7 Favorite Things

Man, I let the ball drop on my Favorite Things post. So I'm gonna have to make up for June and July in this one.

June
1. Summer Interns - Each Summer at The Gallery has brought new people to our midst and this Summer was no different. Over the years, we have had 32 interns collectively from Mississippi, Texas, Tennessee, South Carolina, Alabama,Georgia, Illinois, Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, and New York. We had doctors & hospital visits, long days & nights, tears & laughter, rough moments. Having large numbers of people who aren't normally in the office can always be a challenge and will definitely make the volume go up a notch or two, but I wouldn't change a moment of having these people share their summers and their lives with me. My life will forever be changed by each of these special people who have walked in and out of my life over the past four years. I'm excited to see where the journeys lead them.

2. Yoga - I have been trying to make yoga a part of my weekly schedule. It is one of the most invigorating things I have ever done. I always leave feeling like I have worked every muscle in my body and energized to take on whatever is next. I need to be better about making it a priority.

3. Mat Kearney - I've been a fan of him for a while, but his new album City of Black came out in June and I fell in love! Closer to Love is my favorite song on the album. For days in the office, I just kept playing his stuff on repeat.

4. Advance09 - This conference that took place in Raleigh/Durham, NC played a pivotal role in where my life is heading now. So many good speakers...Mark Driscoll, Matt Chandler, Ed Stetzer, Danny Akin, JD Greear, and John Piper.

5. Idols - No they aren't my favorite thing, but the message Mark Driscoll gave on idols at Advance ranks in my favorite things. "Idols are GOOD things turned into GOD things making them BAD things."

6. Tattoos - I myself have four tattoos, but I am always dreaming up new ones. I think at the moment I have four more tattoos tucked away in my head that I would like to get permanently inked on my body. My brother is going through the process of becoming a certified tattoo artist. He actually did the one on my wrist. Looking forward to the day when I don't actually have to pay for them anymore.

7. Rain - It's not exactly fun when you have to walk through it in New York, but it kept the temperatures at bay this Summer. It also brought some beautiful colors to our city. I think too many times, we get agitated with the rain and forget all the glorious things it does for us. I love the rain!