Mackenzie Jay

Speckle on the wall by Katie Rowland

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 16:39:51 -0600

Speckle on the wall by Katie Rowland

Dancing in the Mind Fields by Andrew Peterson This song puts so...

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 14:24:22 -0600

Dancing in the Mind Fields by Andrew Peterson

This song puts so many words to things that I feel about love and life and marriage in specific. For the last 4 years I have been on a crazy journey watching a lot of devastation in marriages and families around me. Many times I have used the phrase, I never thought… I never thought this would be my story, I never thought it would be them, I never thought this would impact my life the way it has.

I get really fired up about divorce. I get really fired up about the sacredness of marriage. A wedding is more than a big party, its a lifetime. I think in terms of the hardship, rather than the honeymoon.

Despite all of that. Despite the evidence of failing marriage that surrounds me, I believe love is real. This song puts beautiful words to that. It will be played at my wedding someday.

Dancing in the mind field.

Love this. hit-or-miss: Coca-Cola Commercial: “Reasons To...

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 16:14:39 -0600

Love this.

hit-or-miss:

Coca-Cola Commercial: “Reasons To Believe” 2011

11 Things I Learned While Backpacking

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:06:42 -0600

1. There is no such thing as too much sunscreen. I put on sunscreen. Promise I did. But there was snow the entire time. Snow combined with elevation makes a bad bad bad recipe for getting burned. I got one made sunglasses tan line. And let’s just say I am on my second round of peeling.

2. Snow makes everything 5x harder than it would normally be. This was basically the most intense outdoor trip I have ever taken. It snowed somewhere between 6 and 8 inches one of the days, and we spent it together in our fly.

3. Snowshoeing is not for pansies. yep.

4. Sleeping with your damp clothes dries them. My socks were wet every day from hiking. I had several pairs rationed through the week, but it was important to keep holy socks holy. Putting them in my down sleeping bag at night allowed my body heat to warm them up.

5.Wearing deodorant when you don’t shower is bad. Bacteria builds if you wear deodorant over and over without showering. So we were not allowed to bring any. But I did… I brought wet ones… Don’t worry.

6. We can accomplish far more together than apart.

7. BIF stands for Bathroom In Forest. I am now acquainted. Check out Deuteronomy 23.12. Its biblical.

8. Bug spray sometimes works. I was eaten alive by mosquitos. There were so many of them our last night it was ridiculous. I would have drenched my clothes in it if there was a way.

9. Wilderness is great medication for a busy life. It makes perfect sense really, Jesus went into the wilderness to quiet himself and be still. I found peace and joy in turning off my blackberry. Its easy to be a workaholic, its medication to release yourself from what you do sometimes.

10. There isn’t many feelings comparable to the feeling of Accomplishment. I for sure exceeding my own expectations of myself. For sure. Victory!

11. When we seek Him (God) we find Him.

Some photos from last weeks backpacking trip

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 17:42:00 -0600

Some photos from last weeks backpacking trip

I am spending this weekend through next Friday backpacking in...

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 13:31:06 -0600

I am spending this weekend through next Friday backpacking in the wilderness of Never Summer, CO with a group of high schoolers from the school where I lead Young Life. The trip is with Young Life’s backpacking ministry called RMR, and it is going to be epic. Epic.

See you in a week!

This really makes me want to know how to longboard. Really bad....

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 23:41:28 -0600

This really makes me want to know how to longboard. Really bad. This is an awesome video called Carving the Mountains with a group of girls who shred on longboards and carve the mountains of Madrid. So awesome.

Im reading this book right now. It has been very interesting to...

Fri, 13 May 2011 23:40:54 -0600

Im reading this book right now. It has been very interesting to me for sure. Any of you read it? Id love to hear thoughts about it if you have.

Thoughts on Mothers

Thu, 05 May 2011 15:24:49 -0600

Mothers Day weekend is about to begin. Every mothers day growing up was traditionally plant flowers all day with Mom. Yard-work-for-everyone day. My mom loves having beautiful outdoor spaces, as well as indoor spaces, and mothers day always kicked off the season of eating dinner on the patio. Steak, moms salad with avocado, baked potato, green beans, and if we are lucky molten lava cake for dessert. Still makes me all nostalgic just thinking about it.

