Ameri-spring break!

Hello!
I'm finally getting a chance to sit down and write about an event that I waited months, and months, and months, and months for and it was over entirely too quickly. Of course, that event was Ameri-spring break! Erin, Eric, and Rachel all decided to come and hang out with me for an entire weekend, and I couldn't have been happier! As with everything else in life it was not just a lovely time, but also a learning experience. Here are a couple of things that I learned during our time together:

1. Do not go downtown on St. Paddy's day. It is full of youths, youths I tell you! But don't ever let that stop you from photo ops.

2. Chicago hot dog stands are fickle. Be sure to check the bun situation before investing. But, don't let that stop you from a photo op.

2A. Side note, if you are stopping into a Portillo's over St. Paddy's weekend, expect to wait a little for your food. You know, like an hour.

3. While your Ameri-besties are in town, this is an excellent opportunity to cross off another coffee shop on your list. We decided to go to Dollop, and it was really good! Like they said in the article the Cinnamon-Honey Latte is everything! Perfect in both the iced and hot version.

 

3A. Dollop is also good for having this piñata with some dope shoes.

 

4.  Game nights are always amazing for bringing two groups of people, whom you adore, together to met! Photo ops are not recommended, due to how out of control a good game night can get.

 

5. No surprises here, but fro-yo is always a delicious idea.

 

6. You should probably get used to these pretty faces, because one day someone is going to make an oil painting of them and you will be able to find it a museum dedicated to them and all they  have done for the world!

 

7. Ameri-spring break over everything.

 

Love,

ktv

ps - Pretty much all these pictures were mine! A couple were stolen, but I provided a good 70% of them. Honestly guys, I'm killing 2015 already. 

 

 

 



 

Sermon Notes 3.8.15

Hey!
Notes from the second part of the sermon series, Simply Worship
*Psalm 95:1-11
"Mirror of Erised" - everyone sees something in that mirror (Mirror of Desire)
It's not an option to not worship something
We become what we worship

*Rev. 5:11-13
This is how it ends, in worship
There is a battle for your worship
Satan can't stop you from worshipping, all he can do is redirect your worship

*Worship is our whole life response to God
Romans 12:1
In light of what God has done, this is the lease we can do
Mind, affections, and will - if they are not all together it's not true worship

*Psalm 95:6
No more conditions, no more negations.

love,
ktv

Sermon Notes 3.1.15

Hello!
I've been lacking on posting my sermon notes, so here is one from a couple of weeks ago. We've started a sermon series called Simply Worship, so without further ado, here are my notes:
*1 Peter 2:9
Exodus 9:1
Worship does not just necessarily mean songs

*Worship = "worth-shape"
To worship something means to be shaped by something of worth

*Each one of us has a trail and an altar. A trail of what we worship (money, success, ourselves) that leads to an altar/throne
The issue is not the quality of our worship, but the object of our worship

*Col. 1:16
We've been created for the most glorious and greatest being
The ultimate gift of God, is Himself
For God to give anything less would be unloving

*Psalm 96:1-4
Psalm 145:1-3
When you see something glorious, you praise it
Praise doesn't express the enjoyment, it completes it - C.S. Lewis

*We are going to spend the rest of our lives worshipping something, shouldn't we make sure it's something of value?

*John 4:21-24
If you get what is on the altar wrong, you get yourself wrong
What's important is not where you worship, but the how and who

*John 3:5-6
Unless God's spirit touches our spirit with the flame of life, we are incapable of worship

*Hebrews 13:15
True worship happens through Jesus, who opens the door to the everlasting God
I don't come to worship God through me, but through Jesus
Condemnation and guilt stifles our worship
Worship is based on a true and accurate description of God

*Psalm 95:1-7
Worship is our response to God
If we pick and chose what parts of God we like, that God will never change our hearts

*Psalm 90:2
Psalm 113:5-6
When God is not greatly praised it is because we don't think He is that great of a God
We go worshipping to church. We don't get to church and then start worshipping
The Holy Spirit is the wind. A good sailor can't generate the wind, but when it comes they know what to do with it

love,
ktv

Bulls game!

Hello!
As many of you are aware, I had a life changing event in the form of a Bulls game on Friday night. Not only was I at a Bulls game, but I was at the game in the third row!!! I am happy to report that I stayed the duration of the game and managed to not jump Jimmy Butler's bones (this time).
I really can't even put into words how amazing it was, so just enjoy the following pictures : )
love,
ktv

Nikola!

Jimmy!

Last, but certainly not least, Liz and me! That smile is still on my face today!

Sermon Notes: 2.22.15

Hello!
So yesterday, we had a guest speaker, Don Davis, who was all over the place with stories and anecdotes, and I was thinking to myself, he gets it. He did a lot of comparisons between fairy tales and comic books, which obviously I really enjoyed!
If ever I were to speak I think our styles would be very similar, except I probably wouldn't bring it together at all in the end. You'd just be left wondering what I had been talking about for the past hour, but I digress. Here are my notes from his sermon:
- Faith honors God
and God honors faith
2nd Corinthians 5:7

- In the telling of God's cosmic drama, nothing is as it appears at first glance

- To see things as they are we affirm that:
Story - God's gospel for the world
1 John 1:1-4
Community - The church as central in God's plan
Ephesians 3:8-12
If you are a Christian you need to be in community
Every local church is an embassy of God
1 Peter 2:9-10
James 2:5
Reversal - The poor are heirs of the Kingdom

- The grace of God is like liquid, it goes to the lowest point and then raises and fills

Until next time! love,
ktv

Mom/Daughter coffee date!

