a symphony of chaos

Movin' On Up!

2010-04-07T17:43:00.000-04:00

Goodbye, faithful Blogger Blog and disconnected portfolio site.

Hello daniellehartland.com. I feel like I'm all together in one place...now I can take a deep, digital breath.

You can get the blog feed right here.

Please update your bookmarks and all that jazz. I don't want to lose any of you guys! And, also, you might want to check this chick out. She made it happen for me big time.

Hartland Happenings

2010-03-20T18:36:00.001-04:00

It's been a while. I was trying to hold out a post until the new blog is up, but I just have a hankerin' to get this stuff out:

My best friend is having twins...twin girls!
Chloe is pretty awesome.
Candace is having a sleepover with us this weekend.
I'm working on a lot of wedding invitations and gearing up to take some awesome pics.
Church is as crazy-awesome as ever. I'm in love with what I do and I adore the people I get to work with on a daily basis. "Lucky" doesn't even begin to describe it.
My husband is editing my parent's baptism and salvation story. Crazy.
We're going to a beautiful cabin for my birthday: with the Kerrs FTW!
May = Minneapolis. Boom.
The Campbells are coming to Erie in July and they're staying with us! Yesssssssss!!
Myrtle Beach. August-Labor Day. Ten days. Us. Amazing.
I bought a tote from etsy as my birthday self-gift. It's beautiful (not as cool as Amy's):

Bye.

God and Priscila

2010-02-23T11:25:00.000-05:00

There is a wonderful woman who attends Grace named Priscila. I really got to know her when she agreed to do some temporary volunteer office work for the church. She's a beautiful woman who is fun, funny and intelligent. More importantly, though, she LOVES God and she is SERIOUSLY sensitive to the Holy Spirit.

A few weeks back, she started joking with me on a Sunday morning because she had a dream about me: I was dancing in a ball gown. Any of you who know me know that would be a pretty hilarious dream! This past weekend, she came back and told me that she had ANOTHER dream. We both stood in the lobby with tears streaming down our faces as she told me things like, "God loves you" and "just let it go." She had to walk away and told me she'd write me a letter. I was trying to help families check-in but couldn't stop thinking about Priscila. As they day went on, I was flooded with thoughts about my life, it's direction and what the heck happened between the two of us.

I told a few people, but no one really thought anything of it.

Today, Priscila showed up at the office with a gorgeous bouquet of flowers, an awesome vase and...the letter. I read the letter and could not believe what it said...I still can't. I've never had anyone give me any sort of word from God before (or maybe I was just to dim to notice). It's an indescribable feeling...which is how I know it's the right word for me.

I'm not going to type the letter out because it's pretty personal, but here are the verses she had for me:

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. – Jude 1:24-25

I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the LORD, the God of Israel, who call you by your name. – Isaiah 45:3

He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. - Psalm 91:4

All of that to say: develop the art of listening to God. He still speaks and moves our hearts. If He's telling you something about yourself or someone you know, be obedient and share it. It will probably change someone's life.

Thank you, Priscila. You showed me the power a true woman of God has when she is surrendered to his Spirit and obedient to his will.

The Center for Church Communication

2010-02-08T10:48:00.001-05:00

I was recently asked by Cynthia Ware from the Center for Church Communications to be a part of a small group of creative individuals across the country to spread the CFCC wealth. I am honored to be part of a team that is setting out to lift up and network communications professionals in the local church.

The CFCC is behind many great projects (the most popular being the Church Marketing Sucks blog). They are a great community of folks dedicated to being a resource to those in church communications. I currently help moderate their peer review on flickr, which is an awesome tool for designers (or people who aren't designers but need to be for their church) to get feedback.

The group, so far, is made up of some amazingly creative and passionate individuals. I truly do not belong in the same category as these guys (No, seriously...follow their links. You'll agree. It's ok.):

Vin Thomas (Portland, OR)
Danielle Hartland (Erie, PA)
Vince Marotte (Austin, TX)
Rich Kirkpatrick (SoCal)
Craig Littlejohn (NorCal)
Cameron Ware (Dallas, TX)
Tim Schraeder (Chicago, IL)
Brian Wurzell (Phoenix, AZ)

I am excited to be a part of this network, and I hope to use this role to help communications professionals in the Northeast. And as those of us who live up here know, the Northeast needs all the help it can get. ;-)

If you’re in church communications and I don’t know you, please leave a comment or email me! I would love to connect and see how I can help support and promote what you’re doing.

(Also, thanks, Vin. I totally copied you.)

Linchpin by Seth Godin

2010-02-05T14:32:00.000-05:00

I am only half-way through this book, but I feel compelled to say two things about it right now:

If you are an artist/creative type, or if you lead those folks, this is a must read (and soon).
As I've been reading this book, I can't help but think, "I've been waiting for this all my life."

I'm not over-selling it. Buy it. Read it. Change.

Here, I'll even give you a link (from which I gain nothing). And, I'll post a full review over the weekend. I'm pretty sure I'll finish my first read through tonight.

Jessy's Wedding Invitations

2010-01-27T10:00:00.000-05:00

This project was forever ago! I had the awesome privilege to design Jessy's invitations and other wedding stationery. She's an amazing woman. I love her and her family. Her personal style made this project tons of fun.

Here are a few shots of the whole invitation set together:

Here is the invite card:

Directions:

R.S.V.P. card:

Program (front and back):

Menu card:

Kristin and Some Twins

2010-01-26T19:41:00.001-05:00

Here's some work I did recently that I never posted.

First, logo and business card design for Kristin Lynch. I designed and she got them printed online...Vista Print, I think. Definitely look her up if you need Web Development or other technology solutions. She's pretty awesome. Here are the cards:

Front:

And back:

Second, this is a baby announcement I designed for my friend Kelly's sister. Kelly took the pic and it's amazing...i love it. Luckily, her sister Kim is funky and cool, so I was able to try out a more modern design. It turned out great, I think:

The Lusky Family: Brian, Rachel and Chloe

2010-01-23T17:21:00.001-05:00

Had a really fun maternity photo shoot with these guys today! I am officially excited to meet Chloe Grace...I can't believe how quick this is all happening!

I'm just putting a few up here as a "sneak peek" for Rachel. More will be on flickr soon!

I call this, "We are the hippest parents ever invented."

Subtitle: "The Luskys: Bringing the Sass since 2000."

And I like the sunlight/flare in the middle. I usually don't, but it works here:

And this is when I started crying uncontrollably.

I took about 10 pics without seeing what I was doing. Good result, at least:

I love how this is framed. It's just perfect, to me:

Models:

"Hello? Is this Jack Bauer? Yeah, we're available for active duty ASAP."

Too bad I LOVE this photo:

Aaaaaand I love this:

I think this is the best "heart on belly" shot in the universe:

In other news, I felt Chloe's butt while she was kicking Rachel. AAAAAAH! Amazing.

3 Words for 2010

2010-01-04T17:30:00.000-05:00

Inspired by Terry Storch and Chris Brogan.

This really applies to a lot of things in the spiritual, physical and mental realms. It's not just about "eating right" and "exercising,"it's about being as healthy as possible in as many areas that I can. It's going to be about all of the little choices I make on a daily basis. This includes things like: getting caught up on regular doctor's visits, completing a daily reading plan from YouVersion, and being honest about my feelings with people.
Why? Because I want to be faster, better and stronger.

I have a feeling that a lot is going to change for me in 2010. The trick will be surrendering to what it actually is, instead of lamenting what it isn't. It really means being open to God, the people around me, and new experiences/ideas.
Why? Because I don't want to become unteachable, inflexible or closed.

I want to continue a goal I had in 2009, which was to be a student of...well...as much as possible. To focus that down a bit, I'd like to be in a constant state of learning about Communications. I also want to be a student of people around me so I can be someone worth studying someday.
Why? Because I don't have all the answers and I want to model a spirit of learning to those around me.

Zero Out Your Inbox

2009-12-16T11:35:00.000-05:00

I did this quick training/challenge for our staff on Tuesday at our Communications Meeting and I thought I'd pass the notes on. Most of this comes from Karen Leland. This method and it's variations have been around for a long time, but it's a good one, so here's my spin:

ZEROING OUT YOUR INBOX

WHY?

We need to get better at the time it takes to communicate with our people and each other.
Goal is to spend less time playing with email and more time doing stuff.
It’s a tangible accomplishment in an otherwise continual loop of unfinished ministry business.

Four “D” Method (with some extra hints):

Create 2 subfolders in your inbox called “Defer” and “To Be Done” (or whatever make sense to you).
Every email you receive falls into one of four categories: Do, Delete, Delegate or Defer.
Take action on each message, the ultimate goal being to touch each email only once whenever possible.
The only way an email will ever get out of your life (and out of your worrying brain) is to either deal with it or get rid of it. If you’re planning to do anything in-between, you should understand why.
Filters can be your friend. Focus on creating ﬁlters/scripts for any noisy, frequent, and non-urgent items. Depending on what you consider noise, this could probably include:

blog comments
“friend” requests and announcements from sites like Twitter, Facebook* or Flickr
mailing lists and subscribed forum threads
regular updates like newsletters and ofﬁce memos
non-spam store updates, coupons, and sale announcements

Do: If the message can be handled easily and quickly (within five minutes) do it now. Once done, delete the item or move it to a folder for storage. If the task can't be completed easily, move it to a folder for items to be done, or flag it for completion at some point during the day. At the end of the day, all the flagged items, that are unfinished should be moved to the “to be done” folder, those becoming priority the next day.

Delete: If an email sits in your in-box waiting to be worked on for days, weeks, or even months, you’re probably putting it off for one of these reasons:

It is too big to handle as is and needs to be broken down into bite size chunks (DO IT).
The item is not clearly defined enough for you to take action on (FACT FIND).
It is something you don't really, want, need or intend to do (DELETE IT).**

Delegate: Just because you received the email message, does not mean you have to be the one to execute it.

Defer: Many items in your in-box are good ideas you would like to follow up on - just not now. Instead of letting the someday item sit in your active in-box file, create a folder where you can keep tabs on messages you may want to take action on at some point in the future.**

* Be careful not to forget about notifications if people are trying to communicate with you.
** Just because you don’t think its important, that doesn’t mean the requester agrees. Communicate!

Five Minutes To A Cleaner Inbox:
Open your email in-box and then set your watch, computer or iphone on a five-minute timer. Now, starting from the top (the latest email) go through and see how many items you can get completed and moved out of your mailbox using the four D's - Do, Delete, Delegate or Defer.

Photography Happenings

2009-12-10T13:11:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted any work in a while, so I thought I'd put a few shots up. The first is from an impromptu pre-engagement/engagement shoot with Jackie and Chad. Very fun couple. The second set is Chrissy, daughter of dear friends, who is graduating from High School.

Really, Google Voice?

2009-11-16T13:30:00.004-05:00

When I heard about Google Voice, I was super excited because I HATE listening to voicemail messages. The biggest draw for me was that Google will "listen" to the message and send you a text and and email with the message typed out. I assumed there would be some words that would be messed up, but I didn't expect THIS:

my message:
"Hey it's Brandi. I wanted to find out if you would watch Candace on Friday when I go to a movie. I'll talk to you later. Let me know."

google voice text interpretation:
"Hey it's Brandon to find out if you would be overlaps Janet 91. It would be, but I'll talk to you late. Asking head back."

Sounds like a bad spam email. Bummer - I really wanted to stop checking voicemails.

Hi Carlos!

2009-11-12T08:46:00.002-05:00

You're with my very best friend in the whole world! Please give her a hug for me!

