A New Year Brings New Opportunities....

Today has been a good day at church. I feel at home there. I guess cause I have spent a lot of my time there.

This past week has been pretty laid back. My brother came into town this weekend. I have gotten to see him the past three weekends. That was good! I really don't get to see him much since he is all the way in Mississippi! But, we got to see each other a lot lately and that has been nice. I am not sure when I will get to see him next! That is kinda sad...

My little sister got a trampoline for Christmas. And, I hadn't jumped on one since I was growing up in Mississippi. We had one back then. Me, Sara and Molly went out there. We played all the dumb games we used to play on the trampoline and we had a lot of fun! It is amazing how much higher I can jump now that I am older! It's more fun nowadays! Lol. WE jumped on it for like forty minutes. It is a good workout. I was out of breathe within about five minutes. ha!

New years is fastly approaching. Casey preached this morning at church and he preached on New Years. He talked about how last year (and every year before that) is a hallway full of doors (doors of opportunity) and we opened some doors we shouldn't have and passed some we shouldn't have. Sometimes we go through time without taking the opportunities God gives us to do the things He wants us to. Sometimes we force open doors that God wants us to leave shut. And, we have a brand new year to change all of that. We have a new year full of new opportunities/new doors that we can walk in or not. A lot of it was about finding God's will and how prayer is a big part of that.

Isn't it weird how New Year's seems to hold out a sense of hope? It is like a new beginning. A chance at starting over. A time to reflect on the things we have done wrong and try to get them right. It is a time where anything is possible really because nothing has happened yet. You don't know what it will hold. You don't know how things will turn out. Even if last year was crappy it just seems like looking towards the new year you can hope for something better, or different than that. It is weird how hopeful the New Year is.

To be quite honest, looking over this past year I have to say I do have some regrets (like every year...I mean, I am not perfect by any means). I have also seen how far God has carried me though. He has stretched me and taught me so many things. It blows my mind looking back at where one miesly year can take you! IT has taken me far. I have been through lots of heartache and lots of joy, too! I have enjoyed myself and been miserable at times. Sometimes waiting on God can be tough. Sometimes I speed ahead of Him. Sometimes I try things on my own until he kicks me back on my butt and shows me I can't do anything by myself. I need Him. I really do! And, I am hoping this next year that Christ will lead me down the hallways. That I will open every door I need to and keep every door closed that needs to remain closed. I pray I will allow Him to do this. Because I know He wants to. IT is how he designed it to be.

I think a lot of the highlights that had to do with this year mainly had to do with being with family at times. And God moved me into a trailer full of seven other girls. Each one is completely committed to Christ and doing His will. Each one is encouraging. EAch one is goofy. Each one is really encouraging to me! I think God put them there to help me get through last semester. Because I really needed some encouragment. ANd they gave it! Our poor trailer has been through a lot from the stove catching on fire, ants taking over, the internet going out everytime the wind blew, the bathroom flooding, being invaded by lady bugs to the elctricity cutting out and the dvd player stopping. But, it made us laugh. And, I have really enjoyed being with these girls. They were God's gift to me.

I also saw God clearly direct me to where I was supposed to go this next summer for Summer missions. I will be headed to Davao, PHilippines in June.

I have seen God get me through a really hard (academically) semester and keep me sane through it all.

I have gotten to be with friends and family. I have also been through a time in my church where I think about 12 people in a span of 2 weeks died.

And, I hope this next year takes me even further. I, of course, hope that it is a good year. And I hope that maybe God wants to teach me lessons this year in a less painful way. But, I am thankful for what God has shown me. I am thankful that He is so good to me.

I definitely know there are things I can improve on: I want to get better in my prayer life. I really just want to learn to rely and trust on Christ more. I want to wait patiently for God and I want to spend more time studying in His word. I want to put Him first and not be so busy I forget about my relationship with Him.

I also want to love others more. I sometimes don't do very well at that. I want to show them the love of Christ. I want to be sympathetic and be understanding more often.

I want to keep in touch with people better. This past year I was so bad at keeping in touch with those who weren't in my general vicinity.

I want to have joy. That means, consistency and constance.

I want to continue working out and trying to eat more healthy.

I will stop making a list before I really let myself down later on! Lol. But, these are just a few things I see room for improvment in. I know I have been through a lot this past semester. And, I know no one, no matter how close they are to me really knows how much it has been. But, I know God has had a purpose. I have grown a lot. And I anticipate growing still.

Bryan told me this morning in Sunday School about the Peach Drop in Atlanta on New Year's Eve! Sounds awesome to me! I must say!!! I looked it up! I want to go! HA! Maybe one year!

Don't Let The Kids Near The Gum Drop Tree....

So, Christmas is over and New Years is almost here. I cannot believe another year has come and gone.IT blows my mind to think back on this one year and how far it's taken me. So much has happened. God has molded me SO MUCH! But, I will leave that for another blog in time. lol.

IF there were one thing/place I would want to be and have near me it would be anywhere really, as long as it were with all of my family. I am reminded frequently of the Sara Groves song that says,"I wish that all those I loved the most could gather in one place. And know each other and love each other well." I think as I get older I realize more and more how little time I think I really have with those I love. WE are all spread apart, living our own lives. And it makes me sad to think about all the phases of each persons life I miss out on seeing. I don't get to watch those I love grow up, grow old, or just mature in other ways. I wish I could do that. I wish all of my family were always together. THat would be nice. I got a glimpse of what that would be like this Christmas break. It was a good feeling! I really enjoyed it. This was the first time it has REALLY felt like Christmas in a while. And, well, it was a special Christmas in my heart. I am not really sure why. But, I pray I have many more just like it. And that God blesses me with all of my family being together again like He did this year. It went by too fast.

I love Christmas. I love the many things you can grow to expect around this time of year. My Gran always breaks out the gum drop tree, the santa that plays symbols, the red bird tree, etc...I have seen all of these things in her house since I was little. And it wouldn't be Christmas without them!!! I love how on Christmas Eve my Grandaddy always tells the lamest jokes, like,"I think I hear jingle bells, we better all go to bed or Santa won't stop here. He won't stop unless we are asleep". Haha. My Grandaddy still tells that joke. Even though we are all old and know Santa is not real.He even got out the little Strawberry Short Cake telephone this year and rang Santa up and turned to me and goes,"Santa says you have been bad this year..." haha. I love it!WE all gather around the piano and sing Christmas carols. We read the Christmas story. Christmas Eve we all sleep in pallets on the floor in the dining room. ANd the doors are all shut. My brother usually for some reason thinks it is funny to roll over us and squish us. We are always pretty hyper and we talk and laugh. I like change sometimes. But, I love routine. Especially on holidays. I love being able to look forward to certain things. I love thinking of Christmas and going,"Oh, I can't wait until my Grandaddy tells his lame joke." Or,"I can't wait to eat the coffee cake Gran makes ever Christmas Day morning." Yeah, I guess I am cheesy like that.

The picture above is of all of us sleeping on our pallets on Christmas Eve. It is a tradition. I got to see my brand new baby cousin Cooper. I also got to see Cousin Rachel for the second time. I hadn't seen her since she was four months old. She was so adorable!She is busy.And, she has the cutest smile. I included picture of my cousins and my family. I will explain this: My dad got some "bling" from my Uncle Jay (his brother). And, So, he put it on and I took a picture. I told him to make his "bling face" though. haha.

I miss my family already. I wish I were back there hanging out and enjoying their company. I am afriad it won't be long before things just won't be like this anymore. ANd that is a relization you have to come to as you get older. But one that is hard to accept!

Let It Snow Baby...Let It Reindeer!

