I've had several people ask about my new place in Atlanta! Here are a few pictures of where I live...
So what is Gelato you ask...well here is a definition for you:
Gelato is typically made with fresh fruit or other ingredients such as chocolate (pure chocolate, flakes, chips, etc.), nuts, small confections or cookies, or biscuits. Gelato made with water and without dairy ingredients is also known as sorbetto (also known as sorbet). Traditionally, milk-based gelato originated in northern Italy, while the fruit-and-water based sorbetto came from the warmer parts of southern Italy.
My definition would read:
Gelato is an absolutely amazing and indescribable dessert. Definitely not your average Ben and Jerry's!
Mal took us to have the best Gelato in town the other night and I must say we'll go back again and again. It's called Paolo's Gelato and it was so incredible. If you haven't tried it, you need to visit and we'll take you! You need to get GELATIZED as Paolo would say!
Last night I was sitting with my puppy watching a movie when I looked over and saw her sad eyes. You see, my puppy, Cambi misses home and she misses my other dog Arley, who she used to play with everyday before we moved to Atlanta. I can see it in her eyes... and it got me to thinking, what do people see in my eyes.
I know that lately I have been a little sad! I've been missing home, friends, old moments and just the past in general. My past holds lots of fun and unforgettable memories and people. But, I almost feel like I've been hiding behind sad eyes. See, I do miss things but I am more excited about my future than sad about my past.
Sometimes when we are working towards a new season or chapter in our life it's easy to get discouraged and to feel a little more down than up. Even when we are thrilled about new surroundings and new people, we hold on so tightly to the "comfort" that we are used to. We are scared that the new things will replace the old. This can cause sad moments or hiding moments, where we detach ourselves from all the exciting new things around. But why would we want to do that?
I took Cambi outside today and walked her around a trail near my house. She had a totally different look on her cute little face. She was happy. She was experiencing something new and her eyes were not sad. This is what I need to do...Hold on to my past and treasure it everyday but, look with a smile toward my future. No more hiding behind sad eyes, instead I need to be glowing with eager eyes.
Look out Atlanta, I'm ready to dive in to what the future holds! And I couldn't be more thrilled!
Today my dad would have been proud! Mal and I went to the driving range to practice our golfing skills. I must say that for two girls, we pretty much rock at hitting golf balls 100-200 yards! I have this feeling that everyone is going to want us on their team. I think maybe we should go pro or at least play super ball with Tiger Woods...or maybe we should just stick to the driving range for a while, haha.
Anywho, we looked cute out there!
Why does God wait? We ask this often...I mean, I hate waiting. I find that most people would agree with me. Waiting just seems to cause frustration, aggravation and just this feeling of being uncomfortable. Take traffic for example...How many people actually enjoy waiting on the interstate for hours just to get home? Now I can't see the hands but, I'm pretty sure none of you are raising them. It just seems like in life we are always waiting. We wait to turn 16 so we can drive. We wait to graduate college so we can get a "real" job and never study again. We wait for that special someone to sweep us off our feet(this one takes forever by the way, ha). We wait for friendships, careers, babies, etc., etc., etc. It's always something.
Sometimes we even feel like we're the only ones waiting but, we're not. We are in perpetual movement at all times for the "next thing", for the next season, for that "thing" that we can see just around the corner. We forget that God loves waiting, in fact He is infatuated with waiting. This is where I recommend you open your Bible. This book is full of people waiting...Let's open and look. Well there was Noah who waited on God to send the flood. Jacob who waited for Rebecca. Jonah who waited in the belly of a whale. Sarah and Abraham who waited for a child. Mary who waited for the birth of baby Jesus. Then there was David and Joseph...even Jesus waited in the garden. When we learn to wait, we learn that we are right where God wants us to be. When God waits, He always has a purpose and He always gives us a promise.
What is crucial is that God promises us the desires of our heart but, we want God to do it in our time line. We get these amazing ideas and visions of how things should be done, how it should look. We want the quick and easy and the "microwave" spirituality when it comes to our life life. This is unfortunate because God has something so much bigger than we can process and in the waiting period He is making whatever it is extra special.
God is never is never early and he is never late. When He waits it is always with good reason. He invites us to be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10). We may not always understand or see the purpose. More often than not, we even think that God is not present or has stepped away during the time of wait. When in reality, the very opposite is true. He is ever so close and is He is working during your "transformational" time. God sees it as an opportunity to take a little extra time to make whatever it is extra special.
So sometimes when we are in a season of waiting and think that job, that friendship, that spouse or "whatever" will never come… keep in mind that God may choose to take us 8 blocks to get there instead of 4 blocks. And keep your eyes and hearts open to the transformation that is taking place.. the goodness that is being displayed.
God will never have us wait without a promise and a purpose. Enjoy the wait, enjoy the time and watch His purpose continue to unfold. That is the magnificent mystery about God. There is something great just around the corner..you just may have to take those extra blocks to get there…
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord…(Jeremiah 29:11)
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So my computer has been in the shop for the past two days and I just got it back, so I can finally write again. And believe me, a lot has happened in the past few days!!!
Let's begin with Monday...Mallori, Andy and I went on a little adventure to try something new, well new for me. We went and had wheat grass shots. Now I'm sure most of you don't know what that is or maybe I'm just the only one that didn't know what that was but, it was great. We had what is known as a grand slam which consists of a wheat grass shot, ginger shot, cranberry juice shot and a lemon juice shot with a pineapple chaser (and no this was not alcoholic, ha). It was such a fun experience that we documented it for all to see...
Now, I know that you have all seen the amazing chocolate party pictures and that was only a small glimpse into my weekend in Nashville. Let me tell you more about what we did...
On Thursday when I arrived in Franklin, we all decided go get some Mexican food for dinner...oh and Lucas gave me a real hug, haha! There were nine of us that went out to eat and it was great to share stories and talk about what had been happening in each of our weeks. We even had time to take a picture with the waiter...
After a fun dinner, Brock pulled the truck around to pick us up and attached to the truck was a trailer filled with hay. We all looked a little stunned but Brock proceeded to tell us that we were going on a hay ride around downtown Franklin. Keep in mind it was 30 degrees outside and it's definitely not the season for a hay ride but we went on one anyway. It was so much fun. We waved at the passing cars like we were in a parade and we sang some songs as well. Ahhh, good times in Franklin!
Next time it's fireworks for Easter, haha!
Well I told you that this blog would be worth the wait, and I would never lie to you!
Friday night Brock and Auny threw a Chocolate bash! We had everything from a chocolate fountain to chocolate from different countries to the best photo shoot ever. It was amazing!
We all got dressed up, real fancy and took some cheesy prom-like pictures for Valentine's day. Here are just a few for your viewing pleasure...
