Women and haircuts...

So I have a question that has been welling up inside of me the past few days. A question that I feel needs immediate attention...

Why in the world do women care so much about if someone notices that they got a haircut?

Why is it that every time we go to the hair salon, we come out just hoping desparately that someone will notice?

I don't really care who it is. If the mailman would just say, "hey did you get a haircut?" (even though he has never met me before the haircut day) I would be happy.

Why do EVERY TIME, even when we get an inch off, we expect some male in our life, who by the way is not good at observations anyways, to notice our new hair?!?

I don't expect a boy to notice when I cut my toenails. Why do we set ourselves up for heartache?

I honestly do not understand myself.

This came to mind when I recently got a hair cut. When I left the salon, I was fully satisfied with my hair. It wasn't too short, but the cut definitely took off like 3 inches.

I remember thinking to myself, " Sara, you are perfectly happy leaving the salon...do not hinge your happiness of this haircut based on how many people notice." And yet...with each person I ran into that didnt notice, I got a little more sad, maybe even irritated that no one was noticing.

THIS IS SO STUPID! When I told my mom that I got a haircut, she was like, "oh, I thought your hair looked extra nice!" But of course, that wasn't good enough because I had to tell herthat I got the cut. I wasn't satisfied with the fact that she thought it looked good, I wanted her to notice...dumb, dumb, dumb me!

I didn't really know how much I cared about this until I was in Austin with Ryan's family. His sister, who I have met 3 times, noticed my hair. I was like, "Oh my gosh! You are the first person to notice!" Those words just came out of my mouth like pee when you laugh really hard, it was uncontrollable. So that's when I knew I had a heart issue about this. God says,

"Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks." -Matthew 12:34

I wish I could control my overflow a bit better. My mouth sure does flow, exposing so many things I had no idea were in that heart of mine.

Of course as soon as you say, "you are the first person to notice!", you immediately make everyone around you feel bad for not noticing. So basically, this desire is stupid and it hurts people.

So I just had to get this one out there ladies. We have got to give this one up. because even though I can notice when my dad gets a centimeter shaved off his head, I can't get upset when he doesnt notice me. It's not about my hair...wow the more I write on this post, the more I realize how silly this is. Maybe I am the only girl who is feeding this crazy desire...I don't know, but I need some healing! Let's stop the craziness.

Community

Community...ahh, its like a breath of fresh air on a crisp, perfect day in october or april (at least if you live in Texas...those are our weather perfection months where you never want to live anywhere else!)

Community...its like a warm chocolate chip cookie that just came out of the oven and has a little dough left in the center.

Community...its like the most amazing thing...and I have missed it. Don't get me wrong...I have had a WONDERFUL summer at home with my great family. It is nice to be home with my mom and dad who love me so much and are constant reminders of God's unconditional love for me. But there is something about seeing people who are your community... who are your Acts 2 group. People who pray for you, people who know your junk, people who ask how you are doing and want to know what God has taught you this summer, people whose lives are a constant encouragement whether they are older than you or younger than you.

...There is something about sweet hugs from little boys...that makes you just think, "this is what it is all about."

This weekend I got to be home in college station. I got to see my precious hope group families, my sweet mentor/prayer partner/amazing godly woman Liz Amy, and many more precious women and their families that I love so much.

I found myself asking God so many times this weekend..."Why me?" Why did I get to receive this AMAZING blessing of community. Why did I get to be a part of a church that is constantly trying to figure out how to be more like the church talked about in Acts 2:42-47.

I just thank God that though I am undeserving, He is gracious! Living in community with people is one of God's most amazing blessings.

I used to think you didn't need people to increase your intimacy with the Lord. No, I was never one of those people that didnt go to church because I thought I could do it on my own...I LOVE people too much. You see I let the devil tell me the lie that because I desired to live with people so much that it was sinful. Now don't get me wrong, people can become idols...i know that from experience. But I used to believe that if I admitted that my relationship with the Lord was less intimate since I wasn't around a strong community of believers that I was some how admitting that God was not enough to satisfy. That is not true!

God put in us a desire to live in community because it increases our community with Him! (or it should!) This summer I felt the reality of being separated from my body. I didn't like it, but I knew God was calling me to be home this summer. Dallas was not my first choice of locales...but I am so thankful for the time with my family! Though I was surrounded by Eaker love...I felt the separation from my body. I am sure this is how an arm feels that is amputated and separated from its blood supply. It's just not how arms are suppose to be. It's not how we are suppose to be. We are suppose to be CONNECTED!!

I am so thankful that the Lord provided for me to be able to live in college station this semester (and hopefully a few more) so that I could live in community with this AMAZING church body. You see, God had to do big things for me to live in college station. He had to get me enough money that I could rent an apartment, eat, and give to my church so that I would not have to borrow money from my parents. I knew that God did not desire for me to be in debt, and since i am doing student teaching this semester (which pays -$2000...you have to pay tution) God had to hand me the money. So He gave me a great job this summer that allowed me to save money all summer so I could live debt free next semester. He worked out an apartment that is real cheap with an amazing godly girl so that I could not have to borrow one penny! God is so good!

He desires us to live in community and He makes it happen so that we can do so without having to sin!

I am thankful to be home. I am thankful to be with people who humbly try and figure out God's will. I am thankful to be reattached to my body...Praise God for community!

(p.s. these AMAZING pictures were taken by the INCREDIBLE Ryan Price...he has more posted via his blog...you should check them out!)