Dallas Love

I LOVE Dallas. I really do. It truly is my new home. There is so much to do and see. I've made some fantastic friends here and I love my job...well...most of the time :) Sometimes, when I tell people I live here, they grimace and ask why. My reply: Why not? Most explain that there is too much materialism and that it is pretentious, which, not gonna lie, I completely understand. This is something that I have struggled with, and most likely will continue to struggle with as long as I live here.

Something you should know about me...I absolutely love to dress up. Dresses, high heels (at LEAST 3 inches), skirts, trendy outfits...I love it all! In New Mexico, if I had worn any of these things to, I dunno, buy groceries or go to the mall, everyone would've thought I was crazy! But not in Dallas. I fit in well here. My high heels and dresses fit right in...and it feels so great. However, now I face a new problem. My heels are plenty high, but my outfits have to be killer. If I'm gonna wear a trend, I have to nail it. At least, that's what the Big D is telling me to do. I have bought into the Dallas lie that money matters, status matters, beauty matters, materials matter; and sometimes, I buy into the horrible, despicable lie that if I don't have these things, I don't matter. RED.FLAG. Yes, that might be the culture here, but that doesn't mean that I have to let it faze me. I matter because I know Jesus...and let me tell you something...He is ALL that matters...period. Even within the past year, I have been down this rabbit hole many times, and Jesus has graciously, lovingly, and mercifully pulled me out every time. Because the ultimate truth of it all is that I am putting my hope and my identity in this society and this way of life that doesn't matter. I know that this will be a constant struggle for me because of where I am, but by focusing on Him and knowing that HE is the One who matters, I can steer clear of the materialism and the pretentiousness of it all. Besides, there is soooooo much more to this city than these negative things. You just have to get your head out of the clouds to see it sometimes; and in my opinion, it's totally worth it.

Truths and lies...

Tonight's sermon at church hit me hard. I realized I've been listening to a lot of lies that Satan has said about me, and tonight, Jesus redeemed those with truths. I am not deserving of anything except death because of my sinful life, but Jesus died for me and made me into a new creation. He wiped my slate clean and made me white as snow. He has purified my heart...all because He LOVES me. And all I can do is glorify Him and sing His praises.

Books Books Books

I love love LOVE to read! On my list...

I may or may not be demolishing these while laying out in the sun this week...happy reading!