yesterday that Brock is going to perform and present a Dove Award at the GMA Awards (The Doves). Since it is next Wednesday and they want us to perform specific things, we are running around crazy trying to get everything ready. We are excited to do it though! Last year, Brock presented Artist of the Year and it was really fun.

GMA Week is Sunday thru Wednesday. This is the week that all of the Christian music industry comes to town. Brock will have several interviews and performances at shows and such. We might attend some shows as well. It's a crazy week!

Show in Memphis

The show last night was great! They stuffed 1,200 people in their gym (the most they've ever had in there). It was a fun crowd.

I always feel such a warm welcome when I go to Bellevue. Their are some great people there! One of the youth pastors told us that they pray for us every week at church. I think that it's cool that we feel led to pray for each other...me for that church and them for us.

We saw one of the bmx riders that performed with us at the FX we did there a couple of years ago. He was there with his new wife whom he met at the FX! Isn't that a cool story? They met and fell in love at the Freedom Experience. He used to be from Iowa, now he lives in Memphis.

Bellevue Baptist Church

A couple of years ago, we did an FX in Memphis, TN. Bellevue Baptist Church was a big part in the planning and volunteering and such. On Sunday night, we had a prayer service for FX at this church. As I was sitting there, I felt a huge burden for the church. I began praying very fervently for them as I began having a strong feeling that they were about to have a change. Shortly after this, their pastor, Adrian Rogers, died. I still feel a connection to this church because of that night of prayer.

We've worked with Bellevue on a few occasions and they have always been great to work with. Tonight, we are going there to perform again. Pray that everything goes well and that people's lives are changed by Jesus.

Love Languages

I'm realizing that love languages are not just for your relationship with your spouse. They go for most all of your close relationships with people. A love language is the way in which you feel loved. There are five of them: physical touch, acts of service, quality time, giving gifts, and words of affirmation. One of our friends is the last one and it was her birthday on Sunday. A lot of us wrote her encouraging letters. That's the best gift she could ever receive.

My love language is quality time. That is why I am so happy right now. I have this blog where I get to share with all of you everyday. I picture you sitting at home or school or work reading this and it makes me feel like we are spending some quality time together. I share thoughts on this blog that I don't share in a spoken fashion sometimes. You are the only eyes to read it...no ears hear it.

I'm also happy because I get to spend quality time with friends at home every week. I haven't been able to have quality time weekly with the same people (except Brock) for 8 years now. It feels so good to love and be loved by several people through this blog and through my community. What is your love language?

Bad Day

Yesterday and the first part of today has been bad. First of all, our happy fun day on the beach turned out to be cold! We maybe walked on the beach for a painstakingly 5 minutes bundled in our jackets.

Then, we get to the airport and our plane was delayed. We were worried about missing our connecting flight in Atlanta, but luckily, we arrived in plenty of time. However, we sat on the runway waiting for a parking spot for 45 minutes and missed our connecting flight anyway. After several long lines and an annoying bus ride, we got to our hotel at around 11:30pm. We had to wake up at 4:45am in order to catch the bus and go to the airport in time for our flight this morning. The security line was the longest I've ever seen. Long story short, I just got home even though our show was done on Saturday night.

The saddest part of all is that our camera was stolen at the security checkpoint at the airport. Remember when I said that we would put up pictures and video of the school that was affected by the tornado? Well, those pictures are gone forever.

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

Yesterday, we performed at an outdoor festival in Bonifay, FL. On Friday night, the weathermen were predicting bad thunderstorms for the day. I was hoping that this would be one of the times in which they were completely wrong. However, all day, the clouds were ugly looking as if it could pour at anytime. Of course this didn't help with attendance.

We were supposed to take the stage at 8pm after some freestyle motocross, the band Waverly, and Tim Byrne. After getting reports from Mobile, AL that it was storming and heading our way, they began speeding up the programming.

We were talking about plan B when I found a room with a stage. They had a little sound system onstage. We ended up moving the show in there. It was good timing because about halfway through our show, it began to pour.

I had to stand on the stage in order to run the sound. I felt so stupid up there but I really had no choice. The soundboard was onstage bolted into the wall. Therefore, I was up there the entire time feeling like an idiot. To my surprise, one of the local radio DJ's came up to me and said that he was really impressed to see how supportive I was onstage. He said that even though the conditions weren't optimal and I'd seen the show so many times before, I still laughed and was completely into the show. That was very encouraging to me. We really had to roll with the punches last night!

Enterprise, Alabama

Yesterday, we visited the school that was hit by the tornado last month killing 8 high school students. It was nothing like I expected. I was stupid enough to think that they might have been rebuilding it, so it wouldn't look so bad. I thought that maybe some of the roof would be off and that would be the extent of it. That place was demolished! They are building another school in a totally different location...just starting over. In the meantime, the students are meeting at the community college for school from 12:30 to 5:00.

When I saw it, I thought, "How did only 8 out of 1,300 students die in this?" In the section where all of the fatalities occurred, there were some survivors. I didn't even see how that was possible! The concrete ceiling had caved in on them. I know that a couple of guys sacrificed their lives by shielding others with their bodies. That's probably the only way the others survived.

One of the ladies who walked around the school with us was a teacher at the school. She showed us where she was sitting and how she felt when she looked up to see that the roof was gone. We should have some pictures up on our myspace sometime early next week.

I had to go straight from looking around the school to setting up our show. We were in a hurry, so I had no time to process everything. I've got to tell you that it was very emotional. My emotions were peaked the whole show last night. It went well, though, and 22 people decided to become followers of Jesus.

This Weekend

It is early in the morning...before 6! I am showered and ready to go. We are going to get on a plane and fly to Panama City Beach, FL. Then, we will rent a car and drive to Enterprise, AL. Remember this is the city in which recently a tornado ripped through killing 8 high school students. Tonight, we are performing at the church across the street from this high school. Pray that the city will be responsive to the gospel and that the Lord will heal this town.

Tomorrow, we will drive to Bonifay, FL where we will perform at a show in which some of our friends will be there...Tim Byrne along with a motocross team we know. It's going to be fun!

Sunday, we could not get a flight out until the evening...oh well! I guess we'll have to wait it out on the beach all day.

Stephanie's Birthday

So, it is my friend, Stephanie's birthday on Sunday. However, she leaves today to go out on the road for several days and will be on an airplane most of her birthday. We tried to plan a surprise party for her last night, but she kept suggesting that we do something for her birthday on that day. After she kept bringing it up and we looked as if we were brushing her off, we caved and told her.

What did we do? About 20 of us dressed up in costumes and went to the Cheesecake Factory. Everyone was so confused when we walked in the restaurant. A little boy glanced up at me as if to say, "I didn't know it was Halloween."

We had a blast! I was an Indian. Brock was a circus, freak show guy. We had several eighties chicks and one army girl complete with a painted face and a bloody head wound. Lucas was the best. He had a huge, black wig and mustache. He also had a rock and roll t-shirt with cut-off sleeves. Brock did not know who it was until he recognized his tattoo on his arm. He never broke character all night! We all paraded around the mall after dinner. It was a great birthday celebration!

Hair Skills

My friends are so fashionable. They always wear the cutest things and put their hair up in a planned, messy fashion. So, they've been teaching me how to put up my hair. The other day, I had it back with a headband as well. I was a little hesitant about it just because I was unsure of my own judgment. Also, I'd never done my hair like this.

That day, I was in the store and the guy behind me in line made a comment. He looked like your everyday middle-aged American. He also seemed as if he usually would not even notice let alone voice a compliment like he gave me. He said rather timidly, "I really like your hair." I thanked him feeling a lot more confident in my hair skills.

Lucas

We have a new roommate! Our friend, Lucas, who is an awesome bmx rider has come to live with us for a while. We've wanted him to move here for about 2 years now. He finally came Saturday at around 4am.

We have always had a special connection to Lucas and really believe in him. Brock talked with him often on the phone and he would come and visit us occasionally. He'd been praying about when to move here. Then, on Friday, the landlord of the people whom he was living with found out that he was there and kicked him out. Brock told him that he thought it was time. So, Lucas packed up and moved here.

He has fit right in with our friends here. We went over to one of our friends' house Saturday night and just hung out. He had a great time and asked how often we do that to which Brock replied, "Everyday." I think that Lucas is starting to believe it since we had another big party Sunday and last night all went to dinner and hung out. He already likes it here!

Awesome Day with Friends

I had one of the best days that I've had in a while yesterday. We began lunch at about 1pm. Everyone brought great side dishes. I was impressed! The turkey was fabulous and the dessert was scrumptious too!

After lunch, everyone went outside to collect easter eggs that Brock had hidden in our large yard. They were plastic eggs and some of them were stuffed with random items like mustard and mayo packages, raisins, oatmeal, or tacks. Some of them had candy in it. We gave a prize to the one who collected the most eggs. However, the best part was that they were all numbered. If you had a certain number, then you would have to do the corresponding service act. For example, "Number 2" got a coupon to get there car washed by "Number 7." Some got to pick a place to eat. Others got to pick the movie we watched. One person got a card trick performed by Brock which she redeemed right then. I cannot tell you how much fun it was!