I am no where near being a mother. I cannot even fathom having another living thing to care for all the time when I can hardly care for myself as it is. Not to mention there have been a litany of screaming babies around me lately. I have not always received the gift of patience and I don’t have the best compassion for mothers in these situations. I know there are always screaming babies or kids around, because they are after all kids, but its almost comical how over the last week how I have seen screaming kids everywhere. Weddings, wal mart, many different kids at wal mart, church, public restrooms, grocery store, all over. Screaming. Kids.

Then I think of all the high school kids I know. The just straight unruly high schoolers. Their whole worlds centered around themselves, usually, many with rocky relationships with their parents. Many also making decisions that give their parents gray hair. It makes me think of a conversation I had with a parent of one of my younglife girls. She said, “Being a mother is the job you can never quit. Believe me I have wanted to quit. I have no control over the decisions they make, right or wrong. I have to watch them walk through their bad ones. Watch them fail. And I watch them through their good ones. Always wanting the best for them. Its the hardest job, but its the best one.”

I don’t tell my mom enough how thankful I am that she has done and is doing her “job” as a mother well. She is so invested, always calls, always encourages and loves, and always wants what is best for me. And she is always willing to make me steak, baked potato, salad with avocado, green beans, and molten lava cake if I wanted. These days with a good wine too.

Thanks Mom. I love ya.

What about you? Have you thanked your mom lately? Any fun mother’s day ideas or plans? Who are you celebrating this mothers day? Mom, Grandma, Neighbor, Mentor? Who had mothered you well?

G.O.S.P.E.L.

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 11:54:57 -0600

G.O.S.P.E.L.

"however, community is first of all a quality of the heart. it grows from the spiritual knowledge..."

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 17:55:08 -0600

“however, community is first of all a quality of the heart. it grows from the spiritual knowledge that we are alive not for ourselves but for one another. community is the fruit of our capacity to make the interests of others more important than our own. the question, therefore, is not “how can we make community?” but “how can we develop and nurture giving hearts?””

- henri nouwen (via jilldv)

this is the most confusing weather ever…

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 12:07:30 -0600

this is the most confusing weather ever…

Can’t wait to see this documentary! Its called I Am...

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 19:47:05 -0700

Can’t wait to see this documentary! Its called I Am written and directed by Tom Shadyac. “We are because we belong” ~Desmund Tutu

Due to my limited budget, and past of careless eating habits, I...

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 14:23:04 -0700

Due to my limited budget, and past of careless eating habits, I have decided to try meal planning. I made this spreadsheet that has several recipes combined with a grocery list. My hope is that I will actually cook, things that aren’t terrible for me, and that it will fit inside my budget.

All my favorite recipes come from a website called Smitten Kitchen. All the ones I am trying this week are from Smitten Kitchen’s budget recipes. Ill let you know how it all goes…

blogging today from my art blog. Click the Photo to check it...

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 17:45:00 -0700

blogging today from my art blog. Click the Photo to check it out!

This has taken me forever, but I finished my room!!!! here are...

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 17:14:26 -0700

This has taken me forever, but I finished my room!!!! here are the photos of my new room! I really should have taken a before and after picture because the difference is pretty dramatic but oh well. In the corner of my room I have my little studio, which is wonderful! AND my closet is 4x bigger than my other one… yeah… exciting upgrade for me!!!

Im feeling very loved on my birthday today! Thank you all for...

Sat, 29 Jan 2011 22:38:26 -0700

Im feeling very loved on my birthday today! Thank you all for the birthday wishes and sweet love!! Im the luckiest.

my new room is coming!!!! slowly but surely!

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 22:40:02 -0700

my new room is coming!!!! slowly but surely!

Stephen Colbert, Jesus is a Liberal Democrat. I know this is a...

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 23:17:23 -0700

Stephen Colbert, Jesus is a Liberal Democrat. I know this is a little late since Christmas has already passed but I got a kick out of it.

My art-only blog can be found a mackenzieolsonart.wordpress.com....

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 23:07:27 -0700

My art-only blog can be found a mackenzieolsonart.wordpress.com. Also the snow fall will be there through January 4th… I thought it was a fun addition! Feel free to check it out and let me know what you think!