I am headed to Mississippi tomorrow to celebrate Christmas with family. What are the odds do you think of it actually snowing for Christmas? I guess they aren't very high seeing as I will be in Mississippi. I don't think they have gotten snow there since the ice storm of '95. haha.

I am really looking forward to it! I haven't been to Mississippi since last Christmas. It's been a whole year! Something about being there feels a little bit like home to me! I guess because I grew up there. A lot of my crazy childish days were lived out there. I get to see my new baby cousin for the first time since he was born. I also get to see my other new cousin again. I saw her once when she was four months old. And now she is one year and four months old. CRAZY!!! It has been FOREVER! I am really excited about going to spend time with them. Especially since I found out I won't be able to go on vacation this year. This makes me sad. And that cuts out one of the only times in the year when I can see my grandparents. SAD! I get to see them three times a year: on vacation, at thanksgiving, and at Christmas. This is no way to live! Next year I will only see them twice. So, once I see them for this Christmas break it will be almost a year until I get to see them again!

I intend to soak up every minute that I can with them!

I am really excited about Christmas. Ever since I have been in college it doesn't seem too much like Christmas when the season rolls around. THis year does more than last year though. But, the presents are all gone from underneath the tree and starting tomorrow there will be no more Chubbers anymore!

I am finishing up my study on Ephesians. I have been studying it for half of a year now. And, I am finally to the 6th chapter. I have learned a lot. God had a lot to show me through it. Right now I am studying spiritual warfare. It is something I tend to toss to the side and act as if it doesn't really exist. I know it does. But, I think I get annoyed whenever people say things like,"Oh, Satan is attacking you". Maybe it is because I have been in the christian sub culture my whole life and feel like christians chalk everything up to "Satan did this" or "Satan did that". When, I tend to believe yourself and your own pleasures and sinful ways have a lot to do with things. But, it's good for me to ponder more often the fact that spiritual warfare is real.

I have a lot to think about this Christmas season. It seems I have a lot to figure out. I think I would much rather just leave it all to God and hope that He would just drop the answer into my lap from the sky. I guess it is true though, I won't be able to "figure anything out" on my own. I continually pray God will show me the way and help me to be wise. But, I guess if I am terrified of not being in God's will perhaps He will make sure I stay there? I tend to like to look at it from that direction.

Anyways...I hope you all have a great Christmas. And more importantly, I hope that you look around at all the presents, family and things that you have and thank God that He not only gave you His son, but He blessed you with so many other things. I have been amazed lately just thinking about it: God didn't owe me a thing. I was horrible. I was a sinner. I was nothing remotely attractive. Especially to the God of the whole universe. I have nothing to offer Him. Yet, He gave me His Son. And, He didn't stop there. He gave me blessing after blessing. I have so many things. I have an amazing christian family. I have good friends. I have a pretty house, a nice car. My whole college expenses are paid for. I have nothing to worry about in life. I am set. God has given me all this. He gave me His son. I didn't deserve it. And He gave me things above and beyond that. He did it knowing that there would be so many days when I would think nothing of the things He has given me. When I would have a selfish heart or a prideful heart about things. He knew I would be ungrateful and forget about Him sometimes. But, He did it anyways.

I guess I am blown away by the thought that God sent his greatest treasure down to Earth. To put on this nasty flesh that we live in. And, to be treated poorly by those He came to save. And He did it partly for me. And He did it for you. I wish I could do more for Christ than just be thankful for one moment that He did this for me. Because I know He deserves more than that from me. I am reminded of a song that says,"What can I give Him, poor as I am?" It's so true.

That was a long side note. But, I just hope that you take time to not only ponder these things, but to give God the praise He deserves in your life. Because, even if you find yourself in a horrible circumstance. Christ still gave you the greatest gift you could ever recieve. Think about it. Nobody can match the gift He gave you. It is a gift that lasts forever. IT is a gift that you can use and have every day for the rest of your life and beyond. It was something no one else on Earth could offer you. I don't want to take it for granted.

So, take time to think about Christ and what He means to you.

Kids Say The Funniest Things...

Since my time at home I have gotten to enjoy a lot of time with my family. Which has been really nice. It is not very often that I get to do that anymore. I am trying to soak up the time I have to sleep in, watch television (like a normal person) and do virtually nothing. THe last time I did any such thing was four months ago. I started thinking to myself today about Toccoa Falls College and how sometimes while I am there I feel like I am out of touch with reality. Even something as small as getting to watch one episode of Reba or King of Queens makes me feel at home somewhat again.

Then I pondered on my future. And how I will be in a foreign place (most likely) with no sense of normalcy around me. And the thought for a second kind of creeped me out. Sometimes at Toccoa all I wanna do is just drive somewhere NORMAL for just an hour so I can feel in touch with reality again. There is something horrible about feeling stuck somewhere for me. When I am in an airplane the thought of the fact that I cant just get off if I want to drives me nuts. I don't like being anywhere that I can't just change my situation with a snap of a finger. But, I thought about how that is what the life of a christian is about: Giving up what we want for what Christ wants for us. Once you are a christian life isn't just about yourself anymore. It is about God. We are called from a self absorbed lifestyle into one of self denial. And then I thought about how worth it it would be to give up all normalcy because I am doing it for Christ. Giving up all you know is never a comfortable thing. Especially for me. yeah, carrying all of my belonging in one backpack and getting on a plane and leaving my family and staying in a foreign world by myself for two months is not comfortable. It is so far from that. Especially for someone like me.

I was left with thoughts today of how self absorbed our society really is and how a lot of times I follow right along with it. Even this blog is a little of self absorption. Today I was so self absorbed about getting to the next place in my day's schedule that I am pretty sure I missed an opportunity to tell someone about Christ. Today was one big annoyance for me. I was stuck in a car wash place for almost two hours. I was sitting in an office with a rotwieler but then decided I had had enough when the puppy used the restroom in the office and hten wanted to come put his paws all over me (the same paws that had just walked in his urine). I was left out in the cold standing in the parking lot. And the guy came up to talk to me. We started talking about his puppy (I had nothing else to resort to to make conversation). And of course because it was Christmas time I started to ask him about the holidays. He quickly told me he hated Christmas and that he would rather work on Christmas than have a day off and sit around and do nothing. I felt as if I could have just had an opportunity to tell him something important. But instead I was thinking about how cold it was, how I was freezing and how I wanted to get out of there. My world is so selfish. And when it is I miss out on God's opportunities in my life.

So, what if I do sail across the ocean with only a backpack full of a couple things to last me a whole two months. Maybe for once I will not be so focused on myself. Maybe for once Christ will open my eyes to what it means to TRULY have a heart for others and for Christ's work. I long for Christ's heart and His passion. And sometimes I feel like I can't have it allowing myself to be so comfortable all the time.

I need to be more focused on other things.

I did get my passport all worked out today. That was a good feeling. My sister is CRACKING ME UP lately. Molly is hilarious. She always will give you a good laugh if you pay attention to what she is saying. Here are some recent quotes of hers:

Me: AHHH!!! This is getting on my nerves!
Molly: What's wrong Jessica? Are you jealous?
Me: No. Do you even know what jealous means?
Molly: Yes. It means Angry, mad, etc...
Me: No, I don't think I'm jealous.

haha.

Me: Molly, what did you ask Santa to bring you for Christmas?
Molly: You will have to wait and see.
Me: Oh come on, just tell me.
Molly: Well, I will tell you this: I only asked for things that Santa and his elves could make in his workshop.

Ben: Molly, what is on that underwear?
Molly: It's monkeys holding I-Pods and listening to their music. It says: Tunes


I don't know. For some reason these just really cracked me up!!! She makes me laugh so much.

