we build strong kids, strong families, strong communities...

Photo found here.

You may be wondering why I have featured a photo of four statue kids doing the "YMCA".

Well, I will tell you why...

It is because I, Jenna Lupo, have decided not to be cheap, not to be lazy, and not to stay trapped in the familiar and comfortable routines that I have established for myself over the past 2 years I have spent in Huntsville.

(emphasis on that last part)

That's right.

I have joined the Y!

Here's to getting off the couch, branching out, and being brave (because I went by myself)!

a little letter to life..

dear life,

today i crave adventure.

perhaps in far away lands.

perhaps with someone i love.

who loves me too.

oh wait.

i think i am imagining fairy tales.

or at least a lovely piece of fiction.

but wouldn't it be nice.

to escape into a storybook land.

i'd probably have on a flowy, floral dress.

and my hair would be longer.

and i would be thinner.

and more exciting.

maybe i'd be exploring a castle.

or resting in a field of daffodils.

reading.

or singing.

or playing with woodland creatures.

oh silly me.

trying to escape reality.

but can't my reality be adventure?

maybe instead of closing my eyes to dream,

i should be opening my eyes to truly see,

all the love

and friends

and fun

and moments that have a special magic of their own.

maybe then the cravings would cease

and i could live

satisfied

exactly where i am.

and maybe that's the key

to the secret garden

of abundant living.

seeing what is Real.

seeing the beauty of it all.

and being a part of it...

hmm..

you have definitely given me

something

to think about

meditative chewing...

Not too long ago, one of my dear friends, Annie, asked me to join her and 2 other girls in an exciting little adventure that we call chew*.

4 girls.

From 4 different places.

With 4 different stories.

Coming together once a month (via internet) to experience community with one other through discussion.

Searching for truth.

Eager to be stretched.

Open to what we might discover.

*chew: to meditate on; consider deliberately.

You can join us in our discussion by going to our blog, listening to our discussion (it's similar to a podcast), and leaving comments with your input. Check it out!

We'd love for you to be a part of our community!

the power of the spoken word...

This past weekend at Gulf Coast Getaway, I was introduced to Amena Brown.

She is a beat poet.

She is incredible.

She shared a few of her poems with us on Saturday evening, and it was so powerful.

I can't begin to explain how moved I was by her words.

The spoken word.

There is so much power in the spoken word.

Check her out:

(p.s. - You can purchase her recorded poems on iTunes. I just did.)

oh yeah! i forgot... it's 2010...

The past several weeks have been jam-packed.

(Hence my lack of blogging...)

Interested in knowing what all has been going on?

Here. Let me give you an overview.

I spent the week of Christmas at home with the family. It was such a great week! I really was not ready to leave at the week's end. You know that's a good sign!!

It was a big week for the Lupo family. Especially for Karissa! You may have already heard, but she is engaged!!!!

Here is a picture of the precious couple when they returned home from the proposal. Seriously, this picture captures these two perfectly! Love it!

Here are the sisters and the future bro-in-law at Christmas Dinner at Grandma's. He fits right in!

Oh, and this year, it was our turn to host the big traditional Christmas Eve party for Mom's side of the family. We had 41 people crammed in our house! It was madness, but oh so wonderful!!

Christmas morning was exciting with a new addition to the family there. (It was also nice to have someone who could take a picture of the 5 of us together!)

Sunday the 27th, I headed back to Huntsville. Went to church, ran home, unloaded my car, and met up with some teens at the movies to see Sherlock Holmes. Great movie! Except for the fact that I severely sprained my ankle. I know.. how do you do that at the movies? Weak ankles + foot asleep + TOMS shoes + stairs = disaster. Here's an ugly picture of the horror that was my foot. And you can't even see all the bruising!

I had to go to the doctor the following morning, and then get packed and ready for Youth in Action (YIA)! Some wonderful people (Donna & Chloe Moore) were SUCH a help that day! I can't thank them enough!

I still went to YIA at Lipscomb, but getting around campus was miserable. So check me out with some of my girls in my WHEELCHAIR. Yes, that's right. I have never felt like such an inconvenience. But my teens were so great! I think they must love me or something, because they never complained about having to help me in and out of the van, carry my stuff, wheel me around... I love them.

After YIA, I headed to Montgomery to celebrate the New Year. I really enjoyed spending quality time with Laurel and some other good friends. Praise God for the wonderful things He blessed me with in 2009 and on into 2010! I love when He reminds me of His faithfulness.

