Pictures of the New Glasses...

The first picture is me in what I wear when I am going to church and the second picture is of my more casual pair. I am really enjoying both pairs and I am getting a lot of use out of them. If you look, they are very similar shapes and I didn't really pay attention to that in the store. My last pair were round frames so I am really liking the change to newer more modern rectanglular frames. All in all, I am thankful to have these glasses to help me see the world and people around me more clearly.

Fall Means Football...

Today is a very exciting day in my life. You see, if you are part of the Cunningham family, it is required that you enjoy high school football. I say that this is a very exciting day because tonight is the first Abilene High football game of the season. Welcoming the first football game of the season is an event that ushers in the coming of fall and a lot of my very favorite things. Anyone who knows my family at all knows how much we look forward to the end of August. Seriously, my dad celebrates when this long-awaited day arrives. I think its a really good thing that I truly enjoy high school football because being a part of my family am not given much of a choice! I think one of my favorite things about the beginning of football season is our Friday night family routine. On Fridays in the fall, we go out to dinner with our friends and then head to Shotwell to enjoy the main event. I LOVE being together with other people that I am close to. Football games are not only really fun in West Texas, but they are also times when I enjoy being in the midst of community building and maintaining relationships. I love being surrounded by friends and new people.

Another really fun thing is that Abilene has been placed into another district this year. This move means that we as a family will not only travel to every away game, but we will be traveling to the DFW area frequently. I am excited about that. Football season means that my favorite season is on its way. And that the time to wear my favorite long-sleeved clothes is fast approaching. I am one happy girl :) Who knows, maybe I will see you at an Abilene High football game this season.

New Specs...

I got my new glasses this weekend. I am really excited about them, I think they are really cute! I have had to get used to wearing glasses again after a month-long sabatical. When I went into the opthalmologist this last Thursday, I also found out that I could have surgery to correct the way my eyes track with one another and that made me ecstatic. I have a consultation with the leading doctor in pediactric and adult strabismus (the eye tracking problem) in Grapevine on September 25th and I can't wait to talk to him. My eye doctor here in Abilene recommended this guy in the absolute highest regard. My mom has been after me to check into this for about five years but I just haven't been ready. I am apprehensive about any surgery, just like any normal person, but especially surgery pertaining to my vision had me holding out. But when I went into my appointment, I got brave and asked if there might be a possibility to have this surgery done. I am looking forward to having my eyesight somewhat restored and the new perspective this will have on my daily life. I think it will really help me to relate more effectively and seamlessly with others. So if you could begin to join me in praying about my consultation I would really appreciate it. I have felt a peace about the decision to proceed with this if the preliminary appointment with the doctor in Grapevine goes well as we are expecting it to. Be blessed.

Phelps Phenomenon and Other Things...

I have been glued to the Olympics for the past nine days. Micheal Phelps is one amazing athlete! He probably is one of my favorites in all of sports. Yes, I have noticed that he is ripped, but I do not have a crush on him. I have marveled at his ability as I have watched him make history in Beijing in the last week. As I have watched interviews with commentators on NBC, I have learned that all he does is eat, sleep, swim, and carb up for another event when he competes. In my opinion, his feat is quite impressive! In what other sport could a person have a chance to compete in 17 different events to try to bring home eight gold medals?

In other news my little cousin Lily celebrated her first birthday today. My mom made her a really cute homemade sunflower birthday cake. I had so much fun celebrating her. Let me just say, the girl is LOVED! I am thankful for my little 'Lily Belle'. I would love to post pictures but i have never figured out how to download them onto Blogger. So if anyone can help me out please leave a comment and let me know. I got some cute pictures of her party. Be blessed this week :)

Sweet Seasons....

I have had the honor of being given a very valuable, but fleeting gift in our whirlwind pace of a society this week. This gift I esteem so highly and cherish to the ultimate extent is the gift of quality time. I realize it is only Tuesday evening, but already, I have partaken of the blessing of spending extended periods of time with four women that I am extremely close to. The Lord has parceled out His delight and I have reveled in it. On Monday evening I shared a meal with three single women who epitomize a rich, Spirit-filled life testimony. Every second, minute, or hour I spend with them is sacred time. It is a thin place where I am taken into the presence of the Lord. I am a different person each time I leave when we have been together. Every time I depart from them, I feel as though my soul has feasted on Heaven's richest fare. They know who they are. Truly, these women showcase the glory of God. I am incredibly blessed.

Then the Lord had another beautiful blessing in store for me on Tuesday evening. One of my most beloved friends and I made plans to have a night at the movies. We saw Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2. It was a great movie with such a sweet storyline. More than the movie, I enjoyed really getting to hear and see the season her heart was in. Spending time with people who really know you-who have poured their own lives into yours and who are eternally invested in who you are is a rare treasure in my opinion. At several points during both nights I profusely praised God for such relationships. Connecting with another soul is priceless. You cannot put worldly value on it. I believe that the value of close, godly, good-for-the-soul relationships can only be calculated accurately by the God who created them and called them good.

