bless your heart: March 2011

I Want a Love like Johnny and June {Heart to Hearts}

>> Monday, March 28, 2011 – Heart to Hearts, Posts by Jess

If anyone was to ever ask me who I'd like to meet - dead or alive- I'd know my answer right away. I've been intrigued by Johnny and June Carter Cash since high school. I did my term paper on them, and I remember I couldn't put down the books. I wanted to read every biography that had ever been published because their life is an incredible, real life love story. "Walk the Line" only illustrated a small layer of the trials and tribulations that were thrown at them. They experienced an immense amount of pain and heart break throughout their lives, but they were able to conquer it all together. What stuck out most to me was reading the way Johnny spoke about June in his autobiography.

"What June did for me was post signs along the way, lift me up when I was weak, encourage me when I was discouraged, and love me when I felt alone and unlovable. She's the greatest woman I have ever known. Nobody else, except my mother, comes close." -Cash: The Autobiography

-Cash on unconditional love: "You hear that phrase a lot, but it's real with me and her. She loves me in spite of everything, in spite of myself. She has saved my life more than once," he said. "She's always been there with her love, and it has certainly made me forget the pain for a long time, many times. When it gets dark, and everybody's gone home and the lights are turned off, it's just me and her."

This is so incredibly inspiring to me. June loved him so deeply and stood by him so firmly that she was able to get him through his darkest moments. She died of complications from heart surgery with Johnny holding her hand... and he died four months later.

If anyone ever doubts the power of true love... just open up a Johnny Cash biography.

San Diego {Snapshots}

>> Wednesday, March 23, 2011 – Posts by Erin, Snapshots

My Dad & I went to San Diego this week. While there we were able to visit La Jolla, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Coronado Island, Pacific Beach, and many more beautiful places. Of course I carried my camera along; these are a few of my favorite pictures from the trip.

[We made our way up to Point Loma-this beautiful light house and the view of the city were breathtaking.]

[Our view from hotel room-can't beat this!]

[Sunset dinner in La Jolla 'the jewel'.]

Dad is a combination of wit, brains, & soul. I enjoyed spending some quality time with him and learning more about where I come from. I'm blessed to have a wonderful man in my life.

Spring Awaits Us {Heart to Hearts}

>> Thursday, March 17, 2011 – Heart to Hearts, Posts by Jess

We're halfway through March already? I really can't believe it. You definitely wouldn't be able to tell if you came to my house. My roommate and I still have our Christmas tree up. Don't you judge, though.

This Sunday marks the first day of Spring. The season always begins on March 20, which is a really special day for me. When I was younger, I went through 2 1/2 long years of chemotherapy. I had a calendar which served as my "roadmap" for treatment. I constantly dreamed of the day I could mark through March 20. At the time, it represented the finish line to my journey and the day I would be considered healed. Thinking back now, I guess it was less of a finish line and more of a beginning.

Spring always comes with perfect timing, and we all welcome a season of rebirth, renewal, and regrowth. You can't help but be excited that it signals that the bitter cold of winter is over. The days are longer, the air is warmer, and the sunlight is brighter. And it leaves us with a good lesson.

"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome." -Ann Bradstreet

Now Listening {Music Notes}

>> – Music Notes, Posts by Erin

something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue...

Click on the link for a free listen to Matt Wertz's new album, {Weights&Wings}.

And while you are at it, download one of his old songs, {Red Meets Blue}.

Leap of Faith {Heart to Hearts}

>> Saturday, March 12, 2011 – Heart to Hearts, Posts by Erin

I’ve never been afraid of heights. As a matter of fact, I have always enjoyed thrill and adventure. Rollercoasters, whitewater rafting, you name it. If it is fast and furious I'm there. But skydiving? That’s a whole other story.

My adventurous side was tested as a friend and I headed to Rockmart, GA to Skydive The Farm. We couldn’t believe it. We were seriously doing this! At one point, we were literally ‘signing our life away’.

Though the instructional video gave me nerves and the plane ride up was frightening, the most terrifying part was looking over the edge, trusting the guy that ‘had my back’, and letting go.

One of my favorite musicians, Dave Matthews, sums this feeling up in his song You Might Die Trying.

'To change the world,

Start with one step.

However small,

The first step is hardest of all.'

Isn’t it true.. that jumping is the hardest part? For me it is, in life and surely in skydiving. But the second my shaky feet left the comfort of that solid floor and I was flying 15,000 feet above ground I had a freedom I had never known.

In the past few weeks I have felt pushed to start moving. Stop talking and start walking. I’ve made a lot of changes and took a big leap of faith in those changes. Things have not had time to completely unfold but what I’ve seen is so-far-so-good. They were not irrational decisions. I planned, prayed, trusted, confided, prepared, prayed some more and after all of that TOOK THE LEAP.

And let me tell you…it feels good to fly.

Write It Out {Heart to Hearts}

>> Sunday, March 6, 2011 – Heart to Hearts, Posts by Erin

I've been living in Music City for about 8 months now and I've started to think something is wrong with me because I don't write songs, sing, or play a variety of instruments (or all 3..at the same time..on a professional level).

After some recent misfortunes, (if you will) I found myself thinking until it hurt. Yes, I was over-thinking things and still getting little relief. So I picked up a pen and began to write my thoughts down. I quickly realized the intense healing power of writing. After only a week of writing, my journal is already full of poems, songs, stories and a lot of chicken scratch. My heart and mind are at ease. The journal has carried the burden for my mind.

I'm not saying my poems will be published or my songs will be hits, but I get what this city is all about.{MUSIC HEALS}. Not just for the listener but for the artist. So I encourage you, write it out!