OK first off, I apologize for no posting yesterday! I know that it made a few people anxious and a little sad that there was nothing good to read on Friday, February 8th (Daniel I am deeply sorry). And second, I wanted to wait and write about yesterday when I had pictures to show you all how much fun we had. So with all that said, I will wait to tell you all about our hay ride around downtown Franklin, Chocolate tasting at Brock's, funny Valentine prom pictures and raising money for Compassion...trust me it's worth the wait!
We will move on to today... what a gorgeous day in Franklin, TN! Today I spent time with my friend Kim. We had a so much fun mixed with a little adventure. We met Daniel and Evan for lunch at Logan's(by far the best rolls ever) then we went to some shops in Cool Springs for a little money spending! I bought boots and yes I know, I shouldn't have but, they are super cute. It took an adventure to find them but we did! Chocolate suede boots in size 7 1/2...perfect.
Tonight, my lovely roomie Emily(yes I still call her that) and I went over to our friend Shane's house to watch "Across the Universe" and indulge in some Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream. It's alway a pleasure to hang out with Shane and laugh about nothing at all.
What a great day!
today i made the drive from atlanta to nashville for the weekend!
i am happy
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OK, so what I have learned is that some of the things that I grew up loving in North Carolina, some people have never heard of in other states and countries.
Let me tell you this funny story...
A few months back, a few friends and I were sitting up a Starbucks when I brought up the fact that I loved cheese doodles. I thought nothing of the conversation...I mean who doesn't love little puffy cheese snacks? I mean come on...they are amazing but, everyone looked confused. No one had heard of cheese doodles before, especially my friend Morgan. You see, Morgan is from New Zealand and I guess some of their words are different from ours. After a few moments of the confusing look, Morgan asked "You like what?" I responded with the words "Cheese Doodles."
I could see the embarrassed look on his face, so I asked what was he thinking about. Well, Morgan informed me that doodle in New Zealand is a term used for the male reproductive organ. WOW, I definitely was embarrassed, haha!! This whole time, Morgan thought I was saying that I liked Cheese "male" parts. How funny yet mortifying is that??
It's amazing how poetry captures not only your heart but your mind, your soul and sometimes your every thought. I've grown up loving poetry. Everything about it, from the way it's written to the way people use it to express feelings. I just simply love it!
Sometimes I write when I'm feeling sad or excited. I write when I'm in love or when my heart has been broken. I write because it helps me to express my emotions!
Here are two of my favorite poems....
I carry your heart with me
i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you
here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)
EE Cummings
This is a perfect example of expressed emotion! You can see the love and if you read it and pay close attention, you can feel what he feels!
OK here's the other...
Spontaneous Me
Spontaneous me, Nature,
The loving day, the mounting sun, the friend I am happy with,
The arm of my friend hanging idly over my shoulder,
The hillside whiten'd with blossoms of the mountain ash,
The same late in autumn, the hues of red, yellow, drab, purple, and light and dark green,
The rich coverlet of the grass, animals and birds, the private untrimm'd bank, the primitive apples, the pebble-stones,
Beautiful dripping fragments, the negligent list of one after another as I happen to call them to me or think of them,
The real poems, (what we call poems being merely pictures,)
The poems of the privacy of the night, and of men like me,
This poem drooping shy and unseen that I always carry, and that all men carry,
(Know once for all, avow'd on purpose, wherever are men like me, are our lusty lurking masculine poems,)
Love-thoughts, love-juice, love-odor, love-yielding, love-climbers, and the climbing sap,
Arms and hands of love, lips of love, phallic thumb of love, breasts of love, bellies press'd and glued together with love,
Earth of chaste love, life that is only life after love,
The body of my love, the body of the woman I love, the body of the man, the body of the earth,
Soft forenoon airs that blow from the south-west,
The hairy wild-bee that murmurs and hankers up and down, that gripes the full-grown lady-flower, curves upon her with amorous firm legs, takes his will of her, and holds himself tremulous and tight till he is satisfied;
The wet of woods through the early hours,
Two sleepers at night lying close together as they sleep, one with an arm slanting down across and below the waist of the other,
The smell of apples, aromas from crush'd sage-plant, mint, birch-bark,
The boy's longings, the glow and pressure as he confides to me what he was dreaming,
The dead leaf whirling its spiral whirl and falling still and content to the ground,
The no-form'd stings that sights, people, objects, sting me with,
The hubb'd sting of myself, stinging me as much as it ever can any one,
The sensitive, orbic, underlapp'd brothers, that only privileged feelers may be intimate where they are,
The curious roamer the hand roaming all over the body, the bashful withdrawing of flesh where the fingers soothingly pause and edge themselves,
The limpid liquid within the young man,
The vex'd corrosion so pensive and so painful,
The torment, the irritable tide that will not be at rest,
The like of the same I feel, the like of the same in others,
The young man that flushes and flushes, and the young woman that flushes and flushes,
The young man that wakes deep at night, the hot hand seeking to repress what would master him,
The mystic amorous night, the strange half-welcome pangs, visions, sweats,
The pulse pounding through palms and trembling encircling fingers, the young man all color'd, red, ashamed, angry;
The souse upon me of my lover the sea, as I lie willing and naked,
The merriment of the twin babes that crawl over the grass in the sun, the mother never turning her vigilant eyes from them,
The walnut-trunk, the walnut-husks, and the ripening or ripen'd long-round walnuts,
The continence of vegetables, birds, animals,
The consequent meanness of me should I skulk or find myself indecent, while birds and animals never once skulk or find themselves indecent,
The great chastity of paternity, to match the great chastity of maternity,
The oath of procreation I have sworn, my Adamic and fresh daughters,
The greed that eats me day and night with hungry gnaw, till I saturate what shall produce boys to fill my place when I am through,
The wholesome relief, repose, content,
And this bunch pluck'd at random from myself,
It has done its work--I toss it carelessly to fall where it may.
Walt Whitman
Oh I love it!!!
What do you think?
OK so I lied! I also want everyone to read this verse because it is amazing!!!
Growing in Faith
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
OK so I had three cents instead of two=)
here are my two cents for the day! these are the only words I feel like I need to write, so take these few words and think about what they may say to you...
NEVER PUT A BOX ON WHAT GOD CAN DO IN YOUR LIFE!