Here are some pictures of Dave and me (Danielle):

This is us making funny faces. We like to do that:

And this is me standing in a lot of SNOW! Molly can tell you all about snow:

We can't wait to learn more about you and get to know you! We love you and will be praying for you all the time.

Welcome to Our Family, Carlos

2009-11-11T13:25:00.002-05:00

Maybe we can call you "Los?"

I can't believe you've had to wait so long for a sponsor. I am VERY excited to get to know you!

You are a cutie!

(thanks, Molly, Aber and Heather: you've made child sponsorship real to me)

Won't you consider sponsoring a child from El Salvador?

I Didn't Listen to God on Tuesday

2009-10-15T13:10:00.000-04:00

We had a staff retreat this week and were sent away alone to think through how the way we do ministry effects how we connect with God.

Two words came to my mind: creatively and frantically.

Psalm 63: 1-8 has been on my mind for the past couple of months and it popped into my head again, so I read it, totally worshipping through and agreeing with every part, as usual.

This is Psalm 63: 1-8:
O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
    my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
   as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
   beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
   my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live;
   in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
   and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
when I remember you upon my bed,
   and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
for you have been my help,
   and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
My soul clings to you;
   your right hand upholds me.

When I was done reading, I sensed God saying, "But that isn't how YOU would write it." So...I put it into 100% honest words that were my own and then felt God prompting me to share it because it wasn't only for me. I chickened out...actually, I disobeyed God. I've repented, and now here it is.

Maybe it's for you, too:

O God you are my God; frantically I look around for you;
  my soul would probably want you;
  my flesh is too busy to care,
  as in an overcrowded city where there is too much noise.
So I have tried to connect with you at church,
  with my limited knowledge of your power and glory.
Because you generally take care of me, I will do good things in your name.
So I will make you look good - until I get bored;
  in your name I will be too busy to care.
My soul will starve to death and my mouth will talk a big game
  when I realize how far I got on my own and that I don't know you at all;
  but you must have helped.
And in the blazing heat of this desert, I will yell about being lonely.
My soul clings to you, but I pull it away;
  I am too busy to learn how to trust your hand to hold me.

Tradition...

2009-10-12T11:30:00.000-04:00

TRADITION!

Since I've been married, I have found myself gravitating toward things that could potentially become part of a family tradition. I'm stockpiling these Christmas season ideas already, and just want them in one place, so I thought I'd share what I'm thinking through and how I want to use them. This is so random.

Hope Ornament: I saw an ornament at Hallmark that I want to create myself. The basic idea is that you have everyone write a wish on one side of a decorative strip of paper, roll them up and put them inside a clear ornament. What I want to do: When we gather to decorate our tree the following year, we will start by opening that ornament and reading what each person wrote. We'll write more hopes and prayers for the next year on Christmas Eve.
Twelve Days of Christmas Salad Plates (Pottery Barn): Dave really likes to have the table set for Christmas from the day after Thanksgiving to New Year's Day. I'm thinking of something fun that involves getting the entire table set in the amount of time it takes the family to sing, "The Twelve Days of Christmas." Could be disaster. Could be memories.
Stockings: I want to do something different with stockings. Maybe each person in the family will pull the name of another family member and they need to put something in that person's stocking for each week in Advent (four weeks, each with a theme and goal). We could open the gifts and light a candle on the Advent wreath each Sunday night.
Giving and Serving: Still working this one out. Wondering about giving each family member a choice to give up one of their potential gifts in order to shop for one gift that will be given to someone less fortunate. I don't know how to make that feel more like a real choice and sacrifice.

Also, I'd definitely suggest reading Noel Piper's incredible book about the importance of family traditions. She gave everyone in Molly and Aber's wedding party a copy and it completely changed my outlook on traditions in general.

What about you? Thinking through any Christmas traditions? Already have good ones?

I Realized Something About Myself Today

2009-10-06T15:46:00.000-04:00

I've had a couple of rough days and my immediate reaction when the stress mounted was to start doodling. I'm a major doodler, but going to paper and markers to let out some frustration was weird: weird because it was automatic...like breathing.

I have never considered art to be a way for me to vent.

So I'm left to wrestle with these questions:
Are my regular artistic abilities (and duties) suffering because I subconsciously consider creativity an outlet for stress? How can I expect my product to be excellent when the process to getting there is linked to tension and pain?

Hi.

2009-09-30T14:23:00.002-04:00

Your Photographer Might Not Be Awesome

2009-08-21T15:27:00.003-04:00

I've been saving this entry from Jeremy Cowart's blog (I respect him and his work a TON). Since then, he's moved his site and this particular entry isn't there, but I think it's a good take on what's going on in photography today. Check it out:

----------------------------------

Photo Cliches
by Jeremy Cowart on 12/22/08

This one could stir up some controversy, I don't know.

Have you ever noticed Photography Cliches? Like how every photographer seems to be drawn to train tracks when they first start out? Then they move to the guy with his guitar slung over his shoulder WALKING down the train tracks? What is it about train tracks anyway???

For the last few years I've said that the "Chair (or couch) in the middle of nowhere is the new train tracks". I've seen this concept executed ENDLESSLY for years now.. especially for bands. (And yes I've done it but trust me, it was against my wishes.) It's usually not a purposeful thing but somewhere in our subconscious we just rip off ideas without thinking twice about it.

So the latest trend I've seen is EVERYONE in wedding photography and even outside of wedding photography doing the shot of the couple holding hands, staring straight ahead into camera like a deer in headlights. You know what I'm talking about. The background is always different but the pose is repeated over and over and over.

Why, as creative people who are always supposed to be breaking new ground, do we endlessly rip each other off???

I think this is one of the negative effects of the internet. Everyone has such quick access to everyone else's work so as soon as something new is done, everyone takes it, slightly changes it and then calls it their own.

It just goes to show how ridiculously easy photography is. Anyone can buy a great camera now, learn how to use it, look at a few portfolios online, then go shoot their friends wedding using the same poses they've seen online and all of a sudden another "professional" photographer is born.

Crazy times in photography right?

When people ask "How do I make it as a Photographer?". The answer is BE. AMAZING. If your work is good people will find you. Make yourself stand out from the rest of the repeat photographers. There's a million photographers out there but if you have a good eye, good ideas, good people skills and a good work ethic, you're golden. Work will find YOU.

So sorry for the rant. I'm not usually one to rant but these cliches have just been on my mind lately.

----------------------------------

I think a lot of "professional" photographers are doing a disservice to their customers. Just because you WANT to take pictures, doesn't mean you SHOULD. Good photographers, like Jeremy said, are AMAZING, and there is no denying it. I cringe on a daily basis looking at the things clients are getting charged for.

In my opinion, once you move from the camera and Lightroom to Photoshop, you aren't being a photographer, you're being a graphic designer. Lightroom (and other software like it) is great because it's a digital manifestation of what photographers can do in a lab/darkroom with film. Photoshop is graphic manipulation. I'm not saying it's BAD, I'm just saying I think we need some perspective.

So, what are the non-negotiables when it comes to being a professional photographer (in my opinion)? Only two things:

1. Creative Eye / Ideas (you know when you have a good shot)

2. Technical Proficiency (ISO, f-stop, depth of field, shutter speed, etc.)

If you feel offended by this, I'm sorry. But instead of wasting your energy being mad at me, go and BE AWESOME.

ECHO '09 Notes and Thoughts

2009-08-03T09:54:00.004-04:00

I didn't go. But two of my favorite online peeps did, and I took notes from their notes. This is a long one, and a lot of you won't care (that's ok). But it's definitely having an impact on how I think about communications at Grace. Here's what's striking me (my thoughts in green):

“Policies are an admission that you have failed to lead.” - Shawn Wood
I totally agree. I think policies can be good, but if you find yourself answering every question with policy and "why it is the way it is" before listening to the heart of the question, that's a major issue.

Phil Cooke:

Media is always on. It has become the culture in the world we live in today.
Communication does not begin with words; it begins with connection. You need a relationship and trust in order to be heard.
Jesus controlled his perception
It’s not just who you are, it’s how you are perceived that counts.
The Branding Big Four: What’s the point? What makes you, you? What are your skills and talents? What makes you different?
We are in the middle of the greatest shift in our culture since the inventing of the printing press.
Old media was a one-way conversation; today’s media world has created a two-way conversation. The audience needs a way to talk back.
Generation after generation of pastors and Christian leaders get it wrong. They believe our only responsibility is sharing the message. Dialogue is king.
The next generation wants a voice and wants to be part of the story. We need to help make this happen. It's going to mean messier, but it's also going to mean authentic life change.

10 Things to Remember:

In a media driven culture, visibility is just as important as ability. Get noticed, get seen.
You can’t brand a lie. Be who you say you are. In a media-driven culture, what you took up a lifetime to build up can be taken down in an instant.
Being different is everything. Be different. Be unique. I don't know if I agree with this.
Stop thinking “mass” and start thinking “niche.” How we communicate with each person needs to be tailored.
Understand the Power of a Name. Names matter because they are the first thing people see, and in a media-driven world, that’s how they will judge you. "Grace Church" vs "Grace Baptist" - speaks volumes, unfortunately.
Speak the language of design. Does your style and media choices reflect the audience you are trying to reach? I hope so.
Lose the Lingo. We’ve created a language no one understands but us.
Culture is more important than vision. Create a culture where vision can happen. This totally blew my mind. I need to think about this for 1,000 years.
Find the over-arching theme for your life and work. What are you all about?
What drives you nuts? The problem that drives you crazy is usually what God is calling you to fix. They're also the most difficult.

Ben Arment (I think this would have been my favorite session. I need to see a video of this.)

Great causes are launched in sociological environments.
Great moves of God in the past have been moved forward by sociological forces.
The Gospel needs GO - it wants to attach itself to movement.
Parable of the sower (it's not the seeds): Social movements are good soil: SOW. If we haven’t laid a sociological foundation that can carry our cause, we’re throwing our seeds at the wind.
God moved in Acts 2 in the midst of a major social movement. As it had its impact, people traveled back to where they came from and the message of the Gospel advanced.
Leverage social conventions and their momentum.
George Whitfield was not just a spiritual phenomenon, he was a sociological phenomenon.
The thing people don’t tell you about is that oftentimes, momentum works against you.
Avoid herd decision-making.

Panel
We need to be careful, as the Church, to not innovate for the sake of innovating. What’s the purpose and role of the local church in your community? And how can you innovate with that goal in mind Churches get ahead of themselves when they try to innovate for the sake of innovation. - Carlos Whittaker

When you look at a tech issue, is is going towards the mission of your church or the mission of the machine? Work towards the mission… reaching people for Christ. If the technology facilitates the mission, go for it. If it’s majoring on excellence to please people in the room, don’t. - Conway Edwards
I don't want to do anything "just because." I think sometimes we forget what our goal is when we are chasing down technology because it can be so alluring. Every tech purchase should be linked to a goal that reflects our mission and vision. We can't just be buying stuff because it's cool.

Change typically has to do with the outer things we’d change (music, style, etc) – transition has to do with people’s hearts (how they think, what they feel, what they believe). Churches have a real challenge with change. But if you think about who God is, He’s unchanging, but He’s all about changing us. It’s a journey. We tend to not talk about change and wonder why people are inflexible towards change. God is constantly changing us. We want to be able to continually morph and change and make that culture of change a part of who we are. - Scott Hodge
If everyone's hearts were united under the mission and vision of Grace (because we are making much of Jesus), then switching times, venues, music, etc., should be a joy. We should be thankful to be a changing church, so long as our doctrine is sound, because it means we are trying to fulfill our God-given mission.

