My Life........Uscripted

Surrealness

2011-11-29T22:01:00.000-06:00

Words cannot express what I felt at Pearl Harbor. I think I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Day 1 :: Waikiki Beach

2011-11-16T14:14:00.000-06:00

When we arrived at the hotel, we checked in and then googled where the nearest Star*bucks was located. :)

After lunch and a quick nap, Grandma and I headed out to explore Waikiki.

This was our view from the hotel room....(almost like Guatemala City...)

The glistening water....

Coming back from the beach, we stumbled across this show in an outdoor mall! Little did I know, we would see the same thing several times throughout the week! :)

And that officially ends Day 1 in Hawaii! Come back later for Day 2!! :)

Day 0 :: Travel to Hawaii

2011-11-14T21:24:00.000-06:00

I packed up my belongings and headed to the bayou on Wednesday (8/10/11). Once I got there, I spent the night at Grandma's and then boarded a plane bound for Houston.

We ended up being delayed half an hour which gave me time to grab dinner at my home away from home. (aka Starbucks) A few disney shows later, we arrived in Phoenix at midnight fifteen. :)

Needless to say, I was ready to S-L-E-E-P. I should have seen it coming...or my future self could have told me NOT to even bother going to sleep. Well, after tossing and turning for an hour, I finally fell asleep. But, Grandma bumped into the wall rather loudly which jolted me awake! :p Yeah, not fun. I ended up laying there in the bed playing with my phone until it was time for breakfast. Looking back I should have taken the time to journal, pray, and prepare for the trip ahead but, alas, that did not happen. *sigh* Anyway, after eating a quick breakfast, we headed to the airport and boarded our flight to Hawaii. :)

Guess what color Hawaiian Airlines was....? ;)

If I ever travel to Hawaii again, I am flying Hawaiian Airlines. They are extremely helpful and feed you like crazy!! Seriously. I would fly them all. the. time.!! ;)

Best.Airplane.Food.Ever.

Me, extremely tired *sigh* after 36 hours of travel on 8 hours of sleep.

On our way to the hotel....

More pretty pictures to come! :)

My Entire Summer Vacation In 11 Days

2011-10-08T13:41:00.001-05:00

So, I've been to the 50th state and back (and lived to tell about it). Barely. Jet lag was horrible both ways, but worth it! Maybe. 25/75. 25% of the time, it was fun. 75% of the time, not so good. (think jetlag, caring for the elderly, sushi = food poisoning, someone doesn't understand the word "freestyle cruising", etc.)

Anyway, I did manage to enjoy the beauty of Hawaii and take in the sun! So with that said, please join me here––one last time––to see the Aloha State through my eyes. :)

I have to make a stop at Starbucks first, though. ;)

Keep Holding On

2011-09-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

So, the verdict is out......I'm packing up camp and headed to a new location. Follow me here.

I realize that this style of blogging, online journalism, is not for me anymore. So, I created a new blog to journal but, in a different way. Thanks for following me faithfully these past (almost) three years! Now, off to the next adventure!! :)

Aloha!

2011-08-13T01:44:00.000-05:00

Hey, yall! I am blogging from Hawaii right now! I cannot believe that I am here! Ahhh! :)

So far, its been a little bumpy. :/ I am surviving on 3 hours of sleep. not fun. I hope you to get some extra rest tonight!

I do have some hilarious pots coming soon that I can write on my iPhone. I just wanted to use the computer! :)

Aloha! (again)

I'm Leaving On A Jet Plane....

2011-08-12T10:00:00.002-05:00

By the time you read this, I should be en route or in the Aloha State! I am beyond excited!! I honestly think that this is all a dream! :) See ya when I'm back! XD

P.S. Check my Flickr for pictures!

So, I created another blog.....

2011-08-11T00:24:00.000-05:00

Could y'all give me some comments/suggestions? Thanks!

http://joyisnothappiness.blogspot.com/2011/08/help-i-need-ideas.html

Pictures From The Field

2011-08-10T09:49:00.002-05:00

Here are just some brief snapshots of me and my friends teaching 5-day clubs around town.
I hope you enjoy them! :)

Bullet Points.

2011-08-09T10:28:00.001-05:00

My mind is in overload and so, I feel like making a list using bullet points. Here goes something.....

I have so much stuff to do before I leave for a 10-day vacay with my grandma. I'm not even halfway down my list. I blame it on Di*rect T*V....yeah..
All my classes start the week I'm gone which means I have to be one step ahead of everybody in all my classes.
I also have to finish chemistry before I leave......(*shakes head* not happening)
I can drive legally.....but, thats beside the point. Just thought I'd tell you that.... ;)
I have a boatload of pictures that I still have to edit and draft posts to put on my blog. (aka my online journal)
My new favorite series is Anne Of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. Now, I want to watch the movies.
Some of my friends are starting college next week.
I have exactly two more years until that happens to me.
Did you know that bananas and ice-cream are an excellent combination? Ask me how I know.... :) (inspiration here.)
One of my favorite photographers did an awesome shoot with this wonderful family. go check her and them out here.
Also, I didn't forget about the giveaway. Sean, you will get something special from Hawaii! Of course, I could extend the giveaway but, nah! This just proves who actually reads my blog. =o
Idk what else to write so, I'm done now. :)

Facebook And Twitter Couldn't Handle This.....

2011-08-08T10:37:00.001-05:00

{Recently, I have been listening to David Platt's sermons on Galatians. This has to be one of my favorite books in the Bible. At the beginning of the last one in the series, there was this incredibly long quote by John Piper that was too big to post on Facebook and maxed out the character count on Twitter. So, I wanted to post it here. I hope you read and understand the seriousness of it. And if you would like to listen to the sermon, you can click here. }

“You don’t have to know a lot of things for your life to make a lasting difference in the world. But you do have to know the few great things that matter, and to be willing to live for them and die for them. The people that make a durable difference in the world are not the people who have mastered many things, but who have been mastered by a few great things. If you want your life to count, if you want the ripple effect of the pebbles you drop to become waves that reach the ends of the earth and roll on for centuries into eternity, you don't have to have a high IQ; you don't have to have to have good looks or riches; you don't have to come from a fine family or a fine school. You have to know a few great, majestic, unchanging, obvious, simple, glorious things, and be set on fire by them.”

“But, I know that not all of you want your life to make a difference. There are many of you, you don’t care whether you make a lasting difference for something great. You just want people to like you or if you could just grow up and have a good job with a good wife or a husband and a couple of good kids and a nice car and long weekends and a few good friends, a fun retirement and a quick and easy death and no hell; if you could have that, you’d be satisfied.”

“That is a tragedy in the making.”
“Three weeks ago we got word at our church that Ruby Eliason and Laura Edwards had both been killed in Cameroon. Ruby was over 80. Single all her life, she poured it out for one great thing: To make Jesus Christ known among the unreached, the poor, and the sick. Laura was a widow, a medical doctor, pushing 80 years old, and serving at Ruby’s side in Cameroon. The brakes failed, the car went over the cliff, and they were both killed instantly. And I asked my people: was that a tragedy? Two lives, driven by one great vision, spent in unheralded service to the perishing poor for the glory of Jesus Christ - two decades after almost all their American counterparts have retired to throw their lives away on trifles in Florida or New Mexico."