After that, we watched a movie and all rested. Then, we pulled the food back out and had a bonfire in the backyard. The last people left at around 10pm. It was an awesome day!

Happy Easter

Happy Easter! We are going to the early service this morning at church. Then, we are having a bunch of friends over for lunch today. Brock is cooking a turkey in his cajun microwave as I write this. Everybody else is bringing a bunch of sides and desserts and stuff. It's going to be like a potluck Easter lunch. What are your plans for Easter?

Ohio YEC

Brock was just saying last week that this would be the first time that it wasn't snowing when we went to Cincinnati. Well, we were driving to Dayton, OH for the conference at which we were going to perform and as soon as we came to Cinci, it began to snow! Here it is Easter time and it was snowing! It snowed the entire time that we were performing and when we came back out to load up, at least a couple of inches had collected. They shut down some of the roads last night due to black ice.

The show went really well. The Ohio gang was fun and great to work with. I hope that we get to come back here soon (except I hope it doesn't snow next time...I don't really like snow especially in April)!

Christian Academy of Louisville

Yesterday began badly. We had to be at the school at 7:45am which was 6:45am our time. Then, I forgot our granola that we have for breakfast. Also, it was cold. We had such a full day ahead of us that we were tense.

However, as soon as we pulled up to the Christian Academy of Louisville, everything became better. The students had lined the halls chanting Brock's name to greet him. When Brock entered the building, they began cheering and such. The people at this school were really great!

Brock spoke in several classes about the Miracles of Jesus. They had used the documentary in their curriculum. Some of the students shared how the film changed their lives. One girl told a couple of people about it who were saved due to watching the show. Another guy who was agnostic gave his life to Christ after watching it. Wow!

We performed some new stuff in the chapel service. Both tricks went really well. We are planning on placing them in our new Miracles show for next year!

Look for pictures from yesterday on our myspace early next week. myspace.com/brockgill. Also, you can go to http://www.hourofpower.org/video/video.cfm to watch Brock's interview at the Crystal Cathedral.

Big Day at a School

We have a big day at a school tomorrow, so I'm posting tonight. There is a school in Kentucky that has been using The Miracles of Jesus in their classroom as a teaching tool. Since we were on our way to Ohio, we decided to stop in Louisville on the way. Brock will be in four different classes and one chapel service. He's going to be wiped out tomorrow evening.

Pray that everything goes well. We'll be doing a new illusion in the chapel service tomorrow. We've been practicing it in the hotel room tonight!

Hail

Last night, we were sitting in a restaurant in downtown Franklin when we saw that it was raining outside...hard! It had been such a beautiful night. In fact, previously we were sitting out on the back deck at the Cocoa Tree. That all changed at this point.

We went to the door to see hail pelting the ground. Just then, Shannon called me. I said, "It's hailing," when I answered the phone. She said that the worst was still to come. We all decided to take our cars to the parking garage down the street to get them covered. Nobody wanted hail damage to their cars, and we happened to have our dirt bikes in the back of our truck.

As we were running out to our vehicle, Willy, one of our motocross friends, was behind me. He just broke his foot riding last week. So, he was trying to run/hobble through the rain!

As we waited for the storm to pass, one of my friends rolled her pants up and took off her shoes. She proceeded to go out into the street and play in the rain amidst all of the lightening and torrential downpour. Luckily, it had stopped hailing. She's crazy! I enjoy playing in the rain and I might have joined her, but it was getting cold! She's crazy! We waited for a little while and storm let up enough for us to drive home.

Fire

The other day, my parents' car caught on fire. It was completely toast by the time Dad pulled over.

Actually, we know how they feel. In January of 2001, Brock received a call in the middle of the night. When I saw him begin to get dressed, I asked what he was doing. He calmly replied that he was going outside because our truck was on fire.

At the time, we had a box truck with all of our equipment in the back. We arrived in time to see the fire department raising the back door and saying, "I think everything in the back is going to be okay."

The fire began in the engine, so the front part of the truck was literally melted down. It began burning the wall separating the cab from the back when the fire department put it out. It was as if angels were guarding our equipment. The equipment was saved, but everything reeked of smoke for 6 or more months. To this day, some of the cases are still black in the grooves.

It turned out good. We got a better truck...a Freightliner with living quarters in the back. We haven't had any problems with it yet!

The Photo Shoot

The photo shoot went extremely well! We began the morning with some studio shots. We got to look at some of them and they are great! We certainly have something to work with.

Then, we went to our house and took some pictures of Brock with a group of people around him. We were all dressed like the early 1900's. It looked really cool. One boy who is around 3 or 4 years old was so cute! He was dressed in suspenders and a cap like a "newsy." At one point, Brock was holding an old pot. We wanted him to be trying to look into the pot. We asked him to look and see what was in the pot. He turned to me and said very matter-of-fact, "Nothing. I already saw."

Then, we had some of Brock's famous burgers. When everyone sat at the tables dressed in their costumes, it looked like the original Thanksgiving (except the hamburgers, of course). We had an outdoor fire where we made smores. It was a great day! We'll probably put some behind the scene pictures up on Brock's myspace tomorrow.

An Interesting Phone Call

Brock is the one who received the phone call, so I'm going to let him say it in his own words:
we got a call today from a guy named steve. he said he had seen us on tv this weekend and wanted to contact us. he tracked us down thru a connection at discovery channel. apparently he liked what he saw us do on whatever he was watching. i didnt bother to ask. i just played along. he said he went to our website and watched more video and read our story. i listened and thought "where is this going?". he told me that he was a tv producer with a major budget. i didnt really know what he meant, or what he was trying to ask. he said that he was looking for someone to host a new talk show. he said that they were going to take an existing show, that was very successful, and reinvent it with a new host. they had seen me before and wanted to talk to me but hadnt committed to call me until now. he said he wanted to offer me a job but couldnt tell me who i would be replacing. all he said was that the person was going to retire in 3 months. i dont know what to make of all of this because he was so vague. all i could get was that he worked for some production company that i had never heard of called "harpo". anyway, i thought it was interesting. i dont think i am going to pursue it because its probably nothing special.

Tell me what you think we should make of all this. Brock thinks that it isn't anything big, but I think we might should pursue it.

Photo Shoot

I got up at 7am in order to do some last minute things getting ready for this photo shoot today. We've been working for weeks on this! Pray that it goes well.

We are beginning the photo shoot at a studio where we will get some head shots and other miscellaneous pics. Then, we are meeting a group of people at our house to shoot pics for our upcoming Miracles of Jesus tour. We need people in the scene, so about 30 people are coming over to help out!

After that shoot, we're going to grill out and have a bonfire. It's going to be a big day!

Brock on TV

Brock is going to be on TV this weekend. He went to the Crystal Cathedral a couple of weeks ago. His interview on the Hour of Power will air Saturday night on some channels and Sunday morning on others. I think that it's on Lifetime on Sunday morning. Check out this website to see when it's going to show in your area:
http://www.hourofpower.org/calendar/unitedstates.html

My Community

Okay, I'm going to tell you some of the core people in my community. There are several others who hang out that are really fun, but we don't have all day.

There are two main houses that we frequent. The first one has 4 girls:
1. Kim-she works for us. She is in charge of the Freedom Experience. Kim is a very passionate person and very motherly. I feel safe around her.
2. Shannon-she works for us as well. She is our manager/road manager. Shannon is always positive. She is perfect as our road manager because she is calming to me. Whenever I'm around her, I feel like everything is going to be okay.
3. Stephanie-she is signed with Gotee Records and is working on her first album. She is very talented and it's exciting to follow her career. Stephanie is funloving with a huge heart. She is a blast to be around.
4. Emily-she is working at a tea shop until Steph goes out on tour. Then, she will be her road manager. Emily is an intelligent girl with a very tender relationship with the Lord. She enjoys serious conversations but laughs easily as well.

The other house that we hang out at is our friend, Robby's big, new house. Robby was a professional motocross racer. Now, at age 25, he owns his own motocross series and a business of remodelling houses. He is a sharp business man. He also has a big heart...very giving.

Corey is our social butterfly. He is an architect as a profession. He's connected to everyone in Franklin, TN it seems like. He is always ready to hang out or go somewhere. If you need anyone to do anything, chances are he knows somebody who can.

Clay is a big teddy bear. He is a road manager and is out with Matthew West at this time. On myspace, he's called the bearded wonder because he has this huge beard. He is so sweet and such a servant.