Well, I think I am going to go. We are going to watch a christmas movie as a family.

My Future In The Philippines...

I slept in pretty late this morning. And am still trying to figure out what to do about working out. HAHA. I got on the computer and found a response back from the Nehemiah Teams on my email. I have learned lots of things through this email that I had not yet known about my trip to the PHilippines. I will be based in Davao for sure. I will be working with at least two other girls. These girls have supposedly been there a whole semester already. So they will know each other and their way around and can hopefully help me out with things I need to know about!

I also learned I will be bathing from a bucket. The thought just makes me laugh. I have never done such a thing before. But, since Davao City is on the beach but also in the jungle, there won't be very many resources for me that other people might have. I will be living onsite at the orphanage. I will be sleeping on an air mattress that I bring. I will need to fit all of my belongings in a backpack. There are no suit cases I will be bringing. Of course this means I am about to go out and find the biggest backpack of my life.Otherwise, I have no idea how I will fit the list of things they want into a backpack. No worries, this is not because of my in the past packing habits. Because I realize for the summer the bare minimum is okay. I am not really into looking cute or having a bunch of options to choose from when I will be bathing out of a bucket. haha. I will be cooking my own food.

But, I am so exciting about this: I will be involved in evangelism. I was really excited about being in the orphange. But, I was really hoping this mission trip offered some opportunities to really get in there and share my faith with the people. We will apparently be traveling around the Philippines some. So, all of my days will not be spent in the orphanage or onsite. I will be speaking at churches and I will be involved in some evangelism outside of the orphanage. They are strategically placing us in areas they believe need to hear more of the gospel. This is exciting to me. Who cares about bathing in a bucket if people can come to know Christ. At least that is the attitude I am maintaining at this point in time. I am still trying to work out the kinks in my mind of how I am supposed to bath all of myself if I bathe with a bucket and with a bathing suit on. haha. Which are the requirements since the bathroom is not a private location. In fact, there is no bathroom with a shower. haha.

So, as you can see this will be a HUGE growing time in my life. I don't have to fully know the future to know that about this trip. Especially after seeing all the information this morning. Prayers will be much appreciated. This will be a little out of my comfort zone. But, that was never a bad thing for me in life. It just makes me a more mature person. And, I could use a little growth. It is nice to know a little bit more about what I will be facing.

Lately....

I made it throught the semester! I haven't gotten all my grades back yet, but I only have three classes to go and so far I have all A's. Let's hope I keep it that way. I sure did work hard enough to make all A's. This past week was pretty hectic. This whole semester has been hectic for me. I have no idea what to do now tht I am home and I actually don't have to go anywhere or do anything. It's the first time in four months I haven't had a long list of activities and assignments to fill up all of my free time.

I did get to enjoy myself last week though. I went to a couple Christmas parties and hung out with the girls in my trailer. That was fun! Thursday me and Jonathan celebrated Christmas by going to The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. It is about 2 1/2 hours from where we are in Toccoa. But, it was worth the drive. It was all decorated for Christmas time! It was BEAUTIFUL!!! I was amazed at how big the house was and that a bachelor built it for himself. IT was crazy. I enjoyed it though! We exchanged gifts and stuff. It was a good trip. None of my pictures really turned out though because it was so dark outside. I would really like to see it in the daytime when I can actually see the garden and everything! Maybe someday! I still really loved it!

I got home on Friday around 3:00 pm. On Saturday everyone got in: BEn, Sara and Andrew. Me and Ben spent half of the day at the grocery store. I came home and cooked some things for a christmas present I was giving to some friends. And then that night we all ate dinner together. WE also went to the churches cantata. My dad was in the music performance. After that we came back home and had our family christmas. It was good to all be together and get to open gifts and stuff! I enjoyed it! Sara and Andrew left last night.

Today we went to church and went out to eat at Acropolis. Ben is leaving in a little while to go back.

It is sad for everyone to leave. We didn't get to spend a lot of time together. It was really good to all be together again. But, luckily, in a couple days we will all be together agian and I will even get to meet my new cousin, Cooper and see some family I haven't seen in a really long time.

I am looking forward to it!

Exam week is going well. I have two more exams to go and then it's over. I have a group presentation tomorrow and the rest of the day off. I think I will just spend ALL DAY studying for my exam on Thursday. It is going to be really hard. It is going to be my hardest one. I have my jury for Voice on Thursday. I will have to go in front of the music department professors and sing whatever song they pick for me to sing. I am kind of nervous about that!

Tonight I am going to eat dinner with a cousin of mine that lives near Toccoa. Should be good!

My car is all decorate for Christmas! Lol. I decorated it like a reindeer. haha. I have gotten lots of weird looks, compliments (which are few and far between) and some mean looks. haha. Oh well. I like it!

OUr Barnabas group had a christmas card last night. It was fun! We played games, ate food and talked. I haven't done a White Elephant Gift in a long time!

This week in my devotion I am learning about husbands and how they are called to love their wives. It is really interesting. And, I noticed something I hadn't really noticed before. I mean, you hear the typical spill about how husbands are called to give up themselves and die to self in order to love their wives. However, today I focused on something I had never focused on before. One of the ways husbands are called to love their wives is through purifying them with the washing of water by the Word. Husbands are called to protect their wives from anything that would harm their relationship with Christ. They are called to protect them from the world and believing false doctrines. I think that is really neat. I guess I had never really thought about that aspect of it before!

I have three more days to go and then CHRISTMAS BREAK BEGINS!!! I can't wait!!!

Friday was the Christmas Banquet. I put a picture to the right of the group I went with. From left to right: Ryan, Emily, Jonathan, Me, Ben, Ashley, Ricky, Jim, and Heather.

We went down there and got lost because there was a road block. It was in the Gainesville Civic Center. They had it all decorated.The theme was "A Black Tie Affair". It was really pretty. They had the jazz band play and they had cornerstone cater. It was really nice. I had fun hanging out with Ashley and Ben and getting to know everyone else a lot better than I did!

After the banquet we went to Duluth to a Swing Dancing Club. It was so much fun! It made me want to take lessons! It was a lot of fun even though I really didn't have a clue what I was doing! Lol. I want to go back. There was this old man in suspendors who asked me to dance. haha. I said NO! There was also a black guy that was promising he had seen me before. WEIRD! After that we just drove back. I ended up going to bed around 3:00.

I woke up Saturday at 11:00 because we had pratice. I cooked omelets and sausage spinwheels for lunch. Practice lasted for a litle over an hour. Then I spent the night with Jonathan going to Blimpie and to see the movie August Rush. If you haven't seen that movie you SHOULD!!! It was SO good. I wanted to cry throughout the whole thing. But, it was really good!

Today I had to go to church in town because we have a performance this afternoon. Sara and Andrew are coming into town for the performance. So, I am looking forward to seeing them!
I am glad last week is over. It was so stressful and busy for me. This next week will be way more laid back than that was for me!!!





They had costumes there they we could dress up in and take picture with. lol.

Thanksgiving Is Over...But Here Comes Christmas!

So, this past week, I was at home! At my new home! I was really glad to be there because I really miss my family! It was nice to see them and spend some quality time with them.

I really like our new house. I think it is tied for my favorite that we have ever lived in.

I went home on Tuesday (a day early) and helped put some boxes and things away. My mom and sister had gotten pretty far in organizing the stuff. So, there wasn't too much left to accomplish. I spent Wednesday sleeping in and helping my mom cook. My grandparents, aunt and brother all got into town on Wednesday night.

On thursday morning I went with Grace, Sara and Andrew downtown and ran the 5K Turkey Trot race. I ran it in 28 minutes and I was a little sick. So, I am thinking if I had been feeling really good I would have run it in better time than that! It was pretty good I guess considering I used to run like a 14 minutes mile in highschool. lol. I was really out of shape then!!

