NEW BLOG WEBSITE!

Hey everyone! I am no longer using this website for my blog. 

Please visit & subscribe to my new blog here. 

Thank you!

ChaCha! Just Call. Just Text. Just ASK.

Tonight at dinner, some of my friends and I  got to talking about cool websites that we were interested in. A couple of friends started talking about this website called ChaCha. It's a pretty incredible concept and extremely easy to use. Think google, wikipedia, the weather, news and ever other website at your fingertips anywhere. All you do is text the number 242-242 your question and in just a couple minutes they will text you back an answer. You can ask anything from "Who is Marissa Hyatt from Franklin, TN?" to "What's the weather in NYC?" to "What is a good restaurant in Nashville?"

The website describes it as: "Simply ask your question like you are talking to a smart friend and ChaCha’s advanced technology instantly routes it to the most knowledgeable person on that topic in our Guide community. Your answer is then returned to your phone as a text message within a few minutes."

There are a few reasons I think everyone should use this technology:

1. Its quick.
2. Its a conversation starter.
3. Its fun!
4. You can ask any kind of question.
5. Even if you are technologically challenged, its easy enough to use.
6. It can make you seem like a complete genius on a first date
   
7. Tech-junkies love it!
8. Its available 24/7.
9. Its free.
10. You can check out stocks, weather, directions, sports, news, and just about anything else anytime ANYWHERE!

You can also become a "guide" AKA the one answering the questions. You get paid $0.20 for each answer you provide and virtually all you have to do to get the job is answer some personal questions about yourself and take test to see how quickly you can type. That adds up to $12/hour if you answered a question/minute. Pretty easy way to make some extra cash...and I think we could all use some of that these days!

Check out the informational video on their homepage: http://www.ChaCha.com Enjoy asking!

Moms, Kids, Clothes, and Nights "Out"

This weekend my sister Mindy Spradlin has been hosting her first consignment sale at her house in Fieldstone Farms (you can read about it on her blog as well http://www.mindyhyattspradlin.com). It has been a couple weeks in the making: moving all furniture to her garage, marketing, having consignor's bring clothes, sorting, and hosting. Last night I went to help her for her first night selling and let me tell you it was quite hilarious. 

As a student, I don't have the same obligations as these women. All of them are mothers, so in order for them to leave the house for a couple hours they either have to (A) hire a babysitter or (B) leave their husbands at home with the kids. Apparently leaving your kids at home with your husband is a bigger task than I expected it to be. Most of these dad's nights home alone with the kids consist of: not knowing what to feed the kids for dinner (even with a fully stocked pantry and fridge), not bathing the kids, either keeping the kids up until mom comes home so they don't have deal with bedtime OR putting the kids to bed "when its still daytime" (as one boy told his mom the next day). Apparently these dads are completely clueless! The thought of being home alone with their kids for 2 hours before bed sounds like Hell to these men! 

But the women at the sale were the one's really cracking me up. It was so evident in their faces that they couldn't be more happy to be alone without the kids for a couple hours. Some were saying, "If we get done early here, lets go out after!" or "Its SO nice to have a night for myself!" Who knew that consignment shopping was the new Girl's Night Out?! 

There really should be a mocumentary on these consignment sales. These women barter to shop early, offering meals, their time, and probably their left arm! The day the sale is open to the public, women line up literally down the street. They rush inside hoping to get the best clothes. People shop for their friends who are on the phone with them, describing all the clothes in detail. After they checkout, some will stop on the way out and notice something they didn't see and will wait another 30 minutes until they can checkout again. Its absurd! 

After working all last night it made me realize that I one day will think that a night "out" with my sister is going shopping at a consignment sale. But ladies and gentlemen, not today. Today I am still young, still single, and the meaning of a night OUT doesn't include a consignment sale, dads, kids, or shopping. 

Listening to God

Learning to listen to God isn't an easy thing. Trying to decipher between our emotions, our thoughts, exterior noises, voices, and the voice of God is not like doing a paint by numbers. It can become extremely confusing and at times feel hopeless. 

In the past couple weeks I have had a lot of major decisions thrown at me. Whether I should still move to Costa Rica for the two months I had planned (even though there is a chance my ex-boyfriend will be there the same time as me) and learn the Spanish language; whether to possibly take a job with The Revolve Tour; to continue an friendship with someone who is untrustworthy, etc. Through all of these decisions I have been trying my hardest to continuously be in prayer and deep concentration on hearing God's voice loud and clear. At certain times it feels like I'm trying reach God on a megaphone. I'm trying to make sure that I am doing everything possible for God to hear my concerns, my heart, and my true desires. 

