Monday, November 27, 2006
My Vacation
First off sorry to all of you who are regular readers on my blog...I kinda didn't feel like blogging for a while and I didn't do it. So sorry its been a while since I last blogged.
My vaction was really awesome. I had a lot of fun with my parents and not so little brother. I got home on Monday night, much to the joy of my parents, and pretty much didn't do anything the rest of the night. Tuesday morning I got up early (5 am) and went to school with my mom. I was going to be teaching a lesson to a k-5 class at her school. That went well. I actually found out that paint is a very exciting thing for children of that age. By the time we finished with the paint, everything was a mess!!
Tuesday night I went to church and saw all of my beloved church family. It was a blessing to be there with them all. After church my friend Beth and I went to Denny's restaraunt which is right around the corner from my house. It was really weird though. The only time Beth and I ever went to Denny's was when my brother was working. My brother still wasn't home from BJU yet, so it was weird to be there without him.
Wednesdy I went to Danville Illinois, to pick up my little brother. He had traveled from BJU with my "big brother". It was nice to see Charlie (big brother) but at the same time it was weird. I hadn't seen him since this last summer, and I felt...I don't know. It just felt really weird. Went home with my brother (Nathan) and we hung out for the rest of the night and really did whatever we wanted. It was great.
On Thursday my cousin and his wife and 4 kids came to Illinois from Indiana to celebrate turkey day with my family and our aunt. It was great fun! Nathan and I ended up being babysitters the rest of the day. It was good though because Kevin and his wife were able to talk to my aunt and parents. I think it was a good day for all. I played football with Austin (my cousin's oldest son) and found out just how much I stink at the sport. I love to watch it, but playing it...no.
Friday I wend shopping with my mom. That was fun. We bought all these clothes and stuff and it was a blessing to have that time with my mommy. =) We got Gloria Jeans which was nice. I had been craving the stuff all week long....mmmm!!! =)
Saturday we went out of town to visit some relatives I haven't seen in like 3 years. That was nice to see them. Then we went and ate lunch with an old family friend. She lives in this awesome retirement center. I wish I could live there. Its nice! =) After we did our visiting and stuff we went back home and just spent the rest of the night being bums.
On Sunday I went to church and I played the offeratory on my violin. That was really neat. Its been a while since I have played in church. Then after church I went out to eat with my parents and my Uncle Bill from Chicago. Then I packed up my car and came back here.
All in all my weekend was wonderful. I had so much fun, and I miss my parents already! I only have 3 weeks or so left and then its back home for me!! =) I can't wait!
My vaction was really awesome. I had a lot of fun with my parents and not so little brother. I got home on Monday night, much to the joy of my parents, and pretty much didn't do anything the rest of the night. Tuesday morning I got up early (5 am) and went to school with my mom. I was going to be teaching a lesson to a k-5 class at her school. That went well. I actually found out that paint is a very exciting thing for children of that age. By the time we finished with the paint, everything was a mess!!
Tuesday night I went to church and saw all of my beloved church family. It was a blessing to be there with them all. After church my friend Beth and I went to Denny's restaraunt which is right around the corner from my house. It was really weird though. The only time Beth and I ever went to Denny's was when my brother was working. My brother still wasn't home from BJU yet, so it was weird to be there without him.
Wednesdy I went to Danville Illinois, to pick up my little brother. He had traveled from BJU with my "big brother". It was nice to see Charlie (big brother) but at the same time it was weird. I hadn't seen him since this last summer, and I felt...I don't know. It just felt really weird. Went home with my brother (Nathan) and we hung out for the rest of the night and really did whatever we wanted. It was great.
On Thursday my cousin and his wife and 4 kids came to Illinois from Indiana to celebrate turkey day with my family and our aunt. It was great fun! Nathan and I ended up being babysitters the rest of the day. It was good though because Kevin and his wife were able to talk to my aunt and parents. I think it was a good day for all. I played football with Austin (my cousin's oldest son) and found out just how much I stink at the sport. I love to watch it, but playing it...no.
