Spring Showcase Gratefulness

Just got photos from Royal Stage's spring showcase. I put a lot of words on this blog, so I'm just going to show pictures with this post, and say THANK YOU to everyone who has contributed to Royal Stage this year. You make such a difference! 

All photos credit Betsy skalland. Look her up on my FB she's amazing! 

Resurrection Sunday (and Easter, too).

Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” (Mark 5:19 NIV)

Easter and Ressurection Sunday are two totally different things. I really discovered that this year. I love Easter and springtime and all of it. 

But this was the first time I've ever really lived a true Ressurection Sunday. This is the first year I think i really "got" it - really understood the depth of God's sacrifice and the intensity/damage of my brat ways. 

First, Easter: 

Frozen face paint at an Easter carnival.

The amazing Spider-Man.

Getting ready to hunt eggs at church today. 

I love this photo because when the egg hunt began, every single kid ran toward the grass but Sam immediately turned around and nabbed the eggs in the mailslot. Smart kid, easy win. 

They look absolutely stunned at their riches. 

Then, Ressurection Sunday: 

- free of anxiety & fear 

- flat on my face thankfulness for the sacrifice Christ made for ME. 

- 100% belief that I am unworthy (already had that) and confidence that I am included in the salvation plan (yeah, that's new). 

Understanding the freedom and blessing of childlike faith. 

Learning not to fight the plan. 

Awestruck at the amazing ways God has transformed my life this year and brought it all back to the cross. 

Learning to accept the gift of simple, solid things that lay a foundation of trust and tradition of joy instead of fear. 

Freedom from the past and the courage to know that the future can (and will!) be different. 

Jesus is risen! And today my heart has resurrected , too. 

Easter Eve - Further Down This Road

In the Christian Church we have Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Ressurection Sunday....there isn't much mentioned about Saturday. I'm well aware there are church traditions outside of my little Protestant bubble that recognize the Saturday of holy week in various ways - Catholics and Coptics in particular with blackened altars or periods of grievous silence. But nothing, for me personally, has ever captured the day before Easter quite right.

When something horrible happens, it's - well - horrible. And when I think of those moments throughout my own life, where the wind was knocked out of me or an event took place so suddenly and harshly that my entire perspective was turned upside down, it isn't actually the moment of action that hurts the most. It's always the day after.

Perhaps you are like me, and have had those moments where you've awakened the morning after crying all night, your eyes raw and your mind so full it almost feels hollow. The day after something devastating happens, you start the morning off learning to cope with a whole new reality. The day it happens, it's still almost dream-like - it isn't fully real, you're living it and don't have the time to even decide what you truly think about it all. But the day after......that's seriously the worst.

Lost friendships, moments of unspeakable violence and everything on the spectrum in between always inflicts the highest intensity of pain the day after.

Those poor disciples. And Mary. Can you seriously imagine waking up the day after seeing Jesus die on the cross? How do you live? How do you just wake up, dress and carry on? You can't. There's just no way.

I'm sure there were many faithfuls in Jesus' day who were holding fast to the concept of the Ressurection. But how many were still hanging on to hope on Saturday? It must have been so difficult. Everything they witnessed, every moment they experienced must have seemed so final. He was in the tomb. His body was still. The hope and promise must have been swallowed up so strongly by that granite shell containing all of the Jesus they ever knew.

But Sunday came! For over two thousand years we've been given a Sunday of victory, renewed hope and remarkable celebration. All who knew Christ were given an introduction to a whole new Jesus. The end of the story and the beginning of eternity. Untouchable triumph, endless grace, more-than-you-comprehend LOVE.

Tomorrow is Easter and it's so beautiful. It goes so much beyond kids in brand new clothes collecting plastic eggs. It goes so much deeper than baby chicks and bunnies. It's worth so much more than any bouquet of flowers we could ever place upon a table or altar.

Are you going through an endless Saturday? Is your life filled with despair - that raw morning-after feel that as humans we detest because we just cannot see beyond our own grave of pain and hopelessness?

Hang on. Your resurrection day is coming.
 

Thank God It's Friday

Today is Good Friday, which is, for us church folk, a significant part of Holy Week. 

Regardless of whether you believe Jesus was the Son of God or think he was a crackpot lunatic infamous for wandering around synagogues, even most secular historians agree He existed and died by crucifixion. 

Can you imagine dying in that way? The word "excruciating" is actually rooted literally from the phrase "out of crucify." A crucified person could die from asphyxiation, pulmonary embolism, sepsis or even an animal coming to finish you off. Lovely, right? 

What a totally gross way for the Son of God to die - for anyone to die - but this Jesus guy must've either been telling the truth or was so passionately affixed within his delusions to submit to this sort of demise. 

Imagine it. 

Someone dying on the cross for love. 