No Worries Part 2

I had a long talk on the phone with my grandma the other day and she gave me some very good advice. She told me that you better learn how to handle stress early on in life because you have stress in your life no matter what age you are. Even after you retire, you have stress. It's just a different kind of stress. Brock handles stress very well. I'm trying to learn from him. The main thing he does is that he doesn't worry about anything. If something goes wrong, he handles it then. Even if he thinks up a Plan B, he still doesn't worry about Plan A not happening.

Sunday morning, our pastor spoke about worrying. It was a very good message. He used Philippians 4:4-7 as a guideline. His tips were to:
1. Rejoice in the Lord (vs 4)
2. Relax (vs 5)
3. Rest (vs 6)

He also said, "Control is an illusion." He continued with three other practical ways on how not to worry:
1. Focus your thoughts on positive things (vs 8)
2. Focus your attention on encouraging models (vs 9)
3. Find the peace of God in every circumstance (vs 9)

No Worries Part 1

I feel like the Lord is trying to teach me about worrying. A couple of weekends ago, our engine light came on in our car. (I actually thought it was the transmission light). It was the weekend and Brock was in California. I asked one of my friends who knows about cars and he told me that when our type of truck gets to this mileage, everything starts going wrong. He then informed me that if we do have to replace the transmission, it would only cost about $1,200. That's a lot of money!

I immediately began to worry. One of my other friends that was there said that it doesn't help matters to worry. So, I put it out of my mind that Saturday night. On Sunday morning, the thought came back up. As I was getting ready for church, this scripture came to mind..."Don't worry about tomorrow. For each day has enough trouble of its own." I decided just to try that. It was Sunday, so no service places were opened. I decided to not think about it until Monday morning. I had a great, worry-free day on Sunday.

First thing Monday morning, I took it to a car service place that specialized in transmissions. I had trouble finding the place. With each wrong turn I was getting a little more anxious. I wasn't in tears yet. Whenever I finally arrived, the lady at the desk smiled and said, "You found us." I just unloaded on her. I said, "My transmission light just came on although nothing feels funny, but my husband is out of town until Tuesday night and we have to go to Memphis Wednesday in order to see my sister and brother-in-law commissioned to become missionaries and I don't know if I should drive it or not." Now that was a run-on sentence if I've ever heard one! The lady smiled and said that they would get it checked out for us.

A few minutes later, the mechanic came out and told me that it wasn't the transmission. In fact, he said that it wasn't a big deal at all. He made the light go off and if it came back on, it was probably just a leak in one of the hoses. Wow! I was so relieved! They didn't even charge me for looking at it. Even if something was wrong with the transmission, it wouldn't have been worth it to spend my whole weekend worrying about it.

The Attack on Ministers

We learned some bad news this weekend. Another person in ministry has been caught having an affair. That's the third person this year that we know about personally. Let me tell you something. None of us are above it. I look at Brock and my marriage and think that it is almost perfect. However, circumstances can change and Satan is tricky.

Satan attacks every Christian in some way, but if you are in the ministry, it's like there is a bullseye on your forehead. He usually attacks you in your personal life. If God is allowing your ministry to flourish, then Satan is going to attack. He's been attacking us financially for the last 8 years. However, he could change his tactics in an instant.

That's all it takes to mess up a marriage and possibly a ministry...an instance. It could be just one vulnerable moment. Please pray for your relationships right now. Pray against any vulnerable circumstances. Also, pray for your ministers. Anyone who is in leadership for Christ has a better chance of getting attacked. Let's fight against this through prayer.

Riding our Motorcycle to Church

I'm so excited to be here on a Sunday! We are going to get to go to our church together. Then, we'll meet up with some people at the park. It's such beautiful weather that we'll probably ride our motorcycle to church!

Our church is really cool. You just come as you are. Last Easter, Brock wore shorts and I wore an easter dress. Most of the time, we wear jeans to church. I love it! They don't care that we ride our motorcycle to church either. It's a big church...but very laid back.

A few Christian artists as well as Country music stars attend our church. People let them have their space. They don't hound them for an autograph or anything. Then, there are a lot of families and older people. It's made up of all kinds of people. What is your church like?

Day in Nashville with the Fam

We had a great day yesterday. We all went to the Factory in Franklin. (It's an old factory that they converted into a place with restaurants and specialty shops.) We ate lunch there and our friends, Alisha and Robby, joined us. After shopping around a little while, we went home and took a nap.

Last night, we went out on the town. We went to my favorite area of Nashville...Hillsburo Village. It's near Vanderbilt and Belmont Universities. We ate at a restaurant outside because the weather is fabulous! At dinner, we saw a few friends. Nashville is a big city, but it doesn't matter where we go. We always see people we know! It's like a big small town.

Then, we went to a place called Noshville's to eat cheesecake. They actually ship the cheesecake in from the Carnegie deli in Manhattan. It's great! Our friend, Kim, met us there.

After that, it was a nice stroll along the walking bridge in downtown Nashville. That's a big bridge designated for pedestrians only and it overlooks the city. We were a little tired after walking a long way, so we took the elevator back down from the bridge. That was our only mistake! It smelled like urine all the way down!

Family Visits

My mom and dad, sister and brother-in-law, and aunt are here visiting with us until tomorrow afternoon. Yesterday, we took our time getting ready and hanging out in Memphis. After driving home, Brock grilled some of his famous burgers. We sat out on the back deck and ate together. The weather was perfect! I picked a few flowers from our yard and placed it on the table.

Then, we went to the Cocoa Tree. Some of my friends came there to meet my family. We had a great time. One of the girls in our group just had her first single mastered (that means that her first official song is done and ready to go on an album). We went outside and listened to it standing outside of her car. There was probably about 25 of us dancing around to the beat of the music along the street. It was awesome!

I think that my family got a little taste of what we do as a community. We celebrate milestones like this together. If someone had some bad news, we would be crying together. However, last night, it was a party!

Missionaries Commissioned

Last night, we drove to Memphis in order to see my sister and brother-in-law commissioned to be missionaries. They are going to Peru where they will organize young men and women to go out into the jungle and reach people who have never heard the gospel before. I'm so proud of them!

Forty-nine missionaries were commissioned last night. They each gave a brief testimony of how they were called to do this. When I say brief, I mean 120 words per couple. My brother-in-law worked it out to 6 sentences of 20 words for each of them. After they both had all of their sentences ready, my sister, Kay, began counting and it was over 200 words. Needless to say, my brother-in-law wasn't a math major, but it doesn't matter because he's going to be a missionary!

The testimonies although short (with 49 people, we actually appreciated the brevity) were very moving. These people are so committed and willing to sacrifice for the Lord. It was inspiring!

No More Job at Barnes & Noble

I quit my job at Barnes & Noble. I just couldn't do it. I thought that I'd be able to do this job and not feel pulled away from the ministry. However, I did. I felt like my attention was divided. I didn't enjoy that at all. I want all of my heart and attention into our ministry.

I learned a lot though. One thing is that it's harder than I thought. I can really appreciate people in those positions now. Also, I learned that our ministry is the only thing I can do. It's the only carreer that I'm passionate about. It was worth it just to learn that.

Cleaning the House

Today, the total day is designated as cleaning day. I've needed to give the house a good cleaning anyway. Plus, my parents, aunt, and sister and brother-in-law are coming to spend Thursday thru Saturday with us. I'm excited to have them come here!

Whenever I clean, I always give myself rewards. For example, after I get done with the floors, I'll sit down and watch TV. When the bathrooms are complete, I will read a chapter in my book.

When I was a child, mom would inspire us to clean by setting the timer and seeing how quickly we could get all of our jobs done. That taught me to be a fast cleaner. Does anyone else have any suggestions of how to make cleaning more enjoyable?

Philippians 4:4-7

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Girls Weekend

Brock flies out today to go to California to perform at the Crystal Cathedral tomorrow. Since he only has 15 minutes onstage and the plane tickets were atrocious, I'm not going with him. However, I will be "coaching" and cheering for him from home I'm sure. Brock is so good at TV anyway. He probably doesn't need me as much as in a live show. It will be recorded and air on Palm Sunday.

I'm going to stay with my friends. They live in a small place in downtown Franklin. There are four of them that live in this house. It's going to be fun! I'm going to miss Brock, but sometimes it's good to hang out with the girls.

He's going to see a couple of buddies while he's out there, too. I think that he will go dirtbike riding with some guys while he's there. Then, he's planning on going to the Magic Castle with another friend. He'll have a good time too!

Time With Brock

I'm spending some quality time with Brock today. Lately, I've been working a lot and he's been having meeting after meeting, so we haven't been able to spend much time together. He leaves tomorrow to go to California for some business and then, my family is coming into town. Therefore, today's the day that we will spend together.

I don't know exactly what we'll do. Rain is in the forcast, so that leaves out almost all of the things we normally enjoy doing together. Brock did mention a movie. That would be great because he doesn't usually like to sit long enough to watch a movie. Whatever we do, it will be fun! We always have a good time together.