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My friend Daniel wrote a great blog that I wanted to share with you all...
where's the water moses?
so i wonder, how many times have you stepped out on faith only to feel like you are sinking? how many times have you stepped into an unfamiliar place and find yourself everyday straining to see any signs of God's blessings in your obedience? i cannot even begin to imagine how moses felt carrying around all these people thru the desert, but in some ways i feel like i can relate to some of his grievances thru this season in my life.
i can't begin to imagine the ultra high and ultra low within such a short amount of time when moses first took his people across the red sea. they get to the other side and i can see them high-fiving, hugging, screaming, congratulating each other, and some cheesy act like putting moses on their shoulders throwing him around. the bible tells what the women did. they followed miriam around with tambourines and they all danced and sang praises to God. sounds like a party to me. but the very next 3 days were one of the biggest lows ever. they realize there is no drinkable water. how fast things can turn around. "so the people grumbled against moses, saying, 'what are we to drink?" poor moses.
can you relate? i know i can. i just recently felt like i took a huge step of faith with direction from God. i move to a new place with new people, new opportunities, new struggles. at first it was great. i felt like i had just crossed the red sea into being independent, travelling to my own "promised land". what a great feeling. how quickly we can go to the lowest of lows! the money disappears, the commitments people made to give you work are suddenly "not coming thru", and you are all alone. bills to pay, work to find, and it feels like everyone around you is asking why you can't find water. the ones that supported you so much in the dreams of the promise land, in the planning, the talk, but then when push comes to shove and there is no water to be found, the blame falls. where is this grand plan? why would you put me here to die God?
but thank goodness the story doesn't end with the israelites all withering away within a few weeks. moses doesn't lose faith. he doesn't lose the vision. he understands God's will is supreme and despite what seems impossible to him and the people all around him God will not relent. so he cries out to God. "then moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet."
i don't know about you, but i've never thought about putting a piece of wood into water to make it drinkable. i doubt moses truly had either. so maybe when you step out on faith, you try to envision what this promised land is going to look like. it helps me to calm fears and doubts when i picture the end product. so i start to rely on the people around me ... on their promises, their commitments, their words. and i realize that is not what God wanted for me. i looked for water for 3 days all around this desert to no avail. and why? because God wanted me to put a stick into the water first. He wanted to show me that His ways are not my own. His ways are not by relying on the promises of people around me, but rather throwing things in my direction beyond my imagination, beyond my vision, beyond my dreams. the bitter water is turned sweet. the visions of my mind are far outshined by the plans of His spirit in my heart.
i pray that God will allow you to search for water in your desert for a while. you will appreciate much more the stick in the water that makes it sweet.
do you think that "sweet water" could have been southern sweet tea?
Sometimes I feel like I get down way more than I seem happy. I go through days where I wake up crying and I go to bed on top of the world. Some days I lay in bed feeling like I have no reason to get out. Other days I am so excited to walk outside and feel the sun hit my face. What causes the drastic change in emotions?
I get on the phone with friends and I bring up questions like "why was I put here? Why does he think like that? When am I going to fit in and find purpose? Will I ever find someone to be with?" I ask these plus about 100 more! I receive all this encouragement from my friends and family and for a few moments I feel like I'm OK, then I go down hill once again. Basically I have a self pity party and I'm the VIP guest.
Did you know that a self pity is all about you? All the attention is on you! All focus on you! And all words spoken have to do with you! So if it's all about you, where is God in all this? Good questions huh? This is something I asked myself tonight.
You see, what's happening is Satan has been allowed in and he is speaking all these lies in to my head. Telling me, you're not good enough! You can't do that? Those thoughts are dumb and it will never happen to you! I can't believe I've been allowing the devil to trick me into believing all these lies.
The truth is, I am good enough because God made me perfect in his eyes. He mastered me into this amazing person and He paved a way for me in this world. He hand crafted me just the way he wanted and made me beautiful not only on the inside but on the outside.
So here's what I, and maybe you need to do; we need to speak out loud whenever the devil whispers nonsense in our ears. Speak it, out loud! Now don't go shout it down the aisles of Wal-Mart and cause this awkward moment, unless you really just prefer to do that, but speak it! Whenever you speak the name of the Lord, the demons will go running. Let's stop the pity parties and start believing what God has been saying to us all long!
So here let's practice saying some things out loud. And don't cheat, REALLY say these out loud!
I am beautiful...
I am talented...
I can do whatever I set my mind to...
Because God made me perfect in His eyes! And those are really the only eyes that matter!!!
Today I joined my friends Jenni, Craig and Deborah at the World Congress Center for the New Baptist Covenant Convention. This convention has caused a bit of controversy on the news, in the papers and even on the net. I don't really understand why there is much talk about this event but I guess if I had attended the whole week I would understand more.
Anyway, I attended a seminar today where I heard two amazing pastors speak. One spoke on Jesus healing and the other, who touched my heart, spoke on helping the children of this world. It's funny because I can't remember her name but I can remember every word she said. God definitely spoke through her.
Here is a paraphrase of something that made tear up...
We pray for the children
who have no blanket to drag to sleep.
who look at photographers through barbed fencing.
who have no shoes and the ones who don't get dessert.
We pray for the children
who cry when they don't get that toy in the store.
who give you peanut butter and jelly smooches.
who's cry makes us laugh and their smile can make us cry.
We pray for the children
who have never heard a bed time story.
who are born in to poverty.
who watch their parents cry as they watch them die.
We pray for the children
who bring home an A on their favorite coloring at school.
who can't go to sleep without that favorite teddy bear.
who looks adorable when they fall asleep in your arms.
We pray for the children
who walk barefoot on the streets because the have no shoes.
who have never had a warm bath.
who give you sticky kisses and hugs that never let go.
We pray for the children...all of them!
It's hard to imagine the lives that children across the world experience. It's hard to think kids who have nothing and still have smiles on their faces! We should pray for the amazing kids for the world. The ones who cry because they are in pain from sickness. The children who cry because they have no Daddy to turn to. Just the children, plain and simple!
I had this conversation last with my friend Daniel about tater tots after an adventure I had! You see I think that tater tots are one of the greatest creations made and I believe they are one of the most versatile foods you can eat. I mean think about it, you could tater tots for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snack, Dessert....need I go on?
OK so Mallori and I set out on this journey last night to find the closest Sonic. You see, around 8:30 PM we got this craving for Sonic Drive In...Tater Tots and Dr Pepper Floats (unhealthy, yes I know). We looked up directions on Google because there isn't a Sonic near Buckhead. So with directions in hand, we set out to find our tasty destination. An hour later we ended up on the Southwest side of Atlanta. For those of you who are not familiar with Atlanta, Buckhead is on the North side of the city and we ended up all the way on the Southwest side...not good!
So to sum up the trip, we never found Sonic! We never got our tasty treats! And we were both left feeling sad and empty(literally). This has caused me to realize how much I love America's favorite drive and also leads me to wonder why Atlanta only has one or two?!!
Maybe I should invest in opening one in the Buckhead area!
Hummmm good idea...then there will be free tater tots for everyone=)
"And when you come before God, don't turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?
"Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.
"The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They're full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don't fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this:
Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what's best— as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You're in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You're ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes.
"In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can't get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God's part.
"When you practice some appetite-denying discipline to better concentrate on God, don't make a production out of it. It might turn you into a small-time celebrity but it won't make you a saint. If you 'go into training' inwardly, act normal outwardly. Shampoo and comb your hair, brush your teeth, wash your face. God doesn't require attention-getting devices. He won't overlook what you are doing; he'll reward you well.
~Matthew 6:5-18(The Message)
Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.
"You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.
"In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you."