Friday I wend shopping with my mom. That was fun. We bought all these clothes and stuff and it was a blessing to have that time with my mommy. =) We got Gloria Jeans which was nice. I had been craving the stuff all week long....mmmm!!! =)
Saturday we went out of town to visit some relatives I haven't seen in like 3 years. That was nice to see them. Then we went and ate lunch with an old family friend. She lives in this awesome retirement center. I wish I could live there. Its nice! =) After we did our visiting and stuff we went back home and just spent the rest of the night being bums.
On Sunday I went to church and I played the offeratory on my violin. That was really neat. Its been a while since I have played in church. Then after church I went out to eat with my parents and my Uncle Bill from Chicago. Then I packed up my car and came back here.
All in all my weekend was wonderful. I had so much fun, and I miss my parents already! I only have 3 weeks or so left and then its back home for me!! =) I can't wait!
Thursday, November 16, 2006
May the Lord find us faithful
This song has been in my head all day. For those of you who know it I hope it is a blessing to you. For those of you who don't know it, it is a beautiful song and the words are to me so powerful. I hope the words are as encouraging to you as they are to me.
God has not given us the spirit of fear
But has given us the strength to obey
With power and sound mind
With love the unfailing kind
Oh be not ashamed of His way
Chorus
May the Lord find us faithful
May His word be our banner held high
May the Lord find us faithful
Everyday thought we live though we die
No man that seeketh after things of this life
Is a soldier who passes the test
Be faithful be working
Be running be serving
Be searching His word for His best
Chorus
Living or dying may honor be thine
from this retched life you loved and forgave
A life that is on fire
Be only our hearts desire
Be faithful from now to the grave
Chorus
God has not given us the spirit of fear
But has given us the strength to obey
With power and sound mind
With love the unfailing kind
Oh be not ashamed of His way
Chorus
May the Lord find us faithful
May His word be our banner held high
May the Lord find us faithful
Everyday thought we live though we die
No man that seeketh after things of this life
Is a soldier who passes the test
Be faithful be working
Be running be serving
Be searching His word for His best
Chorus
Living or dying may honor be thine
from this retched life you loved and forgave
A life that is on fire
Be only our hearts desire
Be faithful from now to the grave
Chorus
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
My Tongue
So tonight in core group we were talking about our tongues and what we say with them. Kelli, my core group leader, passed out half sheets of paper for us to fill out. On the half sheet of paper were question about our conversations from today. Questions like: What kind of things did I talk about today? What was my longest conversation of the day about? What did I complain about today? Did I change any stories or facts? There were a few more questions as well, but I can't remember what they were.
As I sat there filling out that paper, I started to feel slightly ashamed. Where was my focus today? Definitely not on things that had any meaning or worth. I was even more ashamed as I watched my complaining list get longer and longer. I had no idea that I complained that much. It was like I was trying to find things to be complaining about. It made me realize that I need to be more thankful to the Lord for what He has done for me. I think I am going to try and start doing this thing where every time I complain I am going to find two things to be thankful for and then I am going to write it down. Maybe this will help me not to having a complaining spirit. Complaining is not honoring to the Lord, especially after all He has done for us.
Thank you Lord for saving my soul,
Thank you Lord for making me whole
Thank you Lord for giving to me
Thy great salvation so rich and free
God has done so much for me! He saved me from hell and He has given me more grace than I could have ever asked for. A song to think about that has come to my mind. I love this song and hope that it will make you think and also be a blessing to you.
He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater
He sendeth more grace as our labors increase
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy
To multiplied trials He multiplies peace
When we have exhausted our store of endurance
When our strength hath failed ere the day is half done
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father's full giving is only begun
His love has no limits, His grace hath no measure
His power no boundary known unto men
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again
As I sat there filling out that paper, I started to feel slightly ashamed. Where was my focus today? Definitely not on things that had any meaning or worth. I was even more ashamed as I watched my complaining list get longer and longer. I had no idea that I complained that much. It was like I was trying to find things to be complaining about. It made me realize that I need to be more thankful to the Lord for what He has done for me. I think I am going to try and start doing this thing where every time I complain I am going to find two things to be thankful for and then I am going to write it down. Maybe this will help me not to having a complaining spirit. Complaining is not honoring to the Lord, especially after all He has done for us.