What's Mine is Yours

Last night, we had our normal Cocoa Tree night. We met for dinner at a casual restaurant that we frequent. In fact, the person taking our order asked if we wanted our "normal." Some people came to dinner, but then had to go to a showcase (concert where you "showcase" your talent) in downtown Nashville. Then, we went to the Cocoa Tree where people trickled in at different times. Many did not come to dinner, but came to the Cocoa Tree. It was a nice, relaxed night.

Then, as we were standing outside since the Cocoa Tree had closed, someone asked if anyone needed a corner desk. One of the other girls said, "Are you serious?" She and her husband are newly married and happened to be looking for a corner desk. So, they followed my friend to her apartment and picked it up!

It was so cool that somebody had such a specific item that somebody else in the group needed. It almost reminded me of the New Testament church. It's sort of that phylosophy of "what's mine is yours and what's yours is mine." Plus, Brock was about to drive several miles out of the way to help them pick it up, but they found another way. He would have done it though!

Reflecting in Daytona

We had a great time in Florida. We spent most of the time in Orlando and Cocoa Beach. We went over to Daytona in order to watch the Supercross. I dropped Brock off at the speedway early because he had a pit pass. So, I took advantage of the time and drove around to the places where I lived and spent time. A lot has changed in 15 years.

My high school is not there anymore. It's an entirely new building. I went to my old house. It's at the end of a dead end street with my church at the opposite end. I parked down near my house and looked around. Nothing much was different...just new coat of paint. Then, I walked up to the church to look around. As I was walking, I felt a little unsafe by myself. That was so crazy to me, because I'd walked that road thousands of times when I lived there.

It was such a strange time of reflecting. Daytona was so familiar yet so foreign all at the same time. I haven't lived there about half of my life. Those few hours that I drove around, I felt like a stranger in this town. The only people that talked with me were people who were parked next to me at the beach. They were from Murfreesburo, TN just 30 miles down the road from Nashville! However, Daytona Beach will always be the place where I grew up. Those memories of that time are sealed in my mind forever.

Flat Tire 2 Blocks from my House

We drove all day yesterday and I was ready to get home. However, I really missed my friends, too. It had been a week since I'd seen most of them. I had just talked to one of my friends on the phone and she was wondering if we were going to be home in time to hang out. Since we were still 4 hours away, I didn't think that would happen.

Then, as we were almost home, we get a call from Shannon. A couple of friends had taken her to our house to pick up her car. She just jumped in the car without bringing her cell phone. She only made it to the gas station before she realized she had a really bad flat. She called us from the phone in the gas station because we were the only numbers she had memorized. Then, we called her friends who called AAA.

Shortly after that, we met all three of them at the gas station and hung out for an hour and a half. The ironic thing was that we were only two blocks from our house, yet we didn't quite make it home. We kept calling AAA and they kept assuring us that someone was on the way. After so long, we got fed up and Brock went out and put air in the tire so that she could make it home no problem. Just as we were all saying goodbye and pulling away from the gas station, the wrecker guy sent from AAA pulled in. That's the way it always happens! However, I got to spend some time with my friends, so I'm not complaining.

Pray for Erin

Last Sunday as I was going into church, I passed a girl. As I passed her, the Lord told me to pray for her. Then, she ended up sitting a few rows in front of us. She was sitting by herself. I just had the urge to go up to her. About half way through the worship, she got up and walked out. I distinctly heard the Lord tell me to follow her, so I did.

She went into the bathroom and so did I. After using the bathroom, I saw her walk back into the service. I felt really embarrassed, so I walked back to my seat. I thought that maybe there would be a time when we shook hands and greeted each other, and I would talk to her then. However, before I reached my seat, I turned around and went to the back of the auditorium where she was making her way back to her seat. She walked so slowly and looked like she may be in pain.

When I went up to her, I didn't know what to say, so I said, "Are you feeling okay?" She said that she had a medical condition. As I looked into her eyes, I realized that she was very young. She told me that her name was Erin and she had a tumor growing around her heart. The doctors cannot operate because of where the tumor is located. She goes to the hospital 4 days a week for treatment. I told her that the Lord had told me to pray for her. So, right there in the midst of the congregation singing praises to the Lord, I hugged her and prayed that the Lord would do a miracle in her life. Please pray for Erin to be healed. The Lord told me to pray for her, and now He's asking you to pray as well.

Matthew 18:19-20

"Again I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three of you come together in my name, there am I with them."

Story about Puppet Master

The other day at work at Barnes & Noble, another employee came over to help us close up. He's in school and will eventually be a drama teacher. Therefore, I began talking to him about our show. I told him about the Puppet Master.

I said that we do a dramatic effect in which Brock wears all black and an eerie mask that's half white and half black. I described the scene in which he makes me appear and pretends to tie invisible strings to my arms and head. He leads me around the stage as I try alcohol, smoking, etc. At first, I act happy, but toward the end, I go downhill. It gets very emotional and ends up leading me into drugs. The last scene, I'm sitting on a chair. Brock covers me with a cloth. He pulls the cloth away, and I have disappeared.

As I was telling the story, the guy stopped what he was doing and listened extra intently. At one point, he bumped the soda fountain machine and jumped. Something grabbed him spiritually. I only work a couple days a week and haven't seen him since, but pray for him. Pray that the Lord grabs his heart and won't let go until he surrenders to Him.

Fun in Florida

Yesterday was so fun! We went to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure after the conference was over. My friend, Amber, and her husband came to the conference and hung out with us. It was so fun to see her. We went to all of the best rides...the Hulk, Spiderman, Dueling Dragons, and the Mummy. There were hardly any lines and the weather was perfect! We even went on the Hulk twice. I love roller coasters! Then, we all ate at a Japanese restaurant around the hibachi grill.

This morning, Brock and I got up and went to the pool and hot tub for a little while. We are now going to drive to Daytona and watch the Supercross. Brock gets to go hang out in the pits because our friend, Kevin Johnson, is racing.

Tonight after the race, we're driving to Cocoa Beach to stay at a friends' beach house for a couple of days. It's going to be such a nice break. Therefore, I'll be out of pocket for the next few days. So, I've prewritten a few blogs that someone will post for me.

Hard Rock Live

I'm sitting at front of house (that's where the soundboard is) at the Hard Rock Live venue. Everyone is eating lunch right now. Brock has been emceeing this event with 2,000 youth pastors. It's been so fun! We've laughed together and seen some familiar faces. There has been some great speakers. It' so fun!

Drive Day

We are going to Orlando today! I'm so excited! We are getting there the old fashioned way of driving. I'm excited about that too! This time, we are driving our pick-up truck and taking two people from our office with us. We are going to a youth pastors' conference at the Hard Rock Cafe in Universal Studios.

Today will be fun to just drive down to Florida and act like tourists. Maybe we'll come up with different stories about all of us everytime someone asks. We'll probably stop for lunch at Pappasitos in Atlanta. We won't arrive until later on tonight especially with the time change. Today will simply be a driving day which I haven't had in a long time. Plus, with just the pick-up, we don't have to worry about where to park like we do in our big rig.

More on the Tomb of Jesus

Brock researched the documentary of finding the tomb of Jesus and came up with this:

after the press conference about the lost tomb of jesus people were scared to death about this film made by james cameron. once again, the name of the film is, "the lost tomb of jesus". they claim that they have found the tomb and remains of jesus.

so they found jesus. i guess we should cancel easter. the easter bunny is gonna be unemployed. now that they have "proven" that jesus body is still buried in a tomb, what are we gonna do? sense my sarcasm? hope so.

if this film is true then christianity is a fraud.. we should all go find another religion. atheism would be appropriate.
this film is a total fraud. here is why. i have been researching this today to make sure i understood this all. i am overwhelmed by the amount of information. i have much to say about this. i found some great info on http://www.y-zine.com/yjesus.htm. thanks to some of you readers who helped me search. this was worded really well so i willl let this be my thoughts.


1. Why don’t Cameron and Jacobovici cite scholars who disagree with their conclusions? For example, in 1996, when the British Broadcasting Corp. aired a short documentary on the same subject, archaeologists challenged the claims. In fact, the vast majority of archaeologists dispute their claim.

2. Since the custom was to bury the dead in their home town, why would Mary and Joseph’s family tomb be in Jerusalem instead of Nazareth? Middle East researcher and biblical anthropologist Joe Zias states, "It has nothing whatsoever to do with Jesus, he was known as Jesus of Nazareth, not Jesus of Jerusalem, and if the family was wealthy enough to afford a tomb, which they probably weren't, it would have been in Nazareth, not here in Jerusalem.” Zias dismisses Cameron's claims as "dishonest".

3. Why didn’t Jesus’ enemies, the Jewish leaders, expose the tomb? They searched unsuccessfully throughout Jerusalem for any evidence of Jesus’ body, claiming that Jesus’ disciples had stolen it. They hated Jesus enough to want him crucified, and would have been elated to discover his tomb, if it indeed existed.

