Happy Year of Newness

I just HAD to post one more time in 2009.

Hehe.

2009 - The year where I knew without a shadow of a doubt that God knows me. Me. Little me with my happy and sad times. He was/is/will be so faithful. God is too wise to make a mistake and too good to be unkind. You know, I think I can trust Him. With everything. And I do.

2010 - ???

but I do know that He is already there.

Christmas 09

Our ideal Christmas is spent at home. Sleep in. Big Breakfast. Gifts. Big Meal. Games. Being Together.

Dad's gag gift from Andrew: Red Plastic Cups and Plates! Great Value even! :P

Hmmm...wonder what this could be? I'm such a clever wrapper!

Gifts from Dad and Mom - this is all too much!!

A wonderful Christmas day being with the ones I love remembering the One who gave His love.

No Skeletons

I checked.

This was my closet this morning:

Several bags of trash and Goodwill stuff later --- this is my closet now! :)

Much better!!

just read it and you'll find out ;)

Well it is nearly Monday morning.

What a sleepy weekend I've had. I finally succumbed and went to the doctor on Friday and got an antibiotic, and subsequently felt much worse on Saturday, but alas I felt some better today. Ah - the joys of sickness. I have been sleeping a lot which is rather nice seeing that I haven't gotten much the last few weeks.

One more exam. A few more chapters of reading. A portfolio to turn in. Financial registration to sign. And then I'm DONE! With my 7th semester of college!!! Wahoo!!!

My dear aunt Brenda bought me Avalon's Christmas CD which I LOVE! Oh and I uploaded 50 of my favorite Christmas songs, and I stopped at 50 cuz it is such a nice number.

Our Christmas tree is finally decorated. *YAY* And Dad and I watched It's a Wonderful Life last night. Such a wonderful movie - for real - I love it.

The big news is I'm working FULL TIME over Christmas break. Yep - not sure how I'm gonna make it either. I love my breaks. Oh well, I need the money to pay my bills. I am now officially hired by an Ameriprise Financial Advisor. I'm really excited about this new chapter of my life!

I'm kinda saddened because on Tuesday, I will be saying goodbye to two dear friends for quite some time. :( Ah - change is not always easy.

But Thursday, Mom and I are going out on the town. Here's a hint - we will be on Elm Street in Cincy and I'm wearing my new gold sequined heels. ;) Hey I just paid like $7.50 for them and you should have seen the shoes my friend Rach bought! ;)

Sometimes it is so nice to get on here and just type whatever comes to your brain. Lol.

I wish you all, dear friends, a LOVELY week. :D

Mi Familia

Family is:

where probably 90% of you drink coffee - enough to keep two coffee pots busy.

when you play 31 games of Uno, mostly the "crazy" type till after 1 in the morning.

Family is driving through the snow once, turning back, and trying again.

Family is singing, playing, clapping, and occassionly clogging.

Family is sitting around camp, eating ham sandwiches and chips, with the snow falling outside.

Family is crowding 9 people and a dog into a Jeep in order to get across the creek.

Family is getting with cousins, laughing and joking, and jumping over chairs (for some).

Family is setting the camera on a rock on the self-timer setting, and scrambling over rocks to get in place before the picture takes.

"You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you as you are to them." - Desmond Tutu

"The great gift of family life is to be intimately acquainted with people you might never even introduce yourself to, had life not done it for you." - Kendall Hailey

"When you look at life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses." - Joyce Brothers

[Brain] Storm

...

So many thoughts

a crashin' in my head

...

A Little Heart-talk

~Cinnamin Toast Crunch makes for a tasty snack. Selah and the Isaacs make for some good listening, and sing-along music. I'm glad to be home. :)

~Just wrapped up a 20.55 hour work week at Panera Bread. Larry and Sandy, a dear couple who are regulars at work, don't know how I'm making it. I tell them that it is by God's strength and His alone. One of my work buddies asked me to pray for his girlfriend who got beat up by her ex. My manager apologizes for his cursing. Another regular Pete, says I'm such a good girl that he can't help but tip me. (I think the bag of goodies I give him help too. lol.) I tell him that I'm only a good girl because I serve a good God. Another guy invites me to go out and smoke with them or just bring food out and be with them. I politely decline. My mind thinks of the verse in Matthew: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven" (5:16 KJV). Now, I'm not sharing all this to boast. I'm just humbled that God is using me to be a light in a very dark world. I'm even more determined to represent Him well and to do all for His glory.

~I'm so thankful that I serve a God who hears my prayers. I was so blessed on Sunday as Mr. Wolf and the choral ensemble sang that song with the band.

Yes I know He hears my prayer, and He knows my every care. Jesus gives, gives to me, victory blessed victory. Praise the Lord, I feel Him now. Loyalty I to Him vow. Yes I know, Savior hears, I know He hears my prayer.

~Wow! I want to experience more of the power of prayer in my own life, because I know God wants to hear from me. He cares about me and my problems. And in Him, I can find peace in every situation.

