Blog - Page 37 of 44 - i write about love and such...

Friday Favorite – Live Concerts

Posted on May 8, 2009May 7, 2009 by lizjohnson
2 Comments

I LOVE going to concerts. Especially when I love the groups performing. Enter Revive, Brandon Heath, and Third Day!

So last Thursday my mom and I took off for Phoenix to see these guys perform at the Celebrity Theater, one of the coolest venues ever. The stage is in the middle of the room and the seats go all the way around. And the stage spins. Check it out in this clip.

So as if the venue isn’t cool enough, we were sitting in the 3rd row. Literally 10 feet from the groups as they performed. The theater tauts itself as the most intimate theater experience in the valley (Phoenix), and it totally is! I got some great pictures and loved being so close even when we were looking at the “back” of the stage.

So I have to tell you a funny story … my mom isn’t what you’d call a big concert goer. She’s more of a praise and worship kind of gal than a rockin’ Christian music chica. But she agreed to go to the concert with me so we could get some quality bonding time together. When I first bought the tickets, she was talking to a younger guy in her Bible study and said we were going to see Three Days in concert. At first he didn’t understand, then he made the connection. We were going to see Third Day, and he was totally jealous. That made my mom smile. 🙂

I warned mom that she might want to get some ear plugs. But she didn’t bring any. The show was LOUD, but amazingly wonderful. Here’s a snippet from the actual show that we were at.

And of course, my main reason for going was actually Brandon Heath. Nothing surprising there. Except that he was more wonderful than I even hoped he’d be! And I know Amy is going to ask about Joe. He was fantastic too! 🙂 Here’s a clip from the show of Brandon.

Brandon closed out his set with a song called Soldier. I’d never heard it before, and it was really great! Here’s a clip of him singing it several years back. I’m pretty sure it was on one of his first independent albums. I’m hoping I can find it on iTunes or something because I need it on my iPod.

So I really love concerts. I love the noise and the excitement in the air. The freedom to dance like a crazy woman and have no one think any the less of me. The fun of hooting and hollering after my favorite songs and at my favorite performers. But most of all, I love how God always unexpectedly gets a hold of me.

Take for example this show. There a was a young man with Down’s syndrome just a few seats over from me who quite verbally expressed his disinterest in Brandon. He was there to see Third Day and just wanted them to perform. I on the other hand really wanted to see and enjoy Brandon. I found myself getting irked that he was stealing a bit of my enjoyment of the show and irked at his dad who was with him for not quieting him. And then Brandon began “Give Me Your Eyes” and my heart squeezed. I’d been doing a terrible job of seeing this young man through God’s eyes. I needed to have love and concern for my neighbors. My heart softened and I found myself enjoying the show even more.

I love it when God does stuff like that.

Anyway, here are a few more pics that I took at the meet and greet and during the show. Hope you enjoy.

mac-powell-meet-and-greet

mark-lee-meet-and-greet

I'm quite possibly the worst photographer ever!

brandon-heath-2

mac-powell-and-third-day-2

Still hoping to meet Brandon until next time. -LJ

Teaser Tuesdays – 90 Minutes in Heaven

Posted on May 5, 2009May 4, 2009 by lizjohnson
Leave a Comment

teaser_tuesdays1 MizB of Should Be Reading hosts the Teaser Tuesdays weekly event

Here are the rules:
* Grab your current read
* Let the book fall open to a random page
* Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12
*You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
* Please avoid spoilers!

This week’s teaser is:
“The second thing I was aware of was that someone clutched my hand. It was a strong, powerful touch and the first physical sensation I experienced with my return to earthly life.”
90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper, page 44

– I hung onto this borrowed book from my sister for nearly 4 months. But then I was headed back to Arizona, and I figured I should really read it so I could give it back to her when I was with the family. I decided to start the book the night before my flight. And I devoured the first 75 pages that night. Turns out this nonfiction book that’s been on the NYT Best Sellers List forever is more gripping than a lot of the fiction I’ve been reading lately. Amazing testimony.