4. Why didn’t the Romans expose the inscriptions as belonging to Jesus? Roman soldiers controlled the entire city of Jerusalem, and they knew his body was missing from a tomb they had been guarding.

5. Why didn’t contemporary Roman or Jewish historians write about the tomb? Not one single contemporary historian mentions the tomb in question.

6. Why was the James Ossuary, which has been labeled a forgery, cited by Cameron and Jacobovici as one of the reasons for the tomb‘s validity? CBS News correspondent Mark Philips reports “the archeological establishment has lined up to label this claim as bunk. This is the second time The Discovery Channel has been involved in a disputed claim about an ancient tomb,” reports Phillips. The man at the center of the previous case is now facing trial for forgery.” Ben Witherington, an early Christianity expert who was deeply involved with the James Ossuary, says “there are physical reasons to believe it couldn't have originated in the Talpiot plot.”

7. Why are Jacobovici and Cameron waiting until just prior to Easter to launch both the book and documentary? Amos Kloner, the first archaeologist to examine the site, said the idea fails to hold up by archaeological standards but makes for profitable television. "They just want to get money for it," Kloner said.
8. Why would Jesus’ disciples endure torture for claiming he was resurrected, if they knew it was a hoax? New Testament scholar Darrell Bock asks, “why would Jesus' family or followers bury his bones in a family plot and then turn around and preach that he had been physically raised from the dead?"


JESUS’ TOMB DISCOVERED IN INDIA?

So called experts claim to have discovered Jesus’ tomb in India. The website [http://www.tombofjesus.com] cites eight lines of evidence that leads to the conclusion that Jesus was buried in Srinagar, Kashmir, India. Among other “evidence” it cites:


“The Tomb of Yus Asaph is a fascinating site. The tomb is said to be that of a Prophet who came from a foreign land. His parables, teachings, and burial direction all suggest he was Jesus Christ.”


JESUS’ TOMB DISCOVERED IN JAPAN?

Another theory puts Jesus’ tomb in the Shingo Village (Herai) in Japan. This is also supposedly based upon solid evidence from scholars. For example, the website, http://www.thiaoouba.com/tomb.htm cites the following as evidence:


“In 1935, Kiyomaro Takeuchi discovered a 1900 year old document stored in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, containing evidence Jesus (Joshua) born in Bethlehem to virgin Mary is buried in Herai Village in Aomori district of Japan….The document was SO authentic and new, and so explosive at the time that the Japanese government banned the document from public view and locked it in a museum in Tokyo.”


SCHOLARS’ VERDICT

So has Jesus’ tomb really been discovered? If so, is it in Jerusalem, Japan, or India---or somewhere else? They can’t all be true.

Jodi Magness, an archaeologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, expressed irritation that the claims were made at a news conference rather than in a peer-reviewed scientific article. By going directly to the media, she said, the filmmakers "have set it up as if it's a legitimate academic debate, when the vast majority of scholars who specialize in archaeology of this period have flatly rejected this," she said.

Magness noted that at the time of Jesus, wealthy families buried their dead in tombs cut by hand from solid rock, putting the bones in niches in the walls and then, later, transferring them to ossuaries.

She said Jesus came from a poor family that, like most Jews of the time, probably buried their dead in ordinary graves. "If Jesus' family had been wealthy enough to afford a rock-cut tomb, it would have been in Nazareth, not Jerusalem," she said.

Magness also said the names on the Talpiyot ossuaries indicate that the tomb belonged to a family from Judea, the area around Jerusalem, where people were known by their first name and father's name. As Galileans, Jesus and his family members would have used their first name and home town, she said.

"This whole case [for the tomb of Jesus] is flawed from beginning to end," she said.

And that conclusion seems to be the consensus of the vast number of archaeologists. Let us hear from William G. Dever, an unbiased scholar who has been excavating ancient sites in Israel for 50 years and is widely considered the dean of biblical archaeology among U.S. scholars. Dever writes, "I'm not a Christian. I'm not a believer. I don't have a dog in this fight," said "I just think it's a shame the way this story is being hyped and manipulated."





ok. this is pretty amazing huh? very interesting stuff. here is another crazy fact. and i am not being sarcastic here. the film uses a gnostic text called the acts of phillip. this text is not to be taken seriously by anyone. it says that mary magdalene and the disciples went to preach to the world and saw many converts such as... are you ready for this? a talking leopard, and a talking goat. i guess jesus loves the goat as much as us. poor sinning goat and leopard needs jesus too? you cant be serious.

james cameron has no integrity. this film is deceptive and downright scary. for those who are weak in the faith or those who are searching, or even those who are on the fence when it comes to faith, this will send them the wrong direction. my challenge to you is, go educate yourself. watch this film it is important for you to know what it is all about. know that you know the facts you will see thru the deception and psuedoscience that is used to entice the viewer.

people have asked me about what i think about this whole thing. i have already said it. we did a 3 hour tv special on discovery channel. its called the "miracles of jesus". if you havent seen it then buy the dvd right now at www.brockgill.com
the producer that i worked with on our film from the bbc said that they also did a documentary on the so called tomb of jesus. they found it to be a fraud as well. they did this in 1996. i have much more to say about this but i will go short . for an excellent podcast on this subject listen to this http://004f597.netsolhost.com/losttomb/losttomb.mp3 it is about 45 minutes or so i believe. if you want more details about this issue then listen to it. report back here and share your thoughts.

Jesus' Tomb

I watched the documentary on the "finding of Jesus' tomb." The film was very compelling. However, it was a little too compelling. Everything turned out just as they wanted it to. Also, they did not show the other side at all.

After the documentary, they showed a discussion about it. The discussion confirmed my suspicions. You cannot trust the guys who did this. Ted Coppel questioned all of the experts used in the film and everyone of them said that they were taken out of context, etc.

One of the archeologists that didn't agree with the film compared it to archeology porn. They weren't very professional in the way they shot the documentary. It was more for entertainment. Still, it's disturbing. They claimed that Mary Magdalene and Jesus were married and had a son. What do you think about all this?

Saturdays

We are so rarely home on Saturdays that we almost don't know what to do. I made muffins yesterday morning because we had a couple of friends that stayed at our house Friday night. Then, Brock and I went out to the local dirt bike track and trails to go riding. It was too cold for me to ride, so I sat in the truck to get out of the wind. It was still great though. Where we go riding is out in the middle of nowhere, so it's really relaxing. It gave me a chance to catch up on some reading.

Last night, we went to a movie with some friends. Then, we ate dinner and went out for ice cream. We had a great time laughing and hanging out. What do you typically do on Saturdays?

Hawaiian Birthday Party

We went to a surprise birthday party last night. The invitation said to dress Hawaiian and bring the kids. We brought our friend, Corey, and dressed "Hawaiian." I wore a t-shirt with a hula dancer on it. Brock's Hawaiian attire consisted of his floural swimming trunks and his green astroturf sandles...no shirt. It was so funny when he came waltzing into the house with nothing but a swimsuit!

We didn't know how everyone would take it because this was mostly a family party with lots of children. The ones that knew Brock thought it was hilarious. The people that didn't know him probably thought he was mental. Either way, when people remember that birthday party, they will remember Brock's costume!

Prayer for a Community

I love having a community. Last night, we went out with friends and talked about family and work and the Lord for a few hours. Some of my other friends are having family problems back home and they are several hours away. I have friends who are having financial problems.

However, lots of cool things are happenning with my friends as well. Recently, one of them got a new house. Another one got a brand new car. One of our friends is working on her album and we listen to her songs before they are completely finished and give her our support. It's so cool!

We share the good and bad together. This weekend, we are actually home. Therefore, we are going to spend time hanging out with our friends. I have been praying to have a community like this for about 7 years now. I'm very thankful that the Lord has answered my prayers.

My Favorite Concert Ever

We went to see Family Force 5 yesterday afternoon and one of our friends who would be filming it met us at the door. He said that it would be delayed at least a few hours. So, we went to Starbucks and hung out with one of our friends. Then, we met everyone at one of the places we like to eat, Calypso Cafe. We called another friend who was in the studio working as well. She said that it would be another hour or so. The Cocoa Tree closes at 9pm, so we went there next. When we left there at about 7:30, one of the workers was shocked because of how early we were leaving. We told her that we had a concert to go to!

We got to the concert studio and since the producer of the show was also the producer of our dvd, we snuck in the back door. We hung out there mingling with people while the band sound checked. Then, we stood on the front row. They performed every song on their cd save one. Since I know every song and was dancing around like an idiot, I'll probably look like a little groupy girl on tv. At one point, they put the camera right in my face. I know that I'm going to look stupid, but I don't care. That was the best concert ever!

Happy Fun Day!