Thank you Lord for saving my soul,
Thank you Lord for making me whole
Thank you Lord for giving to me
Thy great salvation so rich and free
God has done so much for me! He saved me from hell and He has given me more grace than I could have ever asked for. A song to think about that has come to my mind. I love this song and hope that it will make you think and also be a blessing to you.
He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater
He sendeth more grace as our labors increase
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy
To multiplied trials He multiplies peace
When we have exhausted our store of endurance
When our strength hath failed ere the day is half done
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father's full giving is only begun
His love has no limits, His grace hath no measure
His power no boundary known unto men
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again
Friday, November 10, 2006
I'm Legal!!
So yesterday I turned 21! Pretty cool huh? I guess so! People all day kept telling me that I was legal. My response...legal to do what? Even if I wanted to drink I wouldn't. That stuff is so nasty and the smell makes me sick to my stomach! ewww!
So last night my roommate Lisa and a friend of ours Jenn, we went to Delafield and ate at Applebee's to celebrate the awesomeness of it all. I must say it felt really cool do to that. It was just a bunch of college girls out for a night to have fun. I felt like an actual adult. I can't really explain the feeling...its just there. So we were there and they told the people that worked there that it was my birthday and they sang happy birthday to me...well, it was more like shouted, but thats ok. It was still cool. After Applebee's we went to Best Buy to look around for a few minutes, then we went to Cold Stone and got ice cream and came back here. I have to say that my birthday this year topped my birthday from the last two college years by far. Last year nobody remembered my birthday at all and it was really sad. And the year before was pretty good, but this year was definitely the best. I think its because my two good friends on campus spent it with me! =) Thanks guys for an awesome birthday!!
So last night my roommate Lisa and a friend of ours Jenn, we went to Delafield and ate at Applebee's to celebrate the awesomeness of it all. I must say it felt really cool do to that. It was just a bunch of college girls out for a night to have fun. I felt like an actual adult. I can't really explain the feeling...its just there. So we were there and they told the people that worked there that it was my birthday and they sang happy birthday to me...well, it was more like shouted, but thats ok. It was still cool. After Applebee's we went to Best Buy to look around for a few minutes, then we went to Cold Stone and got ice cream and came back here. I have to say that my birthday this year topped my birthday from the last two college years by far. Last year nobody remembered my birthday at all and it was really sad. And the year before was pretty good, but this year was definitely the best. I think its because my two good friends on campus spent it with me! =) Thanks guys for an awesome birthday!!
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
New Everything
So today I decided that I was sick and tired of my old blog. I didn't like the setup, the color, or the title. So today I decided to change it. I know its really pink, but I like pink and I guess I was in a pink mood at the time I recreated it. I hope you all like it. You can leave me a post letting me know what you think.
So I changed the title of my blog to Only Trust Him. Why? Well that is what God has been teaching me lately, to only trust HIM! I have been having a hard struggle with the fact that I am still single. Tomorrow I turn 21 and have never had a boyfriend. Meanwhile all of my friends are either dating or starting to date. Its quite discouraging to me sometimes. I really have a desire to date and to get married and yet nothing is happening. Nothing has ever happened. So my since high school I have been trying to find "Mr. Right" on my own, and to be quite honest it hasn't worked. So here I am a second semester freshman in college (I should be a Jr.) and no boyfriend and no prospects. So I am thinking well guess I need to go and find a guy. Not how it works people. I have been reading this book called "Lady in Waiting". This book is talking about developing your love relationships. Not your love relationships with that specail someone, but with God and others. I have gotten through two chapters Lady of Faith and Lady of...(I can't remember the name of it!). Well anyways in the book they pointed out that the best time to serve God and grow closer to Him is during your single years. Isn't that the truth? I would love to think that when I get married I am going to serve God and grow closer to Him than I am now, but I would be fooling myself. Married people are so busy! They hardly have time for themselves! I need to be growing closer to Him! Plus finding the perfect guy isn't what is going to make me happy in life. First off there is no "perfect guy" and second even if there was he won't bring the joy and fulfillment I need. Only Christ can! I found a quote in this book that I really like. "No one, not even the person that you will someday marry will make you happy- only Christ can." If you try to convince yourself otherwise, you are going to be in for a big suprise. Only God brings the joy and the fulfillment that you can ever need or want.