That day my family just hung out around the house and ate WAY TOO MUCH food. We just enjoyed each other's company. Me and Grace made some christmas presents for some of my friends.

On Friday the girls of the family woke up early to go shopping. We got some good deals on things and I finished up my christmas shopping! It was nice! That night my Grandaddy took us all to Steak N Shake to eat dinner. Then we went to see the movie: Mr.Magorium's Wonder Emporium. lol.

Saturday was our christmas decorating day. We went and picked out our christmas tree. Because of the rain shortage this year there weren't as many to choose from. So, we settled on one that was short but really full. Molly named him "Chubbers". lol. We went to eat dinner at Cracker Barrel and then we went back home and spent the night decorating the tree and the house for Christmas!!

It was really nice to be at home. I had a great Thanksgiving. Here are some pictures from the week!

Well, here they all are. I can't really organize them the way I want to. But, I guess you can guess what is happening in them. Molly named our turkey Tom. haha. We fried him in a deep frier. And it was GOOD! Excuse the hideous face I am making in the picture to the right. lol. That really isn't what I look like when I eat a turkey leg. Promise!

I Like Blue Men....

So, this past week was super slow. This week I only have two days of school. I am headed home tomorrow and I am really excited about it! I am ready to see my family!

I am leaving tomorrow around 3:00 pm. That is in less than 24 hours! lol.

This weekend was kind of crazy. Me, Meredith and Stephanie headed down to Athens to the UGA library to do some research. We have to travel an hour away simply because our library here doesn't quite cut it!

We drove down there. And there was a Georgia vs. Kentucky game that was going on. So, we couldn't find a good place to park. We ended up parking all the way up at the University chruch and walking down to the campus. We really didn't know where we were going. So, we had to stop people. After 20 minutes we finally foudn the library and upon going in found out we had an hour before the library closed. So, we rushed trying to get articles and books and then we made the crazy trek back up to the car. The game happened to be getting out at the same time as we left the library. So, we were in the middle of this mob of people in red and black. Half of them were drunk or smelled like beer. Finally we made it to the car and tried to get out of athens. Only, the whole city was set up with orange cones making it impossible to turn left ANYWHERE in the city. So, we ended up getting lost and going really far out of our way to get to Commerce. We got lost again in the city of Commerce and finally found Chik-Fil-A. We had gotten free coupons to eat there because Truett Cathy came and spoke in our chapel on Friday morning. It was pretty good. Just a crazy trip.

Yesterday was my last day at the PAC church. They had a combination service with the Cambodian church. So, everything in the service had to be translated into cambodian. It was fun. A little girl from last week came up and asked if I was teaching them again. when I said no she was like,"Oh Man"! I love kids. It was so cute. She didn't realize that I did a horrible job teaChing them I guess. lol. She had cut her own bangs the week before so her mom had to fix them and they were SUPER short. It reminded me of when I was little. haha.

Yesterday afternoon I gave Jonathan his early christmas present. I sort of had to considering the concert was this early. So, I made a christmas cd and made him listen to it all day. We watched Elf and A Charley Brown Christmas. Then we went to eat at Kani House (Japanese Steak House). It was pretty good. After that I blind folded him so he wouldn't know where we were going and I took him to The Blue Man Group concert. It was really awesome! I loved it! They had this little Korean guy open up for them. I can't even explain what he did. But, it was pretty awesome!

My classes for today are almost over. THANK GOODNESS! I can hardly stand it! I just really want to go home!!! lol

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE!

That's What Happens When...

Everything seems to be going extra slow today. And, you know those days when you are in a bad mood and so everything gets on your nerves? That's pretty much me. For today anyways. I am getting annoyed with people simply for looking at me. haha. It happens sometimes to the best of us.

I am ready for Thanksgiving Break.

The weather is really throwing me off. One day it was 75 outside and the very next it dropped down to a high of 51. My body can't handle that! But, I am glad it is finally getting cold outside. It feels more like Christmas time that way!

I am ready to see my family again!

God has been teaching me a lot lately. I think what He has been teaching me overall though is to make sure I am serving God! There are plenty of people who call themselves christians who are following "God". They think He is the true God but in all actuality He is just another god they have made up in their heads. I don't want to make God out to be what I want Him to be. I want to serve Christ for who He really is, instead of who I have made Him out to be. You can only know who Christ really is through studying His word, spending time with Him and obeying His commands.

God has also taught me that plenty of people justify what htey do in this day and age. Plenty of people are screwing up their lives, making bad choices and claim God has led them to do these actions. I never want to be making horrible mistakes and claim I am doing them in the name of Jesus.

We are pretty illiterate christians these days. We don't know what the bible says. So, we make it up as we go along. We justify ourselves. We tell ourselves we are in the will of God when really we are going against Christ in pretty obvious ways. We also tell ourselves Christ is one thing when He is actually not like that at all.

Is this making sense?

I just don't want to do these things. I think God is challenging me constantly to go deeper and know the true Him.

The world is screwed up nowadays. Christians are half of the problem.

We have been reading Dante's Inferno in World Literature class. And it has been a good picture for me of what we are like without Christ. We have lost all intellectual truth. Without Christ we live to please ourselves. We live to gratify our desires in anyway possible. God is about denying ourselves and our desires. It is uncomfortable following Christ. You have to give up things you want to hold on to. And the story has been good for showing me that if you live your whole life just gratifying yourself you are going to look back and realize it was all worthless. You will spend eternity wishing you had done things differently. It is pointless to live to please ourselves. We have to stop telling ourselves it is!

Anyways...a small glimpse of what I have been learning. I am off to class!

Hope everyone has a good weekend.

I have had sort of an annoying week in some ways. I had some money stolen from me! Pray I somehow figure out how to get it back??? Or rather, that someone will just feel convicted for taking money from someone elses wallet. SAD!

This weekend will be good! I am going to be bored tomorrow though. I will be in a library all day long!

"One Day You'll See Her And You'll Know What I Mean, Take Her Or Leave Her She Will Still Be The Same"

I am so ready for the Christmas holiday it is going to kill me. I am really sick of going through the same routine every week at school. Thank goodness I only have about four weeks left. Otherwise I might go even more crazy than I already am! I think that is what happens when you have like 17 hours a semester and all of your classes are on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. I am close to burnout. I have remained fairly unstressed by it all though, which is really unlike me!!!

I went Christmas shopping the other day! The mall is already all decorated for Christmas. And I walked into Bath and Body Works. They had these candles burning that made the whole shop smell like a christmas tree. I LOVE IT!!! They also decorated the campus with Christmas lights and the Quad with christmas trees! I even broke out my ginger bread lamp today and we plugged it in. IT IS ADORABLE!!! I LOVE IT!!! Meredith broke down and started listening to Christmas music. And, I am afraid I might have to as well, now!

I got my MLAT scores today. Turns out I am above average. And thankfully, am capable learning another language. I can pick out phonetic sounds realy well (thanks Hooked On PHonics! Lol). The hardest part for me will be learning another script!!!

I have a week soon where my ethnography box, two papers, and a test are all happening in the span of five days. I already started working on the two papers and this saturday me, Stephanie and Heidi are taking off to UGA to spend a day at the library working on our boxes!!! I am glad to get it all out of the way before that week gets here. If I wait I am afriad I will not get any sleep. And that is the week before the Christmas banquet.

