Let’s take a walk down memory lane…

1. CMA MusicFest- 4 nights of country acts including Rascal Flatts, Martina McBride, Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, Reba, Lady A, ZBB, Thompson Square, Keith Urban, and T.Swift etc. 

2. The Script at The Ryman Auditorium

3. Margaret Durante at 12th & Porter

4. Zac Brown Band

5. Avett Brothers

6. The Civil Wars at The Ryman Auditorium w/ The Staves 

7. Mumford & Sons at The Ryman Auditorium* 

8. Lady Antebellum in Knoxville 

9. My So-Called Band: The 90’s Experience (twice) 

I have been in Nashville since June 2011. This means that I’ve been here for almost 9 months and in that time I have seen a ton of shows. I mean there are live shows in Nashville EVERY night—there is live singing in Kroger! The music that flows through this place has made my soul happier. Sitting in the Ryman and listening to The Civil Wars and then having T. Swift come on stage to sing ‘Safe & Sound’ was a sign that I was meant to live in Nashville, TN. Unbeknownst to me I have been yearning to call this place my home. 

The outpouring of emotion on every corner and the fact that the guy selling me my tights in Target actually plays shows on the weekend downtown is not overwhelming and it doesn’t feel “L.Aish” at all. Instead, it feels honest and admirable. I’ve met handfuls of songwriters and people in “the business”. With all of this I’ve never met anyone who was stuck up or pretentious, instead they want to talk about something else and that’s cool too. 

There are certainly people that are here “for the music” and others who could care less about “the music”. I tell you what, for now and probably for as long as I live here “the music” will be a reason I love calling this place home. 

Nashville folks are quite expressive and they share a whole lot about themselves. I dare you to ask a Nashvillian how he/she is doing…no, seriously you’ll get their entire life story and someone else’s. When I first moved here I thought that was unnecessary and a bit disconcerting but now I appreciate it quite a bit and I can’t blame a city that has been built on country music, which is all storytelling and emotion, for communicating in this way because to be honest it is who they are and who they always will be. 

It is true that “music is what feelings sound like”. I think that I have been looking for a place for a long time that would allow me to truly understand that quote. I don’t talk about my feelings a lot but I sure will sing about them at the top of my lungs in my car or even at my desk. What I really love to do is close my eyes at one of these concerts and just take it all in with my ears and my heart. Until the good Lord leads me away I have found my home—the place where I belong—in Nashville, TN. 

*Upcoming in March and I’m dying with anticipation! 

Bid Day was yesterday. So, how about you put me in a room to chat with over 500 high schoolers about Greek Life? Hmm…#thingsIamnotlookingforwardto #Iwouldliketonotspeakforthreedays Oh, yes I survived Bid Day. It isn’t exactly ‘Nam. Stop asking me that question.

Proverbs 16:2-4 instructs us to, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” But what exactly does this mean? That whatever goals we commit to God will come to pass? Unfortunately, it’s not that easy, although I often wish it were! To commit our plans to God is to present our desires, plans and dreams before the Lord and humbly ask Him to examine our heart and search our motives. “Search me O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24). To commit our plans to the Lord means that we give Him the say and seek His will in our life, not our own! It means trusting that God’s will is better than our own wants and desires. To commit our plans to Him is to genuinely want His plans for us to succeed, not the ones we have made for ourselves.

Written by Allie Marie Smith 

www.wonderfullymadeblog.org/

What happened to her? 

As I was at home with my mother over holiday break we spent time watching lots of TV and mainly, due to my mother’s new retired status and the availability of more time that she can use to stay current on pop culture, a lot of reality TV. 

When did VH1 become the pinnacle of female drama? “Hell on Heels” is their new marketing campaign and it includes Basketball Wives, Baseball Wives, MobWives, Love & Hip Hop, and some show about MTV VJ and actual basketball wife La La Vasquez. 

When we flipped over to BRAVO there was inevitably a marathon of “Housewives” shows on the channel and lo and behold the Kardashians had taken over E! 

Bad Girls Club is one of the most popular shows on Oxygen and who knows what other shows are out there capitalizing on mean girl behavior?

She is clothed in Herve Leger and Christian Louboutin and she laughs in the face of the woman in which she just threw a drink. This is a little far left of Proverbs 31:25. 

What is going on? There are grown women on TV physically beating each other and calling women out of their names. They blatantly cheat on their partners, and all they seem to talk about is money. 

Now don’t get me wrong I’ve watched all of these shows but I promise that there are always those moments when I go why am I watching this crap? This is ridiculous! 

My Little Sister is not allowed to watch Bad Girls Club in her grandma’s house. She thought that rule would change once she visited my home but she was provided with a rude awakening when I informed her that I supported her Grandma’s decision. She’s 15! There is enough of that behavior in front of her everyday. She doesn’t need any new ideas. 

Where are our values? Do we have any integrity? What example are we setting for our daughters, nieces, sisters, and other female relatives. Another important question is, how does this influence the way we are treated by men? Because, to be honest, if I was watching one of these show there isn’t any way in the world I could take a woman seriously or give her my ultimate level of respect. 

People are making millions off of girl-on-girl sabotage and in the process women are losing a priceless amount of moral capital. 

We know the double standard exists for men and women. Not saying its right but I’m saying its real. 

Don’t get me wrong every once in a while on all of these shows you will see a tender sisterly moment. Like when Kortney gave Khloe great advice about dealing with Scott or when Kortney and Khloe told Kim to go to Minnesota to see her husband (the fact that they had to tell her that should have let everyone know that this wasn’t going to be one of the great marriages of our time—or any time for that matter). Perhaps when Emily B and Chrissy chill out on her couch and Emily offers her the extra bedroom in her house should she actually leave Jim “I’m not ready for marriage” Jones. Uh, yeah it was a long break and me and moms watched lots of TV. 

However, usually these women are just verbally and physically attacking each other with little to no remorse. I don’t think strength in Proverbs meant to have the ability to beat people down and I’m more than certain that these shows and the women on them left their dignity at the door a long time ago. These women certainly laugh without fear of the future but not because of their trust in God but because of their reliance on money, a bit of fame, a man, and a fierce wardrobe. 

I guess I just think that we all can do better. As people and as women. I’ve  just decided to  turn it off for a little while and spend more time actually becoming the woman I want to be as opposed to watching those that I hope I never become.