The emerging generation are late adopters of technology. - Bobby Gruenewald
This doesn't mean wait. It means use it well, so you're a trustworthy source for when they catch up.

The interaction we need to create in our church services needs to be interaction between the people and God. The connection and interaction needs to lead them towards Christ. - Cynthia Ware
Seems like a "duh" statement, but it gets lost in all the muck.

Dawn Nicole Baldwin / Cynthia Ware
7 Deadly Sins of Social Media (I just want to give a hearty "amen" to all of this.)

Lust: loving your audience is great, but take it slow. Don’t stalk or overwhelm your audience. No one wants to be spammed by their church.
Gluttony: don’t bite off more than you can chew. Start slow with a few things instead of trying to do it all at once.
Greed: it’s hard to shake hands while you’re reaching for someone’s wallet. Don’t pressure people to volunteer…don’t stalk people to do things they haven’t asked. Texting is permission based. Treat those relationships like gold.
Sloth: avoid the temptation to “set it and forget it.” We need to be intentional!
Wrath: there are a lot of people out there itching for a punch in the nose, but don’t be the one to give it to them. Be careful what gets posted in any social media channel.
Envy: don’t be dissuaded by other people “doing it better than you.” Stay focused on the mission God has set before you.
Pride: stay humble, rock star.

Questions to Consider When Diving into Social Media: What’s the goal? What is the best tool? How much does it cost? How will we create buy-in? When will we evaluate? How will we measure success?
It is worth it to experiment. The goal is to use the technology, not the technology using you. It’s a tool for enhanced communication. What works best for you might not work for someone else. I'm thankful that we're all about trying things at Grace. Makes innovation possible (and natural).
Your congregation should be moving to paperless. This is probably my #1 goal for the 2009-10 ministry year. To do this, we have to be intentional in communicating with people. One person might want email, and another might want a text. We need to make it happen.
Churches should not have “turn your phone off” signs, they should have turn your phone on signs.”

ECHO Debrief (through Joshua’s Brain):
Revelation > vision
Calling > dreams
Niche > mass
Culture > language
Adversity > prosperity
Interaction > broadcast
Leading > policies
Effective > excellence

(Thanks, Joshua and Tim!)

Seth Godin is "Right"

2009-07-27T11:38:00.001-04:00

Seth Godin is a man after my heart. He takes "issue" with the "weird" quoting found all over the place. I don't know if it's because I "read" Unnecessary Quotations, but they stick out like a sore thumb lately. So, no, Seth, you are not the only one. It drives me "nuts."

@loribaily got me thinking, too. Grammar excellence is the last thing I think about when promoting events and designing communication pieces. I'm usually so manic about the design and strategy, that it leaves little time to proofread and refine. Grammar and spelling should definitely come up higher on the list.

I constantly judge products based on what the ads look like and how they communicate. I shouldn't expect any less of a person looking into our church. If I'm not going to buy something because they use Comic Sans and quotation marks, people should assume our church is full of idiots when they see a typo in the bulletin.

Boom. Roasted. I can't believe I roasted myself.

Worship Lessons from a 3-Year-Old

2009-07-13T09:59:00.000-04:00

Dave and I took my mom and our two nieces, Emma and Candace, camping this weekend. Dave brought along a worship CD because Candace always requests, "Jesus songs" when she's with us. We popped it in and I was gagging in the backseat of the van because of how cheesy it was. The CD was called "Modern Expressions of Worship." The problem is, it was made somewhere around 1992, I'm thinking. :::gag:::

Candace and Emma were loving it, though. It was right in their groove. Candace even broke out an air mic at one point. They pick up songs quickly (especially overly repetitive, annoying ones).

I let out a groan as a new one started because I could tell that it was only going to get worse. Candace snapped her head back at me and said, "What's wrong, Dan-L?"

"I don't like this song, " I said, as I made my best "yucky face."

Candace's mouth dropped open in shock and she said, "WHY? It's a JESUS SONG!" Then she turned around and resumed her dancing and clapping.

I joined in.

10 Extreme Lessons

2009-07-03T10:42:00.000-04:00

This was the most wonderful ministry experience I've ever been a part of. I learned a lot, and I want to get these thoughts down before I forget them.

Email, Twitter and FaceBook are the best forms of communication for a quick project turnaround.
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition t-shirts are, apparently, worth more than gold.
Teach your children how to listen to directions, or they will grow up to be annoying adults who don't understand anything you tell them. Please: do society a favor and get it done.
When people constantly tell you, "You're doing an awesome job, GET SOME SLEEP," you know that you must be on top of your game.
Anne Maleno had the most difficult job on that site...and she rocked it. She has the awesome ability to be firm and direct while staying positive and thankful toward each individual. I was impressed to say the least.
True colors and motivations come out in times like these. Everyone has struggles and needs, so it's important not to let those things cloud how you view a person on a regular basis. Deal with it, make it right, and then move on.
Teaching your church how to love and serve people is the best way to spend your marketing dollars.
Don't do something because you want to impress someone, do it because you're serving God. You'll never make it if you try to please people. You'll be constantly disappointed.
Don't underestimate the power of momentum and influence. This was just the beginning. If in one year, all we have to show for this is nice flowers on East 21st Street, we missed it big time.
Every human being longs for true community. Jesus can unite people more powerfully than I can explain or comprehend. Get to know your neighbors: it will probably change all of your lives.

Here's a link to some photos on flickr.

And here are some media links.

Extreme Makeover Side Project

2009-06-24T00:06:00.000-04:00

I've got a confession to make: I have written and typed the word "extreme" more times in the past week than in my whole life and probably your life combined. My fingers have developed muscle memory for typing the word.

When I found out about this potential partnership with the show, I was extremely happy. I fought back tears as Derek explained how our Church could possibly be involved.

The thing is, I actually love Erie. I know...but I do. Somewhere along the way, I got a heart for transforming this city. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to jump start a volunteer initiative that could do just that. Erie is never going to live up to it's potential if we all just sit in our living rooms talking about how messed up it is. Until we take ownership for where we live and stop ignoring the people who need our help, we can forget about it. The local government can't change this place without us. This should be just the beginning.

I know for me, that when the cameras are gone, I'll still be here fighting for the city I love.

Get involved.

Extreme Makeover Home Edition in ERIE!

2009-06-19T11:41:00.001-04:00

I was at the rally that Maleno Builders held this morning at Grace. I also had the privilege of providing some live Twitter material through the Erie Blogs Twitter feed. Check it out.

Grace is going to have a big part in all of this. Some of us on staff are going to a meeting on Monday to find out what awesome thing(s) we'll be contributing. I can't wait!

Does everyone realize how lucky we are to have this happening in our community? Hello?!

Karla & Joe's Wedding Sneak Peek

2009-06-11T16:09:00.000-04:00

I really can't say enough about this experience. It was absolutely wonderful to be part of this special day. I remember standing at the airport with Karla and Kate, being completely exhausted after Molly's wedding and making a pact to pray for each other: that we would be content in singleness or whatever God would have for us.

All I have to say is that Karla's patience has paid off. She and Joe have been waiting for each other for a long time, and they're perfect for each other. I'm so happy for them.

It rained on the wedding day, so a bunch of our outdoor plans were shot. There are a lot of cool places to shoot pics in Minneapolis. It was a bummer, but we were able to be creative inside. It was a really fun group to work with.

There was butter next to flowers. It had to happen.

Bridesmaid dress next to Karla's "going away" dress.

Bridesmaids doing the make-up thing.

Hair decisions.

Karla chose a gorgeous dress for herself.

She was so excited to put it on. I don't think she stopped smiling the whole time.

Deep breath moment.

Joe and Karla opted to see each other before the ceremony. It was such a sweet time.

Flower and stained-glass awesomeness.

My favorite moment of the ceremony.

Moments alone (well, with me) in the lobby after the ceremony.

Joe likes jellybeans. I like fun pictures of rings. Match made.

The rest will be coming soon, guys! Congratulations!

TJ and Emily's Wedding: Sneak Peek

2009-06-02T16:52:00.001-04:00

This was a super fun wedding. Not only was the couple (and family) awesome, but Dave and I got to work together. He was video taping the day while I was photographing it. It really made me want to do more work TOGETHER. It was a blast. Everyone kept saying that I was really laid back and made everything easy for them. I hope that shows in the photos, and more importantly, I hope I added to the awesome feeling of the day.

Anyway, here are some quick (low resolution) shots:

TJ! He was such a good sport.

Emily was one of the most beautiful brides. Her dress was GORGEOUS.

Grandma wanted to wait and see Emily walk down the aisle, but in the end,

she was glad to have this moment. So sweet.

This was one of those "deep breath" moments that all of us brides know so well.

Red shoes? Yes...RED SHOES. How awesome is that?

The flower girl yelling, "WE DID IT!" right after the ceremony recessional.

Do the bustle!

Awesomest. Couple. Ever.

Heartfelt toast by the Best Man. He wouldn't let me take candid shots of him.

I got this one, though. BOOM!

Aww...

I'll be done with all of your proofs within the next couple of weeks, guys. Congratulations, and thanks for letting Dave and I play a part. It was so much fun!

Campbell Family Visit

2009-06-01T22:18:00.000-04:00

OK, so our #1 favorite southerners visited Erie this past week, and we were lucky enough to have them stay in our home. Brent and Jenn lived in Erie while Brent was attending LECOM. It was a wonderful four years.

To say it was awesome to see them would be a complete understatement. I love these guys so much. Here are some pictures from the visit (mainly so Jenn can download them).

I miss them already.

And, also, I would like to say that I think it's a sin against God that they don't live here anymore. Thank you. Chattanooga, you don't know how good you have it.

Men's Ministry and Women's Ministry

2009-05-22T12:41:00.002-04:00

Alternate title: If your marriage sucks, maybe don't spend all your time with other men/women who's marriages suck.

Hear me: I'm not completely against men/women's ministry. I think they can be healthy and do a lot of great things. I do take issue with "Wild at Heart" and "Captivating" focused ministries, though. I think these books generally miss the mark, especially in their view of God. They also seem to spend a lot of the book building people up. If I have the potential to be completely awesome, why do I need God? A self-centered life is a lonely life.

"Wild at Heart" Excerpt:

"Deep in his heart, every man longs for a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue. That is how he bears the image of God; that is what God made him to be." -John Eldredge

"Captivating" Excerpts:

"Sometime between the dreams of your youth and yesterday, something precious has been lost. And that treasure is your heart, your priceless feminine heart. God has set within you a femininity that is powerful and tender, fierce and alluring. No doubt it has been misunderstood. Surely it has been assaulted. But it is in there, your true heart, and it is worth recovering. You are captivating." -John AND Stasi Eldredge.

"How does a woman best love a man? The answer is simple: seduce him." -John AND Stasi Eldredge*.

These are the three things John and Stasi think all women long for:

1. To be romanced.

2. To play an irreplaceable role in a great adventure.

3. To unveil beauty

I was recently talking with some people about this, and here's my takeaway after thinking it over:

Even though we're all created by God, we're all different. There isn't one set of steps that will work for all of us.
Not all men will be better husbands after riding a horse or camping in Colorado.
Not all women have a deep desire to be a princess and to be rescued.
John Eldredge seems to have an unbiblical view of God and man.
Self-centeredness isn't going to make me a better woman.

Maybe there's something wrong with me. These books are pretty dang popular. They just don't sit right with me, I guess. I think most people read books like this because they want to be better people. I'm just not sure this book describes the kind of woman I want to become or the kind of God I am compelled serve.

*Seriously? she can't write it on her own? I guess that's about the whole, "play an irreplaceable role in a great adventure," thing.