I am excited about the Christmas Banquet. They are having it in Gainesville this year. There is a jazz theme. I LOVE JAZZ!!! And, this year I am going with: Ashley Spaulding, Ben Landes, Emily Lockwood, Ryan Currie, Heather Price and Jim Hatcher. I am excited about hanging out with all of them! it will be good. Oh, and my date is Jonathan, of course! Lol. I didn't list him in that list. So, I might want to mention that he will be my date :) I am borrowing a dress. I am over buying new dresses all the time. I made my parents buy so many in highschool!

This week is pretty laid back for me! I am glad about that. I am excited about next week. I only have two days of school. I will be leaving to go home on Tuesday night and I won't be back till the sunday of that week. I almost get a whole week at home with my family! And everyone is coming in for Thanksgiving! It will be great to see everyone!

Tiny Little Feet Are So Cute!!!

I HAVE A BRAND NEW BABY COUSIN!!! His Name is Cooper Lee Hubbard. He was born a couple days ago! Too bad he is all the way in Mississippi so I don't get to see him for a while!

I love these cute pictures they sent me. Especially the one of his cute little feet. I love how babies are so tiny!!!



This weekend I have to catch up on a lot of work. I am going to be writing some papers and things. Tomorrow night I am going to a concert (Jonathan, Chris and Daniel are in a band and they have a gig in town). Meredith's sister is coming into town with MEredith's nephew Luke. He is so cute. So, I am excited to get to see him. Tomorrow night we are going to Los Primos. And then on Saturday I guess we will do whatever.



I have three papers due and my Ethnography box. Over the next few weeks I am going to be HORRIBLY busy!!! I have a lot to get done.



I took the MLAT today. THat is the test you take to see how well you can learn another language. Next Tuesday I will find out whether I am smart enough to be bilingual. Kind of sad if I find out I can't.



I am learning Hmong right now! It is a tonal language. It has 7 tones. I have to recite it for class in a couple weeks. Here is the phrase I must learn: "Hey. How are you? I am learning to speak Hmong. It is my second day in the country. This is all I can say. See you later. Good bye." The Hmongs all gathered around last night beggin me to speak it for them! ANd, I have to say, I was really embarassed. I feel I am butchering their language. It is bad enough saying the phrase in front of one Hmong, but in front of a whole congregation is tough. However, they ended up telling me that I am one of the best white Hmong speakers they have heard. So, I guess it will be alright. haha. Maybe they are just being nice. THey keep playing pranks on me. Last night they were all telling me, " You are saying it wrong" They would tell me all these words I should say instead and they were making me say all of this ridiculous stuff in Hmong. So, I hope I don't get confused when I have my recitation. I have come to find out though through the Hmongs that I was raised sort of like the Hmongs. They have all he same ideas and morals my family raised me with. Interesting!



God has been teaching me so much lately. I am really thankful for that. I feel like finally I have a realistic view of myself. For the first time in a while. It's like a light went on in the attic. I am so glad!



ANyways...that's all I have for now!

The Only Good Thing About Being Sick Is That You Can't Taste College Food!

You know one of the worst feelings? When your throat is hurting and is sore and you have to spend the whole night breathing through your mouth and making it more sore simply because you can't breath out of your nose.

I woke up at five this morning and couldn't breathe out of my nose. Both sides were so completely unusable for breathing. Because of this, I was having to breathe through my mouth, which was making my throat hurt even worse. I went to bed last night being ablet o breathe. So, I am not sure what happened. But, I went into the bathroom and luckily I had some medicine I could take. So, I was able to get back to sleep for two more hours. However, I am not feeling so well today. Mondays are my busiest days. So, I guess I will just have to get over how I feel and go throughout the day anyways.

I have to say though. Aramark is a lot more tolerable when you can't taste it AT ALL!

THis week is going to be pretty busy. I have a fundraiser tomorrow night, I have lots of homework. I also have a group meeting tomorrow night. And, I am sick of group projects. We are going to be acting out a skit. So, tomorrow we have to get together and assign the parts. Right now all we have is the fact that Michael Airgood is going to be dressed up like a hammer.

OH BROTHER.


Anyways...there isn't much going on in my life. I went home this weekend. Which was really good for me! I miss home! Luckily next semester I only have 13.5 hours and will get to go home a lot more perhaps? My brother came into town. ANd so did my sister. So, we were all there. That is pretty rare, too. It was fun!

We went and saw the Bee Movie. I laughed a LOT! I thought it was really funny and cute! I recommend it!

Jefferson Aero Plane...if I only had....

I emailed my dad today. My pastor wants me to give a testimony in December at my home church about my conversion to Christ, call to the ministry and future ministry plans. I remember my daddy used to sing this one song that is HILARIOUS! And, it sums up my attitude before I was called to the ministry. I want him to sing it that day! It would really make me Happy!!! It's called "Please Don't Send Me To Africa". If you have been around my family for at least seven years you might have heard it. haha.

I better be going. A lot of us girls were invited to a friends house to eat. I could use some good quality girl time right now!

"Jefferson Aero Plane"

if it hurts,

kiss it better

you wear skirts,

i write nice letters

never said nothing with flowers

though we always talked for hours

and it seems to get much colder

when you cry on your own shoulder

and we know the showmust go on

guess i know

i guess i'll throw on

some jefferson airplane

i'm trapped and i am enclosedbut i won't complain

i'll open all the windows

jefferson airplane

i'm trapped and i am enclosed

but i won't complain

i'll open all the windows

cause when it's colder

i feel much better

when i cry on my own shoulder

i'll just throw on a sweater and go

and i'll go to undergo a change of heart,

a change of clothesand when i'm home,

i think i'll go eat cereal and stare out the window

i'll make the calls

you cover your ears

niagra falls

still flows on new year's

i will save your plunging neck-line

kiss your face

you try to deck mine

if i behave it's going to cost him

stop the rave in downtown boston

and we know the show

must go onguess i know

i guess i'll throw onsome jefferson airplane

i'm trapped and i am enclosed

but i won't complain

i'll open all the windows

jefferson airplane

i'm trapped and i am enclosed

but i won't complain

i'll open all the windows

cause when it's colder

i feel much better

when i cry on my own shoulder

i'll just throw on a sweater and go

and i'll go to undergo a surgery to purge me of this lonely mood

and my ego, the status quo, provides me with a decent attitude

and i'll go to undergo a change of heart,

a change of clothesand when i'm home,

i'll think i'll go eat cereal and stare out the window

cause you confused me more than anyone

an adjustment has begun

to let me feel the desperate need to leave what we undid undone

and maybe you could sympathize

with the bags under my eyes

and we'll see the signs are saying that we have used up all our (tries)

try to be a better person

to be a better friend

to be a better son

he tries to be a better someone

that understands the difference

and that he can't show all the people

all the things

that really mean as much as he could (feel)

feels like i don't remember

ever being this tired (before)

before now my eyes were closed to all of the beauty

in this world

jefferson airplane

i'm trapped and i am enclosed

but i won't complain

i'll open all the windows

jefferson airplane

i'm trapped and i am enclosed

but i won't complain

i'll open all the windows

cause when it's colder

i feel much better

when i cry on my own shoulder

i'll just throw on a sweater and go

and i'll go to undergo a surgery

to purge me of this lonely mood

and my ego, the status quo,

provides me with a decent attitude

and i'll go to undergo a change of heart,

a change of clothesand i'll go, oh yes, i'll go

and hope the new me shows so everybody knows

that i've found myself able to fly away without magic feathers

or jefferson aero planes

i've got with me all that i need

Christmas Is Coming, The Goose Is Getting Fat

This weekend was a good break! My Ethnography pushed me over the edge on Friday. I broke my record. Until Thursday night the latest I had stayed up while at college was 2:30. I broke that record on THursday by staying up till 3:30. I have never pulled an all nighter. I guess I love my sleep too much. I guess I am not a real college student. haha. I guess no one really feels sorry for me. However, I got my box back today and made a 99 on it though, so I guess it was worth all that work!