"No, That is not a tragedy. That is a glory.”

I’ll tell you what a tragedy is. I’ll read to you from Reader’s Digest what a tragedy is. “Bob and Penny took early retirement from their jobs in the Northeast five years ago when he was 59 and she was 51. Now they live in Punta Gorda, Florida, where they cruise on their 30 foot trawler, play softball and collect shells.” The American Dream: come to the end of your life - your one and only life - and let the last great work before you give an account to your Creator, be “I collected shells. See my shells, God?” That is a tragedy. And people today are spending billions of dollars to persuade you to embrace that tragic dream. And I want to plead with you, don’t buy it.” –––John Piper, quoted by David Platt.

I'll post more later.......

Day 7 (or the only decent picture I have)

2011-08-04T09:38:00.002-05:00

This was my team for the whole week of training. I enjoyed working with each one of them! Thanks Mrs. Clevelyne for leading our team! You were an awesome leader!! :)

I really enjoyed this year at training, especially my roommate! :) Hopefully, I will be able to go again next year, LORD willing!

My Wonderful Commentary On An Assortment Of Pictures.....

2011-08-02T09:43:00.000-05:00

{Disclaimer: This post has a high amount of sarcasm.

Be warned as you read. }

Now, that title was totally sarcastic y'all. (and long. really long.) I took over 150 photographs on Day 6 of CYIA Training. So, thus begins my commentary on random pictures that have a purpose.....somewhere.

This is Pete and his "dead" people that he darted during the dart game.

That was just the start.....I think he ended up with 5 people all crammed in there...I think it was tooooo long of a lunch break. lol :)

After our incredibly long lunch break, we went to our afternoon track, entitled "How to Teach Preschoolers" or more commonly know as "Letting Your Inner Preschool Out".

Our four preschoolers surprisingly paying attention during the definition of sin.

Aunt Debbie telling them about Jesus' work on the Cross.

I love this expression on MC's face! She is definitely the comic in the bunch! :)

Something is different in this picture.....Can you tell?

Hey Sam, the 80's called, they want their hair back.

After class, it was off to study hall!

This is lovely LeAnn getting ready for Demo Club where she taught the memory verse!

You did a wonderful job, btw!

Intently, coloring our preschool examples of sin.

And this is Ruth, who decided to come and visit us for a day.

Here she is studying her Brit. Lit. bleh!

Proof that I wasn't always behind the lens..... :)

Since it was the last day of Demo Club, we had prizes to give out! :O

Little ones for the ~~losers~~ 2nd placers!

I would like to pause and publicly thank Uncle Doug and Aunt Debbie for coordinating training for all the Alabama teens and their leaders.

These people right here, have a passion for boys and girls to come to Christ and they tirelessly serve to make God's name known in all nations where they live. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

This is one of the many Sarahs at training....

Lotus!

My LSU Tiger Buddy!!! :)

I have no clue....

Much better.....

awww.....

Poor Sean.....

Demo Club with the......

........Karate Kid! ;)

LeAnn teaching the memory verse!

Ruth leading in the memory verse song.....

He came into my heart "woo!"

I can live for Him! (yes) Oh, yes I can!

Sean teaching last day missions!

The review game.....

Ivanna rocking practice club!

And Mrs. Clevelyne.....

Awkward Picture.....

Becky is ~~always~~ still confused....

What I've Come To.....

2011-07-27T20:04:00.000-05:00

So, as of late, this blog has become nothing but me trying to blog about my summer events. As you can tell, I'm not even done with CEF training pictures. yeah, I know. Its sad. :(

Anyway, I have an announcement and I want to make it clear. ok?

I'm going somewhere that looks like this.......

and this......

Can you guess where I'm going?

If you have a guess, leave a comment below and you will be entered into a drawing to win something spectacular!

It doesn't matter if you're wrong or right!

(I just wanted to have an excuse for another giveaway! :) )

Oh, and the giveaway closes next friday–––8/5/11 at 6:00pm CST.

and don't y'all think this is the cutest picture ever?? i do. :)

Organic Burger

2011-07-20T16:10:00.000-05:00

I know, I know. With all the rage about my burger on Facebook, I thought I would explain things a little bit.

1. It was my birthday.
2. I LOVE organic food.
3. This is where I wanted to go.

And just so you know, this is how it is listed on the menu.....

Yeah, despite what I described it as, it was AMAZING!! My Mom put it this way, "Best Burger in Town." and it was. Highly suggest y'all try flip burger for your next craving of that delicious beef sandwich.

Here it is in all its glory....

And the fries....Uh.mazing.

L2R: Sweet potato tots, regular fries, and zucchini fries.

You know what else was amazing?

The View.

Presents!!

(The shirt says "Stop Global Gendercide" )
find out more here.

Dessert=FroYo!

All in all, it was a good day.

On being 17.....

I think something is around the corner, I'm just not sure what. The future lies in God's Hands, I can only trust Him to direct my paths.

So, here's to being 17!

P.S. More on my driving test later! :)

17.

2011-07-18T06:48:00.001-05:00

That is my age now. yep. no turning back to 16 or 15.

This is also my last year to be considered a minor. One more year and I'm legally an adult!

C*R*A*Z*Y

Just a year ago I was anticipating turning 16 and now my birthday is here again.

(SCARY)

Anyway, I plan on taking my driving test today, go shopping, and then eat at a wonderful place (or so I have heard).

Update y'all soon! :)

**UPDATE**

The DMV office computers were down so, I'm going tomorrow! :/

Lucky Sharpies

2011-07-14T14:10:00.001-05:00

*yeah, yeah, I know I'm late but, bear with me.

Enjoy these pictures and what commentary I have. :)*

Using Shar*pies instead of spoons made for an interesting game....

Today's Track was on 'How to Teach the Saved Child'. This is also the day where Sean did not get lucky using his math/portion skills, despite serving Luck•y Charm•s.

Trying to make the class entertaining.....

"smooooooooothly....."

Oh, poor Sarah....She got hurt and this was the warning we were given...

"Tell others about Jesus!"

Uncle Doug teaching Hebrews 7:25....

Aunt Debbie leading in the verse song along with Joseph, Pete, and Andrew...

That is all....be back later! :)

Live Kids

2011-07-10T18:39:00.002-05:00

This year at training the directors brought back clubs the week of training. The past two years we bunked in the middle of no man's land and didn't have any kids around to have "practice" clubs. So, this year we stayed in civilization and preformed our little ditty. :)

This is Ivanna aka The-Life-Of-The-Party. She rocked!

Teaching the memory verse.....

Teaching the Bible Lesson....

Jwan chilling in between classes....

Bodacious Becky! ;)

Sarah!!

This was our amazing practice club leader!

Aunt Debbie leading in the verse song....

That was all to day 3! Check back soon for day 4!