I've been working for the last 4 days straight. Saturday night we had a show. Then, we drove back to my parents' house late that night only to get up and speak at church the next morning. Then, we rushed to the airport and got back home that night. I worked at Barnes & Noble until closing the last two nights. The whole time I was working, I would think about how I'm just going to chill out and veg first chance I get. Now that I'm off today, I have all of this energy! I want to play, not veg. Isn't that funny the way that works?

Brock has been working hard the last few days as well. He was in meetings all day Monday and Tuesday. We have a full day of meetings tomorrow. Therefore, we have declared today a happy fun day. We plan to have a liesurely morning and lunch together. This afternoon, we are meeting some of our friends to watch Family Force 5 (one of our favorite bands) tape a tv show. Then, we will probably grab some dinner and go to the Cocoa Tree. It's going to be happy fun!!

myspace.com/ freedomexperience

If any of you are into myspace. Check out our new myspace for FX. Go to myspace.com/freedomexperience. Also, go to Brock's myspace and watch some of his crazy videos under his blogs (myspace.com/brockgill).

A Message about Water

Yesterday, Brock began his message at Sunday morning church by telling facts about water. Then, he said that all of this talk was making him thirsty. He asked if anyone had any water. About ten people came up handing him a bottle of water. He kept adding the bottles to his arms. After about 8 bottles, he began dropping one at a time and someone would hand it back to him. Then, he'd drop another one and someone would pick it up for him and hand it back to him. This continued for about 10 seconds or so. My sister was laughing so hard. She said, "I don't know why this is so funny, but it's hilarious!"

Then, about midway through his message, a 13 year old boy on the second row was laid out sleeping. Brock kind of kicked him and he didn't stir. Then, he threw the empty box of waters at him and said, "Wake up!" The boy's dad was sitting behind me and said, "You get him, Brock!" At that point, the boy woke up and stretched like he was at home on his bed. It was funny!

Brock spoke about the women at the well. She came to get physical water, but the Lord gave her living water (John 4). The most interesting thing that he pointed out was that she left her water jar and went to tell everyone about Jesus. She left the very thing she came for...a jug of water. She changed her plans that day because Jesus became more important to her. She didn't wait until she had a seminary degree or studied the Bible more. She began spreading the good news immediately! She even left her water jug in the process. Brock said that some of us need to have our plans for the day ruined so that we can carry out His plan.

Shows in Texas

The show went really well last night. It was a small crowd. I wondered if anyone would respond to the gospel with such a small crowd in a small town in East Texas. However, three high school students boldly became followers of Christ last night. It was really cool! In front of everyone with all of the lights on and no music playing or anything, they stood up and commited their lives to Jesus right then and there. Brock already told them that it wasn't necessarily an easy life. It wouldn't make them more popular. In fact, it would probably do the opposite. Without being ashamed or afraid, they stood.

Today, Brock will speak in church. He's developing a new message about water. I'll let you know how it goes.

Show in Kirbyville, TX

Yesterday, we had a fun time hanging out with my family. We went to Houston and shopped at my two favorite stores. They both happened to have a huge sale going on. We only buy clothes once or twice a year. Yesterday was one of those times. It was actually fun!

Then, we all went to the movies and ate at a great mexican restaurant, Lupe's Tortillas. After dinner, we went to a place called Trouffle. It was a chocolate lounge. The ambiance was great and the chocolate was good, but it was no Cocoa Tree.

In about an hour, we will go over to east Texas and meet up with Brock's parents for lunch. They are going to hang out with us today. Pray that the show goes well tonight. We perform at 9:30pm. Then, we'll drive two hours back to my parents' house. Then, Brock is speaking at church in the morning. Pray for strength and anointing.

Group 1 Crew

We just bought the Group 1 Crew cd. It's great! It comes with a bonus dvd with the Freedom Experience trailer on it.

My dad just went to a conference about reaching people in different groups. One people group that the church is not reaching at all is the hip-hop crowd which is growing rapidly. Group 1 Crew is a hip-hop group. However, they are liked by everyone. They have the ability to reach a different group plus the mainstream people. We noticed that the cheerleader as well as a gang member both enjoyed them alike.

After one of our Freedom Experiences, I went up to people and asked what they liked most about the show. One little blond mom timidly said, "I liked the rap. I don't usually like that kind of music, but I loved Group 1 Crew!"

If you haven't purchased their cd yet, you should! Make sure you watch the FX trailer.

Going To Another Home

I'm going home today...my parents' home. We are doing a show in Kirbyville, TX saturday night. The cheapest flights were into Houston. My parents live near Houston, so we are coming in a couple of days early and staying with them. I'm excited about seeing them. Also, my sister and brother-in-law are coming this weekend. I want to see as much of them as I can because this summer, they are moving to Peru to do missionary work.

On Saturday, I get to see one of my best friends, Gin. Plus, Brock's parents don't live too far away, so they are coming to hang out with us Saturday as well. I'm so excited about seeing everyone!

Are any of you like me? Do you have more than one home that you feel comfortable in? That's such a blessing to be able to have another home to go to even if it's across the country, across town, or next door. Sometimes, you get a little bored with your own.

Famous People in Nashville

We saw LeAnn Rimes the other day at a little Lebanese restaurant. She looked really normal. She and her husband were dressed like they had just come from the gym. She was really cute sporting a pony tail with no make-up. She is also very little.

Someone else who is little is Scott Hamilton. We saw him at the grocery store the other day. He is a little man. Brock has seen his wife around town before. She's perfect for him because she is tiny.

Nashville is definately becoming a hot spot for stars of all kinds. The cool thing about my town is that people leave stars alone. We may point them out to each other and whisper about them, but rarely do people actually approach them. This is where they live so we give them their space. We are seeing more and more stars around town. It's cool.

My First Day at Work

I had a really good first day at work. They are starting me off in the cafe. I wish that I could be in the book section, but that's okay. I get to interact with people a lot. I enjoy that.

When I told my dad on the phone that I was working in a cafe, he started laughing. Then, I told my mom on the phone and she began laughing too. Picturing me serving coffee is apparently comical. Mom said that picturing me in the kitchen period is funny. I've had some "incidences" in the kitchen when I was growing up.

It was a little overwhelming trying to learn how to make different drinks especially since I don't really like coffee. In fact, I hate the taste of it. Until yesterday, I didn't even know what a latte really was. However, the girl training me on how to make the drinks said that I did very well on my first day. At one point, she said that she was impressed after it got busy that I didn't panic and scream, "I can't do this!" I guess people have done that in the past. After doing a live show always making sure everything with the production and the magic tricks are going right, making a few drinks for people don't compare in the amount of pressure!

Party and Work

Yesterday, our friend, Robby, had a barbecue with some of the guys that have been racing in the arenacross. Nevermind the fact that there was snow on the ground. We had all kinds of meat...porkloin, pork chops, chicken, lamb, salmon, steak, and a few more! Brock actually did all of the grilling. He grilled for several hours yesterday and loved it!

Today, I begin a new part-time job at Barnes & Noble. I'm nervous to be doing this kind of job. I've been working with Brock only for the last 8 years. Before that, my jobs consisted of working in an office or at a daycare. However, I've always wanted to work in a bookstore. Pray that my first day goes well.

Also, Group 1 Crew's album comes out tomorrow. Make sure you go out and buy it. I absolutely love it! It's been a constant in my stereo at home. I'll be cleaning while I'm listening to it. Before I know it, I'm dancing and doing some aerobics.

Weekend

This weekend, the conference went really well. The band was great. The people there were great. I really enjoy going to Texas. It was fun seeing my sister and brother-in-law as well.

The worship center at the camp where the conference took place this weekend burned last fall. Therefore, we had to perform under a tent. It actually worked out really well. The only thing was that when the wind picked up, I thought that the tent was going to cave in on us!

We got on an airplane last night and flew in at 8:50pm. Our friend picked us up from the airport, drove us downtown to the arenacross, and dropped us off at the door. We got there just in time for the main race. This was the final race of the night as well as the season.

Our friend, Kevin, was racing his dirtbike. He actually performed at an FX with us. We were sitting with his friends and wife. It was so fun to cheer for him among all of his people. It was even better when he won!

Show at Hot Hearts

Today we leave to perform at a conference called Hot Hearts out in Texas. Brock is going to be the speaker. Please pray that everything goes smoothly and that we don't lose our luggage, etc. Pray that Brock encourages the students at this conference and that the Lord will change their lives. Pray that we are able to focus on the show.

We are staying at a camp, so I'm not sure if they have internet. My sister and brother-in-law are coming to hang out tomorrow. That will be fun! My brother-in-law grew up going to the camp where the conference takes place, so this will be a stroll down memory lane.

I'll update you as soon as I can. The conference begins tonight and ends tomorrow afternoon.

Broken Chairs and Swings and Stuff

The other day, I was in a Bible study with some girls that I know. They were all sitting on couches and I was sitting on a chair that I had pulled in from the dining room. I happened to be talking so everyone was focused on me. Then, I heard a few cracks. Some louder cracks followed and in one swift motion, I was all the way on the ground! The chair had broken into two pieces! It was really funny.