I Forgot to Tell You That We Got a Grill

2009-05-21T18:05:00.000-04:00

(oh, and I have a new blog header which is a sneak peak for my new website coming soon)

That'll be all. Thanks.

Getting Your Team on the Love Track

2009-05-14T15:47:00.004-04:00

I love the people I work with.

No, really.

I LOVE them.

I think it's important to love the people you work closely with, whether it is a paid staff or a volunteer team. Why would we want to chase a God-honoring vision with people we can't stand? That just doesn't make sense.

Why love?

It creates a safe culture.
There is a synergy that happens when love and respect rule.
Loyalty is not an automatic thing: love helps that along.
I'm convinced that love makes creative juices flow.
It makes work fun.
Jesus' ministry is a model of community and love. That's a good enough reason for me.

Here are a couple of ideas to get your teams on the love track:

Spend a chunk of time in your meetings getting to know each other (no, not "what is your favorite ice cream?").
Pray for each other. If you're a leader, pray FOR your team (see Colossians 1:9-12 and Ephesians 1:15-21 for the kinds of things Paul prayed for).
Listen and respond to each other (Acts 6:1-7).
Encourage each other (Hebrews 10:23-25).
Challenge each other (Hebrews 3:13).

Even if you don't think you can love everyone you work with, I'd challenge you to try. I think you might be surprised at the result.

(Adapted from a lesson on "Caring for Those You Lead" from Derek.)

I Have a Desk/Couch Problem

2009-05-04T11:20:00.000-04:00

See this? This is our living room (TV is in the right hand corner off of the photo). Usually, the couches and tables are pushed back to the wall of windows, but we moved everything up as an experiment.

Question: Should we put Dave's desk behind the couch and use it as a couch table (picture frames/vase on it) when he's not working (monitors stored under the desk unless being used).

Reasoning: He works on videos from home A LOT, and now that we both work full time, we don't see each other, so the last thing we need is him in the office and me in the living room all night.

There's a poll in my side bar. Please vote! Yes, this is THAT important to me.

New Invitation Design

2009-05-02T13:56:00.002-04:00

DEPPENcover

Originally uploaded by DanielleSuzanne

(Click to photo to see more)

I just finished up some awesome wedding invitations. There was a lot of last minute drama to get it done, but my printer came through for me! They always do.

I absolutely love this design, and if I could do my wedding over again this would be my invitation.

Not only do I love the design, but I love the bride. I was so honored to work on this. I can't wait to complete to rest of the designs for her special day.

Love you, Megan!

Hey! COME BACK!

2009-04-30T12:28:00.000-04:00

please.

Working in Ministry is INSANE

2009-04-27T14:38:00.000-04:00

I am sitting here, staring at my "desk" (actually, i can't see the top of it...it's pages upon pages of things to get done and put away). I find myself thinking about how insane ministry can be: both in a good way and a bad way (mostly good). Here's a collection of what's bouncing around in my brain:

As a staff, we try to decide what ministries and resources will best serve the church. The people who make up the church give money to make that happen. If they don't like something, they might stop giving. Either we're serving them well, or they're faithful and obedient (maybe both?), cause that isn't happening.
Every single person in a church is different. There is no true demographic. Our demographic is "human."
How do I communicate to all of these people without leaving anyone behind?
I'm not a Pastor or anything, but I think my work touches a lot of people.
I am longing for clarity and direction in our planning, values and organization (it's coming...I'm really excited).
A church isn't a simple organization. But it can be organized.
Why don't some people like churches?
I think there are a handful of high-profile "Christians" who have messed up on our behalf. Sucks.
Is there a chance that people with preconceived notions about church and Christians could come to Grace and see that it's different? That would be cool...maybe a meetup at Grace through Twitter. Come on ErieBlogs, you know you want to.
I love talking to my parents about church and Jesus and what it all means. I feel like I have a new perspective on the whole thing (from communications to what happens on Sunday mornings).
I don't want to be an island. I want to be part of a team.
What does Erie need most? Can we provide it?
I want to do my best, not only because God requires it, but because there are over 1,000 people counting on me not to screw it all up.

Our Hope Endures

2009-04-10T14:22:00.001-04:00

O sacred Head, now wounded,

with grief and shame weighed down,

now scornfully surrounded

with thorns, thine only crown:

how pale thou art with anguish,

with sore abuse and scorn!

How does that visage languish

which once was bright as morn!

What thou, my Lord, has suffered

was all for sinners' gain;

mine, mine was the transgression,

but thine the deadly pain.

Lo, here I fall, my Savior!

'Tis I deserve thy place;

look on me with thy favor,

vouchsafe to me thy grace.

What language shall I borrow

to thank thee, dearest friend,

for this thy dying sorrow,

thy pity without end?

O make me thine forever;

and should I fainting be,

Lord, let me never, never

outlive my love for thee.

If You're an Artist in the Church and Hate Your Job

2009-04-08T16:55:00.000-04:00

I wrote an article for Collide Magazine about artists in the church. I'm bringing it up here because I wanted a place where people could dialogue through the comments about it, if needed.

Here's the article.

Let me know what you think.

Meet My New Best Friends

2009-04-07T08:00:00.024-04:00

Awesome yoga mat:

New kicks:

The sad thing is, i found these sneakers on my honeymoon (12/07) and finally bought them on Saturday. I'm not so good at buying things for myself.

Also, Rachel bought me a camera lens for my birthday. It's really fun to use. I call this, "The Pen is Mightier than the Twitter":

And this is my "Dave Stop Working in the Living Room on the Dining Room Table" series:

The Anatomy of a Prank

2009-04-06T09:53:00.000-04:00

1. Get a good inside joke.

2. Invest some money.

3. Find a leader (a.k.a. mastermind):

4. Get a team of stooges:

5. Commit:

Wait.

2009-04-01T11:43:00.002-04:00

What?

Why I'm Disagreeing with Seth Godin

2009-03-31T10:43:00.000-04:00

:::DISCLAIMER::: I love Seth Godin.

Today, Seth had an interesting post about design that hit close to home. Check it out if you haven't read it.

Here is what I agree with:

Having "beautiful powerpoint slides, handsome business cards, clever bio photos and a decent website" is really important.*
If you hold meetings, you should learn how to make a good PowerPoint.
Someone who is trying to figure out how to design a good PowerPoint presentation will never be a gifted or breakthrough designer.

*If you're not a designer, you can't make them good enough. You can get yourself taken seriously in a presentation, but that's about it (and that's if you're lucky).

Here is why I disagree:

He says it takes less talent now to be a good designer. I don't even know what this means. How could it take less talent to be a good designer? Because it's easy to find something you like online and rip it off?
Seth is perpetuating the popular notion that mediocre design is "good enough." Sure, it's good enough if you don't want to be taken seriously. Most professional designers won't even design their own logos because of the challenges.
Great design is based in great research, education and a great eye. You can learn formulas from a book, but you can't learn how to be an artist.
What is "breakthrough?" Does that mean better than mediocre? I guess. We all have different levels of what is "good enough," so maybe we should leave it to the professionals to decide.

I'm annoyed. The end.

Obama vs. the Colonel

2009-03-30T13:28:00.002-04:00

Just thinking, since everyone and their mom is suing everyone else's mom over Shepard Fairey's Obama poster, maybe KFC should jump in.

I mean, hello:

OH HAI readers

2009-03-27T09:43:00.000-04:00

Remember when I blogged for 30 days straight? Yeah. I'll get back with you in a couple of days. ;-) Until then:

twitter.

30til30: Day 30

2009-03-26T08:27:00.002-04:00

30: My 17th Surprise Birthday Party.

Thirteen years ago, my friends threw me a surprise party for my 17th birthday and I found Jesus there.

For most of my junior year in high school, I ran with a bunch of Christians. I didn't realize it. I just thought they were hilarious and awesome. For some reason, there were a lot of Christians in the drama club and choir, too, so it was inevitable. As the year went by, things kept unfolding that opened my eyes more and more to what was around me.

Looking back on it, I can see everything unfolding and leading me straight to that birthday party. I had injured my knee earlier in the year playing basketball and we played basketball at the party (yeah, this is how smart we were). I re-injured my knee (I found out soon after that it was a torn ACL). I can't explain the pain, but to this day I haven't felt anything worse. I cried through the rest of the party because of it. Everyone felt really bad. I just wanted them to leave so I could scream.

After everyone left, I laid on Jamie's floor and completely lost it. While she cleaned up, I was alone in her living room thinking about Jesus of all things. I started to get really angry because I didn't understand why anyone would love a God who just let's things happen. I wanted to cut the strings that bound my friends by the evil puppet master.

I was supposed to sleep at her house, but I asked her to take me home because the pain was too much to bear. In the car, I just got more and more angry...at God. I remember with perfect clarity the rage I felt inside of me. I hopped into a quiet, dark house: my family was already sleeping.

I went into my room and started throwing things around and screaming. I think I wanted my parents to wake up (they didn't: in fact, I asked my mom the next day and she said she didn't hear anything). I was getting even more angry and I started yelling at God out loud. I remember every word I said. I've never come close to matching the anger I felt that night.

This is the part where a lot of you are going to think I'm insane.

I sat on my bed and put my hands on my knee. It hurt so bad, and I suddenly didn't know why I was so angry. I started to focus on the pain in my knee and I asked God to make it stop. I have no idea why I did that. I just did. Here's the thing: it stopped. I remember specifically that it got really hot and then the pain was gone. The only feeling left was the tightness of the joint. It still felt the same, minus the pain. (This was so real that I didn't have knee surgery until two years later...for a torn ACL and meniscus.)

I started crying uncontrollably. I was so ashamed of myself for everything I had been angry over. The prevailing emotion, however, was fear. I was terrified of what just happened. Then, I said this:

"I need you."

Immediately, the tears stopped and a wave of peace swept over me. I felt comforted and secure. I laid there, content to just be still.

The next day, I woke up and I was never the same again. I've never looked back.

What I'm not:

Crazy.
Naive.
Intolerant.
Ignorant.
Relying on a crutch to get through life.
Unloving.
Hypocritical.
Better than someone who isn't a Christian.

What I try to be:

Loving
Joyful
Peaceful
Patient
Kind
Good
Faithful
Gentle
Self-controlled

I can't comprehend where my life would be without Jesus. I wouldn't want it any other way.

30til30: Day 29

2009-03-25T23:16:00.001-04:00

29: Dave.
I married Dave because I thought he was pretty cool. I was wrong. He's REALLY cool.

Here are some of my favorite pictures of him:

What I love about Dave:

He's cute.
He always wants to try and do the right thing.
He's sensitive.
Never saw an episode of Seinfeld, but he watches Family Guy. You do the math.
He is the most talented and creative person I know (ALERT: I am not, repeat NOT, overstating this).
Dave is old fashioned in a lot of ways.
He is the funniest person I've ever met. I mean, hello?
When we decided to care for Candace full time a while back, he was awesome.
He is brave.
If you think you know what he's going to do, you probably don't.
He makes me laugh like no one else.
Dave loves America (but not more than Jesus).
He is a really good writer and editor.
Three words: jedi video master
I love that he has no idea what the previous statement is referencing (no, i'm not kidding).
He has "mellowed" in a lot of areas.
Dave has a very unique perspective. A lot of people think they have him pegged. They don't.
He...sigh...loves weather.
He also loves everyone I love...and they love him. It's awesome.

How he has shaped me:

He's made me more adventurous (and afraid of heights at the same time).
Before I met Dave, I had a plan (that sounds bad, but trust me, it isn't).
He pushes me to be more creative without even knowing it.
He loves me in spite of myself, which has made me a more confident, loving person (I hope).
His story reminds me that God is sovereign, merciful, mighty and loving.

