Merry Christmas To All, & To All... Lots of Love?

(I'm not sure where I was going with that title.  Moving on.)

This is an early Christmas gift to you all from myself and my friend, Mr. Scott Nichols and Guitar Pit Studios!

Remember the real reason for the season.  It's too easy to get caught up in everything else!

Lots of love to you all!

In His Love,
Lex <3

Reasons It's Great to Be Single

The real deal!  Eiffel Tower, Paris (November 27, 2011)

It's been a while since I've posted.  In fact, since my last entry, I've become a world-traveler.  For almost two weeks in November, I was in Europe.  And it was amazing.  But this post isn't about that.

Since being back, with the Christmas season in full swing, I came to realize that this is the first Christmas season I'll be spending as a single woman in several years.

Therefore, I decided to make a list of reasons why it's super fabulous to be single.  The following list is comprised of things I've thought up in the last 30 minutes.

I realize some of them sound completely ridiculous, but I thought it would be a fun way to get my brain feeling the joy of the season, rather than lonely or disappointed!

REASONS IT'S GREAT TO BE SINGLE

• No gift purchasing worries/stresses or extra money spent for holidays or birthdays on a guy.
• Not worrying about what time you'll see him.
• Meeting new people and not having to throw out the obligatory, informational, "Well, my BOYFRIEND (hint, hint, cough, cough)..." sentence so they know you're off the market.
• Always get to eat where YOU want to eat.  And when.
• Never waiting on his phone call.
• Never being late because he just can't seem to make it to your place on time.
• Not having to miss holiday time with your family to spend time with his.
• Sleeping with a teddy bear that you proudly display on your bed.
• You always get to pick the movie.  And you don't have to watch that new action flick if you don't want.
• Never have to worry about ways to bring up "the future" without scaring someone off.
• Don't have to worry about splitting time between a guy and your friends.
• No fighting!
• No missing a boyfriend who is away.
• Exciting trips and new adventures.  That you plan.  
• The secret thrill that Mr. Right could be just around the corner.
• Mind is open when doing things rather than being pre-occupied by thoughts of him.
• Calling close friends instead of a guy to vent or when you're bored.
• Never wondering if they're going to start hating you or becoming disinterested at any given time.
• No worry about rushing things.
• Not hearing or saying, "I love you" too soon.
• No worrying if he secretly hates your dog.
• No more ESPN (unless you turn it on yourself).
• No one telling you what to say, do, listen to, eat OR how to dress, etc.
• Girls' nights!
• Family nights/time.
• Chick flicks
• Disney Channel!
• Leaving a box of tampons (and/or other things guys pretend don't exist) in a visible place in your room/bathroom and not thinking twice about it.
• Call/hang out with guy friends completely guilt/stress-free.
• GOD TIME!!!
• No in-law issues.  FANTASTIC.
• Not having the urge to check all sources of social media to see if that super flirty girl he talks to at _______ has written all over his profile.
• Never waiting on his texts.
• The freedom of spontaneous weekend plans.
• No make-up.
• Time for baby-sitting, dog-walking, etc.  (a.k.a. EXTRA CASH!)
• Flirting with the cute waiter at dinner.
• Obsessing over the movie star in the movie you're watching.  Out loud.
• Freedom to travel.
• Performing when/where you want to.
• Belting Disney/Justin Bieber songs in your car.
• Spontaneous road trips.
• Turning your phone off.  And being okay with it.
• GLEE!
• Flirting with the cute, single groomsman at your friend's wedding.
• Not having to think about how you're going to afford a wedding.
• Don't have to secretly look at bridal magazines and wish he'd bring up ring-shopping.
• Eating the entire bag of Reese's Pieces.  Ha.  So there.
• Going to Europe for two weeks on your own and only missing friends and family.
• Letting a French stranger kiss you once on both cheeks.

This is where my list ends currently and where you come in!  (Hey, I said this was a spontaneous, quick list of things I'd thought of THUS FAR!)  What are great reasons for being single (especially around the holidays) that you can think of to encourage single individuals?  