At this point my concern isn't whether God is listening, its whether he's speaking back. I know in my heart that He is, but my question has become, how do I learn to hear His voice? How do I learn to know the difference between my voice and HIS? "Only the Voice of God can show you the difference between two rights" (How to Listen to God, Wally Paton). I know that many people would agree that life isn't black and white. As a child we go through a period where we only think out of a moral state of mind: what is right and wrong. But as we grow older we learn that the gap between black and white begins to widen and we see how much gray there truly is in between. It can feel overwhelming and scary to try to figure out 'Once in the gray area, how do we know where to go?' 

Through all of these major decisions I am learning to open my ears and eyes up and try to tune into the Radio of God. What is He trying to say to me? Where is He leading me? I recently read on a friends blog, Amy Halleran, about her struggle with trusting men and herself, but the underlying issue she discovered was her lack of trust in God--that HE was 100% fully enough. I am learning that my issue with hearing God isn't necessarily directed to whether I am listening or not but more than that it is, "Do I trust that the answer and words I will hear from Him will be acceptable to me? Will they live up to my expectations? Does God TRULY have my best interest in mind? Do I trust that God knows what He's doing?" 

In the next 20 hours I am having to make a pretty huge decision. And for the next couple of hours I am going to try my hardest to stop talking and actually listen. I am not going to be scared of being let down or hurt, but I will trust in what I know to be truth: That God does have my best interest in mind, that He will direct me in the way He wants to me to go, and that no matter what happens its all in his hands.

"Elijah went before the people and said, "How

 long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him" (1 Kings 18:21)

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding,

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He will direct your paths."

(Proverbs 3:5)

Jumbled Thoughts

Have you ever been at a place in your life when you were finally becoming comfortable with your surroundings and circumstances? After having thought, "This isn't too bad!" did something come your way that not only was unexpected but moreover was scary? 

I've been going through a lot lately. Dealing with a break-up, trying to figure out what I want to be when I "grow up", trying to figure out who I want to be TODAY, and still somehow live everyday to the fullest. Recently I thought I had finally gotten the hang of it. Realizing that being single isn't so bad, coming to terms with the fact that I may not get to do all the things I had planned on this year, and realizing that sometimes it doesn't always pay off in the end to be "good". But all of that changed.

God saw me, saw the state I was in and said, "Uh uh....no mam." He looked me straight in the eyes and said, "Missy, this isn't the life I planned for you." I was hit so hard trying to figure out what all this meant. Where do I go from here? How does this change my future decision making? What does this mean for me today-NOW?

After pondering this a while and talking it over, I realized that:

1. Just when you think things are over, they aren't
2. Never get too comfortable
3. Change is the ONLY thing we can truly expect and count on
4. We have to learn to "go-with-the-flow"
5. Being "good" or doing the "right thing" may not have instant gratification, but it WILL pay off sooner or later
6. Sometimes its okay to throw our hands up and say, "I don't have it all figured out!
7. If we truly delight ourselves in the Lord, He WILL give us the desires of our hearts

I have realized that love is risky--living is risky. Even though at times I give myself the short end of the stick, I know that I deserve the entire stick. I don't have to settle for the lesser version. I have dreams and no matter what anyone tells me, I will follow them. I will trust in the Lord that He will direct my paths and keep me afloat. 

I know that just because God throws a curve ball every once in a while doesn't mean we can't roll with hit and hit it right back. 

After all of this here is what I am now trying to do:

1. TRULY listen to God
2. Make myself fully available to Him
3. Realize that, in this life, there is nothing that I "need" and that true freedom only comes by being able to go without all those things I crave and being okay with it.
4. Keep my options open!
5. Be a friend to those that may not be as easy accepted as others
6. Forgive everyone who has let me down and, most of all, forgive myself.
7. Keep dreaming big and let nothing stand in the way of that
8. Love everyone with my whole heart
9. Live each day with a new excitement
10. Be adventurous and never stop trying

I know that even though I may not be able to predict the next event or happening in my life, doesn't mean I can't come prepared. God is calling me to be prepared for whatever may come my way; if I trust in Him, He will give me the tools I need to come prepared. All I need to do is trust and do the next right thing.

What is the next right thing for you? 