90-minutes-in-heaven1

Monday Movie – The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

Posted on May 4, 2009May 3, 2009 by lizjohnson
Leave a Comment

So my sister and sister-in-law and I decided to go see a movie this last weekend. I so very rarely get to go out with them that I agreed to go see whatever they wanted. Beth wanted to see The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.

ghosts-of-girlfriends-past

It’s been more than a few years since I really loved a Matthew McConaughey movie. But I do love Jennifer Garner. And as I mentioned, I did really want to spend time with Hannah and Beth.

Well, the girl-time was great! Laughing and giggling and eating of popcorn. The movie … well … not so great.

I’d read a really terrible review of it the night before, so I was expecting something awful. And it wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t great either … or even good. It was just okay. And it was frustrating to see that there were no consequences to Conner’s (played by McConaughey) promiscuous lifestyle except that he couldn’t be with Jenny (Garner) until he gave it up. But at least there was a change in his character, a realization and change made, unlike some other recent chick flicks that drove me crazy.

I don’t recommend this movie. Just the time with girlfriends.

Already thinking about how much I’m going to miss hanging with the girls until next time. -LJ

Friday Favorite – Firefly

Posted on May 1, 2009April 26, 2009 by lizjohnson
Leave a Comment

firefly

I blame Jess Barnes. My current obsession with Joss Whedon’s Firefly is all her fault. Oh, and it might be the incredible stories, actors, and the fact that it’s a western set in space.

That’s right. I said it’s A WESTERN SET IN SPACE!!!

I know what you’re thinking. How could that be? For your consideration, I present the opening credits of this fabulous show.

This cult favorite aired on Fox back in 2002 and was on air for only 11 episodes (or something like that–the dvd set has several unaired episodes). Set in the future as earth can no longer hold the number of humans, people have begun settling the planets and moons of a new solar system. But just like the old west, settling these new territories is savage and uncertain.

Enter Captain Malcom Reynolds (played by a delightful Nathan Fillion) and the crew of his ship Serenity, a Firefly transport ship. These smugglers fight the rules of the Alliance, which they fought in the war years before. His crew includes Jayne (played by Chuck’s Adam Baldwin), a gun-loving guy with a penchant for getting in trouble and wearing terrible hats. Kaylee is the wide-eyed mechanic. Zoe, the first mate and an old friend of Mal’s from the war, and her husband Wash, the pilot, add both humor and depth. And of course, there’s Inara, a registered companion, who brings respectibility to the ship. Oh. Right. A companion is in fact a high end escort.

It’s such a strange world that Joss Whedon has created, but it’s thrilling and unique and oh-so entertaining. They get around swearing by speaking in Chinese and have some of the best one-liners in any TV series. Smart and funny and filled with characters you can’t help but love. Mal is worth watching the entire show. Wash, his Hawaiian shirts, and the rest are just the icing on the cake.

When the show was cancelled half way through its first season, Joss sought to wrap up the story lines in Serenity, a widely released feature film that was much more violent and lacked so much of the heart that I loved in Firefly. But it still had to be watched because you have to find out what happens. Right?

Jess, this is all your fault. Yours and Joss’s. So maybe you’re both in good company.

Wishing I was in Mal’s company until next time. -LJ

Another Short!

Posted on April 29, 2009April 23, 2009 by lizjohnson
Leave a Comment

I thought it was about time I posted another short story on my page of shorts (no, that’s not the clothing). I do love a good short story, and I’m thrilled to offer another of my brain childs (brain children?). Without further ado, I present Saving Himself.