Numero Dos.

2011-07-07T10:00:00.000-05:00

The day started for me getting "dressed up" for church! For those who don't know me, I'm not a very dressy person. I usually wear jeans and a nice shirt to church.

All the lovely ladies I served with this summer!

After church, we went back to RAS classes where we learned and had a nice, long break! :)

This was an unscripted moment in RAS class....

Randy....

"Uncle Sean wants YOU to answer the question."

This is what Felipe looked like after being dosed up on ad*vil....

Ms. Kat massaging to keep Felipe from acting up. It worked! :)

Study Hall! :O

More Pictures From Day 1 & 2

2011-07-06T17:41:00.000-05:00

Study Hall!!!

Practice Club with Uncle Doug....

Posers....

Sean learning the Heisman...

Teaching the verse song....

Where I Am

2011-07-04T21:02:00.000-05:00

Where am I, you might ask?

Everywhere.

I have come down with the CEF crud! Yuck! I have managed to hold on to it the longest which is not good. Today, I blew my nose and out came blood. (sorry for that mental picture.) And I've had a cough ALL.DAY.LONG.

Anyway, I have officially ended CEF and am now eating, sleeping, and breathing Chemistry. :p

isn't that cute, or what? ;)

SO, I will hopefully have the rest of training pictures up and then the ministry "in action" ones soon. Sorry for the delay. But, my friend is having a dress giveaway. Go check it out!

Awesome Dress Giveaway by Grasping for Objectivity.

Returning "Awesome" Students

2011-06-26T12:48:00.000-05:00

*Warning: Please ignore my lack of grammar, punctuation, continuity, etc. Read at your own risk.*

It was time, again, to visit the hallowed halls of a college campus in order to experience the thrill of a life time.

The adventure began with worship and praise to our King.

Followed by a wonderful story of a CEF missionary from another country who was persecuted for her beliefs.

Then, it was off to our assigned classes where adventure awaited.

As the director of the state walked down the hallway leading to the RAS room, he could hear sounds of laughter coming from the classroom. But, when he walked into the place of learning, everything ceased. For the students knew, the Buck had stopped here.

Sean Miller graciously taught our class on Forming a Biblical Worldview. Even though he would get the sign, "Where's the Door Sean?" several times, he continued onward.

The RAS cheerleader kept the spirit alive when things got a little boring.

Though the two boys were advanced in training, they were not advanced in maturity.

totally kidding.....these guys were awesome!! :)

In order for us to understand what his two year old daughter said, the teacher made us to watch Dora the Explorer instead of the muppets. Of course, that made Kermit the Frog sad. :(

Teaching the class faithfully, the instructor kept the students on track.

or not....since this is like the only picture were everybody was paying attention. except for Hannah and Jonathan. lol

The only edible food at dinner time consisted of watermelon and cheese.

This was my dinner one night....not kidding....

After a scrumptious dinner, the two awesomest students led in a song that required much skill. (Hence the title "awesomest". ;) )

The Kat teaching on how Zach climbed a tree to see the magnificent Messiah.

The gentle reminder of some fellow who needed to remember to breathe. period.

The savoring Sarah and her captivating missionary story.

Off to practice clubs for the trainees. But, little did people know what they were getting into......

The persuasive Mary Anne and her not so persuasive sidekick Giann.

My beloved Mary Anne.....

After a full day of sessions, Sean led in a round of let-your-inner-preschool-out games.

I believe this was Duck, Duck, Goose or Buck, Buck, Moose.....

"Best Game Ever" - Mary Anne

Thus concludes the first official day of training of summer 2011!

Hopefully, I will have day two up soon! :)

How Can You Not?

2011-06-17T20:45:00.000-05:00

A girl told me that today....

"How can you not believe in God? How can you believe that you came from a bang? How can you believe in a God that doesn't exist?"

I don't know.....can you?

Update on CEF:

Well, I have officially finished my first week of my third summer with CEF!!! YAY!! I am so excited to see what God will do in the next two remaining weeks! We had two girls come to Christ in our clubs this week – at least for our team! One of the girls lived in my neighborhood! :) I also became friends with a girl, at a daycare. who is almost 15 years of age and became a Christian when she was 11. She comes to the daycare to play with the kids and because her foster mom directs it. The director of the Daycare is a Christian and has fostered this girl for 3 years. Its exciting to see what God is going to do in this daycare. Please pray that the door will continue to stay open and that we will have a chance to go back before the summer ends! :) Thanks y'all for praying for me and my work with CEF. I am so excited what God will do this summer through me and my team! Keep the prayers coming! :) Pictures to come soon! ;)

My Day.

2011-06-15T15:35:00.003-05:00

Met a daycare worker today........told me her story......victim of domestic violence....single mom........3 kids.......struggling to make a living........relying on God to supply all her needs.......

*God, help me minister to this worker. I pray that you will give her guidance in her life. Father, use me in such a way that only you get the glory, Father! Thank you for allowing our paths to cross.*

Counseled a girl today.........lives in my neighborhood.........confused about some things.........catholic background.........thought purgatory was the way God made for us to be forgiven of our sin..........told her the truth..........she accepted it........she is now God's child.......

*Father, I come before you know on behalf of the girl who I counseled today. I pray that you would give her wisdom. Keep her safe from lies. Give her discernment. Show her the truth. Father, use me in a such a way that only you get the glory, God!*

'Nuff said.

The Purple Starburst

2011-06-13T20:24:00.000-05:00

I refuse to eat purple starburst or anything remotely similar.

Because.....

Of a dream I had last night.

A scary one.

A bad one.

A hard-hitting reality one.

I had a dream about drugs.
And not just any drugs.
I mean, illegal drugs. The "real" deal, so to speak.

I dreamed that a purple starburst had an illegal drug in it. We'll just call it "O". And the pharmacist knew what he was doing when he gave the candy to the preteen kids.

It makes me sick, real sick, that somebody would do that. Think about it. He just poisoned the starburst and the preteen kids didn't know it. They only liked the sweet stuff because it made them "feel better". Not because it was destroying their bodies.

That dream reminded me about the urgency of the gospel. We need to tell kids the Truth and nothing but the Truth. They are being poisoned with lies. and they believe it. every.single.word. As Christ-followers, its our job to tell the Truth to these boys and girls.

Because, if we don't, then who will?

We need to rise up and proclaim the gospel to the kids before that evil pharmacist destroys them. So, Preach the gospel and Proclaim the good news.

It shapes our future.

{And....the Word is much more fulfilling than a purple starburst. :) }

(for those of you who are reading this
don't worry,

it was just a dream that reminded me of something,

not a vision or anything like that.
Picture from google images.)

*Hi there! So....CEF is going great and I can't wait to give you an update soon with pictures! Unfortunately, my computer is having a hard time uploading my pictures from training. :( I should have the problem fixed by the end of this week! Thanks for understanding!*

Set The World On Fire - Britt Nicole

2011-06-03T09:53:00.001-05:00

Theme Song For This Week –––––

I wanna set the world on fire

Until it's burning bright for you

It's everything that I desire

Can I be the one you use?