Dave -

I just want to tell you three things:

I'm really proud of you.
I am happy that you're my husband.
You are the best man I know.

I Love You.
(ok that was four. so SUE me)
Danielle

30til30: Day 28

2009-03-24T17:29:00.000-04:00

28: Mom.

I can't even begin to explain the relationship I have with my Mom. I love it. She brings me so much joy. I think she loves ME too much, though. ;-)

Why I think my Mom is the best Mom:

She was 19 when I was born, 22(ish) when Amanda was born, and 24(ish) when Brandi was born. I'm 30 and can't imagine having one child, let alone THREE.
She had a really rough childhood. It's the stuff of movies. She came out of it determined to have a different life, and she does.
She wasn't afraid to let us learn from our mistakes (SOME of us are still learning). ;-)
My mom has always put us first (by the way, Mom: it's time to put yourself first).
She is a great friend. Watching her with her friends is amazing.
She's a gift giver.
She's a social networking machine (FB, Flickr, TWITTER)
She is still married to and loves my Dad.
Grandma is her middle name. I can't wait for my children to know her.
She is giving Emma and Candace the same love and support she gave my sisters and me.
She supports me no matter what.
She listens to me.
She likes to talk to me and tell me about things. I think she trusts my judgment.
Everyone who really knows her loves her.

How she shaped me:

In every way possible.
I hope I care for people the way she cares for me.
If I need advice on raising my kids, I don't need to look any further than my own childhood.

Mom -

I know that sometimes you feel like you failed as our Mom: you didn't. You made a commitment to give us a life that was better than yours. You did that and WAY more. I don't look at my childhood and ever think, "oh, I wish she would have..." My memories are full of love, caring, support and joy. You did that. You're the best Mother and friend anyone could have. I am who I am because you're my Mom.

I'm proud to tell people that you are my mom. I love you more than I could ever try to explain.

Love you,

Danielle

P.S. You and Dad are too young to be parents of a 30 year old.

30til30: Day 27

2009-03-23T23:02:00.083-04:00

27: Dad.

I don't think you fully realize how great your Dad is until you see him as a Grandpa. It has been amazing to watch him through the eyes of Emma and Candace. I have a new perspective on my childhood.

Why I think my Dad is the best Dad:

He was 18 when I was born and started work to support his family right out of high school (and he's still doing the same thing today).
We did a lot of fun things growing up...we laughed a lot.
Speaking of that, my dad is literally the funniest person I know.
He is the only male in our house. Even our pets have been girls.
I have photos to prove that he tried to get my sisters and I into what he was into (fishing, pool, bowling, golf, hunting, etc.). Amanda's the only one who took to any of it, and that was just fishing.
He knows EVERYTHING about EVERYTHING. Just ask Molly. She will confirm.
From a broken hinge to lending money, he always tries to help me if he can. Even if he's frustrated with any of us girls, I truly believe he wants to help us because he does it again and again.
He gives good and sound advice.
He is silent unless he has something worthwhile to say. He doesn't feel the need to "fill the void."
He lets me spout off my opinions and listens.
Technology hasn't passed him by. He's even on Facebook.
He is actually a really great friend to me.
My Dad is a professional Grandpa. I'm moved by how much he loves those girls.
He is still married to and loves my Mom. There have been many things that could have torn their marriage apart, but they're still in it. It's inspiring. Dave and I talk about it all the time.
He made the decision to start bringing Emma to church with my mom. I know it isn't about me, but it means a lot that he's around on Sunday mornings. It feels "right." I love it.

How he shaped me:

I mean, he's my Dad...so...pretty much in every way.
My sense of humor is largely inspired by him.
We are both painfully introverted, and need to get to know people before we can truly be ourselves.

Dad -

The sacrifices you made to raise us aren't lost on me. And the sacrifices you make to help raise Candace and Emma do not go unnoticed. I'm in awe. I believe there is potential to see glimpses of Jesus in every person, and you show that glimpse through your love and sacrifices for all of us.

You have been a great Father, and you've given us all a wonderful foundation for life. I am who I am because you're my Dad.

I will never love anyone like I love you. I wouldn't even try.

Love you,

Danielle

30til30: Day 26

2009-03-22T23:50:00.095-04:00

26: The death of Felicity.

This is one of the few dates I picked on purpose. It's been a year and six months since Felicity died and I lost a niece. If it's still difficult for me to reconcile, I can't come close to imagining the ongoing grief of her parents. I wasn't sure how to handle this post, because in some ways, her death has been the most significant of all the moments I've listed. I hope this doesn't seem over-dramatic. That's not my intention.

I'm not going to talk about what I remember. It's way too painful. Instead,

This is what I want you to know about Felicity and her death (from my perspective):

Felicity was a real human being. She actually died. She was alive and then she died.
Her parents are not supposed to "get over it."
They'll never "get over it."
It isn't wrong for people to feel pain over her death.
My pain is through and for Molly, Aber and Orison.
The pain is more about what could have been and what would be, rather than remembrance.
Grief is a process, and it's different for everyone.
The 22nd of each month is important in the Piper house.
If you are close to Molly and Aber, don't make them be the ones to always bring her up. Talk about Felicity. If they don't want to talk about it, I'm sure they'll tell you (wouldn't hearing that be better than not saying anything and wondering?).
Molly and Aber aren't strong: God is.

How it shaped me:

I remember talking to Molly about how this changed my perspective on our relationship. Felicity's death made me suddenly aware of all the potential tragedies and deaths we would walk each other through.
My view of pregnancy and childbirth has changed drastically.
I can't explain all of it. I'm going to stop trying. I've been on this last point for 45 minutes and I can't find the right words.

30til30: Day 25

2009-03-21T14:44:00.001-04:00

25: Molly Piper.

Molly and I have known each other since the first grade. We attended separate schools for 6-8th grade, but then came back together in 9th at McDowell. We became fast friends again, mainly through choir and drama club (nerd alert). However, Junior year, our friendship went to a whole new level. We both started doing youth group things at Grace and became Christians within a few months of each other. When that happened, our bond became stronger than anything we could have created by our own strength.

I love Molly. She has and will always be my best friend.

This is why I love Molly:

I can say "N*Sync" without her making a weird face at me.
She loves New York City.
She wasn't selfish when it came to her new faith, she brought me alongside her.
She's a connector.
Molly isn't afraid of silence. Sometimes, it's okay to sit in a room and just "be."
We can always pick up where we left off...no matter what. We're both really bad about keeping in touch, so we have to give each other grace there.
She is generous.
I know that I can always go to her...about anything...and it's 100% secure: locked down.
Molly loves my family. I'm pretty sure she's my dad's favorite out of all of his daughters' friends.
She is the best person to cry with or to.
We've never been in a "fight." Everything is dealt with immediately. I can honestly say I have nothing negative in my heart toward her.
We just "get" each other.
Before I got married, she made sure to make it abundantly clear that she loves my husband.
Molly is...yeah...she's the coolest person I know.
She is the most faithful friend I've had, and I can't imagine anyone else ever comparing.
The love Molly has for her three children is incredible. It's awe inspiring to watch her love them.
She is a lover of Jesus.
She is REAL and transparent. I don't ever have to guess with her. I know what's up with her, where she stands and where we stand.
Molly has always believed in me.
She loves me.

How she has shaped me:

She introduced me to the idea that religion void of a relationship with Jesus is pointless.
She taught me how to squeeze out what little extrovert I have when I need to.
I am working at Grace because she took me there in high school.
I have some pretty sweet parenting skills up my sleeve from watching her.
Watching her wrestle through the pain of losing Felicity has definitely changed the way I view grief, motherhood and Christian community.
There is a comfort to knowing that you have a friend for life. Having that comfort is huge.

Molly,

There was no way I could do you the justice you deserve by writing about our lives in one blog post. I could have made every day of this series about you and it still wouldn't be enough. You are an incredible, Godly woman. I can't believe God saw it fit that we should be friends. He has blessed me more than I deserve through knowing you. I would not trade our friendship for anything. Thank you for being a faithful friend and walking through life with someone like me. I don't deserve any of it.

I love you,

Danielle

30til30: Day 24

2009-03-20T14:23:00.001-04:00

24: Abraham Piper.

For some of you, this choice might seem random. I assure you, it isn't. By the end of this post, I hope you'll see why I had to put him in this list. Aber has made an incredible impact on my life in the seemingly short time I've known him (and the distance that separates us...oh the distance).

Things about Aber:

I remember hearing the buzz about "this guy" and thinking, "oh gees...this is not going to end well." (prediction FAIL)
Aber's story of repentance and conversion shattered the box I was using to keep God cooped up in.
He really takes care of and loves my BFF. He's a faithful provider for his family.
He loves, supports and prays for my husband.
He is way too smart for his own good.
Aber's sense of humor is very unique. I love how hysterical he gets about things.
He is a lover of words.
I like that he prefers "Aber" to "Abe."
I will never forget crying with him at his dinner table after he got a phone call from someone who had experienced a stillbirth. He quoted the caller, "you will always feel like someone is missing around the dinner table."
He honors his daughter's memory every time he writes on his blog (and in many other ways).
He is totally cool with me being lazy and bumming around his house when I visit (or, he's a good actor, at least).
He challenges me to push harder and be better at what I love.
He acts like I'm the best designer and photographer he knows.

How he has shaped me:

His grief over losing Felicity changed the way I viewed parenthood. It's hard to explain...it's a good thing...but I don't know how to put it into words.
I fully believe God for the "impossible conversion" because of his story.
I believe in myself a little bit more after spending time with him. If someone as awesome as him thinks I'm good at something, I might just be good at it.

(if you can guess who's turn it is tomorrow, well, then you're not stupid) ;-)

30til30: Day 23

2009-03-19T11:01:00.001-04:00

23: Derek Sanford.

I don't even know. I really don't. This is going to be a bulleted list of whatever comes to my mind, because there is just way too much:

One of my first memories with Derek was sitting in his office and singing, "Thyroid is a gland inside of me, that secretes into my brain" to the tune of "Thy Word." Yeah, I know. I should have walked away right then.
Derek is a faithful friend. I know he has my best interest at heart.
I've definitely peed my pants laughing with him.
His mind is incredible. The ideas and strategies that come out of him are pretty awesome.
He has led me through a lot of ministry transitions and has given me the chance to try a lot of different things.
He has also led me through a lot of life stuff. I remember one time he said, "Bad self-esteem cannot be a crutch for the rest of your life." That was a stake in the ground moment.
Derek has just...been there, you know? As a pastor, a boss, a friend and a brother.
I can't even count the number of times we've put our hands in the middle and decided to push forward together.
He is the best leader in the world. He could be the President if he wanted to. I'm not even kidding.
You know all those cool leadership and ministry ideas you read about? He probably thought of them two years earlier.
His ability to cast vision is incredible.
Derek loves Erie, and not because he's afraid to leave. He feels a strong calling to be a light in this community.
I love working on projects with him. Our minds work well together.
He is, without a doubt, the funniest person I have ever met.
I truly don't know where I would be if I hadn't walked into Grace in 1996 and met him.
I know that God has specific plans for us in ministry. I'm 100% sure of it. I'm loving this time, and I can't wait to see what the future holds.

How he has shaped me:

I am doing what I'm doing, feeling what I'm feeling, and passionate about ministry because Derek let God use him to change my life.

30til30: Day 22

2009-03-18T17:05:00.000-04:00

22: Becky Biebel.

