Life on Purpose

Lately when I sit down to blog my mind does this:

 

I thought long and hard about why nothing seems important enough to write about at this moment and here's why: Lots of changes are going on over here due to the fact that I’ve been focusing on a friendship with God. Instead of leaving for some big spiritual retreat, I’m taking those retreats every day, in every little thing I do and say. It is amazing how things will change you when you talk to God ALL of the time and think about the eternal rather than the worldly repercussions of your thoughts and actions. It’s tough this day and age! Believe you me!!! This used to be me every morning: ‘Mirror mirror on the wall! Who’s the most productive of them all?!?!?!’ ‘You are Grace.’ I love control. I like to control everything and it's usually faired me well. I have visualized things and places I’ve wanted to do and see and I made it happen. I’ve set fitness, work and financial goals, but I left one person out of it all… GOD! When I’m standing at the pearly gates, is God really going to be impressed with the fact that I chose to start an LLC so I could get tax write-offs? Or that my butt looked extra taut during the summer of 2012? Is He going to be impressed that I have visited every coffee shop in Amsterdam but not once stopped by the Anne Frank house? I should have asked Justin Bieber to sign my name in the guest book when I had the chance! Is He going to be impressed that I kicked over a line of thirty motorcycles while sight-seeing in Italy after funneling a carafe of Sambuca? Meh..probably not. That’s OK. I’m forgiven. BOOM! And so I start over. Now my extra money is given back to the church. I stay in shape and eat right so that I can stay tuned into what God’s telling me. After all, I can’t listen to anything He’s saying when I eat like shit and never work out because I’m too busy thinking about how I have been eating like shit and not working out! To boot, this is His body, not mine. And on my next trip around the world I’ll probably spend less time getting hammered and more time in awe of God’s grace in every face, place and culture…and coffee shop. Hey, don’t judge me! You’ll go to hell.

PS, If you want to start changing the way you think and feel I suggest reading ‘The Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren. Two words: game changer.

Love,

Your Friend Grace

14/50 bohoBabies

 ~We can smell summer!!!  Right around the corner!!!~

F L A S H B A C K F R I D A Y { NEW ORLEANS JAZZ FEST }

Today is the first day of Jazz Fest in New Orleans and the line up this year is SO good! I can't help but wish we were going, even just for one day! I mean Hall & Oats are playing! How fun would that be!? Not to mention, Patti Smith, Black Keys, Willie Nelson, Billy Joel, Ben Harper, Gary Clark Jr., Fleetwood Mac, Band of Horses, Phoenix, B.B. King, Earth Wind & Fire, & Dave Matthews!? The list goes ON! I just scrolled through the pics from our visit in 2009 and my goodness was it fun!? So I thought I would take advantage of 'Flashback Friday' and share them with you. I really want to run around drinking lots of beer, singing really loudly and eating tons of good Cajun food. Who's with me?! Anyone?! I need a vacation.

Only in New Orleans can you bring a Hand Grenade into a nice restaurant. 

Umm, Jason, you are in the pic and someone pass Browe some SPF.

 Haaaaaaay!

 Cuties! Love them, miss you Christian!

Don't let those sweet smiles fool you, these two wild girls came a day earlier than the rest of us. Trouble.

 Love these two! They are probably singing some 80's song and jumping up and down! We were at a bar called Molly's, I think? I just remember the music was GREAT, but we were the only ones dancing, so I think we took it to Gold Mine.

 Where e'rbody is dancin!

That is Stegent, for sure.

 Shelby, you so fine girl.

 Swan was about to get Lasik so we got to pimp his specs all weekend. Nerd Alert! ;)

 There is no telling!

 Drunk & Drunker.

 This kills me. I know for sure a favorite song came on because of Daron's point and well, Sarah's face. Clearly excitement. 2009, how much you wanna bet it was Aww Skeet Skeet! 

Bennett: Hey, you guys wanna do a Flaming Dr. Pepper? (Swigs beer)

Sarah: Oooh.

Izzy: Absolutely. Yep.

 Casey, that is your drunk face, and we love it.

 Pointing out Swans killer dance moves. I swear.

Gretygern and her bestie Sarah!

 Alcoholic beverage, and then water, repeat. Helps hangover. Too bad I never do it.

 Grayden!!! Where have you been all our lives?!?!?

Love the Stegent Bros.

Before we got to Jazz Fest we stopped at Port of Call for the best cheeseburgers to try and cure our hangovers....didn't work, but booze did! Hair of the dog, or as I like to say, 'Bite of the bird that bit ya.' Because birds bite, and because I'm a moron.

Ahhhhhhh! Headlining that day was Kings of Leon and Bon Jovi

 I love Izzy's face on the left lense! 

 Man it was HOT!

 This is my favorite pic! Its very Fever Dog!

 Love these two! Not sure what they are doing though. Ever. ;) 

 Consolidating our beer. There are no 2 beer minimums at NOLA Jazz Fest. Which is great, but it does make peeing very difficult. 

 Look who we ran into!? Didn't see him ALL day because him and Stegent stayed up until 9am or something crazy gambling the night before!! But you can count on Swan to make an appearance, shirtless, and double-fisted, with a big ol smile on his face! Daron was so happy to see him, they ran to each other from across the grounds. Not really. 

We only caught Bon Jovi playing his encore, which just so happened to be my most favorite song ever! 

'Someday I'll Be Saturday Night'

 I was so excited, it immediately made me think of my old high school best friends, Scarlett and Rita. We used to listen to that song over and over while cruisin the streets of Freeport in Scarlett's Mercury Topaz. 

Double whammy flashback! Boom!!

Man I wish I knew where those earrings were! 

Sarah playing statue. She actually stayed in that position for over 5 hours.

 We somehow always end up with a wig.

 High five!!!

 Impromptu dance party! YES! Or just me and Izzy dancing. Whatevs.

 Now they are gettin up!

Haaaay!!

The legendary stripper leg shake.

HOT.

 I guarantee you he was about to clap. 

Lucky Dog!!! Yummmm! nom nom nom nom 

Ok. I realize most of the pics aren't even at Jazz Fest, so I guess I just really want to go to New Orleans with a solid group of friends/family again. Soon.

TGIF.

love, bohoJB