I hadn't been home in a while, so it was good to be there. Even though I had to leave early on Sunday morning to come back.
I had a good time. Our new house is in the process of being worked on. I LOVE IT! It is such a beautiful house. I think my mom really likes it too. IT is painted all pretty. And, there is a big ceiling in the living room. Which means we can get a huge christmas tree again this year!!! EXCITING!!! On Saturday my daddy spent most of the day working on the yard. While the rest of us looked at the house, ran some errands and went shopping for furniture and such. We went to Smokey Bones for Andrew's birthday dinner. And, I got to help my mom make his birthday Strawberry shortcake. YUM. It was good. And I was glad to cook. I miss cooking!!!

I miss my family and my friends back home. I will finally be back to church this next sunday though. It's been a while. So, it will be nice.

Anyways...there isn't much to say really. Tomorrow night I am going to the Murder Mystery dinner the school Philosophy Club puts on. I have to dress up as a Pirate and my character is the "Inn Patron". I hope I don't have to act anything out or it could get ugly. haha.

Thursday is a social for my trailer. We are going to eat at the Thai restaurant and we are going to watch My Big Fat Greek Wedding and paint our toe nails. lol.

Well, I have to get back to the day. I have so much to do on Mondays. STarting today we have choir rehearsal every Monday night from 7-8:30. So, that is just another thing to add to my busy life. Getting ready for Christmas is always a big deal.

I really started thinking about Christmas today. I am READY for it! It was so cold outside this morning. I felt like I could almost smell the smell of a christmas tree. IT made me want one. I wish I could just take the whole month of December off to be at my house when it is all decorated for Christmastime!!! I LOVE IT!

I am having a really hard time figuring out my schedule for next semester. Right now I only have 12 hours in with no hope of taking anymore cause nothing will work out with my schedule. I have never had this much trouble figuring it out before.

Also, my mom called me today and said my Great Uncle was on Good Morning America. I only share it because it is funny/sad all at once. I mean, honestly....I am thankful for my immediate family and that God blessed me SO incredibly much with them. Yes, we have some weird people in our family tree. But mostly...I just think it's nasty that this would even take place. ESpecially within my own family tree. I wish I could say everyone in my family was saved. But, I guess it just isn't true. Here is the link to the article:

http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3789033


HEre are some pictures from Andrew's birthday and the weekend:























Andrew has always wanted a king Arthur's sword. So, for his birthday, that is what he got.

Exactly The Words I Need

The weekend is almost here. And, I have to say I honesty wish Christmas Break was here! I am halfway there. But, at times I just don't feel like I will be able to do everything I have to do. I know that isn't true. I always accomplish what I need to. But, this semester is burning me out really quickly.

I am going home to celebrate Andrew's birthday this weekend. I will only be home for Saturday. It will be a quick trip. But, it is a much needed one. I am ready to just see home. haha. I wonder sometimes what will happen one day when I am on the mission field and I get really anxious just to be home again and I can't do it?

God has been teaching me a lot lately. Most of it is just a reminder of what He has already tried to teach me. But, He always gives me just what I need right when I need it. I have been struggling with God's will for a long time now in some situations in my life. And I feel as if I will never get an answer. But, I think I have come to the point where I can quote faithfully all that God has taught me through this one situation. Isn't it amazing how many things He can teach you through just one circumstance in your life? Apart from that though, I am learning exactly what I have been doing to get in my own way of what God wants to say to me.

I was sitting in a church on choir tour last week. I was pretty upset about some things that were happening in my life. I was having a particularly rough day. I remember this summer when I was going through a rough couple days and God sent someone to me to give me a freakishly close to home word of advice. I remember about a month ago when the same thing happened. I was really upset, it was that exact day when I got a letter in the mail from my friend Tina. It was really strange, because it was speaking to me RIGHT where I was at in life. Everything in that letter spoke straight to my heart and to my circumstances. I broke down in tears. Well, I was having a day like that on choir tour this past week. I had woken up at my Aunts house and was getting ready. Taped to the mirror in her bathroom was this verse:

Psalm 143:8

Let me hear Your loving kindness in the morning; For I trust in You; Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to You I lift up my soul.

Later on that afternoon I was sitting in a church reading my bible and reading my commentary. The subject that day was all about God's will and how He will reveal it to us right when we need it. It also talked about how to find God's will. But, this quote really stuck out to me:

"When we are what God wants us to be, He is in control and our will is merged with His will, and therefore HE gives us the desires HE has planted in our hearts."

All of these events lately have been a little strange to me. Because of the way they have occured I know they were straight from God. It amazes me that a God who is in control of everything in the universe still takes notice of my life. He takes notice of what is going on in my life and what I am dealing with. I don't deserve His attention. I guess I am just amazed that God would take time to encourage me. Even on the days when I am so busy I barely even think of spending time with Him. Even when I am so consummed with myself that I am wallowing in self pity.

I hate pity parties. But sometimes I am guilty of throwing them.

Anyways...I guess that is a tiny piece of what God has been doing lately. I know He has a lot to do in my life and a lot to show me over the next couple months. This is a good thing. And, since I have time, I guess I don't need to worry about it too much.

Fall break is over. And it is back to school for me. I have my ethnography box due once again, at the end of this week. I am not too happy about this. haha. But, I suppose it just means I will be working hard to get all my homework done this week. Especially since our week was kind of cut short. I have three nights to do 30 entries. That will probably equal about seven hours of work!

So, I was gone on choir tour all weekend. We went to Birmingham. I got to spend the night with Grace one night! It was a lot of fun!!! I was glad to see her and talk to her once again! Choir tour wasn't so bad. I wasn't sick like last time. So that made it a lot better to start off with. But, it was good to make new friends.

My family surprised me and showed up at the concert on Sunday night! I like surprises like that! IT was really good to see them. And it was also really sad to see them go! But, I did get to eat with them after the concert. So that was nice.

choir tour is technically not over until Wednesday night. We have another concert in Toccoa on Wednesday night at a Senior Citizen conference. lol.

I am glad to be back. I slept in this morning instead of going to work out because I was so tired from the tour. Choir was called off for this afternoon which will give me a chance to go workout this afternoon and it will give me a chance to get a lot of work done! I need to do that even though I really don't feel like getting back into classes. Sometimes I wonder if I was really cut out for college. haha. I like it sometimes. But, at other times I just really don't feel like doing all of the work I have to do!

Well, I guess I better go get some of that work done!

No Use Crying Over Spilled Milk

Have you ever heard the phrase,"There's no use crying over spilled milk?" It's true...there is no use crying over something small like that. But, today I actually spilled my milk. No worries...I didn't cry about it. However, it got me to thinking about that phrase. And the fact that sometimes, when you are upset about things, and everything keeps piling up on top of each other, you hold things all in until you do something small like spill your glass of milk and that somehow turns on the faucet of emotions. THere are some days when EVERYTHING seems to be going wrong. And, spilling your milk is maybe the last straw of the day where you just want to break down and cry. Sometimes when one thing goes bad so does everything else. I don't know why days seem to happen like that. What goes up must come down, they say.

God has been speaking to me a lot lately. I hate it when He speaks through pain. But, sometimes that is God's megaphone. Or it is His way of getting our attention and saying,"Slow down and pay attention". I don't like that kind of situation. But, I think the more I live through it the better I am for it. Lately God has been showing me how truly disgusting sin is in His sight. We tend to down play our own sin and build other people's sin up. But, in the end, it is all disgusting and selfish. I never want God to mourn over my sin as I have with the sins that others have committed against me. But I know He has. I want to remember forever what it is like to truly feel the disgust of a specific sin and realize that God thinks all sins are that disgusting. THere is no candy coating with God. There is no "well, this sin was just a small one". It is still sin and it still cannot dwell in His presence.