Becky has had an incredible amount of influence on me. She's been my mentor for about ten years now. Our relationship started out very officially with meeting on certain days of the week and morphed into a life-on-life style of mentoring where we'd just see each other whenever and I'd watch her live. She is a second mother to me, and I think she would consider me an extra daughter. We're also great friends. We're very close, and I don't think anything will ever change that. Things I know and appreciate about Becky:

When she says she will pray for me about something, she REALLY prays. It's not just a catch phrase.
Becky LOVES the Word. She is more passionate about digging deeper into the Bible than anyone I know.
I love talking to her. She is a great listener and advice-giver. She also isn't afraid to say, "I have no idea."
Becky is an incredible mother and wife.
She truly cares and wants the best for me.
She is one of the most creative people I know.
She writes incredible poetry.
Becky is HILARIOUS.
She loves her dog, Rusty Joseph....it's so cute.
She dances.
Her personality is very unique.
She laughs like no one else.
She will always cry with me.

How it shaped me:

She has literally made me a better person.
I am a better Christian because Becky has poured into my life.
I have a good grip on how to raise second generation Christians because I've watched her.

30til30: Day 21

2009-03-17T16:34:00.001-04:00

21: Mentoring Megan, Marilyn and Amy.

I've held the belief for a long time that we should all invest in the "next generation." Taking the time and resources to pour into a younger person is one of the most rewarding things you can do, in my opinion. When I was involved in youth ministry at Grace, I decided to invest in three young women. There was no real formula, except to "do life" in front of them. I was more real with them than my best friends. I tried to be completely transparent and vulnerable, while always trying to steer them toward good choices and loving Jesus to the best of their ability. To be honest, though, I think they taught me way more than I taught them:

Amy taught me that you should follow what your passionate about, even if it means you're being pulled in six different directions at once. The important things will rise to the top.
Megan taught me that its okay to be romantic, and it's a good thing to have dreams.
Marilyn taught me that laughter is way underrated, and it's always best to follow a good cry with an even better laugh.

How their relationships shaped me:

I like to try new things and explore different passion areas.
I'm not ashamed of my hopes and dreams.
I laugh, a lot, and mainly at myself.

30til30: Day 20

2009-03-16T23:24:00.001-04:00

20: Caring for Candace.

To make a long story short, one night my mom and I involved the police in order to get Candace from a very unsafe situation that my sister was putting her in. That moment led to about three months of caring for Candace full-time, along with my parents. Even though it was a very trying and stressful time, it was full of great memories and experiences:

Hearing her cry out for me in the middle of the night at first and watching her become more and more comfortable and, therefore, more rested as time went on.
Witnessing her trust and love of Dave grow. She used to be really scared of him and now she's really mad if he isn't in the car with me.
Watching her sing and raise her little hand with her eyes closed at church.
She could and can distinguish between Jay Z and Matt Redman. She knows when she's hearing songs about Jesus.
Aaron and Kelly loved on her like she was really our daughter. Candace fell in love with the Lundbergs.
Observing her crush on Brian develop. He is her forbidden fruit.
Dave placed her in snow that was up to her shoulders on day. That was pretty funny.
I feel like I watched and had a hand in the development of her personality. I remember one night, walking home from Valerios and her freaking out to Rachel because Brian and Dave were leaving us. It was hilarious. I think it was the first time she popped out of her shell.
She was always so clingy with me (with good reason). Even though it was sad because she was afraid of me leaving her, I still loved it.
Singing "My Hope is Built on Nothing Less" every night before bed after she would say, "I wanna singa Jeesa" (I want to sing about Jesus).
Saying prayers together every night.

How it shaped me:

There is something about being truly needed that unlocked something in me. I can't fully explain it, but I'm different now.
I realized for the first time that wanting a baby isn't just about "wanting a baby." When you have a baby, you're deciding to invest in another life above your own, at all costs, for your ENTIRE life. When I ask myself about wanting a baby, I think about having a 10 or 18 year old.
With that said, motherhood is not a far stretch for me at this point.
I think about Candace on a regular basis. I want her to be happy, healthy and thriving.
Dave and I pick her up for church most Sundays. It brings me tons of joy to get her to there.

UNLEASH Van Ride Quotes

2009-03-16T13:44:00.000-04:00

Oh yes, people. I have quotes. I was covert. Here are the top 10:

Your mouth is going south.
And You will find the beans, swaddled in a burrito and laying in Andy's colon.
Wait. What?
The homeless: stealing from the rich and giving to the rich.
I want the ball. Let me just put that out there. I want it.
Man, I don't know, but I am really in the mood for a peach or a butt.
I almost whacked a beaver on the way here.
zzzzzz DEREK! ARE YOU OK? DO YOU WANT ME TO DRIVE? zzzzzz
Umm...this is way too friendly. I'm scared.
Do you want to spoon?

30til30: Day 19

2009-03-15T11:11:00.013-04:00

19: Friendship with Rachel Lusky.

Rachel and I have been through pretty much everything in life. I won't try to describe all of our memories: they go from high school to now, and they're awesome. Here's what I love about her:

She is passionate and moves fast when she wants to accomplish something.
She's a great friend to me.
She is a good motivator.
She's a great friend to me.
She is hilarious.
She's a great friend to me.
She is creative and an incredible artist.
She's a great friend to me.
She always helps me when I can't figure something out.
She's a great friend to me.
She is emotional. I don't mean this as negative.
She's a great friend to me.
Her laugh. is. amazing.
She's a great friend to me.

How it shaped me:

She makes me more aware of my emotions because I'm aware of hers.
She is almost all the way responsible for my design sensibilities.
Dave and I are married because she was friends with both of us.
If she wasn't in my life, there would be a huge void. HUGE. I rely on her more than I let on.

30til30: Day 18

2009-03-14T11:10:00.017-04:00

18: Friendship with Brian Lusky.

This guy. I can't even think of how to talk about how I feel about him. Here's a text he sent me last week that had me crying in front of perfect strangers: "Sweet. I'm packed into the Lee McDerment session on worship standing room only. I love doing ministry with u. This is so good." What I love about Brian:

He's my American compatriot against the delusional British people we married.
He is fully supportive of my ministry (and I of his). When no one else is on my page, I can always count on him speaking up about it.
His ability to lead people into worship is incredible. The scary thing is, he hasn't even tapped into 50% of it yet. It's coming.
He's a faithful friend, even when I suck.
He 100% gets me.
He's an artist. I love artists.
We work really well together. Our creative process is insane.

How it shaped me:

When Brian came to Grace, another piece of the Dream Team Puzzle^TM was placed. My ministry life immediately got more exciting.
He makes me want to be more creative. I want to be the person he turns to for ideas.
I love doing ministry at Grace because he's here.
I kind of like playing weird board and video games. Kind of.

30til30: Day 17

2009-03-13T11:10:00.023-04:00

17: Grace Church

Being involved at Grace has changed my life more than anything on this list so far. In fact, most of the things on this list are a direct result of the ministry at Grace. God has definitely used this place to make me into the person I need to be. I have been given the opportunity to try and fail and choose where to serve based on what is rising up in me (I still don't feel like I'm at my final ministry destination, but if this current one ends up being it, I'm good with that). Instead of memories, I'm going to list all of the different roles I've filled at Grace:

Youth Chaperone
Vacation Bible School Teacher
Youth Small Group Leader
Youth Drama Club Leader
Insight Team Member
Insight Team Leader
Adult Small Group Leader
Creative Team Member
Creative Team Leader
Service Director
Graphic Designer
Communications Director

How it shaped me:

I can't even put into words how much it has meant to me to serve at Grace. Where else could I have learned all of these skills with such freedom?
I have a vision for where Grace wants to go and I want to be a part of it.
I am 100% loyal to this organization. I don't want to be anywhere else and I'll do anything in my power to get us to where we need to be.
Being a part of Christian community is the best thing ever.

30til30: Day 16

2009-03-12T11:09:00.014-04:00

16: The death of my Aunt Carol.

My Aunt (Mom's sister) died recently and it was very difficult. In fact, it's probably too fresh to write about in detail, but here are some memories:

Dave and I taking her to lunch with my mom. She thought all of the food was so good because her taste was coming back from chemo.
Seeing her for the last time at my cousin's house...and realizing it would be the last time.
Driving to and from the service with Amanda and Emma. We tried very hard to explain to Emma what was happening.
The church that held the memorial service had her name spelled wrong on the PowerPoint.
Sitting with my cousin and hugging him throughout the service. It seemed like I was the only one he could come to.

How it shaped me:

To be honest, I'm not sure yet.

Communications and Web: Unleash Breakout #1

2009-03-12T11:02:00.059-04:00

With Suzanne Swift (@suzanneswift) and Joshua Blankenship (@blankenship).

I've never done this before. Here I go:

Their job is to handle branding, communications, and web.
They also have IT people on their team.
Newspring is almost 10!
Web is just an extension of Communications. It's the same thing online in a way that makes sense. (@blankenship)
Newspring is very simple. It's helpful because there isn't much to communicate about.
They're a branded house, rather than a bunch of brands.
Make sure the visual represents the cultural.
You all need to figure out who you are. If you don't know who you are and what your culture is, it will be really difficult to communicate in a cohesive way. You want people to know where they are.
If you're doing something that doesn't support your mission, you need to take a hard look at that (@suzanneswift).
They have leadership that champions their style of communications. Top - down, they are very simple.
Specific next steps are "them."
What is the vision of my leadership?
If you're constantly fighting with your leadership over branding, web site, etc., sit down with them and figure out what their vision for your job is. (@blankenship)
They've made their standards available to staff and specific volunteers, so they can be empowered to use everything correctly. They've picked champions in each dept. to help.
newspring.cc/brand to download the style guides
They didn't want to be brand nazis, they want to be a support to the ministries at newspring.
Help them focus on doing ministry, not promoting it. AMEN!
They don't operate through a filter of "fair."
If you give people too many options, they freeze.
@blankenship looked at web traffic and redesigned by popularity. A fairness mentality would do a disservice to people who are trying to know about Jesus.
If we promote too much and all at the same level, it makes it very difficult for people to make a step.
Know what your role is in your church. Their role is supporting ministries. Understand where you fit in and how you can support them.
Define what a win is for the ministry you're promoting. (@blankenship) The win isn't how the site looks, it's people signing up.
We don't have time to do everything. Accomplish the ministry's mission first.
WHAT IS THE WIN?
(side note: these two are REALLY passionate...THAT'S a win)
Get out of the way and remove barriers. The more excellently we do what we do, the better. If we can do it and make great artwork, that's great, but isn't our ultimate goal.
Clear communication with the people you're serving is key (deadline, expectations, etc.). As you build relationships, that gets easier and easier.
They aren't thinking about what they need to tell you. It's on you. (good one @suzanneswift)
If you have an antagonistic relationship with your staff, do some soul searching about what your role is. (@blankenship)
If you don't have people skills, I would rethink the role that you're in. (@blankenship)
It's easier to work with people you like. (seems obvious, but it probably isn't)
It doesn't get easier as you get specialized. The bigger you grow, the more you're doing, and the harder it is. (@suzanneswift)
(side note: they must have awesome internet service)
It's a learning process and it's good.