I, I am small but

You, you are big enough

I, I am weak but

You, you are strong enough

To take my dreams

Come and give them wings.

Lord with you

There's nothing I cannot do.

Nothing I cannot do.

I wanna feed the hungry children.

And reach across the Father's land

And tell the broken there is healing

And mercy in the Father's hands.

[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/b/britt_nicole/set_the_world_on_fire.html ]

I, I am small but

You, you are big enough

I, I am weak but

You, you are strong enough

To take my dreams

Come and give them wings.

Lord with you

There's nothing I cannot do

Take my dreams

Come and give them wings.

And Lord with you

There's nothing I cannot do.

My hands, my feet

My everything

My life, my love

Lord use me.

I wanna set the world on fire

Wanna set the world on fire.

Take my dreams

Come and give them wings.

Lord with you

There's nothing I cannot do

Oh no.

Take my dreams

Come and give them wings.

Cause Lord with you

There's nothing I can't do.

Nothing I can't do.

I'm gonna set the world on fire.

Set the world on fire.

So....my absence has really been because of this TV show. Yeah, I wanted to finish them before training...hence my lack of posting! :)

Anyway, today I am leaving for CYIA/CEF training for a whole week. I thought I might be able to tweet while I'm there but, I can't and so I won't. :( (yes, I have a twitter. I'll connect it with my blog soon. :) )

So, with that said, please be in prayer for my team along with several others as we share the gospel with boys and girls this summer! Pray for unity, strength, patience, and endurance/perseverance! Thanks y'all!!

See ya next week!

{1 -3} from pre-training

{4} because I'll miss it or I'm craving one. :)

I Should Just Become The Team Mascot

2011-05-31T11:15:00.001-05:00

Our cover school along with several other ones (or whoever could make it because of the storms) had their annual track meet. yeah. it was nothing to sneeze at.
We did, though, take home several ribbons along with a state trophy!

And I am also merely documenting this event for my blook*, otherwise I wouldn't be blogging about it! :)

Now, for a random assortment of pictures.....

I don't have a team picture but, when I find one, I will post it! :)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-25T10:00:00.001-05:00

Boston Butte With A Side Of Baking.

2011-05-24T16:24:00.001-05:00

This past weekend I deemed "baking day". I have found ALOT of recipes I wanted to try and make so, I picked a date on the calendar and dedicated a day to baking. :)

The first order of business was two pudding recipes. I am not a big pudding fan but, I found this recipe and this one and wanted to try them both.

I pre-made this the night before, so I could fix it the next day.

Boy, was it rich! We ended up making it into banana pudding.

I also came across a chocolate chip cookie pie recipe and wanted to try it!

Surprisingly, it was a really easy recipe; it just took long to bake! :)

We went over to my little sister's house for some BBQ and to enjoy my ~~i-hope-it-taste-good~~ wonderful creation! ;)

Boston Butte was on the menu along with corn on the cob. YUM!

The finished product.....

I enjoyed the fellowship with Anna and the rest of the McGuires along with some good 'ole food!

Incredibly Long Post With An Overload Of Pictures

2011-05-22T10:58:00.001-05:00

*We took a trip to the Georgia Renaissance Fair the day the tornadoes hit the SE. We got back just in time. Below, is my account of the whole ordeal.*

Okay, so we left the 'Ham late afternoon/early evening Tuesday night. I'm not even going to tell how long it took us to leave the house or town for that matter. And I won't tell you what happened between home and the state line. What I will tell you, is that we did make it to the Peach state and once we crossed over, we hit the nearest Barrel of Crackers.

After we had sat down and ordered our food, guess who walks in?

Jojo and his friend! (Really, peoples?) So, we end up switching tables and causing great havoc in the restaurant among the waiters/waitresses. But, we had a good time visiting with them and eating, too! We made it to our hotel after SEVERAL turns in which one of them made us feel like an oreo cookie. Which gave us the oddest looks because mom was on the phone and having a hard time trying to get out of there. *sigh*

Anyway, we woke up the next morning to the phone ringing telling us that the group who was leaving from the 'Ham is in a stairwell in a church due to bad weather. Well, that kinda thwarts our plans. So, after exchanging several phone calls and checking the weather we come up with plan B.

Then, an hour later those plans cancel and we're back to where we originally started. Thank goodness there was a Star*bucks close by along with a Chick*fila! Sanity is still kept, my friends! So, we head towards the Renaissance Fair eating and drinking coffee and meet up with some people who came a day early like us.

We enter the ~~tornado/hurricane~~ fair and head to the first event.

The Mud Show.

*insert oh-my-word-why-did-i-come-here thought*

That is the ONLY picture you will see of the show. It was very crass and definitely NOT worth your time.*

Moving on to the next event, The Fool's Knolls Stage, to learn more about language and mannerisms of the Shakespeare era.

While we were waiting, I saw this sign in the food court...

It reads "Steak on a Stake". Uhh, no thank you.

"Didn't he just say "Good Mourning"?

Practicing her greeting by curtseying with "trousers".

Practicing his bowing....

Greeting each other...

Kissing the fair maiden's hand...

Poor guy, he was a little embarrassed. :)

We then ventured over to Shakespeare's plays where Hawk Nelson volunteered to play dead.

She was quoting from Macbeth. "Out spot, out I say!...."

Stabbing him...

Dead.

Next up on our tour around the park.........Jousting!

(brief interruption: I don't have any good photos between this picture and the picture below this so....just imagine! ;) )

The last "event" included Mary and myself getting our face painted.

The whole group of girls.

After much debate, we all decided it would be best if we all head on home to try and beat the storm. And that's what we did.

As for the fair, I really disliked it. Even if it wasn't on the weekend. There was a lot of immodest clothing and too many crazy people. I much prefer Legoland's version of this...much cleaner!*

*Like always, my opinions are my own.*

Part 2 of 'The Radical Wedding'

2011-05-19T19:46:00.000-05:00

Part 1.

The reception was held under a free tent!

I thought this was such a cute idea! :)

Instead of catering all the food, the moms of the bride and groom cooked it themselves!

A creative way of creating a baked potato.

My plate....

The Bride and I. (This time I knew her. :) )

I really enjoyed going to this wedding! In fact, I brought home some ideas for mine! ;)

Top On My Playlist

2011-05-16T14:33:00.000-05:00

All of these songs are by Francesca Battistelli. If you click on the title of each song it leads you You*Tube where you can listen to the music.

Emily (It's Love)

Emily, I know you think it won't get any better

Life has gone and gotten so tough

Emily, you believe you will never ever
Never ever find that you're enough

Circumstances can change your mind
But time will help you see...

(Chorus)
It's love that hung the moon and stars for you above
And stays awake to start the morning
If you feel you've had enough
He's never given up
It's love

Emily, you will see some stormy weather
Dark and cloudy days of rain
(Days of rain)
But Emily, there will be summer laughter
'Cause everybody knows the seasons change

Circumstances will turn out fine
And time will help you see

(Chorus)

Can't you see
I know you believe me
Everything is whispering this well-known story
So listen in
(Listen in)
It's humbling
All of this done for you

It's love...

