Back at it again with my Ameri-friends!

Hello world!
I was once again blessed to have two more Ameri-friends come and visit and we got to do a ton of wonderful things! As always, here is a list of things that we did:

1. Obviously the first stop was the Chicago Cultural Center. I'm saving this photo and giving it to my future interior designer. 

2. The Bean!

3. The sculpture garden at the modern wing of the Art Institute

4. The Lions! I make everyone take a picture here.

5. I of course dragged them to a coffee shop and crossed another one off my list (La Columbe, and it was very delicious and hipstery)

Look at all the hipsters! 

6. Top of the Hancock! I had never been before and I enjoyed it, until I was forced to do the Tilt (do not do it! It's not enjoyable)

Bae's! 

Dan for GQ

Sunset

 love,
ktv

I get by

Hey everyone,
Sometimes I need a little reminder, because sometimes life can be tough. But I get by with a little help from my:

Pumpkin cheesecake

 Sister

 Family that has missing teeth

Dyed Easter eggs

Mom

Beautiful architecture

Hot chocolate

Family

Room-mate

 Friends

love, 

ktv 

Fantastic Friday's!

Happy Friday everyone! Here is a little video to get your night started!

I love the original version, but you gotta hear both sides. Shout-out to Buzzfeed yet again for being the real MVP. Have a wonderful weekend loves : )

Hey everybody!
So, it's been awhile, my apologies! One of my New Year's Resolutions is to keep up with this blog better, I'm sure that it is!

But what better way to get back in your good graces then by starting off with a Music Monday! Since I've been in AmeriCorps I've been pretty much obsessed with The Lumineer's. One of my favorite Team Leader's would play them and ever since, I've been a fan! Recently I've been listening to them again and Big Parade has to be one of my favorite songs on their album.


I've always fancied myself a private proposal sort of gal (not that any one is proposing to me any time soon), but one of my co-workers just got engaged, so I've been thinking about it.  So, my one exception would be if you gathered all my family and friends in a big parade (you see what I did there?) and sing this song to me. It's not too much of a lovely dovey song, so I'll allow it!


love,
ktv


ps - But lest you forget, I'm still a thug, so here is Fetty Wap with Jimmy Choo.

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