However, this sort of thing happens to me a lot. I've broken two different hammocks on several occasions. My mom has a swing and it never falls down on anyone...except me. It's fallen on me twice! I would get a little self conscious about my weight, but I'm clumsy too. If anything like that is going to happen to anyone, it's going to be me!

I can remember once when I was little as our family was sitting around the dinner table, my chair broke. It happened to be just as my dad began praying to bless the meal. The back of my chair fell out onto the floor causing a loud bang! I wasn't hurt or anything, but dad continued praying and I began to snicker. Soon, all of us were laughing hysterically! At least we can always get a good laugh at my expense!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Brock and I are planning on spending the day together. It's already a magical day because snow is gently falling to the ground. It's been really cold here lately but not much snow. However, today there is plenty of it!

I'm making Brock poppyseed muffins for breakfast as I write this. Then, for lunch, he's going to make me his famous shrimp and potatoes. We're just going to hang out around our house together.

Tonight, we are going to celebrate with our friends. Our plan is to go to eat at one of our favorite thai restaurants together. Then, we're going to the Cocoa Tree, of course. We always go there on Wednesdays anyway. Then, we are going to see a movie together!

Can food be a love language because I think that ours is FOOD. What are you guys doing for Valentine's Day?

Day Directed By the Lord

I don't know if you've ever tried fasting, but there is just something about it. I was praying for the meeting and it went excellant! However, a lot of other things that I had been praying about came to be yesterday morning. I felt like the Lord was directing my day. First of all, on my way to see my friend that I meet and pray with weekly, I was praying about my job. Since we are here on the weekdays and we have some extra financial needs, I decided to look for a little partime job. However, I've been looking for two weeks without any hope of anything. Everyone was either not hiring or only looking for someone to work on the weekends. My prayer was that the Lord give me the right job and have only the place where he wants me to work call me back. At the end of that prayer, I tagged on that I wished it could be a bookstore. An hour later, Barnes and Noble called and set up an interview with me. The interview went very well and the job looks very promising.

Then, when I met with my friend, she gave me a spiritual gifts' test and analysis. I was beginning a Beth Moore Bible study that night with a group of girls. However, after we listened to the cd that goes along with the study, we'd be too tired to go through a test. A little while later, I found out that we weren't able to get the cd's for the study until next week. I said that we could talk about spiritual gifts. It worked out perfectly!

I was praying for one particular girl yesterday because she's going through a hard time. I haven't seen her in a while. Yesterday, I ran into her twice. Both times, we had very good conversations about the Lord and how He was involved in her life. What a great day!

Big Meeting

Pray for a big meeting about tv show ideas that are going on today in LA. Pray that when Brock's name comes up, the people in the meeting will be very interested. Pray that things develop just as the Lord wants them to. I'm sorry that I cannot be more specific. I don't know the details. I just know that this meeting is such a big deal that we are fasting today because of it. We feel like the Lord is leading us to do more tv stuff. This may be part of that process. Pray that something big comes from this meeting today!

How Much Do You Believe in Christ?

This morning Brock spoke about the miracles of Jesus. He told about some of the theories of how Jesus performed some of His miracles and how they disproved those theories on the Discovery Channel tv show. He said that the most convincing of all is that if the resurrection did not happen...if the disciples were making it up, why did they die for what they believed? 11 out of the 12 were martyred for their claims about Jesus. The other one was exiled to an island. If they had not seen with their own eyes that Jesus was in fact risen from the dead, then why didn't they confess that it was a lie in order to get out of being tortured and executed?

Brock ended his session this morning with one question. He had everyone close their eyes and think about how much they believed in Jesus. Then he said, "I'm not asking if you are willing to die for Jesus, but are you willing to live for Him?"

I've been thinking about that. I just read in one of my Bible studies that there are more people martyred for Christ now than ever before. In 1900, the estimate of people martyred for the sake of Christ was 35,600. In 1989, the number of martyrs had risen to 325,000. Add the fact that I received an e-mail from my friends today who are missionaries somewhere in Central Asia, and they are being threatened with being "found out" just like their leaders. Their leaders were given 10 days to leave the country after spending a decade there.

I have it so easy here, yet I cannot find time each day to spend in studying God's Word. I've been asking the question all day to myself..."How much am I living for Christ?"

Show in Georgia

We are going to Cumming, GA for the weekend. We are actually driving our pick-up truck to this event instead of flying. It's not very far. Also, a couple of our other friends are going to the Atlanta area for the weekend, so we are caravanning together. That will be fun! We plan to eat lunch at one of my favorite places, Pappasitos!

Pray that this weekend makes a big impact on the church and community. Brock is speaking 4 times throughout the weekend, so pray for power and strength. Most of all, pray that the Lord changes the lives of some people in Georgia.

New Website

We have a new website in the works. We want you guys to get a look before we annouce it to everyone. Go to www.freedomexperience.com/3 and tell us what you think!

Prayer for Yourself

Pedro brought up an interesting point yesterday. When you are going through something yourself, it's hard to pray for anyone else and even yourself. That's why you must have others pray for you at those times. Let's take the time to pray for each other today. Taylor wants to be used by the Lord to witness to others. Pedro is going through some family issues. We need prayer for some financial issues. Without being too detailed, tell me what you would like prayer for right now.

Praying for Others

I've been having quite an exciting time praying for others. One time the other day, I was reading scripture and it trigured me to think about this one girl. I was praying for her all morning. That very morning, she called me out of the blue just to talk. She never calls me!

One of my other friends told me about a certain day that the Lord really spoke to her and told her not to be consumed by fear anymore. I happened to have my journal with me and flipped to that day. I had written a prayer for her about not having fear. It was so cool!

Last month, our pastor at church was speaking on restarting your life. He gave us all little cards that advertised the series and our church. He said to give it to someone that needed it. I didn't know who to give it to, so I left a few in public places. The first place I put one was in a coffee shop. After spending a couple of hours there, I looked over and the card was gone! I only remained excited until I saw that it had just been moved to another table. I figured that this might not be working. However, when I went to the mall, I had a strong urge to place a card in the bathroom at a particular store. I didn't even need to use the bathroom, but I went in anyway and placed a card on the sink. An hour later, I went back and the card had been picked up! I was so excited! I'm still praying for whoever that lady was that picked up that card. I'm praying that she got the restart that she needed.

If you haven't done much praying for others, try it. It can be more fun than you think! Prayer is so supernatural.

Freezing!

I am sitting in a bakery in downtown Franklin trying to warm up my body to a normal temperature. We weren't planning on coming into town until 2pm today, but plans changed last night in the wee hours of the morning...

We flew back into town at around 2pm yesterday. We stayed out all day going from party to party until around 10 last night. I went straight to bed and was sleeping soundly until sometime in the middle of the night. I noticed that my nose was cold. I normally don't do this, but I had to pull the covers up over my head. This morning, we woke up extra early only to realize that our heat went out in the middle of the night. The only thing that saved us in the night was our electric blanket that we had on full blast.

If any of you know us, you know that we are both the biggest wimps when it comes to the cold. Growing up in Florida and Brock in Louisiana, we aren't used to temperatures down in the teens like it was last night. Even this morning, it was only 17 degrees! So, we made a plan. We turned on the little heater in the bathroom. Then, we stayed under the covers until it was time to take a shower. We brought our clothes in the bathroom and got ready in there. The heater coupled with the hot shower actually worked nicely. Then, we ran to our truck and came into town! I'm just beginning to warm up!

Super Bowl

Yesterday, we hung out with old friends and new ones that we made here. Brock even saw a guy that he hasn't seen in twelve years! The show went even better last night.

This morning, we fly back to Nashville. We're going to drop in on a birthday party at 6th Avenue Skatepark. Then, we're going to a Super Bowl party at some friends' house. It's going to be fun! One of our friends is a huge Colts fan. It will be fun to watch it with her. Do any of you have any plans? Who are you pulling for to win?

Lost Luggage

Yesterday, we everything went wrong before the show began. Our luggage didn't show up until an hour before the show. Then, when we did get it, things were missing. When they search your luggage, they don't care if they put things back in cases or anything. So, we hurriedly tried to throw our stuff together. We even switched out some illusions minutes before the show began. Everyone was so nice and helpful. That's the only way we were able to make it onstage on time.

Then, the show went great! Lots of old friends showed up. Some of Brock's friends whom he grew up with were there. One of Brock's cousins was there and some friends from college were there. It was fun to see them. Pray that tonight will be even better!

Flying To Louisiana

Yesterday, the snow melted before 10am and there wasn't much to begin with. This morning, however, it's a couple of inches high. Pray that we'll be able to fly out no problem. Our flight isn't until 11:30, so it will probably be melted by then. I just hope that there are not too many delays that push our flight back too much. Pray that we get to the church on time. We perform at 8pm tonight! We will get there somehow even if we have to drive to another airport or all the way to Bossier City, LA.