Hello!
So, Peet's was not on my destination for the 10 best coffee spots, but my mom had some coupons and I'm not one to turn down free coffee (or coffee in general). We had a lovely time and now are swimming in coffee. Literally we have so many K-cups and pounds of beans, that I don't need to go get coffee for the next two months! But don't worry, I most likely, and by that I mean definitely, will still go buy some (most likely tomorrow before church : )
love,
ktv

My pretty little mommy displaying our treats!

#MardiGrasPartygras15

Hello!
As I write this, I am still trying to process the amazing events that made up Mardi Gras 2015, so as with everything else in my life, I'm going to make a list to figure it all out.

Things I learned during #MardiGrasPartygras15:

1. Taking Megabus can be painless. On the way down and back I didn't run into: any crying children, recently released inmates, people talking the entire trip on their phones (and usually it's been real series, news worthy kind of events), people playing music on speakers for the world to hear, or drunk NBA fans. Honestly, I was shocked and very, very pleased!

2. When taking Megabus (or any sort of public transportation) it pays to be behind on all your podcasts, because it makes the trip fly! Yes, I realized a long time ago I'm (insert whatever age I am here) going on 75.

3. Being an inter-racial couple will get you yelled at while checking out at a grocery store. Sir, me and my friend are just trying to get some cupcakes, fruit, and alcohol, can we live?!

4. Urban Chestnut Brewing Company's apple cider is delicious! Any of my St. Louis peeps that want to send me a case can do so whenever they want to!

5. Shannon has the cutest apartment known to man! She even decorated for my holiday : )

6. French toast casserole is insanely good (but I already knew that)

7. Going to a parade where they throw beads at you sounded fun in my head, but in all reality it is terrifying.

8. People love the selfie stick. #Selfiestickgamestrong

9. Dino nuggets, pizza, weird BBC nature specials, and naps are extremely crucial for any day to go according to plan (commit to the nap)

10. Old strip clubs = great bars!

11. Man in paisley shirts who dance their life away give me the most life!

12. Mardi Gras and Valentine's day = the perfect combination of strange and delightful.
Until next time Mardi Gras!
love,
ktv

13. Because it can never be said enough, I love my friends (duh)
 

Sermon Notes.

Hello again!
So, I take sermon notes during church, because I'm not in school right now, and I just love taking notes. You can't tell how serious I am, because it is hard to communicate that via writing, but I'm very serious. Anyway, they just sit in my notebook, only for my eyes to see, and I thought that I should share them with you!

2/8/15 - The Tenth Commandment (fun fact, I was only at the first one and the last one. I missed all the other eight. Jesus is going to ask, well what about the other eight?! And I will Kanye shrug and reply, I killed the first and tenth one though)
- Exodus 20:17
Coveting is an inner want that says, I have to have it, or I'm not complete
- Col. 3:5
Coveting = idolatry
- We begin how we end (meaning the first commandment Exodus 20:3) no other gods
- You shall love the Lord your God enough to be totally content in all circumstances
- Root of all sin, is coveting
- Christianity does not worship pleasure, nor abstain from it, rather it enjoys it
- When you covet after something, when you finally get it, you don't want it. It makes you angry, worried, anxious, after awhile you begin to hate it
- Phil. 4:10-13
This is not an offer, it is a command, meaning it's available to anyone who knows Jesus

That is all folks. See you next week!
love,
ktv

1st stop.

Hello!
I finally got a chance to visit my first coffee shop today! Narrowing down the first one to go to was fairly easy, it was the Gold Coast Starbucks naturally. Due to my gold member status (which I in no way, shape, or form need to have) I had a free drink waiting for me, so I made my way all the way down to Rush street.
I walk in, and awkwardly stand there for a bit, because I'm not sure if the people standing around are in line, or waiting for their drinks. So after a couple of minutes of that confusion, I make my way to a register and tell the barista my whole life story about how I have a free drink and I want to try something new. She quickly sees the panic in my eyes, because I have no idea what new item I want to try, and suggests a flat white with vanilla syrup. Literally at that point, she could have suggested coal to me, and I would have been with it. Have you ever looked at the menu at Starbucks? I felt like there were a million drinks on there. Honestly though, I think their menu is more extensive, because they do serve alcohol there and small plates of delicious food, like cheese.
So, I get my flat white with vanilla, and it is delicious! I go upstairs, (yes, upstairs! This Starbucks has two floors, it's super fancy) into this beautiful open space, with natural sunlight pouring in from the glass windows in the front, and to my dismay, all the tables are taken. Silly me, thinking I could get a table at a two floor Starbucks at one in the afternoon. My poor little journal and book I brought to read did not get any use today. But I really did enjoy the layout of this Starbucks and would come back at a better time and sit for hours.

And I also wasn't able to take the super artsy, hipster picture I was planning, so enjoy this awkward bathroom selfie instead! Can't wait to see what the next coffee shop brings.
love,
ktv

Music Monday!

Oh hey!
I haven't done a Music Monday in awhile, but Hozier's "Jackie and Wilson" has inspired me to do so. So, enjoy!
love,
ktv

 



ps - Another deal breaker in marrying me now, is we have to name our kids Jackie and Wilson.

Coffee.

Hello!
I can't believe that it has been so long since I have written. A lot going on in the world, so you'll have to forgive me.
So, in this New Year, I've decided to focus on things that I can easily accomplish (I really know how to stretch myself) and one of those tasks is to drink more coffee. Luckily, I was able to stumble across this article about the 10 best coffee shops in Chicago, so naturally I'll be trying them all out! Can't wait to start this little journey with you all. Stay tuned for all the caffeinated updates : )
love,
ktv

 

ps - I just realized that is hot chocolate in the picture, but ya'll get the point.