Waiting for...
a chance.
inspiration.
ambition.
answers.
challenges.
understanding.
pure joy.
opportunities.
secrets from Him.
love.
patience.
What are you waiting for?
"By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that's not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise."
Romans 5:1 (The Message)
OK so I wrote this a while ago to describe someone in my life! It was supposed to eventually be a song but I never got around to finishing it... I thought it would fit well with my other topic of the weekend...
Cause you help write the Chapters of my book
You're a part of my life time
One that I will not forget until the end of time.
You're the star that I wish on
You're the hero in my dreams
You're the answer to the prayer I say before I drift off to sleep.
Now I never did get further than writing this semi chorus because I have a tendency to get writer's block. These few sentences have been on my mind lately though and I feel as if I need to finish what I started.
So I need some help from you guys! Tell me what you think...
I had lunch today with a very good friend of mine. We talked and basically just caught up on all the things that have been going on in each other's lives. I shared with him a few of my struggles and through our conversation I began to think about something I never thought about before.
People often say that when you move somewhere or start a new career that you are beginning a new chapter in your book of life. I thought about this statement because our book of life is often referred to as something we are continually reading, somewhat. You know, you turn the page to begin a new chapter. Well, the new chapter in my life has been a hard one so far and it's not like I'm reading it...it's like I'm writing it. It's like I open the book of my life and when I turn the page to this new chapter, the page is blank.
As I was sharing this thought with my friend, he said that he would love for the page to be blank because it's like a new beginning and you get to start it off however you want. Now, trying to write a chapter in a book is hard especially if it's the book of your life. So I have decided to take that blank page, the page that for the past three weeks I have been desperately trying to write the first word on...I'm going take that page and begin the chapter! I'm going to put down the worries, fears and struggles and look for the opportunities, the blessings and the joy.
So here we go. Now keep in mind you will only get to see these first few sentences but just know that in a few months, down the road, I expect each of you to to ask me how my chapter is going!
"Today is the first day of my new journey. It was a beautiful chilly day and God opened my eyes to a wonderful new beginning. The opportunities to serve are endless and there are so many doors to open and see the wonderful surprises behind them..."
So today while I was chatting with my co-workers online, I began to feel pretty sad that I wasn't in Nashville with them. I can't see their faces or laugh at their jokes(which aren't always funny). I can't throw things at them or ignore them with my back turned. It made me sad...
Well to my surprise, they were feeling the same way. Of course they all had different reasons for being sad.
Jacob was sad because he had no one to pick on...
Wes was sad cause there was no one there to throw things at and no one to make lunch extra long...
Scott was sad because there was no one to ask lots of questions and annoy him while he tried to work...
And Brandon was sad because their was no one to draw him pictures and play jokes on Jacob with...
I miss them and they miss me...isn't that special!
This blogs for you Brandon, haha
I'm re-reading one of my favorite books right now (A Love Worth Giving by Max Lucado) and I came across one of the most influential chapters. It's called "Inflamed" and it deals with the verse "Love does not envy"~ I Corinthians 13:4.
This chapter goes through and describes what life would be like if our lives were full of jealousy and resentment. What if we were bitter because we were single? What if we were jealous because of what other people had that we didn't? What if we continually harped on the things in our life that we wished were different instead of looking at the things we were blessed to know and have?
Max sums up quite a bit when he states, " God withholds what we desire in order to give us what we need. You desire a spouse; He gives you himself. You seek a larger church; He prefers a stronger church. You want to be healed so you can serve. He wants you confined so you can pray."
Sometimes we miss it. God actually gives us everything we need and most of what we want, but we are too consumed with not getting everything in our exact time that we lose sight of the gifts.
Have you ever just sat down and thought about all the things you have prayed for over the years. Think back, you could even go back to your high school days. What was it that you consistently prayed for? Now think about where you are today and what you have accomplished and what you have received. Did He answer those prayers? The better question is did He give you what you asked for or did He give you something far better than you could have imagined?
Some of you are thinking back really hard right now and maybe you cant think of one thing but I'm almost positive that God has blessed your life with something so great and something that was absolutely worth waiting for.
God offers authentic love. His devotion is the real deal. But He won't give you the genuine until you surrender the imitations.
Let go of the fake pearls. Put down the cheap imitations and let God bless you with the most geniune pearls you've ever seen. I promise it'll be worth it.
I was shocked when I heard this news today...
Heath Ledger was found dead at his Manhattan residence, a police spokesman confirms to the Associated Press. He was 28.
Police say the death may be drug-related. The NYPD spokesman tells AP that Ledger had a massage appointment at his Soho apartment. When the housekeeper went to alert Ledger the masseuse was there, she found him at around 3:26 p.m.
He did not respond when they shook him, and the housekeeper called 911, The New York Times reports. He was pronounced dead at 3:45 p.m.
Authorities later said they did not suspect foul play but that pills were found near the body. 
He will be missed on the Screen!
So in the past five days, I've been to the movie theater four times. I've seen some of great new releases out and at the end of the day I am still left wishing that my life would resemble some of the things I saw on the Big Screen.
I have decided if my life could be a movie it would have the beginning of "P.S. I Love You." The plot would be a cross between "The Notebook" and "A Walk To Remember." And the ending would be similar to "27 Dresses. As you can tell, all the movies are considered chick flicks and that is because they all have one thing in common...Happy Endings!
Oh, to have a happy ending! To have someone spot you from across the room. Someone to approach you as if you were the only girl he would ever want to look at. To have someone risk everything to be you or someone to make you feel like a princess. At the end of the day, those are the things I hope for!
One day my friends...One day!!
Have you ever had a grilled cheese sandwich made with mayonnaise instead of butter? Yep, me either, well until tonight!
My friend Jonathan came to visit this weekend to help Mallori move in and just to keep us company! Today after some shopping, watching a serious girlie movie and just exploring Buckhead, we headed back to the house for grilled cheeses and chips. I was raised to make my grilled cheese with butter but Jonathan was taught differently. He had a alternate plan.
Here we go:
What you do is spread mayo on one side of two pieces bread.
Place the cheese in the middle of the two pieces of bread.
Drop it into the frying pan and cooked till brown.
Mallori described it as a tangy cheese sandwich. She really liked it. I might have to disagree, yuck! haha
What do you think?
Here are some pictures from Mallori and my house in Atlanta. This was our first snow...and it was also move in day for Mal! What a nice surprise:)
So I have been in Atlanta for a little over a week and I've made it, ha!
I have had some challenges and some amazing times already. Let me tell you the highlights of my first week as a Georgian:)
Move in day: We had so much fun moving in! I adore my friends Kyle and Jonathan. They worked so hard and made such a scary move into a joyous new adventure. I know that I already wrote a blog about them but I can't thank them enough for their help and their friendship.
Clay Days: I have had the opportunity to hang out with my friend Clay twice in one week. That's not normal, haha! He is such an amazing person and he knows exactly what to say in order to make my fears and my disappointments seem like a distance memory.
