Vacation Week – Guest Blogger Miranda Telford

Today’s guest blogger is Miranda… another gem of a post!  (I think I’m going to have to let these ladies take over for me more often!!)

I was thrilled when Jenni asked us to post on her blog this week. I hope I will provide some entertainment for her avid readers!

Some little nuggets about me:
*I am a proud Texan
*I am a loud extravert, but extremely nervous in social situations
*I am the lead singer of a 90’s Cover Band
*I love to decorate and create innovative art projects
*I am obsessed with coloring and changing my hair (should have been a hairdresser)

My husband Jason and I have lived in Nashville for three years now.  No kids yet, but we have a little miniature beagle named Charlie Brown who we often call our son!  I joined the Cross Point staff in June of 2007 as the Creative Arts Coordinator. I love telling people I meet that I help with the marketing elements of our church AND have a hand in the creative departments of music and production. I hope that I will be able to work at Cross Point for many years to come.

I have always been a creative person with a crazy imagination.  As a child I would change into different people, animals and random things.  Using my imagination took me to places that I would never be able to see in real life!

Children have a reoccurring theme of change. I experienced more as a child when my imagination ran wild.  My insecurities or barriers that keep me from taking chances did not hold me back. I love watching children because it takes me back to a time when joy overwhelmed my heart and each day was a day of discovery.  I could be a princess, a mom, a hunter, a cop, or a movie star!  I say that is living life to the fullest!

I have asked myself time and time again, “When do we transition into the stage of life when imagination seems lost?”

I babysat a two year old name Harrison my senior year of high school.  We would sit in his bed that was shaped like a boat and pretend we were fishing.  We could cast out our pretend rods and nets and because I had a hard time picturing all the fish swimming around in the sea (carpet), I would ask Harrison, “I see one, what color is it?”  His favorite response was, “It’s a rainbow fish!”

One day Harrison put the imaginary fish in my hand.  He kept saying, “Do you see it Randa?  Can you pet it?”  I looked down at my hand and nothing was there. I wanted to be a child again. I cherished his innocence and I was envious of his gift.

I believe if we still used our imaginations as much as we did as children then our dreams might be easier to obtain.  I come to this crossroad often, especially now that I am privileged to work in the Creative Arts Department at Cross Point.  Am I willing to take a chance when a vision is born?  Will I let my guard down and run wild with a beautiful idea of what God could do in our community?

I am committed to working on living a life of wonder, beauty and simplicity.

Nichole Nordeman’s music has played a fundamental role in my life.  Her music allows me to experience moments of innocence regained.

I will conclude with the words to one of her songs, Help me Believe:

Take me back to a time when I was maybe eight or nine, and I believed
When Jesus walked on waters blue, and if he helped me I could too, if I believed
Before rational analysis and systematic thinking robbed me of a sweet simplicity
When wonders and when mysteries were far less often silly dreams
and childhood fantasies
Help me believe cause I don’t want to miss any miracles
Maybe I’d see much better by closing my eyes
And I would shed this grow-up skin I’m in and touch an angel’s wing
And I would be free, help me believe

Lord, help me believe.