Also, pray that this event is great! Brock is performing his new show tonight and then speaking tomorrow night. Pray that lives are changed in Bossier City this weekend! I'll let you know how it's going tomorrow.

Snow Day

It only snows here once or twice a year and usually it doesn't stick. However, I woke up this morning to white covered grounds and rooftops. It's pretty. I've got soup ready to eat and movies ready to watch, so I think that we are set for our snow day.

Whenever it snows here, everything shuts down. We aren't really equipped to handle a lot of snow and ice, plus people don't know how to drive in the snow. Nashville is so diverse that people move here from just about every state. The ones from the north like to laugh at us when snow "dusts" the ground here. I just look at it as a great time to relax inside our cozy house!

Big City Yet Small Town

I love the Nashville area. It's a big city with a small town feel. You feel like you know everyone yet you can go to any cool restaurant or museaum or concert every week. You've got the feel of a big city with lots of people, but everyone is so nice that you feel like you know them when you talk to them.

Yesterday, Brock had meetings in the morning and afternoon. So, I ran some errands around downtown Franklin as he met with his mentor group. I ran into four of my really good friends. Then, I saw a guy from Texas that I hadn't seen in years. We had lunch with one of the girls in our office. Two more people that we know walked into the small restaurant.

We went to the mall after our last meeting and saw another friend. We've seen her about 4 days in a row around town. She smiled and said that she would probably see us tomorrow somewhere. We also went to the grocery store and feel like we know everyone that works there.

I haven't felt community like this since we were in college. We went to a small school where you knew everyone. So, you would see people you knew on the way to class and in the cafeteria and everywhere you went. Now, we're experiencing the same type of thing in our wonderful community here!

Bachelorette Party

One of my friends is getting married this weekend. We took her out last night. We went to Dave and Busters and had a great time eating dinner and sharing stories about her and her fiance. Then, we placed a pair of underware on her head and poster board signs on her shoulders hanging down from each side of her. On the poster board was a checklist of all the things we were going to make her do in order to be able to remove the underware from her head.

We walked around the mall that was connected to Dave and Busters and she boldly completed all of her fun tasks. We didn't make her do anything bad...just embarrassing. However, she was not very embarrassed at all. She did great!

One of the requirements on her list was to get 6 single guys' phone numbers. One of the guys who gave her his phone number was very cute. So, after we dared her, one of my other friends who is single called him up. They had a conversation while we all watched and giggled. It was such a blast!

America in Fear

I was in the restroom at the airport the other day and I heard a couple of young women talking. They were about my age. One of the women said that this was the first trip they'd taken since their baby was born. She said that it was difficult getting the will and estate together. I didn't know that you began on that so early just in case your plane went down!

I began to think about how much we in America are driven by fear. We have so much insurance...car, health, life, house, etc. I'm not saying that insurance is a bad thing, but how much do we dwell on the "what if's?" The Bible talks about not worrying. We can still be planned to a certain degree, but it's wrong to think in any way that the Lord will not see you through whatever comes your way. I've been guilty of it a time or two. I'm going to try and have more faith and less worry.

Mystery Weekend

This weekend is Mystery Weekend in Midland, TX. Last night, we were the mystery guest. So, we had to sneak around so nobody could see us before the show. They didn't know who was coming. In fact, I had to be careful not to set too many props onstage before Brock was announced. Handcuffs and locks may have given away the secret. Also, I couldn't set up our dvd's out in the lobby until after it was over. It was fun!

The show went great! We were nervous about the new show, but it went well. Maybe Brock will tell you more about it. The main props are an apple and a huge sword!

After it was over last night, the youth pastor came up and told me that people were still out in the lobby getting saved and praying for healing from broken homes. In the session before we began, some high school students gave their lives to Christ. The Lord is really working at Mystery Weekend.

First New Show

Today, we fly to Texas and perform our first Please Don't Freak Out On Me Show. I'm excited and nervous! Please pray that the show goes very smoothly and that the Lord will change a lot of lives. Pray that we get back into the swing of things with no problems at all.

Discussion on Spiritual Gifts

I perked up a lot last night because it was Cocoa Tree night! While we were there we had another discussion about spiritual gifts. Some people's gifts are obvious. We have one friend who is very giving. I remember talking with him six months ago about what he was doing for a living. He said that he wanted to get back into doing ministry, but his business was taking off. I asked him if he enjoys giving. If he is a giver, I explained, then the Lord would probably use his business skills in order to give him more to give. Within six months, the guy has been so blessed. He is definately blessing others with his spiritual gift of giving.

Another friend of mine is an encourager. They had my surprise party at her house the other night and a lot of my friends met her for the first time that night. We all agreed that her gift is very noticeable right from the start.

A lot of my friends are still struggling to figure out what their gift(s) are. My gift really came out when something happened in our lives. Whenever our trailer with all of our equipment was stolen, my gift of faith really came into play. We always have our gifts, but they need to be developed. So, until you acknowledge them or are forced to use them, they lie dormant. Are you working in your spiritual gift? Whenever you do, you thrive as a follower of Jesus.

Winter Blues

I feel a little down today. My sister always said that since we moved from Florida, winters give her the blues sometimes. I'm having one of those days. I'm not feeling very well. Yesterday, I was sick (maybe because of what I ate on my birthday...it was worth it though!). Today, I still feel a little badly and I have no motivation.

I've read that women are more affected by the weather than guys. Growing up in Florida, I'm used to being outside all year round. Now, it's just too cold to go outside. Also, it's been overcast. My first winter out of Florida took some getting used to. After it had been cloudy for a whole week, I asked someone why it was so gloomy. Their response was, "It's winter," as if it happens like this every year.

I have definately adapted better since then. Occasionaly, I still experience a day or two of the winter blues. The sun is beginning to come out, so maybe my mood will get more sunny! Does anyone else ever experience the winter blues?

Awesome Birthday

I had such a great birthday! First of all, thank you for commenting. I began my day hanging out with my friend, Tiffany. Yes, we did go to the Cocoa Tree in the morning! Then, Brock took me to the Cheesecake Factory for lunch. We went to see a movie. Then, we split a piece of carrot cake at J Alexanders. We went to the bookstore and home.

I had told Brock that the only thing that I really wanted to do was eat pizza with my friends. I love pizza, but I only eat it about once a year. My favorite pizza is Chicago style, but there is no real Chicago style pizza in Nashville. So, Brock told me that we were going to go to this certain pizza place and meet everyone there.

I knew what time we were supposed to be there. I also knew that Brock had been communicating with Shannon and that everyone was there except us. Brock was making us late and I hate late. After he talked with my friend, Susan, and found out that she wasn't going to get to go with us, he told her that we would stop by her house and pick up my gift. I actually was just a little preturbed because I knew that we were going to be late. However, I decided that this was actually a time in which I was allowed to be late since it was my birthday.

We got to Susan's house and I hurried into her kitchen and reached for my present that was sitting on the table. As I did that, I hear "Surprise!" A bunch of my friends were standing up on the balcony looking down. I was so surprised! Brock had ordered pizza from Chicago...my favorite pizza place in Chicago, Gino's East. So, I had the best pizza in the world last night! Plus, I had a great surprise with some great people! Brock was very sneaky! I guess he's good at being sneaky.

Shout Out

Today is my birthday, and the perfect present would be if every person that is reading this would comment. If you don't quite know what to do, just use the anonymous button. I have no way of knowing who reads this blog except when you tell me or comment. I think about you a lot. Sometimes, when I write a blog, I know that someone really needs to hear this. Therefore, you are all in my thoughts often. I would love for everyone to comment today and tell me what you like most about this blog. Give me a shout out even if it's just your first name and where you are from. Shout out even if you know that I know that you read my blog. Just give me a shout out...

Fun Weekend

Yesterday, we began by watching a video with some people from our office. Then, we met up with some friends for lunch. We then went to the mall. It was crazy! Brock bought a ring, but he left his old-perfectly-good-looking-ring-but-it-had-become-too-big-for-him in the ring case. Someone is going to want to buy that ring someday!

Apparently, they were having a health fare at the mall. We saw a sign reading, "Your posture is a window into your health." Every one of us immediately stood up straighter. Brock and I took a posture analysis. Brock also began dancing while people onstage were doing aerobics. We also did one of those surveys at the mall and earned a whole $2 each.

Then, we met up with more friends to grab a bite to eat. When we came out of the resaurant, it was icing, so we decided that we needed to spend our $2 that we earned on some hot chocolate. Of course, we went to the Cocoa Tree because they have the best chocolate in the world! We got there at 7pm with the intentions of just getting a hot chocolate and going home. The owner ended up coming in and twisting our arms to be taste testers of the 5 different new hot chocolates that she had created! We definately got our hot chocolate and we stayed there for three hours! What fun!