Buckhead Church: I have heard about the infamous NorthPoint ministry and last Sunday I got to finally sit and listen to Andy Stanley give an amazing sermon. Buckhead is definitely a lot different from my church in Franklin but with a few more visits i can see myself getting acquainted and taking on new tasks and involvement.
46' High Definition TV: I went to visit my friend Mac on Saturday and watch the Patriots game on this absolutely huge TV that James David purchased. I felt like I was sitting on the sidelines, haha! It was fun to sit and catch up with those two, and of course watch a great game and even a good movie which followed!
A night out: I finally got to hang out with my friend Ben last night. He is so much fun and we have a lot in common which makes conversation great. We went to see "The Bucket List" after dinner and now I think he has me talked in to skydiving, ha! We'll see.
I have a few more fun times and I hope that these fun moments continue. My prayer is that God will open doors in my new city for friends, community and job opportunities!
Please help me pray! Thanks and I love you all...
More to come:)
Caught in the Grey skies...
Tired of always playing the part
caught in the dark wasting away
Those stupid people calling our names
Fueling the spark and starting a flame under Grey Skies
Yes you're strange and your beautiful
When you hold you head up high in the middle of a fight
Rearrange and disable
The fear you hold inside in the middle of the night
Climbing to the top of the chain
who is to blame look where we are.
Respect is still the highest regard
This may be true, but now we are caught in the Grey skies.
Yes you're strange and your beautiful
When you hold you head up high in the middle of a fight
Rearrange and disable
The fear you hold inside in the middle of the night.
Show the world who you really are....
I often have the same thoughts on my mind. It's one of those things that I can't seem to shake mainly because I don't want to. I have dreams about them and I catch my mind wondering throughout the day back to the same thoughts, one in particular.
For a while, I've had this great idea of how something could be in my mind. It's like my heart and mind take over and start to plan out the way this certain situation should go. It's actually kind of great till I come back to the real world and realize somethings may never happen.
What do you do when you have a deep desire for something. You think about all the time and you know that you could make the biggest difference if only giving a chance. It's hard to just step back and let things play out knowing that you could lose that one thing that you're holding on to so tightly.
I know that people say "when you love something, let it go" but my response is usually "if you treasure something, invest in it!" Now my response may not agree with all the statistics and logics but, what if I could change that. What if for once, I didn't let go and I invested my time, my strength and my heart into this one thing?
Sure, the outcome could be pain. Sure, the outcome could be lose. But what if, just what if, the outcome was love!
"If you believe, you will get anything you ask for in prayer."
~Matthew 21:24
Don't reduce this grand statement to the category of new cars and paychecks. Don't limit the promise of this passage to the selfish pool of perks and favors. The fruit God assures is far greater than earthly wealth. His dreams are much greater than promotions and proposals.
God wants you to fly. He wants you to fly free of yesterday's guilt. He wants you to fly free of tomorrow's grave. Sin, fear, and death. These are the mountains he has moved. These are the prayers He will answer. This is the fruit He will grant. This is what He longs for you.
"And the angels were silent."
In a world fixated on so many superficial ideologies, I find myself in a crossroad of my life. I think of the many people who've gone in the opposite direction of their dream for the sake of security, money or even fear. For certain people, they felt like there was no other choice. There are mouths to feed, bills to pay, other responsibilities that force you to live the life you never intended on living. Then there are those of you who have a dream deep in you just dying to be birthed. Both persons are capable of reaching their dream! One might have a harder road in front of them with more obstacles, but both have it in them to reach their destiny. Think about your dream....I'm talking about those thoughts that you don't wanna tell anyone cause you're afraid that they'll laugh at you and say you can't do it. That dream that scares you to death, but at the same time gives you the best feeling you've ever had in your life. I encourage everyone of you who reads this to dream wildly, uncontrolled, passionately! There's nothing like walking on the waters of your dreams. God can make it happen... just trust.
You always wonder who you'll love and who you'll see
Most of all I wonder what we will be.
You're my Savior, My guiding light
And I definitely went down without a fight.
With you I feel so alive
I feel as if I have new life.
I stare at your car as you drive away
You know the words I want to say.
Scared to be with you, scared to be without
Don't give up on me don't count me out.
I'm walking around watching a dream
Things can't be as good as they seem.
I keep pushing to try and make you feel
That this feeling I'm feeling is so real.
Do you think you've found the one that fits you
I hope you see me and it hits you.
I want to call you on the phone
Just to tell you that you're not alone.
I know you're falling,I can see it in your eyes
Just let go, and I'm sure you'll be surprised.
Nobody can tell you what to be
And nobody can tell me what to say
The only thing I can do is stay...
And hope you fall in love with me!
Over the next few days, my blog will dedicated to someone who used to write me the most thoughtful poems! I hope you read and enjoy...
In August, you came to my Rock Show
Truth be told, you had me at hello.
We kissed that night, and you made my world spin around
Now I'm on a high and I can't seem to come down.
In September, you made my birthday feel so right
And believe me, I'll never forget the special night.
We looked at the stars and I held you so
I made a wish that I never had to let you go.
In October, it was the State Fair
One hand in yours and the other through your hair.
Our love together was so brand new
Yet for some reason you knew exactly what to do.
In November, I decide to move out
And we kept on loving each other without a doubt.
You would come over and I would sing you to sleep
I would watch you without making a peep.
In December, it was Christmas time
I bought you diamonds, but not that kind.
For no, I didn't buy you a ring
But you looked so beautiful wearing those earrings.
In January, there was stormy weather
But nothing we couldn't get through.
We knew we loved each other too much
I would have surely went crazy without your touch.
February was the month for love
You're surely an angel sent from above.
I hope the rest are surely the same
with us together, and you speaking my name.
I saw a sign today that had the words "Simply Comfort" on it and it got me to thinking about what are the simply comforts in my life. This is one thing I don't often think about because I seem to be constantly concerned with the simply disappointments in my life. Well, today I'm going to take a little journey through the simply joys that remind me of great times, places and people!
I watched an episode of Dawson's Creek the other night(actually the whole third season) and they were sitting by the fire discussing memories that were triggered by a particular smell. Smells that brought back great thoughts and reminded then of the best times. These are simply comforts and here are just a few of the thousands in my life...
The smell of gas - Now I know this sounds strange but that smell reminds me of cold winter mornings on the way to middle school with my Mom and brother.
The smell of sausage - Reminds me of Christmas mornings where Daddy would make sausage and cheese balls while Brock and I watched the parade on Channel 10.
The smell of Kreme Kleanser - None of you have a clue what that is but if you worked a summer at Caswell this smell would remind you of Saturday mornings, making beds and sweeping porches.
The smell of Aberocrombie cologne - This smell reminds me of love.
The smell of fresh cut grass - Reminds me of Summer days and riding the lawn mower with my Daddy when I was like 5.