Ready...  GO!!!

In His Love,

Lex <3

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

So I was thinking this morning.  Scary, I know.

I was thinking about the sunshine.  I was thinking about the warmer weather.  I was thinking about the future.  And I was thinking about that verse.  You know, "This is the day the Lord has made.  Let us be glad and rejoice in it."  (Also known as Psalm 118:24)

Let me take you back a few years...  There was a time when I was going through something not very great.  As I've mentioned in previous posts, there have been a few of those times for me, as I'm sure there has been for every single one of you reading this post.

Knowing I'd felt trapped and caged in my own situation, my aunt would call me every day- rain or shine, grouchy or no- to say the following:

"Good morning, Lexie!  This is the day the Lord has made!  Let us rejoice and be glad in it!  I love you!"

And each day, I felt a little less resentful toward hearing that verse.  I had felt a bit like a caged bird.  I felt trapped in the situation I found myself in, clinging to God and having hope that new and better things would come.

This aunt, the one who dutifully and faithfully called every morning for months, was the aunt who taught me to sing.  Both figuratively and literally.

When I was very young, my aunt would sing to me, and then I would sing back to her.  Occasionally, during the holidays, we'll sing together for the family.  And how I cherish those times.

In this case, I was an adult, and she taught me to do the same thing.  She sang to me God's praises.  And I would sing them back to her.  But it took a while to FEEL them.  At first, it was just out of habit.  Like a mockingbird.  I would copy and regurgitate what I'd heard, though I didn't always feel it.

Then, one day, I woke up, and I called my aunt first.  I left her a message:

"Good morning!  This is the day the Lord has made!  Let us rejoice and be glad in it!  I love you!"

The same message she'd left me for months.  The same message I'd finally begun to feel and know, rather than just repeating.

I may have been that caged bird still, but I was singing something I believed.

It's like that in life, sometimes, isn't it?  Some days we just have to make it through.  We go through the motions when life is hard, knowing- someday- we'll FEEL again.

So, if you're in that spot now.  You feel trapped- or caged- know that there is hope.  There is a brighter day ahead.  (Think Jeremiah 29:11- it's my favorite verse.)

Say the following until you believe it:

"This is the day that the Lord has made!  I will rejoice and be glad in it!  He loves me!"

It's super cheesy, and it may take you a while.  But, one day, you'll wake up singing His praises.  Not because it's habit, but because you FEEL again.

Today, sing His praises!

In His Love,
Lex <3

Seasons, Change, and Blissful Ignorance

Not exactly politically correct.  But still in a state of blissful ignorance with my cousins (circa 1990).  

{From left: Ben Montgomery, Jason Hunt, Seneca (Hunt) Spindler, Sam Montgomery, myself}

The leaves are changing colors here in central Illinois, and- in some ways- I feel as if I'm changing colors too. 

As it moves into a new season outside my window, I'm starting to move into a new season of my life.  In less than three months, I'll be graduating with my Masters and moving my life to Nashville, Tennessee.  Am I excited?  Yes.  Am I terrified?  Absolutely.

Things are changing.  It's a difficult economy with a lot of uncertainty.  People are unemployed.  Businesses are going under.

But I look outside my window, and I'm seeing that the world is still spinning.

In fact, from where I'm sitting currently, I can see past the multi-colored leaves on the trees into the daycare on campus.  The children are running around the play area- screaming and laughing.  And I can hear it through these heavy walls.  They have no idea what's happening with the budget or the economy.  They're blissfully ignorant to the trouble around them. 

I want to be like those children, in a way.  So often, I find myself worrying about what's going to happen in the next hour, the next week and the next year.  I wonder when I'll find employment in Nashville and when my music will pick up again. 

But we really don't need to worry about those things do we?

I mean, God makes sure the world spins every day.  Therefore, I think I can trust Him enough to keep my world spinning.

That's my challenge to you today.  Spend less time worrying and more time being blissfully ignorant.  Scream and run and laugh.  And look at the leaves.  God has painted them a million different colors just for you.