(Chorus)

Worth It

Love's not a feeling

Love's not convenient

But I know love will change your life

Love takes sacrifice

Love cuts like a knife

Sometimes love will make you cry

Love's not easy

But it's worth it

Love is a hunger

But love won't leave you empty

See it's the language of the heart

Love can steal your pride

But love won't let you hide

It takes everything you've got

Love's not easy

But it's worth it

(Chorus)

What you gonna do when the bottom falls out

And you're left with nothing but your fear and your doubt to hold to

Who will hold you?

Where you gonna run when it's all on the line

And you're looking for someone to save your life

To save your life

Love can hear you

Love can heal you

If you let it inside

Oh, remember now

Love's not easy

But it's worth it

(Chorus)

What you gonna do when the bottom falls out

And you're left with nothing but your fear and your doubt to hold to

Who's gonna hold you?

Oh, where you gonna run when it's all on the line

And you're looking for someone to save your life

To save your life

Love can hear you

I know love will heal you

If you let it inside

Oh, remember now

Love's not easy

But it's worth it

Motion of Mercy

I was poor I was weak
I was the definition of the spiritually
Bankrupt condition
So in need of help

I was unsatisfied
Hungry and thirsty
When You rushed to my side
So unworthy
Still You gave yourself away...

(Chorus)
That's the motion of mercy
Changing the way and the why we are
That's the motion of mercy
Moving my heart

Now I'm filled by a love
That calls me to action
I was empty before now I'm drawn to compassion
And to give myself away

(Chorus)

Living for the lost
Loving 'til it hurts
No matter what the cost
Like You loved me first
That's the motion of mercy

God give me strength to give something for nothing
I wanna be a glimpse of the Kingdom that's coming soon

(Chorus)

Have a joyful week! :)

To Busy To Blog

2011-05-11T18:01:00.000-05:00

I don't know where to start. I have several posts in "drafts" but, none ready to be published. Finals are tomorrow and next week so, please bear with me as I disappear from blogging for a little bit.

A lot has happened since the tornadoes but, I just haven't found the time to blog about such things. Hopefully, I will be back up to speed soon. Thanks for understanding!

Pushing The Limits - Push*Pop Edition

2011-05-08T19:49:00.000-05:00

The Crew....

The Happy Hour Bunny

Painting eggs is his ~~therapy~~ side job.

The Cool Chick

CC: "I'm to cool for y'all. Please, no more autographs sir. Thanks."

Bob Cratchit

Whats with the snarky face?

And...

Little Miss Humpty Dumpty

Is that a yellow chocolate chip on your head?

Kid's Candy is Crazy these days.

'Nuff said.

Hey, Yo!

2011-05-08T15:04:00.000-05:00

My Mom is giving away free food for the soul!

Go check it out!

Storms.

2011-05-07T17:45:00.010-05:00

As you can tell by my blogging, I have been absent and not just because of the storms. But, for some other reasons.

Rest.

I realized over these past few weeks that I've been running around with my head cut off. Literally. I've been stressed, pushed, and worked. And thats only the beginning.

*sigh*

So, Friday night around 11:00 I clicked on over to setapartgirl.com and skimmed through their newest magazine where I found this quote my George Muller.

"The first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day is to have my soul happy in the Lord."

*insert wake up call here*

Thats when I realized what I had done. I hadn't given the best fruits of my day to Him. I wasn't find joy in His presence. I didn't earnestly seek His face. Basically, I was ignoring Him. It took about an hour for it to really sink into me. And then, thats when I flipped on the light and started up worship music and grabbed my Bible. I started reading in Psalm 73....

"Truly God is good to Israel,

to those pure in heart.

But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,

my steps had nearly slipped.

For I was envious of the arrogant

when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

For they have no pangs until death;

their bodies are fat and sleek.

They are not in trouble as others are;

they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.

Therefore pride is their necklace;

violence covers them as a garment.

Their eyes swell out through fatness;

their hearts overflow with follies.

They scoff and speak with malice;

loftily they threaten oppression.

They set their mouths against the heavens,

and their tongue struts through the earth.

Therefore his people turn back to them,

and find no fault in them.

And they say, "How can God know?

Is there knowledge in the Most High?"

Behold, these are the wicked;

always at ease, they increase in riches.

All in vain have I kept my heart clean

and washed my hands in innocence.

For all day long I have been stricken

and rebuked every morning.

If I had said, "I will speak thus,"

I would have betrayed the generation of your children.

But when I thought how to understand this,

it seemed to me a wearisome task,

until I went into the sanctuary of God;

then I discerned their end.

Truly you set them in slippery places;

you make them fall to ruin.

How they are destroyed in a moment,

swept away utterly by terrors!

Like a dream when one awakes,

O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.

When my soul was embittered,

when I was pricked in heart,

I was brutish and ignorant;

I was like a beast toward you.

Nevertheless, I am continually with you;

you hold my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel,

and afterward you will receive me to glory.

Whom have I in heaven but you?

And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

My flesh and heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

For behold, those who are far from you shall perish;

you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.

But for me it is good to be near God;

I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,

that I may tell of all your works. "

Psalm 73

When I had finished reading, I came back to the key passages that struck me.

"But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,

my steps had nearly slipped.

For I was envious of the arrogant

when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

For they have no pangs until death;"

Stop right there, Mistake #1. Read it again....

"But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,

my steps had nearly slipped."

During the rush these past few weeks, thats what almost happened. I was slipping off the cliff because.....

"...I was envious of the arrogant

when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

For they have no pangs until death;"

I saw people who were living "the life". They didn't care about the consequences, they just lived in the moment....until death. I was frustrated because I couldn't go and have "fun" like they could. Of course, what they were doing was wrong. They had either rebelled against someone in authority, were in a bad relationship with a particular person (and still are), or they didn't care about the consequences.

The Christian Life is hard. We move against the traffic.

I encourage you to stop and run the opposite way. To God.

I'll leave you with this song by Leeland.

How You Can Help

2011-05-07T16:36:00.000-05:00

I wrote a post, but then deleted it because I thought that Rachel's was more helpful. And here are ways that you can give if you live out of State.

So, there you go! :)

P.S. I have some posts coming up in a few days! :)

Ten Feet Off The Ground

2011-05-03T16:30:00.000-05:00

I am sitting here with schoolwork out the wazoo but, I felt a post running through my head and needed to get it out. So, here goes.....

As you have all heard, tornadoes swept through the greater South last week around this time. They hit primarily in "The Heart of Dixie". (aka Alabama)

That's where I live.

I won't tell you my exact location, I'll just tell you the tornadoes missed us by *that much*. It was scary and we all lived through it.

We went through our basic routine; Head to the basement armed with laptops, cellphones, and chocolate. No problem. We had done it previously a couple of weeks before...

So, we sat. With laptops watching the awesome weather man, James Spann, while munching on chocolate. This map shows where the path of several tornadoes went and guess what?