I think I have a lot of things to work through right now. I feel like once again I am being broken down in a painful way so God can build me back up into something more like Himself. I hate the painful times in life. These past two years has held a lot of those times for me. But, there is something amazing about even realizing throughout it all that God has a purpose. And that there is never a hopeless moment in a christians life. No matter how big or small the trial is they are facing. Finding joy in the pain is something that is hard to do. But, it is something I want to learn to accomplish.

So, while I may not cry over spilled milk. I may be pushing tears aside all day long from painful things and then when I do something small, like spill milk, it is the last straw and I break down and cry.

My room mate said something really good the other day. I was upset. And, I told her that I hated crying sometimes. I felt like such a baby. I hate feeling all girly and emotional. She took me out to eat and she said something that I had never really thought about. She said tears (in her eyes) were God's gift to us. It allows us to express things and emotions that we cannot express in words. There is something truly freeing about having a good cry. She's right. How cruel would it have been for God to leave us here in a sinful world without a release mechanism for the crap we go through. Sometimes, just to cry and express pain in a way I couldn't if I used words, is a truly amazing thing. So, even though I wish I was less emotional, I thank God for tears!!! Some days I just need tears. And, I always need to refreshing of God's Word and His comfort.

I am truly let down by this world. I am truly let down by others. I am truly let down by myself. I long for a day when this won't happen anymore. But, for now, I will just use it to make me stronger and better.



Me and Alicia ate lunch together today at Sonic. This is a picture of me and her! I have missed her a lot lately :(

Tomorrow it is off to B-Ham for Choir Tour. Keep me in your prayers if you think about it. Mainly that I will have patience with people and love for those I am in contact with. As well as a good attitude about it!

An Ode To Squirrels (and other things)...

I have a bad attitude about choir tour. I really just don't want to go. I need to somehow get a good attitude about it or it could be miserable for me.

I am sick. I feel as if I might have the flu or something. I will spare you all the gory details though. Either way I still went about my day. I could barely stand it during choir though. I just wanted to go lie down.

We had dinner in gate cottage in anticipation of choir tour.

Tomorrow is my last day of classes for this week. Thursday I get to sleep in as long as I want to. I am looking forward to having half a day of relaxation before leaving for tour.

This song has become close to my heart these past two days, it's by Plumb:

"I Can't Do This"

I woke up late

Guess I'm never really early

I hesitate, only to fail

I get so tired, of procrastinating

I need a change

[Chorus:]

I can't do this,I can't do this,

I can't do this by myself

I can't do this,I can't do this,

Oh God I need Your help

I'm standing still

Move so peaceful

I can't pretendThat I'm fine

I get so ill, crazy agitated

When I

[Chorus]

I can't do this,I can't do this,
I can't do this by myself
I can't do this,I can't do this,
Oh God I need Your help

Press into me

Breathe the air

Bask in me

You'll be free

To do anything

Alicia Her is int own! I am so excited to see her. She is the person who I will miss on choir tour. I won't have her waking me up in the middle of the night going "Who dat?" (she's asian). haha. I get to hang out with her tomorrow...So I am excited about this!

Anyways...I will end with sort of a depressing story about my day.

This morning I was headed to the gym (as I always am on Tuesday and Thursday morning). I am admiring the beauty of God's creation. And, I notice that for some reason an enormous amount of squirrels are out playing. I get to the guard shack and all the sudden I see two squirrels playing in the middle of the road. One of them runs to the side and hops away into the forest. While the other one starts to spaz (in true squirrel fashion). I decide to dodge it because as I start getting closer I realize it is not going to get out of my way. Well, I decide to go to the left because he looks like he is going to stand still. But, right as I do that he decides to dodge to the direction I am headed in. So, alas, I don't hear a crunch. So, I think to myself,"Man, that was a close call! THank goodness I didn't hit him" Well, I look in my rearview mirror to see little squirrely flopping around. And, I started getting really upset when I realized I didn't actually kill him. I just hit him hard enough to where it would take him a while to die and he would have a painful death. I called my mom because I didn't know what to do. I didn't know if I should go get him and take him to the Vet's office to see if they could repair him. I thought at least I should move him to the other side of the road. However, it didn't happen. She told me it might bite me. So, I refrained. I went all the way to the gym only to find out it was closed. And on my way back I looked for my little squirrel friend only to find him dead in the road. It made me really sad. This is the first animal I have ever killed.

THe rest of the day whenever I would see a squirrel (which is a lot on TFC's campus) I would think to myself,"Did I just kill his wife, or mother? Brother, or cousin?" I will never be able to look at a squirrel the same! SAD DAY!

You Can't Use A Sponge!

This weekend was really busy for me. It seemed really long and really short all at once. I don't know how it is that time can seem like that, however, a lot of times it does crawl/fly all at once.

Friday night I spent at least an hour trying to rent the movie Evan Almighty. They didn't have it available anywhere in Gwinnett county. It was all checked out. haha. So, I opted for watching "The Astronaut Farmer" and eating cookies. NEVER watch that movie...by the way. It is one of the dumbest movies I have ever seen. It is on up there with Benji or Win Dixie....haha.

On Saturday I did something that I do not do often, and I am unwilling to do for many things. It takes something special to get me up on Saturday afternoons. Especially if it isn't against my will. But, this saturday I woke up at 6:45 and went to a seminar in Stone Mountain at the Wycliffe branch. It was called "explore Wycliffe". It was pretty much a seminar from 8:30-3:00 all about Wycliffe and how it works and what all it involves. Plus, you got to ask questions. There were only 20 people present, plus three Wycliffe workers that were there to tell you about their experience. It was set in a room that they'd made into a smaller museum on Wycliffe. It was pretty interesting because they had a shelf containing all the bibles they had printed thus far and what language they were in. They have completed 700 translation projects so far. There are over 1,000 in progress and over 2,000 more to go! But, they still have their vision of 2025. They want to have a translation STARTED in every language by that year. I really was impressed by their organization besides the fact that they have to raise their own support. It is kind of a turn off for me when I hear that. For many reasons. Part of it being I feel like we should work for our money. I don't want to be foolish when God has given me two hands and not support myself. I don't want to have to rely on other people to support me in life. If I start a missions project I want to finish it. No questions asked. Anyways...I really enjoyed being there (even on a Saturday) and hearing all about it. It was a really cool place. There were some really nice people there to talk to about it.

Saturday night the choir had a concert that I thought would NEVER end. It was the 100th anniversary of our school. And since it was homecoming weekend they had a big celebration. haha. Unfortunately the college choir was part of that. But, Carlye spent the night with me and I got to go on a walk and talk with her for the first time in a while!

Sunday I went to the PAC again and the cutest little Asian man said I looked just like Jessica Alba. I just laughed and said,"YEAH RIGHT!" haha. And he goes,"Really, really!" haha. Man, at least you guys can see clearly...I am nothing like her. She is tall. I am short. She is SUPER stick skinny. I am do not look like I am about to blow away in the wind. She is brunette. I am more blondish. haha. She is tan. I am WHITE! But, bless that little man's heart. He made my day. It has been interesting going to that church. Daron preached and he did a really good job.

Today I had a mid term in my World Literature class. I think I did alright on it. Tomorrow I have my Sociolinguistics exam. I have a lot of studying to do tonight! It is hard material to learn but it is really fun! so, I know I won't mind studying for it too much. It's active learning. I get to make sounds and figure things out instead of just sit there and read over things for hours on end!