Stop worrying about what you can't control and start focusing on change.  It's a beautiful time of year, and it's a beautiful time in life.

Trust Him.

In His Love,
Lex <3

Dealing: Broken Hearts, Divorce and Life

Yesterday, I had the honor of joining Melody Miller for A Positive Start to Your Day on WIBI.  I didn't expect to be so moved.

Let me back up...  A few weeks ago, I joined both the Southern Illinois Miners and the Gateway Grizzlies (along with the staff at WIBI and Greenville College) to sing both the National Anthem and God Bless America at the games.  As a baseball fan, this was right up my alley.  Throughout the games, I was able to talk and joke with my new and old friends, as well as get to know the guys of Remedy Drive.

However, it was during that time that Melody (whom I'd known for quite some time being a listener of WIBI and the winner of Opening Act) really was given the chance to hear my story.  And it's quite the story...

In previous posts, I've given you some raw, real emotions.  Now, I'm going to give you a little more insight into my heart.  I won't give you my whole testimony, but I will lead you down the path of my relationships over the last 10 years.

In the last five years, I have experienced:
-a marriage (a short one, at that)
-a divorce
-an abusive relationship
-a broken engagement
-and several confusing break-ups and non-starts to relationships

While that might not seem like much to you, it's made for several broken hearts and times of distress and confusion.

As a young woman in our world today, I could have chosen to become bitter.  I could hate males and question God.

But that's not the path I'm choosing.

While I don't understand why some of these things have been apart of my life, I do understand that God has an AMAZING plan.  It's so much bigger than anything I could ever imagine.

Please, listen to the conversation between Melody, my mom and myself from yesterday morning by clicking HERE.

If you have questions or would like to share you story/experiences, please e-mail me at lexiemontgomerymusic@hotmail.com.  I would love to hear from you.

Being a single woman isn't easy in this world.  But, I know that God has a purpose.  And I'm trusting Him.

I hope you will too.

In His Love,
Lex <3

Take Me Out To The Ballgame

I have been a complete slacker this summer.  My blog is lacking.

So, I promise it will get better!

I just spent an incredible weekend with WIBI, the Southern Illinois Miners, the Gateway Grizzlies, and my new friends- Remedy Drive.  More details to come.  But, for the time-being, enjoy my renditions of God Bless America and the National Anthem!

In His Love,
Lex <3

Someday I'll See Myself As Beautiful

‎((i want to be beautiful. make you stand in awe. look inside my heart and be amazed. i want to hear you say who i am is quite enough. just want to be worthy of love and beautiful.))

This song has really been on my heart this week. 


Sometimes, I get so bogged down and discouraged by all the things I'm not. 


As women, we have an innate longing to be seen as beautiful.  And I just haven't felt that way for a long time.  I've wanted to.  But I just haven't.  


Want to know one of my deepest, darkest secrets?  For years, when I would look in a mirror, I would cry.  Not just a little, but a lot.  I hated how I looked.  


It started when I was in 9th grade.  I remember walking into the concession stand with my cheerleading uniform on and a young man I attended school with decided to comment on my appearance.  Two words that meant nothing to him- simply a thoughtless statement- cemented inside of me a thought that had been tumbling around my brain for some time.  

YOU'RE.  UGLY.

While the young man probably thought nothing of his comment, I found myself scarred.  Everytime I looked in the mirror, all I saw was that label:  UGLY.  And I wanted to be anything but that.


We all walk around with labels.  Words that were thrown at us, most of the time in a thoughtless manner, and those words stuck.  They stuck and they stung.  They still do.


Recently, I've been really struggling with this.  (I told you all a long time ago that you were getting the real Lexie here.  A little raw, and really difficult to admit most of the time, but the real me.)  


And "Beautiful" by Bethany Dillon keeps popping into my mind.  Listen to the words of the song.  Think about what they mean to you.   


I often forget that I need to be focusing on HIS kind of beautiful. Not my own ideas of what it means.  


Tonight, I don't feel beautiful.  But someday I will.


In His Love,
Lex <3