So, I have already had such a wonderful week. My heart is full, my soul is invigorated, and my spirit is grateful. Pictures will follow.

Truly Blessed....

Lately I have seen the face of the Lord in some wonderful ways. One opportunity was completely unexpected as I attended a weekly elders meeting at Highland. I was there to report on my experiences at a prayer conference in Phoenix. As the meeting was drawing to a close, I was given the very precious and extremely humbling honor of praying over our shepherds. I am here to tell you, I don't think I have ever witnessed such a sweetly sacred moment in time thus far in my journey of faith. It was truly a night I will remember forever. To see a group of such humble, God-fearing servants in tears was something that is permanantly etched in my spirit. I saw the movement and presence of the Holy Spirit that night.

Another place where I came face to face with God was during a special time of prayer one Sunday morning recently. As I was preparing to go to the front to pray with my mom and dad, one of my mentors came up and grabbed me. He said, "Lauren, I came for you to pray over me. Out of the entire church body, I knew who I wanted to intercede for me." Wow. That is quite an affirmation. I have been profoundly humbled as God has poured out His goodness and confirmation over my life recently. His goodness continually leaves me astounded. I believe the Lord is allowing me to realize and to see that He absolutely is intricately invested and interested in the most minute details of my life. That brings me unspeakable comfort. I have come to expect the unexpected when it comes to God. This season in my journey toward the likeness of Christ and the heart of the Father has been sweet. I praise the name of my God for all He has done, what He is in the process of bringing to pass, and what rich and glorious things are in my future.

Time With Daddy....

On Tuesday I got to do something special with my sweet Daddy. He is a residential real estate appraiser and I have been helping him measure houses in and around our area. He actually is generous enough to pay me for helping him do something I truly enjoy. He had called me on Monday evening and said that he had two houses that we needed to measure. There were three special parts to this request: first, the two houses that needed to be measured were in Sweetwater which is about 45 miles from Abilene, secondly, I got to enjoy a wonderful lunch with my Daddy, and thirdly, there was the 45-minute drive back into town. Secretly, I was ovrjoyed to accompany him to Sweetwater because I knew I would be given the gift of quality time with one of the most influential, cherished people in my life.

You see, the Scriptures paint a wonderful, true-to-life picture of who my Daddy is. When I read Psalm 1 and Psalm 112 I clearly see the face of my Dad. I love to talk to my Daddy about faith, life, stuggles, and what it means to truly live a rich Christ-shaped witness. My Daddy is humble to his core, he is gentle, full of integrity, and he is a very quiet servant leader who does not enjoy any type of recognition for his giftedness. He truly is a man after God's own heart, even though, he would shy away from confirming it. My Dad is also very very wise and I depend on his wise words when I am trying to decipher what the Lord is up to in my own journey of faith. He truly is the lead-priest of our home taking direction and guidance from the Lord as to how to lead our family to Heaven.

I have learned the fear of the Lord from both of my parents, but it has been modeled to me in many other diffrent venues of life. I have seen the fear of the Lord lived out in my parents faith, in their marriage covenant, in the day-in and day-out occurances in our home. The Spirit truly resides in our home and in our family and that is something I will never have enough thaks and gratitude for. I have seen the face of God so many times as I have learned what He truly looks like in flesh and bone form through the life of my Dad and my mom for that matter. Thank you, Daddy for living a righteous, humble life before me so that Christ truly could be modeled in my own life. I love you more than I could ever express in words.

Excited....

I woke up this morning looking forward to this week. As is my daily custom before climbing out of bed, I thanked the Lord for the day with excitement and and an air of thankfulness. One of the reasons for my excitement is a dinner date with one of my oldest friends. I have not seen her in more than a year and the sad thing is we both live in the same town. I am continually amazed at my ability to get so caught up in what is going on in my own little world. I have been friends with Haley since the first day of Kindergarten as we walked into the same classroom. Though we do not see each other regularly, Haley's friendship is very special to me and her life continues to teach me how to be a better, more devoted disciple. Her mom is one of my most treasured mentors. I have been drawn to the heart of Christ through the surrendered purity of Haley's spirit. I am looking forward to having an opportunity to catch up with her and to be sharpened by the Lord's activity in her life. She is a young woman who is hungry for the Lord. I have felt a strong desire and need to be in the presence of people who are passionate and intentional about the Lord and all that He represents. I want to be challenged to live radically for Jesus. I want to be invested in the lives of true and authentic seekers of Christ and His presence. I am thankful for the gift of quality time in the presence of the Lord.