Choir tour starts on Thursday.

I don't have classes after Wednesday. I actually get to sleep in as long as I want on Thursday. I am so exhausted. I think I will definitely need that before fall break happend. I won't be getting much sleep on choir tour.

Anyways...this is a song by Nichole Nordeman (of course) that God has been speaking to me through lately. Maybe it will mean something to as well. It goes right along with some things I am struggling with in regards to my faith.

I believe in the rest of the story
I believe there's still ink in the pen
I have wasted my very last day
Trying to change what happened way back when

I believe it's the human condition
We all need to have answers to why
More than ever, I'm ready to say that I
Will still sleep peacefully
With answers out of reach from me until?

Someday all that's crazy
All that's unexplained
Will fall into place
And someday all that's hazy
Through a clouded glass
Will be clear at last
And sometimes we're just waiting
For someday

We are born with a lingering hunger
We are born to be unsatisfied
We are strangers who can't help but wander
And dream about the other side of?

Every puzzle's missing piece
Every unsolved mystery
More than half of every whole
Rests in the Hands that hold you for someday?.

I will end with a great quote by AW Tozer: "Trying to absorb the depths of the Bible is like trying to mop up the ocean floor with a sponge"

I hope everyone is having a great week!

Greek Literature...Who Cares?

So...I HATE GREEK DRAMA. I really really do. I do not care if the greeks invented literature. I still hate it. Why must we read something that you can't even understand from hundreds of years ago that is simply (apparently) a good story. THere are plenty of good stories out there that you can understand. No matter how many times you read a piece of greek literature it still needs an interpreter. ANd I hate things like that. I am glad that Homer, Ovid, Virgil, etc were good writers. But, I don't care to read their literature. I was fine with it at first. The Illiad and the Odyssey got on my nerves but I was at least a little interested in the plot and what the teacher had to say. But, it keeps getting more and more ridiculous and therefore keeps getting on my nerves more and more. Besides, in Greek literature you have the gods. And with the gods comes tons of information that can get confusing. Also, each one of the gods has a greek name and a latin name. I DO NOT CARE WHAT THEIR TEN NAMES ARE! I just want to know one name for someone. I have a hard enough time remembering one name for anyone in the world, much less more than that. IT means the same thing anyways...why do we have to know both? WE had a quiz today and it was like,"What is the latin name for Aphrodite" "What is the latin name for Zeus". AHHH! I know those names, I know that Aphrodite is the goddess of love and Poisedon is the god of the sea. But, honestly..I don't keep up with their ten names. Do YOU care what my name would be in chinese? Do you care what my name would be in german? Didn't think so! You only care about one of my names. And that is my name in english.

I think one aspect is that my teacher is offensive sometimes in the way he refers to sexual things. And it makes me mad. I am not immature in the way that you can't mention the word sex in front of me without me giggling. I am in college. But, you have to handle the word in a certain manner without it offending me. It's not a joke to me. It isn't something to refer to with slang. It is something God designed for marriage and I think there is a certain amount of sacredness that it should be treated with. And, I am really getting fed up with how he is talking about it lately. Yet, I am not about to go up to him and be like,"Let's talk about how you talk about sex". Besides, I don't want to know all the "behind the scenes sexual things that are implied".

Alright..I will get off that soap box. Greek literature is getting on my nerves today. Mainly because my teacher is rubbing me the wrong way in the way he is dealing with certain things. But, no one is perfect. I mean, I would probably not be fair in everything either if I were a teacher.

on a different note: This weekend is really busy for me. I have a recital tonight. Tomorrow I have a seminar to attend and a choir concert tomorrow night. Carlye is in town and she is spending the night tomorrow night with me! I am glad to see her. Sunday I am back to Lawrenceville. The pastor asked me to help out teaching the little kids at the PAC (people alliance church). It is the church plant I am helping out with. All the little kids are asian. God really keeps putting all this asian related stuff in my path lately. But, I think it will be a growing experience considering they have all kids (6-12) in one room to be taught during the worship service. I don't even know where to begin. We are also supposed to help them get together a promo video and a salvation video for their church. It's all new for me! We will see how it goes!

So, my weekend is jam packed!

PSYCHO KILLER MONKEYS ARE ON THE LOOSE...

Today is a beautiful day! I am glad because yesterday was rainy. And, I really can only handle the rain for so long. RAin makes me want to stay inside, put on my pjs and read, watch a movie or just go to sleep. Luckily I only have one class on Tuesdays and THursdays.

The sunshine keeps me going during the day. I am SO TIRED this week. I haven't figured out why that is. But, I am just physically exhausted in so many ways. I hope it goes away.

I am trying to get things done this week so I won't have to do them next week. Next week is when midterms roll around. So, keep that in your prayers :)

Last night I spent two hours with PJ Cha. She is my informant for my Sociolinguistics class. She also happens to live with me. I have a four page paper due on the Hmong culture. By the end of the semester I have to learn some of her language. I really LOVED hearing about her culture and just the ways it is different from AMerican culture. I find other cultures fascinating. I feel like this is the kind fo thing I was made for. I love other cultures. I love people that aren't anything like me. I love the thought of one day getting to live around a lot of people different from me and getting to figure them out and talking to them about Jesus. I know it isn't going to be all fun and games. I know it will be hard. But, it is what I find the most joy in. I could have talked to PJ about her culture for longer than two hours! I find it interesting that other people can do things so different and yet still have valid reasons for why they do things. In America we tend to think our way is the best way to do everything. Which is just really silly. PJ did tell me about this one ritual that the Hmong's do that I found really randoma nd hilarious. When a bride gets married before she enters her new home to family gets a chicken (that is alive) and flings it in her face. haha. THis is to welcome her into her new home. WHAT A WELCOME!!! PJ said,"I don't think I want them to do that at my wedding...I am scared of chickens!" haha.

Since Pj has been in America her whole life she is removed from her culture a lot but she still holds to a lot of their traditions.

Anyways...don't want to bore all of you.

Meredith told me about two things yesterday that I found particular interest in for some reason. So, just so you know I am stealing these stories from her. If it weren't for her I wouldn't know about them. However, because of her I will share them. I think they are pretty fascinating. ANd, I just love to hear about things going on around the world instead of just the things going on in the United STates. I don't want to only be concerned with my own people and country.

This first link is to a story that is taking place in Kenya right now. It is really scary/weird at the same time. There are apparently monkeys that are sexually harassing the women over there. I am being serious about it too. Take a look:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6959209.stm

Check out the other article too. IT is about Chinese adoption (something close to my heart):
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=486083&in_page_id=1811


The world is kind of crappy. So, at any time I would be glad to have Jesus come back and take me to be with him.


Dreams are nothing more than wishes
And a wish's just a dream you wish to come true
If only I could have a puppy
I'd call myself so very lucky
Just to have some company
To share a cup of tea with me
I'd take my puppy everywhere
La la la la I wouldn't care
Then we'll stay away from crowds
With signs that say no dogs allowed
Oh we... I know he'd never bite me
We... I know he'd never bite me

If only I could have a friend
Who sticks with me until the end
And walk along beside the sea
To share a bit of moon with me
I'd take my friend most everywhere
La la la la I wouldn't care
And we'll stay away from crowds
With signs that say no friends allowed
Oh we...we'd be so happy to be...
We...we'd be so happy to be together

But dreams are nothing more than wishes
And a wish's just a dream you wish to come true
Dreams are nothing more than wishes(Your wish will come true)
And a wish's just a dream (Your wish will come true)
You wish to come true (Your wish will come true)

Just a fun song! ANd, I like it! haha.