You see the break in the black line?

We were in between that. Barely. By the Sovereignty of God, we were spared from any damage. In fact, if you drove through that part and some parts of the 'Ham, it doesn't even look like a tornado went through it. Seriously!

But, just because we were spared, doesn't mean everybody else wasn't. The town of Pleasant Grove was wiped out. Our friends lost almost everything. Our friends have more house than some of their neighbors. Our friends didn't lose their loved ones like most people.

It's sad.

But, I know that they know that God knows what He is doing through all of this.
Nothing that Natural Disasters destroy, are out of God's control. Nothing that Natural Disasters rip apart, are out of God's control. Nothing that Natural Disasters take away, are out of God's control.

David Platt, my pastor, preached a sermon called "Tornadoes and the Trustworthiness of God" on Sunday. Go listen to it. I could write a whole post on this sermon but, Mrs. Missi already beat me to the punch. Here is an excerpt from it....

Our pastor set aside plans for studying through a family life series to talk about hard stuff today. I’m so grateful. We read through Job 1 and Luke 13. We swallowed hard at the reality that life is never safe and death is unavoidably sure. We were reminded that suffering is always a result of sin. Not the sin of the people in Shoal Creek Valley or Tuscaloosa, or anywhere else that was hurt. Our universal sin. Sin always causes ruin and destruction, and our response to that should be to run from it. These events should deepen our hatred for sin. Our own sin. And secure our trust in a sovereign Lord. Because when we are hurting and suffering, we can be sure that God is with us. We can be sure that Satan and death have been defeated, and that one day suffering will conclude. Tornadoes cannot separate us from the love of Christ.

Amen!

Well, I must be going....more in the coming days on how you can help with the Tornado Relief!

What She Said....

2011-04-27T17:53:00.000-05:00

Please pray y'all!

http://www.graspingforobjectivity.com/2011/04/alabama.html

Warning: Do Not Ask Me To Pick Out Paint Colors

2011-04-23T23:42:00.000-05:00

It's true, people. The paint color in the pictures you are about to see has been picked out by yours truly. *round of applause* No, seriously, do not applause me. It looks like, well, what she writes a lot about. (I'm too scared to use that word on my blog or maybe you can guess once you see it.) By the way, the first three pictures don't show the true paint color. Also, ignore the fact that one of our ceiling fans on our back porch doesn't have a cover. But, thats beside the point. (Sometimes, I have to let out all the imperfections to see the perfections. Hence why I said those things above.)

Anyway, Secret Church came around again and, like always, Clay brought some guys to experience it.

After the event was over, they came back to our house for more time in the Word. Or should I say discussion about the Word. And, some food. (we'll talk about my grammar later, too. ;) )

This is what they were all looking at in the previous picture.

The normal picture....

L to R: Clay, Justin #2, Justin #1, Jojo, Matt, Ash, Josh, Dad, Joel, and Jason. (Note: Jojo and Matt did not come with Clay)

The "Time of Your Life" Picture.....

Personally, I like it when Clay brings guys to our house. And not just because their guys (lol) but, because their men...in training. Warrior-Poets seeking after God. Maybe they do this because I'm a girl but, all their conversations when I was around or close by without them knowing it, were focused on Christ. At 1 AM after Secret Church they all gathered around the kitchen table for an hour and talked about what they had just sat through. And the next morning they had an hour long devotion. Yeah, I think these men are headed in the right direction.

To "The Guys", thanks for coming and I hope to see y'all again sometime!

Your Not So Average American Wedding (And Jessa's First "Session")

2011-04-21T21:06:00.000-05:00

(For all who don't know, Jessa is the name of my NikonD3000 and this was the first wedding where I shot with a professional camera.)

Some people may not get this. Actually, I don't think anybody will unless you know about Radical. Our pastor has been preaching on this subject for awhile now and he wrote a book on it. So, this sweet couple decided to have a Radical Wedding. Yes, you read that correctly, a Radical Wedding. An average wedding cost over $28,000 and they pulled it off with $1306. Yes, you read that correctly, $1,306.00. There were some differences than what an average wedding looked like. First, it was an outdoor ceremony and reception at the groom's mom's house. Second, the ceremony only lasted 10-11 minutes. Yes, you read that correctly, 10-11 minutes. (There were only two bridesmaids and the aisle was pretty short. :) ) Third, their parents cooked all the food for the reception. And last but, not least, they served zero alcohol.

I really enjoyed this wedding and hope that there will be more like this in the future! :)

Please enjoy the pictures and please bear with me as I am not that great of a photographer.....yet :)

Stay tuned for Part 2 - The Reception! :)

Follow Friday

2011-04-15T10:52:00.007-05:00

Hi everyone! I decided to start a feature on my blog called "Follow Friday". (my apologies to Twitter and the like! :) )

Every other Friday, I will mention a few of my blog friends and their blogs! I will encourage you to follow them and hopefully you will make new friends! :)

Okay, I would like to start with this wonderful blog and southern lady, she has a lot of DIY and Home decorating tips, and shows off cute little houses too(!). Her name is Rhoda and she blogs @ Southern Hospitality. One of my favorite features on her blog is Feature Friday! Through that, I have fallen in love with Meadow Brook Farm and, recently, this cute little house! :) She used to live very close to me and, because life changes, she has moved back in with her parents for now. Why don't y'all go on over and introduce yourself! ;)

Now, I just have to mention this one this week, primarily because of her recent posts. Believe it or not, I met Mrs. Allison, along with her three kids, in a checkout lane at Publix a couple of years ago. (She shares some of the story here.) Its been a privilege getting to know her and family through this fantastic blog! And follow their adoption journey too!! She is also a professional photographer who knows how to catch precious moments in a photograph! Her latest post should inspire you and marvel at how great our God is!!

For the third and final one for today, I am proud to introduce.........My Mother!!! (I really had no choice in the matter considering she is my mom. :) ) This was supposed to be our FAMILY blog but, alas, it has turned into a book blog. :/ Y'all should still go and check her out (and not just because she's my mother)! :)

If you decide to follow in my footsteps, please let me know in the comments and I'll be happy to drop by! :)

Day 18 - Your favorite birthday

2011-04-13T12:20:00.001-05:00

I don't know what my favorite birthday was.....I'll have to think about that.

Maybe it was my cooking party, or the time I turned my house into a castle.
Maybe it was the time I went to pump it up or had a water balloon fight in my own backyard.

Whatever birthday was my favorite, I will always remember the people who were there with me through it.

My family.

So, I guess the verdict is out.

My favorite birthdays are the birthdays I spend with my family.

'Nuff said.

Day 17 - Something you regret

2011-04-12T21:03:00.001-05:00

I regret not saying things when I should.
I regret not keeping silent.
I regret the mistakes I've made, the friends that I've pushed away, and the things I haven't done.
I regret not saying Goodbye or Hello.
I regret looking for something that wasn't there.

I regret a lot of things....