The smell of rain - Reminds me of running to class when it was pouring in college(countless times). Also, it reminds me of Summer thunderstorms and sitting under the lighthouse
You know, I could go on and on. These are simply comforts in my life...What are some in yours?
I think all of you should go read my friend Kristen's blog!
Kristen's Blog
She is so great and I love her strong words and deep faith! I learn so much from her and I'm sure that each of you will too!
I told you I would have some pictures for you! Here are a few from our fun day of moving!
That couch is so heavy!
I have a lot of pillows, haha
Mal and I were watching Jonathan and Kyle lift stuff up the stairs
Not really sure what Kyle's doing!
Lunch at Fuddrucker's, yummy
You all should have been there:)
I must say I have moved a lot but I think this weekend Kyle and Jonathan won the contest for the fastest move in time! They moved all my furniture in to the house in like 25 minutes flat. It was remarkable. I'll have pictures for you soon!
We had a great time getting settled on Saturday. Mama and Diddy took all of us out for lunch and then they cooked us spaghetti for dinner! First home cooked meal on the first day in the house. Now that's how it should be:) We made a Target trip and Kyle was persist on getting all the necessities, haha! It was a day full of laughs, jokes and just an all around good time!
It was such a fun day and I'm glad I'm finally here. Let the decorating begin!!!
**Thanks Mama and Diddy for everything! Thanks Kyle and Jonathan for your manly lifting skills! Thanks Kim and Mal for everything!
All I have to say is I guess I'm not a Major issue! I know that doesn't make sense, but let's just say my feelings and pride were hurt today.
New Year's Eve has always been labeled as the night you spend with that special someone ringing in the new year. There's something about being able to kiss or hug or just be with that one person you really care for! Well, that's all fun and romantic but what about for people who don't have that special someone in their life? How do we ring in the new year?
Last night I watched the ball fall from the comfort of my own bed. There was no one but me! When the clocked striked 12, there was no one there say Happy New Year or to kiss on the forehead or any of that great, magical stuff that comes with New year's Eve! Now, without sounded too bitter I must say I have had some great New Year's Eves in my life so I really have nothing to be bitter about!
I can think back to several New Year's Eves that were special... Here is my top 5 recaps to awesome year ends.
5. 1999-The New Year's Eve party in Jackson with Trina, Gray, Brad, Brian and about a hundred high school friends. We rang in the new year with lots of music, a few bottles of champagne and lots of laughes about the dumb things we did!
4. 2006-Spending New Year's at Amy and Butch's House. Janis, Joe, Me, Amy, Butch and several others made a feast and listened to 80s music until the clocked said 12.
3. 2002-The New Year's Eve bash at the old Attic in Greenville, NC. That was one of the best nights ever. We had fun New Year's crowns and cute martini glasses. There was an awesome band and we all danced till we couldn't dance anymore(basically till the club closed).
2. 2005- Spending my New Year's at the Edge conference. PJ, Aaron, Ryan, Josh, me and tons of Caswell friends gathered to hear some great bands, watch some extordinary magic and listen to the wise words of Craig Tackett. I'll also never forget that walk to the lighthouse!!
1. 2003- I will never forget the New Year's I spent skiing with my family and Brooks. It was by far the best New Year's ever. There are too many words to type out in order to fully express how great it was...just know that between Brooks, snowboarding and my niece, not much will top that New Year's Eve!
I wish that this year's New Year's would have made the list but it wasn't that special. But even though last night wasn't the magical, romantic night of the year, I must say 2007 was a fabulous year and I'm excited about 2008!
Happy New Year's:)
So I had a rude awakening the other night while I was in Illinois. One of the BMX ramps fell on my leg while we were doing load in and I must say it HURT! Those ramps weigh like 200 pounds a piece. Definitely brought tears to my eyes.
Take a look at my battle wounds... 
Yep the whole thigh is purple
It covers all the way around! Gross
Hopefully it will heal quickly!
I'm proud of my boys! GO HEELS....No. 1
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) -- Danny Green has made coming off the bench something of a show for top-ranked North Carolina this season.
First comes his gyrating dance moves from the Smith Center sideline just before tipoff. Then comes a solid all-around game that has made the Tar Heels deep and dangerous.
The junior matched his career-high with 20 points and sparked the decisive second-half spurt Sunday night to help North Carolina beat Valparaiso 90-58, keeping the Tar Heels rolling as they head into the final games of their nonconference schedule.
Tyler Hansbrough had 23 points and 13 rebounds for the Tar Heels (13-0), who are off to their best start since winning 17 in a row to start the 1997-98 season.
With just one game left before opening Atlantic Coast Conference play at Clemson (No. 20 ESPN/USA Today, No. 21 AP), North Carolina has been repeatedly rolling up big-margin victories and cracking the 100-point mark in crowd-pleasing fashion. The Tar Heels eventually made this one look the same way despite blowing an early 17-point lead, putting the game away with a big second-half run sparked by their steady -- yet often overlooked -- producer off the bench.
Green, a 6-foot-6 junior, came in averaging 12.6 points despite starting just one game. But he finished 8-for-10 from the floor and 4-for-5 from 3-point range against the Crusaders (10-3), including four rebounds, five assists, three steals and four blocks in 20 minutes.
"As long as we keep winning and as long as we play well, I'm fine with it," Green said. "I don't need to start."
North Carolina's fans would probably prefer Green stays on the bench, if for no other reason than his pregame sideline antics.
With the rap song "Jump Around" playing over arena speakers just before every opening tip, Green has made a ritual of showing off his dancing to the cheers of the home crowd. His carefree moves had Ty Lawson and the rest of the starters watching and laughing from midcourt Sunday, while Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams and his assistants couldn't help but chuckle.
But when Green enters the game, he's been about as reliable as any other Tar Heel, scoring in double figures in all but three games this season.
"He's a big part of this team," Hansbrough said. "I'm not sure everybody overlooks him. We know how important he is for us."
Jarryd Loyd scored 14 of his 24 points in the first half to lead Valparaiso, which fell behind 13-0 and 19-2 early before fighting back to tie the game at 37 early in the second half. But the Tar Heels responded with a 27-2 run over 8 1/2 minutes, a stretch that Williams called "probably our best basketball of the year."
Green was at the center of the run, scoring 11 points and knocking down three 3s.
The Tar Heels also got key contributions from Deon Thompson (11 points, eight rebounds, career-high five blocks) and redshirt freshman Will Graves, who ended the spurt with a 3-pointer followed by a jumper from the left corner to make it 64-39 with 8:57 to play.
Graves finished with a season-high 14 points on 5-for-6 shooting, including 4-for-5 from behind the arc. Those performances offset an off day from starter Wayne Ellington (five points on 2-for-10 shooting) while Lawson had just six points.
"They needed to step up because we were trying to key a little more on Ellington and Lawson," said Valparaiso coach Homer Drew of Green and Graves. "They really shot the ball well and broke the game wide open."