As for trusting God on this issue, I am going to be honest and say that I am afraid that there might not be somewhere out there for me. I am afraid that if I put my total and complete trust in God that I am going to find out that there is no "special someone for me". Well if there isn't who cares right? Christ is what is going to make me happy! Why is it so hard for us to trust God on these issues? Because our plan doesn't go with His plan and we don't want our plan to have to change! But God knows what is best for our lives does He not? (Please realize that I am "preaching" to myself as well here). They why do we think we know best?
So the question I have to ask myself everyday is this, where is my focus today? God or Guys? Thats what it all really boils down to. If I have my focus on God, I notice that my day tends to go a lot easier and that I don't think so much about dating and marriage and the fact that I am not dating. But if my focus is on guys, I notice that I struggle every minute of the day with the fact that I am still single. So why not keep my focus on what really matters, God, and what doesn't really matter, guys? Just something to think about.
So I changed the title of my blog to Only Trust Him. Why? Well that is what God has been teaching me lately, to only trust HIM! I have been having a hard struggle with the fact that I am still single. Tomorrow I turn 21 and have never had a boyfriend. Meanwhile all of my friends are either dating or starting to date. Its quite discouraging to me sometimes. I really have a desire to date and to get married and yet nothing is happening. Nothing has ever happened. So my since high school I have been trying to find "Mr. Right" on my own, and to be quite honest it hasn't worked. So here I am a second semester freshman in college (I should be a Jr.) and no boyfriend and no prospects. So I am thinking well guess I need to go and find a guy. Not how it works people. I have been reading this book called "Lady in Waiting". This book is talking about developing your love relationships. Not your love relationships with that specail someone, but with God and others. I have gotten through two chapters Lady of Faith and Lady of...(I can't remember the name of it!). Well anyways in the book they pointed out that the best time to serve God and grow closer to Him is during your single years. Isn't that the truth? I would love to think that when I get married I am going to serve God and grow closer to Him than I am now, but I would be fooling myself. Married people are so busy! They hardly have time for themselves! I need to be growing closer to Him! Plus finding the perfect guy isn't what is going to make me happy in life. First off there is no "perfect guy" and second even if there was he won't bring the joy and fulfillment I need. Only Christ can! I found a quote in this book that I really like. "No one, not even the person that you will someday marry will make you happy- only Christ can." If you try to convince yourself otherwise, you are going to be in for a big suprise. Only God brings the joy and the fulfillment that you can ever need or want.
As for trusting God on this issue, I am going to be honest and say that I am afraid that there might not be somewhere out there for me. I am afraid that if I put my total and complete trust in God that I am going to find out that there is no "special someone for me". Well if there isn't who cares right? Christ is what is going to make me happy! Why is it so hard for us to trust God on these issues? Because our plan doesn't go with His plan and we don't want our plan to have to change! But God knows what is best for our lives does He not? (Please realize that I am "preaching" to myself as well here). They why do we think we know best?