Q&A:

Budget and Outsourcing (vendors): It's about relationships. They've had a plotter and they aren't going to do it anymore. Part of what makes it work is clear expectations.
They do 6 month budgets.
Multisite Comm. Strategy: strategy is minimal. people come when their friends invite. They empower their people to invite. They don't flood the community.
Internal Communication Tool? Just email and come see us and hangout.
Delivery to other sites: video is upload and downloading through FTP. it depends on the content. campuses aren't doing different things and everything filters through them.
Communicating to Volunteer Leaders: volunteer director has a blog, newspring church blog posts announcements.
Anything mass communications goes through them. They do not send snail mail unless absolutely necessary. They also won't do phone stuff again.
Notice for things needed: It depends, but they like 2 weeks, and get excited with actually getting 1.
How do you coordinate what goes into print and what happens on stage (graphics, etc.): They don't brand events or specific things, but they do brand series (AMEN). Because they're simple, there aren't many places or people involved.
Series stuff: Series planning is usually 5-6 weeks out. Designed in 2-3 days tops.
Their designs don't go through the pastor. Hasn't happened since 2002. They trust their people to do their stuff and be awesome.
They only send e-news to people who want it. They drive people to the website.
Moving away from print and toward screen.
They do a lot of business card sized invite cards to empower their people to invite. For big services like Easter, they ticket.
We just call things what they are. Don't create logos and use these fonts and colors.
How do you get other people to "get it?" They need to know your heart and that you truly want them to succeed. "Don't use that font." vs. "Let's work together to make this awesome." Point them to people who are doing it well and compare it to what they're doing (ex: apple).
Best way to renew the graphic identity of a church: it's huge. make sure you have support from your leadership. If you have the budget, hire.

If I could sum this up for my communications people in two words, I'd say, "build relationships."

Oh, and here is their awesome chalkboard wall calendar:

30til30: Day 15

2009-03-11T11:07:00.026-04:00

15: St. John's Lutheran Church

I grew up going to St. John's in Erie. Looking back on it, it was the place I got my foundation in leadership and love for ministry. It's incredible how God can work even when you aren't in a place to do anything about it and don't realize the plan. Random experiences and memories:

Playing basketball.
Selling food at basketball games with Mike Boam and becoming fast friends.
Sled riding at Camp Findlay and getting the wind knocked out of me.
Being the youngest member of "Council" (it's like an Elder Board, but more like a Deacon Board).
I wrote St. John's mission statement. I don't even know if it's still the same.
Leading the large group gathering at Vacation Bible School when I was in middle school.
Taking a trip to New Orleans for a youth convention right after I had become a Christian. I was probably the only one NOT interested in Bourbon St.

How it shaped me:

St. John's showed me the ugly side of church. I don't think they've changed, based on the things that are still going on. I witnessed the people there straight up ruin people's lives for no reason other than to remain powerful and hold on to money.
St. John's showed me the awesome side of church community, too. I had relationships there that are still strong today. Some of the people were awesome at caring for others. If they'd focus on that strength, they would be unstoppable.

30til30: Day 14

2009-03-10T11:07:00.028-04:00

14: SLAM.

I had the unique opportunity to take a handful of kids to a week-long event called SLAM (Students in Leadership and Ministry). We went three different years: two in Washington D.C., and one in Minneapolis, MN. Not only were these fun trips, they were life changing. I learned a lot about leadership and creativity in ministry on these trips. Each year, they gave our group more responsibility, until in the final year we were planning the worship services. Some memories from that particular trip:

Team building in the old Grace Worship Center.
Planning worship services for every morning and evening.
Making the decision to reset the room every single day so it felt like a new experience.
Hands in the middle with an awesome team.
Rich prayer times with the team.
The prayer wall.
Telling a group of kids that I was disappointed in what they were doing 5 minutes before they were supposed to perform for 150 people. Ugh. That was a bad moment.

How it shaped me:

This was another event that shaped my ability to plan and execute services. It's the event that made me fall in love with it, to be more specific.
I got much more laid back with kids after that trip. I didn't lower my expectations, I just got nicer about it.

30til30: Day 13

2009-03-09T23:16:00.001-04:00

13: Vacation out West with Dave.

The thing about traveling with Dave is that you usually don't know what to expect. He likes to fly by the seat of his pants. In hindsight, flying to Portland, OR with nothing but a car rental in place and a plan to drive to San Francisco probably wasn't the smartest idea. You know what, though? It did make for a great trip. Check out the pics and Dave's commentary. Some memories:

It's weird to drive all day with your only goal (other than sightseeing) being to find a cheap hotel.
Mt. St. Helens was a little bit insane for me. You can't really understand how large it is and how widespread the damage was unless you've been there.
All I wanted to do was find a starfish, and I did! The tide pools out there are awesome.
I don't think I will ever experience clam chowder like I did again. Good stuff.
I cried and almost lost my mind on the top of a cliff.
I regret not spending more time in San Francisco. The airport was lovely, though...all 672 days of it.

How it shaped me:

I like spontaneous trips now. I used to hate them.
I am now deathly afraid of heights, thanks to the Devil's backbone or whatever.
I hate non-revenue flying. I will not do it again, unless it's an absolute emergency.
I killed a starfish because I wanted to take it home. Sometimes I feel guilty. Other times, I think of that stupid sermon illustration where the man is throwing starfish back into the sea. "I made a difference to THAT one." Yeah...I did too.

30til30: Day 12

2009-03-08T23:27:00.013-04:00

12: When my Grandma Crawford Died.

I was in middle school when my Grandma Crawford (my Mom's Mom) died of colon cancer. To say it was rough is definitely an understatement. It was really hard on me because we spent some of almost every day with her since I was born. My mom was so faithful in caring for her, though: she really was amazing. Memories from when she died:

My mom lived at my Grandma's house during the final month or two. She was the only care giver in addition to hospice nurses.
I remember sitting on my Grandma's bed for the last time and being so scared that I was shaking.
I saw some sores on her body and over heard something about the cancer eating through her.
You might think this is a joke, but it isn't. The last thing she said to me was, "will you please put lotion on your elbows for me?"
On the day of her funeral, I got up in the morning, got ready and tried to go to school. I walked to the bus stop and my Dad pulled up alongside me. He was really mad at me. I didn't understand then, because all I wanted to do was escape.
My mom's cousin, Jackie, wouldn't leave me alone. I was under the distinct impression that she had made it her personal goal to make me cry. I remember at one point, I was so frustrated that I told her to leave me alone.
I ate some sort of black cherry jello dessert at the open house afterward and puked it up all night.

How it shaped me:

I donated to Hospice through the United Way when I worked at Wegmans and the Cleft Palate Clinic. I would love to donate large sums to them some day. It's an incredible organization.
I saw my Mom differently after her Mom died. I think it was because of my age, too. She is so strong and incredible. I don't know how she made it through.
I know what I want to do if my mom is ever sick. I hate thinking about it, but I know I'll take care of her however she needs me to.
People make fun of how dry my elbows are, but it always makes me feel bad.

30til30: Day 11

2009-03-07T22:58:00.003-05:00

11: Ministry and Friendship with Aaron Lundberg.

So, I am definitely one of the luckiest people in the world. Anyone who knows Aaron realizes what a privilege it is to know him, but to have him as one of my best friends is incredible. We've been through life together...and I mean THROUGH it. From youth ministry to now, there have been a lot of memories. I couldn't even begin to list them. Instead, here's what I love about Aaron:

His family and his part in it.
He has become the brother I've never had. It may seem cliche', but its very true.
As soon as his first son was born, he started referring to me as "Aunt Danielle."
He is hilarious.
He's rude, and he knows it.
Great cubicle mate.
I honestly believe he would do anything for me.
He makes me feel safe and secure in our friendship.
His level of professional excellence is insane.
He's definitely got my back.
I like how he thinks. There are some minds that you just click with, ya know?
He is brutally honest. Some of his comments have knocked me out of some pretty stupid things I was doing/thinking/feeling.

How our relationship has shaped me:

Most things I know about business, I know because of him.
I love being an Aunt to his boys and it's been incredible to watch them grow up. It takes a lot for a person to let you into their lives like that.
He makes me want to be more direct and honest with people. I'm slowly getting better.
Working with Aaron has been amazing. He makes me want to be a good employee.
Life is good when you have a friend like Aaron. Having him to lean on has made the difference time and time again.

30til30: Day 10

2009-03-06T16:38:00.001-05:00

10: The first time I went to Insight.

When I was in high school (and for a few years after), Grace had a bi-weekly youth extravaganza called "Insight." Basically, it was a church service for teenagers...hundreds of teenagers. A lot of my friends were always there and one week, I gave in and went. I literally was never the same again. My most vivid memories from the first Insight I attended:

Feeling the presence of God in a corporate gathering for the very first time.
Looking around at my friends and thinking, "HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN ABOUT THIS?!"
Listening to Derek and thinking, "This guy is going to change Erie forever."

Memories from Insights over time:

What will happen next? (specifically, Matt Donovan biting into a huge head of lettuce)
Family Boxing Match (again, Donovan).
The Underpants Song. It was the beginning of the end.
The Golden Fish Award Ceremony.
Praying and commissioning Seniors to go out and be a light wherever they were heading.
Fashion. Through. the. Ages.
Amazing worship.
Life-changing talks from Derek.

How it shaped me:

I met Derek Sanford. For those of you who know him, that statement says it all.
Some of the most talented leaders at Grace (and in other churches) came through that ministry. I work and have worked with a bunch of them.
Through Insight, God placed a burden on my heart for using my creative gifts in ministry. Granted, the form of that creativity has changed over time, but it's always there in some form.

30til30: Day 9

2009-03-05T23:17:00.000-05:00

9: Our wedding.

I loved our wedding. The end.

30til30: Day 8

2009-03-04T21:52:00.001-05:00

8: Brent and Jenn Campbell.

Brent and Jenn were by my side through one of the most difficult things I've ever had to endure. I'm not sure why Dave and I clung so tightly to them, we just did. Jenn was always checking in on me and asking how things were going through our entire courtship. They, more than anyone else, truly helped us establish a firm foundation for marriage. The Campbells were wonderful mentors and beautiful friends. I'm so sad that they moved back to Chattanooga. What I miss about their friendship:

An unending stream of wisdom.
Brent's unwavering hope in God's sovereignty.
Jenn's brownies.
Lunch with Jenn between working at Hamot in the morning and church in the afternoon.
Praying with Jenn.
Laughing with them was an olympic sport.
Feeling the burn in my thighs sitting on their wobbly kitchen chairs.
Pasta salad and bread (or...pasta, salad and bread).
Love, love, love.
Their example of marriage.

How it shaped me:

Jenn literally held my hand and walked me through my relationship with Dave. She taught me how to pray for my husband, love him better, and be a good wife.
Our marriage exists because they were in our lives at the exact right moment.

30til30: Day 7

2009-03-03T21:01:00.002-05:00

7: Dave's meta-surprise trip to England.

Most people who know me already know about this. Here's the story in full, if you want the inside scoop. Basically, Dave took me on the surprise trip of a lifetime to England where he proposed. I'm pretty sure that can't be topped. What I remember most vividly:

An abrupt stop to breakfast with Molly...in fact, I remember just staring at each other for a good 30 seconds.
Sitting alone and crying (frustration and fear) in the Minneapolis airport while Dave was "unavailable" to talk.
Seeing Dave and Chris at the airport and neither of them saying more than two sentences at a time to me as we walked around the Atlanta Airport.
Calling my mom and crying because I was so scared about flying overseas.
The Delta "Business Elite" experience.
My first moments on the wrong side of the road.
Dave proposing...and then a guy on a bicycle riding by yelling, "Don't do it!"
Fish and Chips.
The awesome hostel.
When Carrie Mason fell in a puddle and it looked like she peed her pants.

How it shaped me:

I realized that I don't do well when I feel like I'm out of control. I still don't...but I try not to let it ruin my experiences.
I definitely got bit by the travel bug. At this point, even a road trip to Cleveland excites me.
Umm...I married the best guy in the world.

30til30: Day 6

2009-03-02T12:02:00.000-05:00

6: When I realized that Kelly Lundberg was going to be one of my best friends.

