I (heart) Vintage 21

Because I didn't take any baby pictures today..you get to look at me staring at myself in our green mirror.

Blue Steel? How did you know?

Man the teaching and worship at Vintage was AMAZING this morning. Tyler was in his element or something. I walked out of there so pumped and ready to take on my world. The worship was equally fantastic. It's pretty much like this every Sunday. Sunday morning arrives and I jump out of bed with a spring in my step ready to get the girls dressed and fed and head off to West Street. Stephen and I both can't wait to get there. What is it that makes us so excited ? I really don't know what it is. I love seeing our friends there, but I have had friends at other churches. While that was equally as satisfying on any given Sunday, it wasn't the same as this. I get lost in the worship. I feel like I could stay there for hours. Sing until I lost my voice.

We go get the girls once worship starts and bring them back to sing with us. This morning Ada snuggled on my shoulder and sang softly into my ear. I love that our kids love the Children's Ministry workers. That they dive for them when we approach the door to their classroom. I love that the girls there love my girls. I love that they know us by name.

I love the way I can feel the Lord moving there. I love being part of something I am excited about... and I am so excited about being a part of Vintage. I have never been this excited about a church before. I loved being able to listen to Tim Keller teach at Redeemer every Sunday when we were up north, but we never got involved in the community there. We were just there on Sundays, taking notes but.. just another nameless face in the crowd. It was inspiring every Sunday. I left there deep in thought and processing what Keller had taught on that day. Still, I never sat next to friends.. because we didn't have any at that service. I regret that. I regret not getting more involved. I regret not getting involved period. In retrospect it was my own selfishness that kept me going on Sunday to soak up Keller's inspired teaching, while making excuses not to sacrifice my Thursday evenings to join a community group. Being in community takes work. It takes sacrifice. I wasn't willing to truly commit. I loved this part of His Church when it worked for me. I loved the idea of this part of His Church. I was a taker, not a giver.

I don't think I ever truly valued community. Now I do. Maybe that's it, maybe it's the community that feels so right at Vintage. It feels like this is where the Lord wants us to be right now. Being excited about that community makes me even more excited about my community here in Raleigh. It makes me excited about my family, my country.. most of all it makes me excited about Jesus. I am so thankful to Him for leading us to this church home. I have always had more blessings than I deserved, more than I could count but lately..counting my blessings has become an endless endeavor. Just so thankful, so happy, so blessed. Want to shout it from the rooftops!!! Loving this feeling.