My hope is that this blog becomes a safe-place of writing where people can read and write and share ideas and experiences. And most importantly someone, somewhere can find some healing of their own.

This picture is lyrics i wrote down from one of my favorite praise songs, How He Loves by David Crowder.

Bless Your Heart {Heart to Hearts}

>> – Heart to Hearts, Posts by Jess

These 3 little words can mean a lot of things right? It's a phrase understood by all Southerners. But if you leave the region, don't be surprised if you throw them out to someone new and they give you a puzzled look.

Instead of taking our mama's advice.... you remember what she always said: ("If you don't have anything nice to say don't say it at all.") We sometimes decide we can't fight the urge to hold our tongue. But it all works out though, as long as we follow it up with a quick, "Bless her heart."

We got with the Urban Dictionary and compiled this definition list:

Bless Your Heart

1: it's a phrase used by Southern women to excuse themselves for speaking ill of someone else.

a: "She's as ugly as a mud-fence, bless her heart."

2: and an expression of sympathy or pity.

b: "Well, bless ya'lls hearts, your blog posts are terrible!"

3: or it can be a polite way to respond to an ignoramus, particularly male, who showers upon you flattering but unwanted compliments.

c: drunk fella: "Even if you were ugly, I'd STILL think you were beautiful!"

recipient: "...bless your heart."

4: or it could serve as a really good way to describe someone who is a complete and utter mess. (We wouldn't know anything about this one.)

d: "That girl is an absolute basket case.... bless her heart."

So to sum it all up:

No matter how wrong somebody is, or how messed up, or how hopeless... These 3 simple words are redeeming and they somehow make everything alright.
We want this site to serve as an anything goes, safe haven for our thoughts and yours.
You might not agree with our ramblings or even be interested in reading them, and that's ok. But for goodness sakes, see definition number 2 (above)... and you'll know what to think.

Meet Your Match {Heart to Hearts}

>> – Heart to Hearts, Posts by Erin

Update: You can probably tell from my Meet Your Match post (below) I wasn't taking the issue seriously. That all changed today. A second guy informed me that this same girl had used roughly 200 of my pictures for a fake facebook account and gave me some other disturbing details that gave me the hibbie-jibbies.

Match.com has removed the profile. I've contacted Mark Zuckerberg. A police report has been filed.

Moral of the story:

identity theft is real.
update your profile privacy settings.
i still like the fact she used my snuggie picture.

Alright. I admit it. I've had some relationship epic fails. But who hasn't, right? I would prefer to meet someone naturally and not resort to online dating in my mid-twenties. But someone else had other plans for me.

I received an e-mail last week from a stranger saying he recognized me from match.com? I wasn't sure if it was a lame pick-up line or if it was something I needed to look into. For me to even check into this matter, I had to make my first profile account. Sure enough, user au_tiger2010, a 28 year old nurse living in Birmingham with 3 God children, has managed to find dozens of my pictures and is using them to meet her match.

I'm still not sure how or where they got my pictures but I'm further perplexed about why they thought the snuggie picture was the gem to use for the profile pic?

I sent this to match.com with my fraud report. Still haven't heard back.

The Civil Wars {Music Notes}

>> – Music Notes, Posts by Jess

The Civil Wars. We just can't stop listening.

Surely, you've you heard about this amazing duo by now. Their musical journey began in East Nashville just two years ago. With no radio presence and no major record label backing, they still debuted at #12 on the Billboard 200... and spent the first week of February at No. 1 on iTunes. They're obviously playing all the right notes. If you can't afford their debut album, then you should probably rush over to this site and get a free download of some of their live stuff.

http://www.sensibilitymusic.com/thecivilwars/

We've All Got Scars {Heart to Hearts}

>> Friday, March 4, 2011 – Heart to Hearts, Posts by Jess

We've all got scars. Battle wounds, if you will. What we're left with after a crisis strikes and knocks the breath out of us.

Maybe the pain starts with a broken marriage. Maybe it comes with the loss of a loved one. Or it could be the hurt we feel after a relationship has been severed. Or the strife we're dealing with from a health crisis or the responsibility of caring for a sick loved one. Or maybe we can't stop replaying memories of being betrayed by someone close to us. The list goes on.

All of these things leave us wounded, a little achy, and somewhat empty.

And if we're not careful, the emptiness we feel could be the very thing that allows us to pass this hurt onto others.

But if we work through the pain, can't these battles also be the same ones that make us strong?

We all need healing in some shape or form, so that we can pull the good out of the tragic circumstance. That healing is found in different ways for each of us. Maybe through acceptance, forgiveness, faith, and prayer.

After the healing, we're left with a scar. But it means the hurt is over, and the wound has closed.

So if we find a way to handle the hurt appropriately, can't these ugly scars be the same ones that make us beautiful?

So, what do you DO? {Guest Post :: Mama Says}

>> Wednesday, March 2, 2011 – Mama Says

I turned 55 this week. No big deal. I still think, feel and act like I always have.

Birthdays have never bothered me...except for one, turning 25. It was an awakening, a realization that the world was expecting me to be an adult and to do adult things. To take care of myself and contribute. And to answer with pride and conviction everyone's question, "So, what do you DO?"

So here I sit at 55 with my 24 year old daughter at the same crossroads. How do you build a fulfilled life? How do you find a purposeful career? Where is Mr. Right? How do you balance passion and the paycheck? My advice to her is:

take time to do the things you are dreaming of..don't put them off.
in love, keep your heart open to the possibility that what you're looking for may not be what you find.
keep things you are passionate about in your daily life.
your life's work will evolve, don't expect to have all the answers right now.
be kind. be gracious. be thankful.