But, the one thing I have regretted the most is the way I've treated God. I've only read my Bible just to get through it. I've prayed habitually just to get over with it. I've even just sang the worship songs mindlessly just to say that I did it.

Don't worry, that was before Lent started and maybe a couple of weeks into the season.

BUT, that doesn't excuse my attitude, behavior, or mindset.

I gave up secular music during the time of Lent. Yes, it was a struggle at the beginning and it still is a struggle but, I have grown in my relationship with the LORD through worship of Him. I had become so self-centered that when I worshipped on Sunday morning, I was actually worshipping myself. I didn't even know what I was singing and I could barely push away self to worship Him. My Creator. Healer. King. Savior. The very Man who died for me and bore the punishment for my sins, the wrong things I have committed, I couldn't even sing His praise. It was sad and I knew I needed to change so, this is what I did. Its been hard but, SO worth it! I'm even contemplating not putting it back on my handy dandy little touch.* It's been wonderful!! No, really it has! :)

So, I'll leave you with these verses and a song....

"My lips will shout for joy,

when I sing praises to you;

my soul also, which you have redeemed."

- Psalm 71:23

"Your way, O God, is holy.

What god is great like our God?"

- Psalm 77:13

"There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,

nor are there any works like yours.

All the nations you have made shall come

and worship before you, O Lord,

and shall glorify your name.

For you are great and do wondrous things;

you alone are God.

Teach me your way, O LORD,

that I may walk in your truth;

unite my heart to fear your name.

I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,

and I will glorify your name forever.

For great is your steadfast love toward me;

you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

- Psalm 86:8-13

Song: I Don't Regret by Barlow Girl

(*side note: there's this thing called "Turn-Off TV Week" and I'm contemplating that too!)

Day 16 - Your first kiss

2011-04-11T10:00:00.001-05:00

Wow.

I wasn't old enough to remember. But, I think it was when I was just minutes old. I received my first kiss from my dad. :)

yeah...I kinda surprised you there, didn't I? ;)

Spring

2011-04-03T17:58:00.000-05:00

What does your spring look like?

I Think I'll Be Calling MTV.....

2011-04-02T09:23:00.001-05:00

.......because I'll be auditioning for....

Proof:

April Foo– oh, wait.

If guys were like girls 2.....

2011-03-30T22:32:00.000-05:00

This is not as funny as the first but, its still good! :)

100 Random Facts About Me - Part 2

2011-03-26T16:11:00.000-05:00

continuing from Part 1.

26. I am not a writer.
27. I have been known to create very awkward moments without knowing it.
28. I have giggle fits that I'm learning to control.
29. I cannot tell a joke. or a story.
30. Math is my favorite class because of the people that are in there.
31. My least favorite class is American Literature. (Mrs. Haley, don't kill me!)
32. In all my classes this year, except one, the guys out number the girls.
33. I have played the piano for a decade.
34. Most people have a hard time pronouncing my first name.
35. It's pronounced with a soft "g" not a hard one.
36. I have been mistaken for a guy three times in my life.
37. Twice on the radio and once on an overnight field trip.
38. The lady coordinating the trip thought I was a boy and had me rooming with three other guys.
39. It was funny and awkward.
40. My favorite colors are purple, dark brown, and lime green.
41. I have been to four different countries.
42. The countries include Canada, Venezuela, Costa Rica, and Guatemala.
43. My parents used to ski in Canada and I went with them twice.
44. I would love to go to Ecuador or Africa.
45. I have a "twin". (we were born on the same day just hours apart.)
46. He's from Columbia and is the exact opposite of me.
47. I read for information. (i.e. Christian Living, Cleaning, etc. books.)
48. The longest I have ever stayed up voluntarily was 5:30am.
49. Involuntary was when the blizzard of '11 hit Atalanta.
50. I didn't realize it was this hard to come up with 100 random facts about myself.

This Has Been A Rant By Giann

2011-03-25T17:46:00.000-05:00

Killer the Headache or is it Headache the Killer?

Honestly, not much has happened this week aside from getting new windows. :)

But, one thing I have noticed is the headaches that I've been getting lately.

I think its the caffeine I've been having from my weekly visit to Star*bucks and having sweet tea from when I go out to eat. :p

And they come and go so, you never know when its going to hit! Its frustrating and I understand how my friend feels.

When you have headaches, you are limited in what you can and cannot do. and it makes me mad. I can barely think and I'm sensitive to light, not necessarily to sound.

Since writing this post, my headache has almost gone away but, it will be back shortly so I will "take advantage of the time".

See ya later blog folks!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for reading "A Rant By Giann". Now, back to the real world.

100 Random Facts About Me - Part 1

2011-03-24T07:22:00.003-05:00

When you blog and get to a 100 posts, the tradition is to blog 100 random facts about yourself. Well, I missed that so I'm going to do it on my 250th post. Here goes nothing..... :) (by the way, these are in no particular order....)

I do not like $p!d3rs!!!
Left-handed people are the best! ;)
I LOVE weddings! (Who doesn't?)
My least favorite subject in school is writing and reading required fiction.
I am neither a country girl nor a city girl. I prefer suburbia.
I love dissections we have to do for science.
My first dissection was a cow's eye ball. Amazing!
I have never seen a PG-13 or R rated movie. Although, I'm pretty sure "The Last Of The Mohicans" was rated just that.
I'm more of the romantic comedy type. :)
I do not like to leave people out.
I hate it when people act like they like me. Just tell me you don't like me and it'll save a bunch of heartache.
I plan on having a lot of kids, like the Duggars but, not all from me. :)
I LOVE the snow!!
I've been homeschooled since 1st grade.
I use the word "y'all" more than I need to.
I love homeschooling and wouldn't trade it for anything.
My current favorite Disney show is Good Luck Charlie.
My all time favorite, though, is The Suite Life Of Zack and Cody
I also like The Brady Bunch and Hogan's Heroes.
My favorite Nickelodeon show is a cross between iCarly and Big Time Rush.
I love photography.
I love coffee now thanks to Starbucks.
My favorite drink is the White Chocolate Mocha.
I have not had a boyfriend.
I plan on attending college somewhere.

Stay Tuned for Part 2! :)

Thursday's Thoughts – A Little Early

2011-03-23T09:18:00.000-05:00

This is an excellent video on the Rob Bell Controversy. Highly recommend you watch this!
Original Post here.

Do We Really Believe What We're Saying? from The Church at Brook Hills on Vimeo.

A Little Spring

2011-03-21T14:03:00.003-05:00

My friends came over on St. Patricks Day while our moms worked on a craft project together. (pictures to come! ) We decided to enjoy the beautiful weather by taking some photos! I hope you enjoy them!

Thanks Jessica for taking some of the photos!

Move Over Jeggings.....

2011-03-18T14:00:00.001-05:00

Have to catch an early flight in the morning?
Have to stay home but you might need to run a quick errand?
Have to meet a friend at the playground but you don't want to change clothes?