I remember when Kelly entered our lives. It was full of scandal, to be honest. Everyone was all, "Who IS this? She's dating AARON?" It was rough on some people to see Aaron come off the market. What a funny time. I just remember thinking she was kind of shy (WRONG), and I felt bad for her because no one really talked to her all that much. I can't pinpoint the exact moment our friendship began, but I do know that it has become stronger every day. What Kelly has taught me:

Family comes first.
You are never too busy to make time for your friends.
Motherhood is the most awesome adventure.
How to truly serve people: from friends to strangers (she gets that from her Dad).
Have fun with the things that annoy you.
How to make your house into a beautiful home.
How to take a party from "Meh" to "holycrapthisisawesome."
What a real friend looks like.
Oh...and rap and hip-hop isn't all bad.

How it shaped me:

My iTunes is ... let's just say "diverse."
I am in love with her children and I would do probably anything for them.
Kelly helps me release stress and anxiety. Being around her has mellowed me out big time. She just...helps me "deal."
I have some really great "how to raise kids" tricks up my sleeve thanks to her. My kids are going to be shaped because of her.
I can't fully express how much Kelly's friendship has changed my life. All I know is that I would not be where I am right now if she hadn't thought Aaron was "so hot" when she first showed up at Grace (I mean, she probably still does, but whatever).

30til30: Day 5

2009-03-01T21:27:00.000-05:00

5: When my ill-fated college relationship ended.

Long story short: I was in a stupid, reckless relationship in college and it ended over spring break. My mistakes:

I didn't know him well enough before our relationship started.
I compromised my faith and morals in order to be with him.
I cared more about our relationship than his potential relationship with God.

How it shaped me:

I have a heart for Christian girls who are in relationships with non-Christians. I feel a real burden for them.
I held on to the bitterness and shame over the relationship for about three years before I started sharing about it to some great people.
After that relationship, I didn't date again until I knew I would be able to marry the person. It just so happened that I DID marry that person. ;-)

30til30: Day 4

2009-02-28T12:34:00.000-05:00

4: Youth Ministry with Paula Watson.

Someone thought it would be a good idea to hire two twenty-something single girls to help with and then run a youth group. Talk about a risk! I, for one, am really grateful. Some of my favorite memories have Paula in them. This is why working with Paula was one of the best experiences of my life:

We had a true partnership. Paula showed me, more than anyone else I've ever known, how to be a team player. We helped each other with everything. What she was bad at (pretty much nothing), I was good at and vice-versa.
We had each other's backs. I can't even count the number of times we had to stand up for each other.
We had a blast. 90% of our work was an absolute joy. It says a lot when you want to go to work every day.
We were creative. There was innovation everywhere I looked.
We gave each other grace and support through failures (with that much innovation, we had to!).
We ran. The pace we kept was insane, but awesome.
We were friends. I can't even begin to explain the depth of friendship I experienced with Paula through our time in ministry together. It's unlike anything else I've ever experienced. She is one of the best friends I have ever had. We've loved each other deeply, hurt each other deeply, laughed together, cried together, but through it all God has truly remained faithful and sovereign over our relationship. He's known what was best, and it shows.

How it shaped me:

That time laid a foundation for my professional career in ministry. While I didn't feel a calling to youth ministry in particular, I knew I needed to be in ministry in some capacity.
I know that, for me, laughter breeds creativity. I try to laugh a lot.
Balance has become very important to me (God, family, friends, work, self, etc.).
I cling tightly to my friendships and treasure them as much as possible.

30til30: Day 3

2009-02-27T11:29:00.001-05:00

3: Witnessing the birth of Emma.

I was honored that my sister wanted me to be in the room when Emma was born. I was also scared to death. Originally, the plan was for me to just come and snap some pictures. That plan quickly changed when a bossy nurse said I had to do some work. I was thankful, though...it was awesome.

Amanda was really brave. I was impressed.
I realized, probably for the first time, how strong Amanda can be.
My mom was really great for Amanda. It was incredible to witness mothering that wasn't directed toward me.
The whole process is so intense. I was shaking the whole time (probably equal parts adrenaline and fear).
My mom got to cut the cord...awesome.
I was snapping pictures of Emma furiously (no desire to see any sort of afterbirth situation), when her eyes popped open and she stared right at me (the picture above). I immediately started crying...and I fell in love with her.

How it shaped me:

I know that when you're holding a woman's leg during childbirth, you shouldn't push it toward her too hard or she will have hip problems for the rest of her life and you'll feel a horrible pang of guilt every time you see her limp.
It made me 100% sure I want to be a mom.
It brought me closer to Amanda.
It created a special bond between Emma and I.

30til30: Day 2

2009-02-26T15:11:00.002-05:00

I have 30 days until I turn 30, so I thought I'd try to choose 30 moments that have helped shape who I am and want to be. Coming up with the list has been challenging...and enlightening. These are in no particular order.

2: Short-term missions in Haiti.
"Oh, hey...I've never been on a missions trip before. Maybe I should go to HAITI." I don't think I fully understood what I was getting into, but I got into it anyway. Ten days in that country truly rocked my world. I still can't believe some of the images I saw and things I experienced:

Someone plucking a chicken into the Pool of St. Jacques.
Three heads on the spikes at the top of a gate.
Looking down the street in the dark and, as my eyes adjusted, seeing hundreds of people walking around.
Kids playing in a pile of trash right outside of a gated Royal Caribbean resort you pay to get into.
Four men walking toward us with machetes on their shoulders.
Riding a "tap-tap" (you just jump on whenever and hit the side when you want to get off. sometimes they stop, sometimes they don't). They are usually pickup trucks and mini vans filled with about 60 people.
Talking with the Haitian kids that frequented the compound.
Worshipping with the Missionaries.
Visiting the medical clinic.
Teaching English to some Haitian students in the school.

How it shaped me:

I don't plan to support Royal Caribbean with my business in this lifetime.
I have a healthy perspective of needs and wants.
I have a high tolerance for "bad things" happening.
I am pretty sure that I am not meant to have a vocation in overseas missions.

30til30: Day 1

2009-02-25T10:50:00.001-05:00

I have 30 days until I turn 30, so I thought I'd try to choose 30 moments that have helped shape who I am and want to be. Coming up with the list has been challenging...and enlightening. These are in no particular order.

1: The day my Grandpa Crawford died after a battle with lung cancer.
This was significant because it was the first tragedy I experienced. I was only 8, but I experienced the grief deeply. I remember this event through a fog, because I went into one. Here are the snapshots I still have in my memory:

Sitting on the couch with my sisters and a wonderful Pastor trying to help us cope.
Seeing his chest rise and fall in the casket like he was breathing.
Laying in the chair he always sat in for many days.
Nightmares about his wig coming to life (no idea).
Horrible cold sores.
My mom sending me to Ohio with my Aunt for a vacation by myself (this is what snapped me out of it).

How it shaped me:

I don't smoke, and never have smoked anything.
I cherish moments with my family.

This is what @daniellesuzanne Twitters About

2009-02-24T10:35:00.001-05:00

Wordle.

I Made Myself a New Blog Header

2009-02-21T15:15:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure what I think of it. Let me know what you think!

Book Review: Killing Cockroaches by Tony Morgan

2009-02-20T16:30:00.001-05:00

I’m going to be honest, I almost didn’t get past the first pages of this book. The Table of Contents scared me. It was very overwhelming…until I read Tony’s explanation. Killing Cockroaches reads more like a devotional than anything else, and that is ok by me!

Because I’m reading this book much like I would a devotional, I’m not done with it yet. I’m pacing myself and letting myself digest the information for a few days before moving on. I wanted to get a review up for Tony, though, so here I am.

There’s a neat feature in the book that I loved: “If You’re Curious About” (pg. x). This simple page got me to bust out laughing. In what other book would you see chapter titles like this on one page:

Why the book is titled Killing Cockroaches
What it takes to find Mr. (or Mrs.) Right
How to repair Mustang convertibles
The ten signs that you’re not a leader
Seth Godin’s thoughts on marketing and the church
The time I walked on water

You know what? I began my experience with those six sections. In my opinion, it’s a great way to start.

I love that this book doesn’t have to be read in order. With that said, my favorite statement is all the way on page 232: “Here’s my encouragement to you: Don’t condemn others because others are different than you. Don’t create division. Do what God tells you to do.” Amen, man. Amen.

If you’re a church leader in any capacity, pick up Killing Cockroaches. It’s incredible (so far). I also want to encourage anyone who works in church communications to read it. Tony is a master in this area, and it comes through over and over (so far). I love this book (so far).

Psst…Tony: I can’t wait to hold a real copy and make the cockroaches run! (Hm...I guess that works on two different levels, doesn't it?)

Twitter: An Outsider's Guide

2009-02-20T11:53:00.002-05:00

Part three in a series about Twitter (here's part one and part two).

There are plenty of long-winded articles out there about why Twitter is valuable. You don't need to bother with those. Twitter is only as valuable as you decide you want it to be. The deeper you get in, the more valuable it becomes.

Here are some great uses I've seen (some I use, some I don't):

Getting up to the minute news (I'd be willing to bet that your favorite news source Twitters)
Using it to update your Facebook status without having to get sucked into the mind-numbing vortex of poking, notes, pictures and requests.
Letting people know you blogged about something (this can be annoying, though).
Getting advice from real people about where to go and what to do in a strange town.

Here is how I use it:

I tell people what I'm doing. That's what Twitter was designed for.
I manage my daily task list.
I have a group of designers and communications people that I follow. I can both learn from and teach these folks. It's a great mix.
I talk to my friends and stay connected.

Here is how Grace Church is (and is going to be) using it:

We're putting out summaries from our blog (through HootSuite).
Prayer requests and devotional thoughts.
Event information and weekend promotion.
Volunteer coordination.

In Short:
If you don't want another thing to crowd your online life, steer clear. If you want to harness a valuable tool for your online life, climb on board. From what I can tell, Twitter is here to stay.

Twitter: An Insider's Guide

2009-02-18T12:41:00.000-05:00

Molly had a great comment about helping people learn to decode "twitterspeak." Here is a quick, barebones guide for beginners (Seriously, there are better resources out there. I just want to help get you started.):

Don’t Feel Like You Need To Follow Everyone and His Mom:
1. Follow people who mean something to you.
2. Follow people you can learn from.
3. Follow people you can teach.

Don’t Ignore Weird Symbols and Letters (They Probably Mean Something):
@ = The person you’re following is talking to/about another Twitter user. When you use this, don’t put a space between it and the user name (like this: @daniellesuzanne).

# = (Hashtag) This tweet is about something that a lot of people are involved in and is now searchable (like a conference, natural disaster, topics of interest, etc.). Use sparingly. A lot of people find them annoying and intrusive (like this: #grammys).

RT = (Retweet) This tweet came from someone else and was found valuable. It’s a way to give credit where credit is due. Use this a lot (like this: RT @daniellesuzanne).

d = (Direct Message) When you put a “d” then a space and the person’s twitter name, you will be sending a message that can only be seen by the recipient. Use this when your @ conversations get out of hand (people find that annoying, too) (like this: d daniellesuzanne).

These sites will help you get the most out of Twitter:
twitpic : for uploading pics and providing links to them.
twhirl : a great desktop application for Twitter (operates like a chat window).

Follow me if you need help (or if you just want to).

What is Twitter, Anyway?

2009-02-17T13:20:00.000-05:00

Here's how it works:

Once you figure it out, feel free to follow me and let me know you exist!
twitter.com/daniellesuzanne

I'm Not Sure Why I'm Not Blogging Right Now

2009-02-17T09:19:00.000-05:00