Dreaming Big

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about this next year of my life; what I want to happen; what I want to experience; who I want to become. And I've been dreaming up many different ideas: moving to Thailand, working at Revolve Tour, going to L'Abri Switzerland, possible internships etc. This time in my life is extremely exciting because I have no extreme responsibilities and can experience things without extreme effects on my life. 

I have been thinking about what I want to accomplish and here is what I want to accomplish:

1. I want to be aware of who I am and have established a clear belief system that I, myself, have proved to be true.
2. I want to have traveled as much as my income allows.
   
3. I want to have saved at least 1/3 of my income.
   
4. I want to have gained more experience professionally. 
   
5. I want to have  a good idea of what I hope to accomplish in college.

And there you have it. I need to be thinking more and more. Oh and my all time dream is to intern with Lisa Ling! Someone please help me figure how to make that happen!

Girl's Guide to Falling Out of Love

It can be exceptionally hard to fall out of love with the perfect match but, surprisingly, it can be equally as hard to fall out of love with a complete jerk. No matter how the relationship went, or how it ended, it can feel like an impossible task. At times falling out of love may feel like a never-ending, never-improving process that seems to only get worse as time goes by. It can feel overwhelming and scary, but it is a necessary step in moving on with life. The process of falling out of love is actually a very simple method that if followed will lead to the promise of a fulfilling future. In order to successfully fall out of love one must keep distance from the ex-lover, feel the full intensity and pain of the tragedy, and, most importantly, keep moving.

            First, start by distancing from the heartbreaker. As hard as it is, avoid calling, text messaging, emailing, or stalking Heartbreaker. This will be hardest past midnight, especially if drunk, and when seeing mutual friends. It is important to stay away from mutual friends in order to avoid hearing about him, or worse, running into him. The run-in needs to be avoided at all costs, especially at the beginning. Make sure to stay away from any restaurants, clubs, or any other recreational area that may have the chance of a run-in. However, if one finds herself in the same room as the ex-lover, try not to act overly emotional. Avoid throwing the proverbial martini glass in his face, punching and yelling at him, or having a catfight with the girl who now has her dirty little hands all over him. Instead, try to act as calmly and gracefully as possible. Say “hello” and be polite, but make sure to remember to keep the conversation short. This will help to avoid slipping into the “Come back! Its not over!” speech. Another way to create the desired distance is to make sure to remove all traces of the ex from the computer, in the home, or in the office. For example, delete the saved voicemail where he said how in love he was. Remember that was from three months ago. It is okay to cry while clearing out the traces of the ex, but this cleansing ritual is most beneficial and necessary

            The second step in the falling-out-of-love process is to give oneself permission to feel. It is okay to feel all the emotions of the heartbreak. The first week will be the hardest. The one dealing with the heartbreak may feel like sleeping all day, not eating, drinking, smoking, or may even have suicidal thoughts. During this phase one may feel useless and may even feel like she is unable to feel at all. This is okay. This is normal. Eventually one will experience a breaking point either late at night after a cigarette is put out or when she is looking at her window debating whether to jump out or not to. This breaking point will usually result in crying. One must continue to cry until the eyes are puffy and the cheeks are black with mascara. This is usually when a journal or good friend are of great value. In some shape or form, whether through writing, talking, kicking and screaming, or making a list of all the dreadful things about the ex, make sure to get it out! Fell the pain and hurt. Let this pass through. Just do not let this take up residence in the heart. Some tools, which have proved very helpful during this transition, are chocolate, cigarettes, and episodes of Sex and the City. The goal here is to move from breaking point to a breakthrough.

            Thirdly, after getting it all out, make sure to get out! Try contacting old friends who do not know of this unfortunate situation. Visit new restaurants and get adventurous. There are, more than likely, many things that are on the list of “Things to Do Before Death” but have been trampled by the heartbreaker’s selfish ways. Dig the list up and make sure revisit and to revise it. Be daring and bold. Near death experiences such as skydiving will help one realize that she is not as close to death as once believed. Traveling or any similar experience will help focus the mind on new surroundings and will distract it from the usual “what-ifs,” “should-haves,” and “could-haves.” By all means, get out, keep moving, and enjoy life to it’s fullest.

            Finally, now that the girl has distanced herself from her ex-lover, has let herself feel the full pain, and has begun to live again, she is no longer drowning in a sea of self-pity, but has successfully fallen out of love. Once these steps are completed, she will have forgotten about the jerk that broke her heart and instead will have fallen in love with herself and the world around her. She is now a girl who is free of her past and alive to the present who can be assured of a fulfilling future.