Hoping you enjoy my shorts as much as I do until next time. -LJ

Monday Movie – 17 Again

Posted on April 27, 2009April 26, 2009 by lizjohnson
Leave a Comment

On Saturday Amy, Katie, Stephanie, and I headed out to lunch at Ruby Tuesdays (I’ll spare you the harassing Amy and I received for never having been before). The four of us hadn’t hung out in quite a while, so it was great to get together and enjoy a chatty lunch and a movie.

Our lunch server was … well … unique. And while we got together around 11:45 and the movie started at 12:50, we barely had enough time to make it to the theater due to some creative charges on Stephanie’s bill. It took about 15 minutes to get the billing mix ups taken care of, so we split up–Amy and I heading over to the theater first to get four seats together. We made it just in time for most of the previews, found seats and Steph and Katie joined us just as the movie started.

So I have to confess that I generally don’t love Zac Efron, who stars in 17 Again. But I was willing to give it a go, as the other girls really wanted to see it and I usually love Matthew Perry. I just didn’t know how very little Matthew Perry was in the movie. But it turned out okay.

17-again

Matthew Perry plays Mike O’Donnell, a man dissatisfied with his life and the choices that he’s made. As a 17 year-old he gave up a college scholarship to marry his pregnant girlfriend, and now he blames his wife for his unhappiness, and they are just days away from finalizing their divorce. Mike has almost no relationship with his two teenage kids, and he’s living with his computer geek best friend Ned.

But then he gets the chance to be 17 again. But he doesn’t go back to 1989. He gets to be 17 again in present day. Suddenly he’s back in high school with his kids, befriending his bullied son Alex and his daughter Maggie, who is dating Alex’s bully. And he doesn’t like what he sees.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this movie. I usually find Efron’s adorableness a bit too … adorable. But I actually really believed him as a man trapped in a child’s body. I really appreciated the growth of his character in falling back in love with his wife and realizing the importance of his family. Low expectations always leave the door open for pleasant surprises.

Hoping you get a pleasant surprise until next time. -LJ

Ah, spring in the Rockies!

Posted on April 25, 2009April 23, 2009 by lizjohnson
Leave a Comment

So I’m a bit behind in my blogging the last couple weeks. We’re going to blame that 100% on the last-minute edits I was trying to get done on my WIP (work in progress, for you non-writing readers out there). But it’s done and sent in, and now we wait. And brainstorm the next book idea which is already coming together.

So last Friday, my cube-mate Ashley had a word–from the weatherman–that we were going to have a snow day in April in Colorado Springs. Certain companies who shall remain nameless closed down for “precautionary” measures. My company, not so much. So I tooled to work on the decidedly un-crowded streets. I got lots of work done in the morning and was quite proud of myself.

And then the snow came over the mountains and began dumping on us at about noon. The office started buzzing with rumors of an early release. And then came the official announcement. We were all to go home at 2:00.

So a little after 2, I battled the elements to get to my car, managed to scrape it off wearing gloves and not socks this time (if you haven’t heard my sock story yet … well, probably be thankful … or just ask; I’ll share). I g0t in my car and got approximately 3 minutes from work before the sun started shining and the snow stopped coming.

Pretty soon I was home and I felt like I had an entire extra day to my weekend. I was loving it! 🙂 But even though the sun was out, our driveway was covered in snow. So Amy and I bundled up and headed out to shovel it. You can read Amy’s account of the day here, complete with pictures. But I will say she doesn’t have all of her facts straight. She claims a snowball may have hit me by accident. I know it was completely malicious intent on her part when that weapon was hurled at my head. But not to fear. I totally retaliated. I don’t know when I last had a snowball fight, but it was awesome! Probably because it was rather short and not completely frigid outside.

Anyway, we ended up making a snow woman (she definitely had a skirt), and Amy has a picture of her up too. I haven’t managed to download my pictures yet.

And by 2:00 the next day all the snow in our front yard had melted–taking our snow woman with.

Ah, that’s spring in the Rockies.