So the question I have to ask myself everyday is this, where is my focus today? God or Guys? Thats what it all really boils down to. If I have my focus on God, I notice that my day tends to go a lot easier and that I don't think so much about dating and marriage and the fact that I am not dating. But if my focus is on guys, I notice that I struggle every minute of the day with the fact that I am still single. So why not keep my focus on what really matters, God, and what doesn't really matter, guys? Just something to think about.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Randomness
So I was getting all over my roommate cause people don't update their blogs, when I myself don't even update mine. What kind of person does that? (Please don't answer that). So life is going well. I am reading a book by C.J. Mahaney called "Humility: True Greatness". Its a great book. I haven't gotten to far into it, but I would recommend it to anyone. One of the things that caught my attention was Isaiah 66:2. He talks about how Humility draws Gods gaze. One of my favorite quotes in the book is this "The person who is humble is the one who draws God's attention, and in this sense, drawing His attention means also attracting His grace - His unmerrited kindness." God wants us to be humble. This is an area that I feel I really need to work on. Sometimes I think that I don't have the humility that I should. I need to be humble enough to ask God for His help. So many times I want to do it myself because of my stupid pride, but learn that I can't. This last week that happened to me. I wasn't trusting God as I should and God brought me to the point were I broke down and had to beg for His help and His strength because I can't do it on my own! And when you give it over to God amazing things happen that you never thought possible and you think to yourself "Why didn't I give this to God earlier instead of trying to do it on my own? It would have been a whole lot easier had I done it His way the first time. Just somethings to think about.
So yesterday the coolest thing happened to me. There was this skirt at WallyWorld that I was secretly wanting but didn't have to 20 dollars to pay for it. I decided to wait and see if it went on sale. Everytime I went to Walmart it was never on sale. So on Tuesday night my really nice jean skirt got a rip in it. I don't think its fixable. I was so devestated. I had no idea what I was going to do for a jean skirt. So last night I went to Walmart and I decided to see if that jean skirt I have been wanting was on sale. I couldn't find it. So I kept searching and I found it on the sale rack for 7 dollars! 7 dollars! Isn't God amazing?? He knew that I was going to need that jean skirt and He knew that I couldn't afford 20 dollars for it, so He timed it just perfectly that it would be on sale when I needed it! I was so excited to say the least!
So I have to do my freshman platform for my major in like 6 weeks and I am starting to get worried to say the least. I don't know why I am. I guess its that whole "I can do it myself without God" thing, but I can't. I am trying to teach myself that I can only do it with God's help. And isn't that the truth. I have so much to do for this recital and I can't do it without His help. And then on top of that I have to play the cello a week from Sunday at church. Its not sounding to bad I guess, but I can definitely tell you that violin is what I should stick with.
Well I think thats all for now folks. Happy November and stay warm. Only 17 days till Thanksgiving break! We can all make! I know we can! So until lata...
So yesterday the coolest thing happened to me. There was this skirt at WallyWorld that I was secretly wanting but didn't have to 20 dollars to pay for it. I decided to wait and see if it went on sale. Everytime I went to Walmart it was never on sale. So on Tuesday night my really nice jean skirt got a rip in it. I don't think its fixable. I was so devestated. I had no idea what I was going to do for a jean skirt. So last night I went to Walmart and I decided to see if that jean skirt I have been wanting was on sale. I couldn't find it. So I kept searching and I found it on the sale rack for 7 dollars! 7 dollars! Isn't God amazing?? He knew that I was going to need that jean skirt and He knew that I couldn't afford 20 dollars for it, so He timed it just perfectly that it would be on sale when I needed it! I was so excited to say the least!
So I have to do my freshman platform for my major in like 6 weeks and I am starting to get worried to say the least. I don't know why I am. I guess its that whole "I can do it myself without God" thing, but I can't. I am trying to teach myself that I can only do it with God's help. And isn't that the truth. I have so much to do for this recital and I can't do it without His help. And then on top of that I have to play the cello a week from Sunday at church. Its not sounding to bad I guess, but I can definitely tell you that violin is what I should stick with.
Well I think thats all for now folks. Happy November and stay warm. Only 17 days till Thanksgiving break! We can all make! I know we can! So until lata...
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