~I'm just feeling thankful and blessed tonight, and I wanted to share. God is so good all the time. I'm finding Him to be all that I need. I'm thankful for His Word. I'm learning to let it guide my life, my thinking, and my actions. I'm thankful for the people God has placed in my life - to encourage me, challenge me, laugh and cry with me. I so appreciate the family of God.

~Well, just wanted to share from my heart tonight....

You know...

I should blog more.

I really miss it.

I miss the mountains...

Was it really a week ago that I was on my way to WV? Goodness the time flies. Well, I have been to WV and back - climbed a mountain (well, the trails, at least), walked in the creek (loved that!), played some music, talked and laughed with family, and ate lots of yummy food! Some pics:

The "Rocks" (Seneca)

Lee and I wearing our cousin's firemen coats. Isn't that cool - they are younger than me and on the volunteer fire department!

Katie, Emily, and I - in the creek! :)

The view from the top of the Rocks.

This week has been busy - I'm looking forward to being HOME tomorrow night! :)

I just want to say that I am so blessed to be surrounded by awesome people. From my immediate family to extended family, my teachers and GBS administrators and staff, my friends and classmates, church family - I'm truly blessed to have you all in my life! :)

Well, the hour is quite late and I need to go to bed. I must have a profitable day tomorrow if I'm going to have a successful week. It's just hard being disciplined! lol.

I bid thee all a good night.

A Late Night Post

Hi everybody! It's nearly one a.m. I've been getting caught up with my blog and facebook. I'm trying just to keep this to the weekends - gotta get all the homework done! I've put some more music on this blog if anyone is interested. Thank God for music - it is such a huge part of my life! :)

Well...still working at Panera. Covered a shift for someone tonight and working again tomorrow. A lot of times I'm thinking (as I'm mopping, sweeping, cleaning bathrooms), "I know this is building character...some day I'll look back and be thankful for the experience and lessons I've learned." Trying to stay positive. Lol. It really isn't that bad.

I'm heading to the mountains next weekend - really looking forward to that.

I blew through a red light today. It hardly even registered in my brain. Thankfully no one was coming through the intersection. I hate it when I just blank out like that!! And it is embarrassing when you have people with you! :/

This is early, but I'm looking forward to Christmas. I listened to some clips from Avalon's Christmas stuff - love their music! And I'm looking forward to wearing my brown boots (you know...when it gets colder). :)

Oh GBS is doing a trial dress code change. Basically on Tuesday's and Thursday's we can wear jean as long as we don't look too frumpy. It's been nice! :)

Today I was reminded that as a Christian, I am either positively or negatively reflecting Christ. My facial expressions, attitude, words, are all being closely watched and evaluated and judged by the world. God - may I be a worthy ambassador for You!

Tonight as I was driving home, I heard Everlasting God by Chris Tomlin on the radio and wanted to share the scripture that it is based from.

Isaiah 40:28-31

"Have you not known? Have you not heard?

The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.

Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;

but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary;

they shall walk and not faint."

Have a blessed weekend remembering that the Creator God knows and loves you! "We should be able to get a smile out of at least one side of our face!" (Mr. Wolf)

Tired...

just about doesn't cover how I'm feeling right now. sigh But the week is nearly over and I've survived. Classes have started. In three of my classes, my professors said that they were their favorite to teach which excites me. I did decide to add an AA in Music Ministry to my degree and had my first piano lesson from Mrs. Miller today. I'm extremely excited about this...I can already tell you that it's going to be a struggle for me to discipline myself to do homework because I will want to be practicing the piano instead!

Revival this week was exactly what I needed. Bro. Chris Cravens preached one sermon that was so specifically for me, it was indeed a "God-thing." I'm so thankful that my Shepherd knows exactly where I'm at, and I'm striving to hear and obey His voice. I will let Him be God even if I don't understand His ways. I'm trusting Him.

Can I be open with you? I'm so tired of working at Panera. From Aug. 24 to Sept. 5, I will have worked around 45 hours. Too much for this girl! I'm cutting back to one night a week and will be focusing on school work and piano! But I am thankful for the money which will help out in the next month or two.

Well...I need to get to bed. Looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow before heading to work. I'm looking up and resting in Him.

Ps. 121 - ESV

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?

My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.

The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

My Last Day

Today is my last weekday before classes. It's 10 a.m. and it's already been good. Got up and drove Andrew to school and helped him study his spelling words on the way. Swung by Eden Park and walked and read my Bible by the little waterfall. It is a beautiful morning. And I'm going to do the wash today, play the keyboard, tidy up my room, order a few more books, work on my portfolio, and work at Panera tonight. Sounds kinda busy, but it's okay. Just enjoying my last day home.

Some verses that have been on my mind lately:

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope in him.' The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." Lamentations 3:22-26 ESV

Have a blessed day! :)

~* ~* ~*

Ps. 8:3-4 ESV

"When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,

what is man that you are mindful of him,

and the son of man that you care for him?"