That's Jesus in a nutshell. Whether you believe it or not, accept it or not, historically this man was punished in one of the harshest ways imaginable because He claimed to be "King of the Jews." He came boldly for love. 

I wouldn't dare say TGIF on this particular Friday.....but in a way, it is most appropriate. Thank God it's Friday....Thank God FOR Friday.....

The day where God knew of the times I would lie, cheat, gossip, sulk and a myriad of other less than redeeming things - and He went up on that cross. 

The day where God knew I would alternate slothing around, not bothering to remember Him and work so hard, be so busy, that I didn't have time to pursue Him.....and He remained. 

The day where God proved that He was the center of true love - the ambassador for the world's only faith where instead of us following someone to God, God followed us. Pursued us. Remained in us. 

There's something solemnly remarkable in that.

Thank God for Friday. But especially this particular one. 

My Life Is Blessed....and Insane

Have you ever felt stuck in mud while life is speeding ahead of you at a rapid pace? 

Symptoms may include: 

- you are directing a big show in a week

- you are leaving for India in 19 days 

- you have someone moving into your guest room for 6 months 

- you are attempting to write ahead of deadlines because you'll be overseas when the month turns over.

- your oldest child is out of school for two weeks. 

- you need to fundraise more than ever before, but aren't sure how to get people to respond. 

Diagnosis: The month of April.

Treatment: Weirdly, if anyone offered to help, my response would be, "Can you make me a lasagna? I really need 10 lasagnas by Sunday." Because oh the lasagna dilemma.....my biggest issue until next Sunday is a lack of lasagna. 

Welcome to my brain. What a crazy, wonderful, exciting, OVERWHELMING month. 

Continent Party Day

Sam had been freaking out about his school's continent party all week. He has been gleefully counting down until Friday, and it took him probably all of 5 minutes to be completely dressed and ready for school this morning.

They had a blast - I love, love, love going to a charter school! 

Passports & Travel Briefings.....

Antarctica 

(Which was legitimately cold)

Watching March of the Penguins....

Australia 

Getting Aboriginal face paint.....

Europe.....

Painting the "Sistine Chapel" with his teacher. 

Monaco Grand Prix.....

South America 

His toucan was my favorite ;) 

Asia....

I didn't take any pictures in Africa but it was super cute! 

And finally, a picture from North America - but really who cares ;) 

The Reality of Royal Stage

2014 has been a year where reality has hit for me as Royal Stage director. Here's a brief breakdown of what this realization has included.

1) We are doing something else no one in the region is - this is both terribly frightening and very exciting.
2) We have completely outgrown our studio that just a few years ago, seemed huge.
3) There will always be critics, whatever you do in life. Fortunately, there will also be angels at every turn.

We just came out of an incredible weekend at Bridgeway Christian Church, a huge congregation a little north of us. We went into it (or at least I did) with a lot of nerves and expectation because RS has never performed for 5,000 people before. And, combine that with the fact we had a nervous young girl speaking boldly on her struggles in life and also I had to speak more than once at each service (not my favorite thing)....I was wracked with anxiety.

Long story short, our ministry THRIVED at Bridgeway. M did amazing with her speech and song - people are still contacting us days later to say how much they were moved by her. I also asked the Lord for boldness and sharedwe needed before a massive room of strangers....and God provided.

1. Someone offered us four weeks of free commercial air time on the two biggest Christian radio stations in town.
2. We got a whole slew of new monthly faith pledges, which is how we survive as a group at many times.
3. Someone committed to delivering fresh, healthy meals to our downtown Sacramento Section 8 families. 
4. Someone invited us to come dance and minister in Hawaii...which of course, we all feel very VERY called to ;) 

It was INCREDIBLE. It is the most surreal feeling to have strangers speak life into your vision. To approach you with positive feedback on what you devote your life to, with no ulterior motive. Friends and family are supposed to tell us we're on the right track (although true friends will tell you when you're not), but to have people who don't know me from squat to tell me they believe in what God is having us do....I wanted to go into the bathroom at one point and sob....I was so overwhelmed with gratitude and joy.


I can't stop looking at this photo from Sunday's performance. Great job, beautiful ones!

God's provision is great. His provision is even greater when His people join forces. Please consider praying and helping to be part of the vision that Bridgeway carried so far this past weekend. This weekend was WONDERFUL - but we still need you.

Please vote for us to win this. It takes less than a minute.

Please donate just $25/mo. Imagine how little that is and how far it will go. We want to allow EVERYONE to learn dance, acting and art in a positive and uplifting environment. Not just those who can afford it. Also, we NEED  a new building - we can't avoid it anymore.

Come to summer camp. Roseville and Natomas - both are going to be amazing. Please give us the opportunity to love your kids.

That's it! So easy. Thank you for all the times you have tolerated my passion for this. I know people are bombarded with continual things on Facebook - thank you for blessing me by being a part in my life - be it a sponsor, a prayer partner or a friend far away.