Late to the Party

I am awesome at discovering things like 5 years after everyone else. And then telling everyone all about the awesome thing I just discovered, and the entire world is like, "Yeah, yeah... that was good. Five years ago. We're on to the new big thing now."
It's kind of my calling in life: reminding people of that awesome thing they loved a few years ago. Lately I got really super duper into Entourage, which is a dumb but fun TV show. And I got my brother into it, and we're leaving like the worst jokes on each other's facebook pages that would totally have been funny to culturally literate people way back when they were watching these episodes in 2006.
I'm at it again, and since I not only discover things late, but I go crazy over them and let them consume my life, I will share with you my latest and greatest discovery: Reach Records. I have to say Reach Records instead of a particular artist that's on the label, because I really like them all. Now... I am not your typical rap listener, and I wouldn't even say I'm normally into rap (except... I'm crazy about spoken word, of course, and that's a lot like rapping). But I am into good music and amazing lyrics. These lyrics are amazing.
I would say to check out Trip Lee and Lecrae and just let each song take you to the next and find your favorites.
Here's one of MY new favorites:
Background by Lecrae, featuring C-Lite:



Philippians 4:4-5
Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!

James 1:27

"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."
James 1:27

Widows and orphans.
It seems like everywhere I turn I hear those words. We are to care for the widows and orphans. There is an abundance, at church, of foster children. Most of them have unfit parents, but looking at how hard their life is going to be in the future breaks my heart. Many of them are so young and the full extent of their situation isn't known to them. I have a passion for children, but especially for these children. The children that need so much love and attention.
One thing I know, currently, is that in the future I want to foster/adopt. It will be interesting to see how THAT plays out ;)
I recently heard an interview with Kay Warren, Rick Warren's wife. She was talking about the moment she felt God calling her into a ministry that would nurture and support the widows and orphans around the world. AND She did something. She started an organization within Saddleback Church to support orphans.
So my challenge to you is to do something.
What are you passionate about? What bothers you?
Do something about it.

Check out all of the things Kay is involved in here.

Surprise, surprise!

What a surprise! When I checked my email this morning, I found out that a short story I submitted for publication has been chosen! And it's already up on the site! Check out the literary blog Einstein's Pocket Watch for my story Fly Fishing Lessons.
It's the first short story I wrote, years ago, and it's the first one to get published (which is kind of crazy, since another short story, Nosepicker, was chosen to be published in another literary magazine months ago, but won't be published until the fall -- a more normal time line for these things, I'm learning.)
I'm kind of loving that there's no wait with this one. Yay! I'm very excited.