We walked outside and looked into the black sky. It was half past twelve. We watched for a few moments and then decided to walk into the back yard. The grass was still wet and cold from a rain shower earlier that evening, but now the sky was as clear as glass. And then we saw it - a ball of fire streak across the sky and then into oblivion. A blink of the eye and it would have gone unnoticed. He raced inside and turned off my bedroom light and then brought the trampoline out into the middle of the yard. We crawled up onto the still wet trampoline and lay down with a sky full of twinkling stars as our focus. Every few minutes we would see another streak of a meteor. Each time it was a wonder. All you could do is gasp and point. "Look over there! Did you see it?" As we lay there, we talked about life, God, friends, the future. We chuckled and laughed. We exclaimed over the stars. We saw two giant meteors right over our heads - God's own fireworks. Finally around two in the morning, we waited until we saw "one more" and wet, cold, yet warm inside, we went off to bed.

God gave me him as a brother, but I have chosen him as a friend.
I love you Andrew.

Oh Me...Oh My...It Can't be August!!!

...but it is. :( Summer is going oh so fast. I'm trying to fit it all in. More pictures :)

We had a baptismal service a couple of weeks ago. Several of our kids wanted to be baptized! I love these kiddos!

Noah

Issiah

Last weekend we went to Hocking Hills. Had fun snapping a few pictures:

This is my favorite. We were down in a canyon when I took this.

My very fun fam!

Serious roots!

And more cool roots!

And then a couple of weeks ago, Mandy and Cory came to visit. They are our cousins from Kansas. We had a great time! :)

We went to the bean field across the road to take some pictures. :)

Lot's of fun! :)

-- Well, school starts soon. I must accept this! Lol. Please pray for me...I'm considering doing a AA in Music in addition to my B.A. but there are a lot of things to think about. Trusting God though...He's my shepherd and I know He'll provide and guide.<

-- Two big days tomorrow...but looking forward to hanging out with some friends, spending the night with my aunt, babysitting some cool kids, two days at summer camp, and a night working at Panera. Gotta get ready.

-- One more thing...I love teaching my kids at church! They are such a blessing! Tonight I told the story about Mary and Martha and how Jesus wants us to spend time listening to Him. There will always be work and busyness, but we (I) must spend time at the feet of my Savior!

-- Blessings! :)

The Return of the Mangy Mailbox Monster

Our poor innocent little mailbox...now broken and torn by the horrible monster. Why must he choose our little mailbox...aren't there millions of others that he could assault...but no...it's ours over and over again. I think this is probably the third or fourth time he's eaten ours for a midnight snack. My neighbor just shook her head and tossed me the mailbox lid that had flown over in her yard. The monster has gotten hers too several times...and their neighbors. I'm pretty sure I heard the attack last night...the noise of the truck barreling down the road...the point of impact...such horrible sounds. I ran to the window...but alas...it was too dark to see the destruction. But the morning light showed the sad little mailbox lying helpless in the driveway amidst the falling rain.

Pictorial Recap

Hey everybody!! Life has been busy the last few days...but a lot of fun. Here is what I've been up to:

(This picture won't go down to its spot so it will be first...lol ) Monday night I took my brother bowling as a very belated birthday present, and we got a sweet deal! Two hours of bowling for the two of us + shoes for $10!! The guy accidentally gave us another hour! Cool huh? We played 7 1/2 games! :) It was very fun!

I set out Thursday (July 9) after work and drove to Charleston, WV, and spent the night with my aunt, uncle, and cousins. Then Leanna and I got up and hiked through the woods Friday morning. We had lunch and then I headed down to NC to visit Katie and her family. It was a wonderful, first road trip by myself! :)

On the trail ... I fell through this bridge on the way back...hehe.

Millie found all the mud holes... :)

The woods were so green.

My cousin Leanna and I on the top of the mountain.

At Katie's, we enjoyed taking walks every night down a side road.

Jenna and Thumper

Katie took me to a tea house! It was so special! :)

Katie and I - sisters at heart :)

(This is out of order...) The pretty sunset on my way home from Charleston. Yes I was snapping pictures as I was driving - but I lived. :)

Katie and I made pavlova. We ate a lot of this dessert in Ireland!

Yummy Pavlova!

All the girls - Me, Kirsten, Katie, Mrs. Kaufman, Katrina, and Jenna. It was a blast having sisters for the weekend! :)

Last weekend, Lucas was back in Cincy so we went on a date Friday night and out bowling with friends on Saturday. It was so wonderful being with him! :)

Lucas' group, Faith, was at my church Sunday morning. They did an awesome job! It was a very special service. They came to my house for lunch, and then they were off to AYC.

I've also been working at a Summer Camp this summer. I usually help drive kids to parks and on field trips. We have lots of fun together! This beautiful field of sunflowers is across from a park that we go to, so we got a few pics! :) (Oh and we had two more adults with us...don't worry! :P)

This fellow was way taller than the rest!


So happy!

Ms. Dana (the Summer Camp Leader) and I

So that is what I've been up to. I've been very busy with work - Summer Camp and Panera, but I'm thankful for the work and usually it's a lot of fun too! I can't believe summer is nearly over. :( I guess summer will never quite be like it was when I was a kid since I have two jobs now. Wow...that's depressing. But...I'm gonna try and enjoy every last moment of blessed "summerdom." And be sure that I'll share all that I do with you! :)

Smile - it's still summer!!! :D