I got back from Montgomery, did some laundry, enjoyed my first Sunday of the new year with my Mayfair family, and then packed my backs for NCYM (National Conference for Youth Ministers) in St. Louis! All of last week I was enjoying snowy St. Louis with some incredible friends and partners in ministry! I loved the long car rides with Cody, Jenn & Caroline, rooming with my girls (Abbey, Beth & Ayesha), spending time with my long-time friends (Will & Brittany!!!), getting to know new friends, hearing great speakers & going to great classes (Chris Seidman, Patrick Mean, Rich Little, Gary Spear), and simply enjoying community.

Now I am back in Huntsville, playing catch-up in the office, enjoying my community here, and going on new adventures that God seems to have set in motion.

Here's to a new year! Can't wait to see what all God has in store!

what they brought day three...

I figured I would continue this theme of following the Voices of Lee on their journey on The Sing-Off. I really am just so proud of them! I think they are doing a phenomenal job!

Now it's down to the top three (and they happen to be my three favorites), so we will see how America votes on Monday at the live finale. Go to NBC 's website if you want to vote.

second day of sing-off...

I'll tell you what, they just keep getting better and better...

Keep it up, Voices of Lee!

(my other favorites are Nota and the Beelzeebubs.)

Have you been watching?

Do you have a favorite?

Let me know what you think!

p.s. - anyone else SHOCKED that Maxx Factor is still on the show?!

check 'em out...

Check out the Voices of Lee from my hometown of Cleveland, Tennessee, on The Sing-Off on NBC!

I went to high school with one of the performers (Chad - he's the blonde guy), and my dad is their mailman! (Well, them and all of Lee University.) Needless to say, I was pretty excited when I saw them on the show last night!

these dreams...

I have dreams.

A lot of dreams.

And at this time I'm not really talking about dreams that you have while you are sleeping.

(Though I have a lot of those too.)

And I'm not really talking about daydreams either...

(Though the things of these dreams often appear in my daydreams...)

These are more like things I yearn for. Aspirations. Objectives. Goals.

Some are a little silly.

For instance, I love to sing. I wish I had been brave and tried out for some musicals... what if I had been really good...

And I wish I knew how to dance. I'd like to take a dance class. Maybe I will.

But most of these dreams are really meaningful.

One day, I want to be the kind of mother that my mom is.

I want to marry someone that will be the husband & father that my dad is.

I want to remain close to my amazing sisters. I want our families to be close.

I want to be like some of the woman that I have admired & learned from over the years.

Role models from my childhood like Andy Skidmore and Sheila Jones.

Women that have been there for me throughout some of my most spiritually developmental years: Trish Nason in my senior year of high school, Ann Ledet in my senior year of college, and Christy Johnson & Marcie Miller in these recent years.

Some of my closest friends that are continued inspiration: Sarah Beth, Carie, Laurel, Brittany, Amelia, Annie, Beth, Abbey, Ashley, Marci... I have been blessed with some of the most incredible friends...

God has used each and every one of these individuals to shape me in some specific way. And there are so many more. SO many more. And I am so grateful for the role that each one has played in my life...

I want to live my life in a way that inspires people.

But not because of anything I am...

I want it to all be about He who is in me.

I want God to have full access to me.

I want to passionately seek Him.

And love Him.

And live like Him.

I want Him to be able to touch people,

And love people,

And extend grace

Through me.

I want to be bold.

And listen to this.

I want to be meek.

And for these things to be true of me.

I want to be faithful, as He is faithful.

And I want this to describe my ministry.

I want to abide in Him.

And I want Him in me.

God, this is my prayer. Now I will do as You say. I lay myself down so that You will make me walk as one who is no longer lame. Your Kingdom come, Lord. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. You are alive in me. You are alive in us. Show the world who You are.

christmas countdown...

The Christmas Countdown is on, and I have hardly begun my Christmas shopping!! My schedule is too crazy for Christmas to be right around the corner!

I sure am glad that I have Friday off...

maybe I'll be able to get some things done!

a million miles in a thousand years...

A little over a week ago, I had the opportunity to hear Donald Miller and Susan Isaacs speak in Nashville. Now in case you don't remember, back in May I posted about Susan's book, Angry Conversations with God. (see posts here & here) Her book really resonated with me, and I was thrilled to hear her talk about it in person and even have an opportunity to meet her. (Why did I not get my picture taken with her?! I did get my book signed at least..)

As excited as I was to hear Susan speak, I was definitely just as excited to hear Don. (And maybe I had a little crush on him by the end... maybe...) I had just started reading A Million Miles in a Thousand Years earlier that week and was only on the third chapter (it had been a busy week), so I was hearing everything with fresh ears. I took 6 pages of notes.