North Carolina shot 51 percent and took a 47-31 rebounding advantage while holding the Crusaders to 11-for-32 shooting after the break.
It was North Carolina's first game without key reserve Bobby Frasor, who is out for the season after tearing a ligament in his left knee against Nevada. The injury robbed the Tar Heels of a versatile junior who can play either guard position, and North Carolina's depth at the point was further depleted because senior Quentin Thomas sat out with a sprained left ankle suffered in Friday's practice.
The injuries forced junior swingman Marcus Ginyard, the team's top individual defender, to spend time at the point behind Lawson.
For the past two days, I have been in Springfield, Illinois for their annual YEC! This year they wanted something a little different so they brought in the Freedom Experience team. Well we definitely brought something different! The FX team was there and I must say we were on our A game.
We did three sessions, each lasting around three hours. It was incredible! Usually when we do these events we see about 80% un-churched, but his event was a little different. Because it was a youth conference, it was about 95% churched. But that didn't stop the Lord from doing what he does best. We still witnessed hundreds of kids get saved and re-dedicated their lives to the Lord. It's amazing how God uses this team of people to do his work.
The performance team for this event was Eleventyseven, Group 1 Crew, Outcast BMX, Pocket Full of Rocks, Tim Byrne and of course Brock Gill! We also brought an amazing work crew as well. That group consisted of Brad, Kyle, Greg, Brandon, Jacob, Gresham and I guess I would be included in this:) Without this team, nothing would go as planned!
We had an amazing time and witnessed some amazing things! Hopefully we can do it all over again next year!
So what do you do when everything around you seems to be more than you can handle? You can never seem to catch up or catch a break! Times are trying and you feel like if one more person asks you for something, you will explode and yell when you don't mean to!
I'm at that point! You see, I'm that type of person that will give till I can't give anymore. I don't really expect much in return expect maybe a "thank you" or an "I appreciate that."But when you feel less than you're really worth, it just gets to you!
I saw a movie this past weekend that stated "you can change the world by just doing one act of kindness at a time." Now that's definitely a true statement but a some point it wears on you. It's hard to keep giving when there seems like there's no appreciation.
It's hard to imagine how Jesus felt when he gave everything and didn't expect anything in return. He gave and gave...most of the time to people who didn't believe in Him or love Him! But he did it with no whining or excuses! He did it.
How can I get to that point? How can we get to that point?
Here are a few moments from Christmas!
The tree is all decorated and there are gifts underneath...
There's an angel on top and a beautiful wreath hanging on the door! The manger scence is set in place and smell of Christmas trees is in the air. I woke up to the smell of turkey this morning and to my dad working outside in the yard(trying to figure out how to get Mama's gift here without her knowing).
Oh, I love this time of the year because there is just something about being home for Christmas! I love visiting my aunt's house and getting to see all my cousins, who now have like three kids a piece, ha! I love watching my grandma open all her gifts and then telling everyone how she doesn't need any of them. I love seeing my niece all dressed up in some adorable Christmas outfit and watching her around dessert time, that's my uncle's favorite part too!
Christmas means a lot to me because it's the one time of the year where I can see some of my friends I graduated high school with. We all live in different states now and it's hard to get together. It's a time when I don't have to work and I can just sit back and relax. No phone calls, no waiting tables, no aggravating anything, just peace(except for the occasional fight with the sibling)!
I get to watch movies to my heart's constent, eat yummy food till I can't stand up and sleep till I absolutely have to get up! I can visit my old church and see how much the kids I used to babysit grew. I thank God for this season. I love this time of year!
What is your favorite part of Christmas?
Check this out! Today was a good day to be a pirate!
ECU edges No. 24 Boise St. for first postseason win since 2000
HONOLULU (AP) -- Ben Hartman kicked a 34-yard field goal as time expired to give East Carolina a 41-38 win over No. 24 Boise State in the Hawaii Bowl on Sunday night.
Chris Johnson set an NCAA bowl record with 408 all-purpose yards for the Pirates (8-5), who won their first postseason game since the 2000 Galleryfurniture.com Bowl.
Johnson rushed for 223 yards, caught three passes for 32 yards and returned six kickoffs for 153 yards. But he committed a costly fumble late that almost sent it to overtime.
With East Carolina trying to run out the clock near midfield, Marty Tadman scooped up Johnson's fumble and returned it 47 yards for a touchdown to tie it at 38 with 1:25 left.
The Pirates took possession at their 39 with 1:16 left and drove to the Broncos 17 to set up Hartman's kick.
The Pirates stormed the field in celebration and chased after Hartman, who dashed toward the locker room.
The ECU Pirates played an awesome game tonight to beat the Broncos in Hawaii! I had so much fun watching the bowl game with Janis, Joey, Don, Gray and few others! We sure did make a spectacle in CPW's! But who cares...GO PIRATES!!
It's amazing how we continually say that we're going to let go of something and let God take control but then we continue to grasp so tightly to it that God can't even get a finger on it. Why are we so scared to let go of things that in the long run, won't matter?Do we hold on in hopes that something will change or someone's mind will take a different look? Do we hold on because we're scared to let go? What is the reason?
They say "when you love something, let it go, if it comes back to you it's yours." I haven't met one person that believes that or even practices that logic! When I love something I hold on tightly. I'm constantly worried that if it's out of sight then it will not be in my mind and I'll forget. I don't want to forget. I'm so worried about losing something or missing out on something, that I fight for it and often get hurt in the process.
I wonder if there's a way to let go of things and not hurt in the process. Like when you let go of dreams, jobs and relationships(whether it's a friend or a crush). There's always this pain. One that just aches and leaves you feeling incomplete. Is there a way to avoid all that? I wish I knew...
All I know, is letting go is hard to do!
Yesterday I made the drive from Nashville to Winton! It is a rather long drive and it seems to take a lot of gas to do it, ha! I was on the road for about 11 hours and I learned that I don't have enough songs on my Ipod!
Driving home, I began to think about everything that's going on in my life right now and I realized that there is a lot stuff I have to figure out. I was thinking about moving arrangements, job requirements, money and just the whole change in general. It's quite overwhelming. I also had a chane to talk to God a bit about my fears and the blessings that he has given me lately. I told him how scared I was about leaving my community of friends and my office of joy. Let's just say we had a lot of time to talk and I had a lot of time to listen.
One more thing, I was sad about missing out on some Cocoa Tree action last night. Those chocolate marshmellows and all the laughes will be missed more than anyone knows! Hope you all ate a marshmellow for me:)
Today I am exhausted! I went home this weekend for my brother's graduation and I had a great time. Brock is now a college graduate and he is expecting to go back to school in the May to get his MBA. I am so proud of him and all that he has achieved so far! He is going to do some great things.
I also went to my Aunt's house this weekend for my Mom's side of Christmas. Every year we all get together to eat yummy food, exchange gifts and just catch up with one another. It was awesome. My grandma gave a special gift this year to all her grandchildren...it made my aunt and brother tear up! She had my granddaddy's wedding ring melted down and turned into six gold nuggets. It was such a surprise and it was very sentimental. I am the only grandchild that got to meet this wonderful man! This gift made such a huge impact and made us all stop and give thanks!