Loving the 70 degree weather until it starts snowing again (probably next week). -LJ

Friday Favorite – Twitter

Posted on April 24, 2009April 23, 2009 by lizjohnson
Leave a Comment

Do you tweet? As you’ve likely noticed in the far right column, I tweet pretty regularly.

Don’t know what tweeting is? Haven’t heard of twitter?

It’s a social networking site–of sorts. It allows you to, in no more than 140 characters, answer the question: What are you doing? It’s a snippet of insight into daily life on potentially a minute by minute basis. While it’s been accused of being a rather self-centered invention, I love it, not because I get to talk about myself, but because I get to follow some of my favorites. It’s amazing what you can learn about people just by the way that they twitter.

For example, I follow Mark Batterson, pastor of National Community Church in Washington, DC, and an author that I had the privilege of working with on his last book Wild Goose Chase. So what have I learned about Mark in 140 character incriments? The man is a twitter maniac. He tweets more than anyone else I follow. He loves good food, and oh, he has some amazing spiritual insights.

I also follow Jess Barnes and Rachel, who are both quite funny. I love hearing a bit more about their day to day lives, not to mention whatever new fandom they’ve discovered. They are wonderful to follow!

Then there’s Nathan Fillion (of last week’s favorite: Castle). I just started following him, and I’m learning all sorts of cool things about him. Like how he supports the Kids Need To Read campaign (I’m a fan of kids reading), and how he was at a book launch party in Oceanside, CA last week. Wish I’d been in Oceanside last week. (Yes, twitter could be a first step to stalking someone–but I like to think of it as legal stalking.)

Speaking of legal stalking, I absolutely follow Brandon Heath. How could I not? He’s not s super-regular tweeter, but it cracks me up everytime he says something about being somewhere cool or meeting cool people like Bob Barker then says “Is this my life?” Yes, Brandon, in 140 characters this is your life.

Now I love tweeting, and I love following new and old friends. But I really love seeing who ends up following me. For example, after I tweeted about watching Brandon Heath on CBN’s 700 Club, the CBNProducers started following me. Then I tweeted about the lost library book saga, and who started following me? The PPLD (Pikes Peak Library District)! They even congratulated me on finding my lost book when I returned it. It kind of cracks me up!

If you’re not tweeting, then maybe you should be. When you start, give me a shout out, and I’ll follow you too!

Tweeting like a mad woman until next time. -LJ

I’m famous-ish

Posted on April 23, 2009 by lizjohnson
Leave a Comment

Just wanted to give a huge shout out to TheSuspenseZone.com. Susan Sleeman over there absolutely rocks! I have the pleasure of working with her in my day job. And she just posted my bio and book cover on her site. It’s cracking me up that my bio and info is right next to Jerry Jenkins on the author list–you know alphabets and everything. 🙂 Anyway, you can totally check out my author photo there too. My hair is pretty awesome in that pic, if I do say so myself, and it’s all thanks to Katie and Stephanie my photo shoot stylists. You guys rock!

Anyway, I don’t think People magazine is going to call this week, but I sure appreciate the support from Susan, especially as she is an author too–her new book Nipped in the Bud is due out soon from Heartsong. Congrats!

Hanging out with Jerry (at least on TheSuspenseZone.com) until next time. -LJ

Teaser Tuesdays – The Disappearance of Devin Keating

Posted on April 21, 2009April 19, 2009 by lizjohnson
1 Comments

teaser_tuesdays1 MizB of Should Be Reading hosts the Teaser Tuesdays weekly event

This week’s teaser is:
“His feet pounded the ground, but it seemed to take forever for him to reach the entrance. Breaths coming quickly and shoulders rising and falling heavily, he yanked open the door and darted down the hallway passing one, two, three doors.”
– Okay, so I’m totally cheating here! This is a couple lines from my new work in progress, tentatively titled The Disappearance of Devin Keating. It’s about all I have time to read this week, as I’m busy working on my first round of edits.

Header Right Box

Header Left Box