He spoke of the narrative. Our narrative. That is, the story that our life tells. And narrative has incredible power.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am fascinated with stories. Perhaps that is why I chose to pursue my bachelor's degree in English. I love hearing a person's story... what has led them to where they are... what is happening now... where they are headed. I love sharing my own story. I especially love sharing the parts of my story when I have seen, with great clarity, God at work. Those are some of my favorites.

I love true stories.

I love fiction.

I love movies and TV shows.

I get attached to characters. I relate to them.

I want their stories to end well. I want it to be good. To have meaning. To be powerful.

Because that is what I want for my own story.

I want meaning. I want to grow through conflict. I want to step out of comfortable ruts and begin to really live. I want to push through fear with great courage. I want to inspire as I have been inspired.

Don talks about all of these things and more, and I could go on and on about this book, about the things Don said, about my thoughts in response to his words.... But honestly, I'd rather have an actual conversation about these things than just throw my thoughts out there and get no response. So how about this: Get this book. Read it. Let me know when you finish, and let's get together and discuss it over coffee or something. I know I would love that, so please, somebody take me up on this offer!

(image found here)

And by the way, Don, if you are ever in the Huntsville area, coffee & discussion with you would be lovely.

because it's a battle..

^10-12And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.

^13-18Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.

^19-20And don't forget to pray for me. Pray that I'll know what to say and have the courage to say it at the right time, telling the mystery to one and all, the Message that I, jailbird preacher that I am, am responsible for getting out.

Ephesians 6:10-20 (The Message)

This is what my girls and I talked about at Bible Study tonight. I could add my own thoughts. (I have a lot of them.) Or I could tell you all the different things my girls and I discussed. But tonight, I'm not going to do that.

I'm just going to let the text speak for itself.

(I recommend that you read this and then reference the passage in another version of the Bible, such as the ESV. It's amazing, the Words of God...)

I've only seen 4 episodes...

.. but I love Glee!

Mostly for the music! Because let's be real... if my life were to be a movie, it would definitely be a musical!

from December 11, 2004...

(the following was found in one of my many journals)

It was over Thanksgiving that I had a discussion with my parents about some things that had been on my heart... questions... where I found myself spiritually... These topics kept our conversation going until well after midnight. However, much to my own disappointment, I left the talk with no answers to my questions. I was even more confused...

It was over the course of the next two weeks that I talked to several different friends, still searching for answers.. Where were these answers to be found? I had searched everywhere I could think of. I talked to my parents, friends, I had been looking through Scripture... What was wrong with me that I did not understand all of this?

It was about 12:20am when Laurel's phone rang. Kyle had called to see if we would want to go to Waffle House with the guys. Carie, Brittany, Heather, Laurel, and I decided to go, even though we really just wanted to be lazy in the room. Matt, Kyle, Otis, Durell, and Jay were going to meet us there.

It was when the waiter, Joey, made some odd comments and walked away with our drink orders that I made a face. Matt just looked at me, understanding my thoughts, and said, "Jenna, he could be Jesus." Now that was convicting. I kept that in mind as I struggled for patience and love during the ordering process.

It was about 1:45am when we started quietly singing around the table. "Our God is an awesome God..." Not an unusual occurrence for this group. We sing all the time.

It was just a few minutes later that we looked up to see a tall, well-dressed man standing at our table, just staring at us. He commented on our singing, and then, staring straight at me, asked us if we would sing at a function he is having on April 3rd at the Carmichael Center. I didn't know how to respond; I think I let out a nervous giggle and then a "wow!" The man introduced himself to us. He said his name - Fred Baxter. He proceeded to tell us that he played for the New England Patriots and adorned on his hand was the most gigantic ring I had ever seen! Yeah, he had won the Super Bowl last year. We were stunned. How crazy was all of this?! Mr. Baxter and a waitress, Kelley, asked us to keeping singing, so of course we did. I overheard one waitress say, "I am so glad they chose Waffle House!" Then Kelley collected our checks -- Fred Baxter paid for all our food! Could it get any better?!

When we were getting ready to leave it did. There was a man in the Waffle House that was deeply touched by our open display of praise to the Lord. I am not sure exactly how all of this happened; I don't know who spoke to whom first. All I know is what I witnessed myself. We were standing outside when this man walked out of the building and approached us. His appearance alone would have caused me to avoid the man, especially at this hour of the night, but the face of this man said something different. The man, Mark, began to speak. Chocking with the words, struggling to express what had been stirred up in his soul, he said these things. "I know you did what you did in there for yourselves, and for God, but I just wanted you to know that it sure meant a hell of a lot to me." He then apologized for his choice of words and continued speaking. He told us that he had lost all hope in our generation... he trailed off, holding back tears. "But not anymore.."