It was a great weekend and I'm so glad I was able to make it home for all the festivities.
I am exhausted though and I'm not sure if I'm going to make it through the rest of the day=(
So I had to attend driving school tonight so that I could get my ticket dropped without effecting my insurance! What an experience that was, haha! There was quite a variety of people in that classroom and I honestly had a pretty good time (never thought I would say that).
So, the class was 4 hours long with 1 break that only lasted 15 minutes. They didn't let you bring in food or drink in so you can imagine that all of us were extremely hungry, or at least me! My stomach pretty much grumbled the whole time!
We talked about railroad crossings, emergency vehicles and basic driving stuff. I felt like I was 15 again taking driver's ed over. At one point we had to tell everyone why we were in the class. I explained how I was speeding to pass a truck and got pulled, nothing too great! This one girl had the most fascinating story though. She apparently rear ended Kanye West in Nashville and put a large dent in his Escalade. Now that's a good reason to be in driving school...way better than my story, haha!
So a couple of weeks ago Wes(my co-worker) and I went to an event down in Atlanta called Youth Specialties! I'm sure that I wrote a blog about it already, so if you already knew I went this comes as no surprise!
Anyway while we were there, we saw some amazing concerts and hung out with some amazing people. One thing we were both fascinated with was the stage set up. It was incredible...so I wanted to share it with you!
Last night Brock and Auny threw the best Christmas party. Brock cooked his famous turkey and Auny cooked some yummy food that included her famous banana pudding which is the best in the world. They are quite the lovely hosts and everyone always loves going out the their house for fun and food.
Everyone arrived between 6:30 and 7:00 with sides, desserts and one gift for the gift exchange game! It was so great to sit around and have dinner with all my friends in one room. Our table had conversations about wedding cakes, dual shower heads and olives. Strange I know, but delightful! We laughed and just carried on because some of us hadn't seen each other in forever.
After dinner we played what some call White Elephant which is a gift exchange game. There are all sorts of rules like you can only trade three times and number one gets to chose anything at the end. I got some yummy chap stick and my roomies brought home sponge things, a Christmas decoration and some coffee I think! We followed up the night with some magic by no other than the amazing Brock Gill! You should have been there!
It was fun times and we created some funny stories to tell over and over:)
I just got home from such a great weekend. Have you ever had one of those relaxing weekends that just left you refreshed and feeling like yourself again? Well that's what I just experienced!
After an amazing week with my parents I set out on Friday for A-town(Atlanta). Kim and I packed the car and headed to visit some friends for two days. It was great just to hang out with absolutely no plans and nothing to do. We played in downtown with Kyle on Saturday. I laughed so much that my stomach hurt by the end of our adventure. After our fun filled day in the city we headed back to the house for naps, dinner and late night chats. I absolutely love talking to Lindsay! There is just something so peaceful about the way she explains things and I thankful to have her in my life.
Waking up to little kids screaming and dancing to Family Force 5 while jumping over their father's legs like a hurdle, now that's a sight, ha ha! Brad is so great with his boys. He loves those two so much. Have you seem those two adorable children? I"ll try to post some pictures of them soon!
I love Atlanta visits and I hope to visit them again soon:)
Life is about choices and with the choices that we make comes consequences that aren't always the the greatest on the heart. You could decide something that makes total sense one second but seems so hard the next! Why is it that in life we are always scared of making the wrong decisions that every decision we make seems to cause regret!
Choices should be easy like "I like chocolate ice cream therefore I will get some!" Or "this makes me happy therefore I will do it!" Yes those seem easy but somewhere along our path we have learned that we should analyze every detail of every choice we make just so we can explain it to others! Explaining it to others helps us to rationalize things and often change our minds. Why is that!
If I say "I like you despite where you are" then that's how I feel and I shouldn't allow others to change that choice. We all need to learn to make choices based on God and what we need for us not for what makes sense to everyone else!
Last night my parents and I went to see the Radio City Rockettes at the Grand Ole Opry! It was absolutely amazing. The Opry was decorated so beautifully with Christmas lights and wreaths. Now, I did feel like the youngest person there but it was still a great experience!
I still can't get over how those girls dance for that long without a break. I was exhausted just watching them but that's probably because I'm not in the best shape, ha! The stage set-up was incredible. They did everything from The Nutcracker to Rock 'n Roll Santa. The recreation of the Nativity that was the best I have ever seen! It was such a powerful portrayal of Jesus' birth.
If you haven't seen this show you need to go!
Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.
~Psalm 147:5
Some years ago a friend of mine was standing on top of a mountain in North Carolina. The roads in those days filled with curves, and it was very difficult to see very far ahead. This man saw two cars heading toward each other. He realized they couldn't see each other. A third car pulled up and began to pass one of the cars, although there wasn't enough space to see the other car approaching around the bend. My friend shouted out a warning, but the drivers couldn't hear, and there was a fatal crash.
This is how God looks upon us in His omniscience. He sees what has happened, what is happening and what will happen. He also sees us when we foolishly think we can get by with breaking His moral laws, or we act out of sinful pride or lust or anger. Like the man on that mountain, He shouts His warnings at us-but we are too busy or too stubborn to listen.
God sees the whole picture. He knows what is best for us and He knows what will destroy us. Don't think your way is better than His, but listen to His Word-and obey.
~Billy Graham
God knows how our lives will turn out. Every person's life is like a book! If you skip to ending you would miss out on the greatest story ever. God knows the ending but we may only be in Chapter 4. If we listen to Him, our story will end according to His plan!
Today I went on a fun little journey to The Renaissance Hotel in downtown Nashville! It was for the NAMB conference which is an annual thing where all the big whigs from the 50 states come together to learn more about reaching their state. I had a fantastic time hanging out with some familiar faces like Merrie Johnson, Doug Couch, Scott Kindig and Tim Binns.
I guess I never realized how much people remember me from past events. It was great to walk into a room and be greeted with genuine faces and sweet smiles. One aspect of my job is to get to know people. For the past year I have gotten to know some pretty great people from all over the United States. It makes me feel good that God is using me to make an impact all over...What a great feeling!
So I've been MIA for the past few days because my family is in Nashville and we have been taking in all the attractions! My sweet Heather came to visit as well and I was so thrilled! I have lived here for a year and I have never experienced what being a tourist is all about, ha. People actually come to this city as a vacation and there is really more stuff to do than dinner and movies.
I walked down Broadway in the evening and saw all the live music as well as the people playing on the side of the street. We went to the Ryman to see the Grand Ole Opry show. It was so great! Vince Gill and Diamond Rio performed along with many others. We also went to one of the restaurants downtown which actually had really good food!
I kind of enjoyed being a tourist for a few days, ha!
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