It was when Otis led a prayer for Mark, and I heard the man cry, that I began to really be shocked. Here we are, in the Waffle House parking lot, praying, over this man who is in tears. God had really surprised me with this one.

It was on the silent ride back to Faulkner that I realized something. The answers to my questions... What my brain could not seem to comprehend and the feelings that my heart could not seem to feel... the climax... the turning point... I am not longer the same.

I found Jesus.

When humbled again and again;

over and over.

When broken down to my weakest.

When I was helpless.

Then I found Jesus.

In the Waffle House w/the corner booth.

In the friends that I hold so dear.

In the waiter w/the quirky sense of humor.

In the Super Bowl star.

In the Waffle House waitresses

In the man in the trench coat...

There I found Jesus.

In the most unusual palces,

in the most unlikely people.

When knocked off my feet,

and I'm flat on the ground...

There I found Jesus.

And I will never be the same.

it's been a while...

...since I picked up this book of mine that I love.

Here's one from St. Francis of Assisi:

God Would Kneel Down

I think God might be a little prejudiced.

For once He asked me to join Him on a walk

through this world,

and we gazed into every heart on this earth,

and I noticed He lingered a bit longer

before any face that was

weeping,

and before any eyes that were

laughing.

And sometimes when we passed

a soul in worship

God too would kneel

down.

I have come to learn: God

adores His

creation.

a note to self...

dear self,

why are you so unmotivated today?

why so tired?

is it the rain?

is it the cold?

why are you so easily distracted?

you have looked at the pictures that have recently been tagged of you on facebook way too many times, and you keep staring at that picture on your wall.

you probably need to start running in the mornings or something.

maybe that would clear your mind some.

or at least help you fit in that one dress again.

why don't you look at that to do list you've got sitting on your desk. stare at it instead. better yet, stop staring at things and get busy.

snap out of it.

focus.

even writing this note to you is wasting my time.

so play that good charlotte song one more time to make your motivation proclamation, and stop fooling around.

(and know that people are going to read this post and ask you if you ended up accomplishing anything today)

how's that for motivation?

sincerely,

jenna

i can't believe i won...

Seriously. I am so excited right now! And so shocked!!

I won a giveaway!!!!

Thanks to the lovely Christina at Down and Out Chic,

I will be getting a beautiful print from City Lights Photography!

I think this is the print I have decided on.

I love the vintage telephones,

& it will look fabulous framed above my desk!

You should go to her Etsy store and check out her beautiful work!

Thanks again, Down And Out Chic!

seasons change...

...and the display of nature that we will be seeing in the upcoming weeks is most definitely my favorite of the changing seasons! But nature isn't the only place we see a change in seasons. Seasons change in our lives too. Sometimes they are very significant changes. Sometimes those changes are good, sometimes they don't feel good at all. I don't have any huge season change to talk about, but I do have a small one. And really, though some changes are small, they do end up having a lot of significance. So here is the newest change in my life.

A little over a week ago, my roommate, Ashley, got married to Cody (my co-youth minister), and so of course, she is no longer my roommate. It was sad having her move out, but it wasn't too depressing because they only live 2 minutes down the road from me! I think it would have been a lot harder for me to deal with if God hadn't already prepared some things for me.

Back when Ashley got engaged, I started praying that God would send me a new roommate. The next day, I had a facebook message from a friend in Memphis, telling me about a girl that would be moving to Huntsville. We started facebooking, she moved to Huntsville in May, we met, became friends, and now a few months later, she is my new roommate! God really has a way of working things out!

Meet Marci.

She is my new roommate.

And she likes to cook.

Which is fun, because I am not very experienced in the kitchen.

But this is beginning to change.

We both like to wear aprons.

And organize things.

And we like to invite people over to eat with us.

And have pretty table arrangements.

We are so domestic!

So here's to seasons changing! To new adventures, new friendships, and lots of fun! (& food.)

dream of the day...

to be here...

oh how I want to explore Italy...

(these pictures have inspired my dreams today.)

I still have a lot of growing up to do...

“When you make a choice, you accept the limitations of that choice. To accept limitation requires maturity. The child has not yet learned that it can’t have everything. What it sees it wants. What it does not get it screams for. It has to grow up to realize that saying Yes to happiness often means saying No to yourself.”

-Elisabeth Elliot

My blogger friend, Jessica, just posted something that was very eye-opening to me. Check it out. After reading it, I think I've realized that I still have a lot of growing up to do...

by the way, isn't this picture magical?

I wish that picture was me right now!

I found this photo here.

She found it there.