*big announcer voice*

Then it sounds like you need Pajama Jeans! Made with 95% cotton and 5% spandex, these will make your pajamas and jeans look and feel like yesterdays trash. No need to worry about if your zipper is zipped or your button is buttoned because Pajama Jeans doesn't have them! The elastic waist makes them fit perfectly! You can sleep in them, walk your dog in them, take out the trash in them, and even wear them while you're sick! :)

You might be thinking, "Is that all?"

Wait, theres more.....

No more expensive dry cleaning bills because Pajama Jeans can go for a spin and a tumble!* It also comes with a gray t-shirt that can be monogrammed.**

They come in many different styles such as

Regular,

Black Boot Cut,

Skinny Vintage,

and more!

Pajama Jeans are the best thing for Stay-at-Home Moms, Work-at-home Moms, and even Retired Moms (aka Grandmas).

Guys, this is the perfect gift idea for Anniversary, Birthday, Christmas, Grandparents and/or Mother's Day, or any holiday!

So, make your next purchase, a Pajama Jean purchase. I promise you'll be satisfied! :)

*note: i have yet to put them in the dryer since i waited so long for them and did not want to return them in case they shrunk, so toss them at your own risk.
**second note: i did not get mine monogrammed so, request at your own risk.
***third note: photos are from pajamagram.com

{Disclaimer: I was in no way compensated to write this post. I have just found Pajama Jeans very satisfactory and wanted to share that with the world. Or who ever reads my blog. Like always, my opinions are my own.}

Wordless Wednesday - The Sunny Side Of Life

2011-03-15T19:33:00.001-05:00

When I'm Sick, I Want To Move To Australia

2011-03-14T21:10:00.003-05:00

Hello Blog World!

*waves*

I'm taking a "Spring Break" this week or should I say catch-up-on-school-week-because-i was-so-sick-last-week. Soooo, my post about our messed up floors, renovations, and other random ramblings should be up sometime next week. ;) (by the way, how do you like my new design? should I keep it?)

Unless I get sick.....again.

Until then, you can look at these what-life-is-really-like pictures. :)

Did you ever read the book, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very, Bad Day? Well, thats what I felt like on friday. And I wanted to move to Australia.

But, I didn't..........or did I?

I Don't No Where to Start

2011-03-11T10:47:00.001-06:00

honestly, life has taken me captive. I've been swept up in a tornado that really likes me and wants me to stay and never go away. So, the posts that have been going up are scheduled posts.

key word: scheduled.

nothing great and mighty has happened over the last few weeks that I feel necessary to broadcast to the world. Hopefully, Hopefully, though, I will have something to at least tell y'all. I just remembered that I do indeed have a post for ya but, it will stay in "draft" until our floors are fixed. If they ever get fixed.

key word: fixed and if.

in other news, I had the opportunity to use my CEF skills at a local missions conference for hispanic pastors. Oh...it felt like old times. then, I went to see a movie, Gnomeo and Juliet. (in my opinion, it should be rated PG instead of G for just a couple of scenes.)

Anyway, I also have some friends going to Columbia over spring break. Here's a link to their blog if you want to follow there journey! :)

Well, life calls me back. ta-ta for now! :)

oh, and i'm also sick...bleh!

Day 15 - Your dreams

2011-03-11T10:00:00.001-06:00

mmmm......wow. I don't really know my dreams quite frankly.

I have big dreams.

I have little dreams.

I have medium sized dreams.

But,

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my way, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." – Isaiah 55:8-11

Day 14 - A memory

2011-03-10T10:00:00.011-06:00

(yeah....I changed it. :) )

A simple question: "Where is the smoke coming from?"

A simple answer: "I'll show you. Come."

Walking down a wet, dirt path, I turn to the right as he leads me to a dark kitchen. I can barely see two women working over a hot stove making homemade tortillas. Wetting their hands, in what I presume to be dirty water, they spin their tortilla around and then place it on the hot stove. They have a system and wanted me to try it. I think they thought it was funny to see a gringo make tortillas for the first time. :) After several tries and about 5 mins. of placing it on the hot stove, I have made my first tortilla in Guatemala.

A memory.

A simple question: "Where's the smoke?"

A simple answer: "I'll show you. Come."

I walk down the cobblestone, dirt street of Jerusalem where Jesus had walked many years before I had ever lived. He leads me to the hill where Jesus hung on a tree. He tells me that my Savior became the sacrifice for my sins. He tells me I no longer need to offer up sacrifices once a year. The fragrance of our sin was now Jesus, not some animal. He was the sacrifice once and for all.

A memory.

May we be reminded, during this time of Lent, of the sacrifice Jesus made for us.

"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." – 2 Corinthians 5:21

(1&3 from wehearit.com)

Day 13 - This Week

2011-03-09T10:30:00.001-06:00

Celebration of Mardi Gras......

......and the beginning of Lent.

Day 12 - What's on your iPod

2011-03-08T10:00:00.004-06:00

Since I am giving up all secular music for Lent, here is my shortened playlist.

Mandi Mapes

Brookhills Music

Chris Tomlin

Lincoln Brewster

Barlow Girl

Selah

Steven Curtis Chapman

Hymns

Red Mountain Music

and other CCM artists.

Day 11 - Your Siblings

2011-03-07T10:35:00.002-06:00

One brother (and two adopted sisters). (Or really close family friends! ;) )

Jason - blood related

Anna and Sarah Beth - really close family friends

The Death of Me (or Julius Caesar)

2011-02-26T16:31:00.000-06:00

I had the opportunity to go and see a play put on by the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. Although, I really wanted to see Oklahoma's. ;)

Of course, I think I died instead of Julius Caesar.....

Dear ASF,

What does a camera bag look like? Please stop and tell me that there are no pictures allowed with a 15 mile radius of your grounds. Otherwise, I would not have taken my camera in much less, taken it out in the theatre. And your docents wouldn't have had to attack me and told me it was "stupid to take my camera out". Thank you!

Dear ASF,

Please tell me that cell phones are not permitted in the theatre 10 minutes prior to starting time. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had to go to the bathroom to use my phone. Thank you!

Dear ASF,

Please make sure you understand that we are trying to get out of the theatre but, there is a lot of people so you move slowly. Otherwise, you wouldn't have had to push us out of the auditorium. Thank you!

Finally.....

Dear Docent-who-was-so-kind-to-me,

Thank you for telling me nicely that I couldn't have gum in the theatre. I simply forgot to spit it out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hope this is a helpful guide in case you decide to go. :)

Day 10 - What You Wore Today

2011-02-25T17:15:00.001-06:00

(2/25/11)

Day 9 - Your Beliefs

2011-02-24T09:06:00.007-06:00

Here is a link to a statement of faith I follow. They do a much better job then I could do. :)

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but, have everlasting life." - John 3:16

"Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6

Day 8 - A Moment

2011-02-23T15:05:00.003-06:00

(2/18/11)

Welcome Home, Little Miracle!

Day 7 - Your Best Friend(s)

2011-02-22T10:20:00.001-06:00

The Gravis Girls.

Mary Esther.

Ruth.

Hope.

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Day 6 - Your Day

2011-02-21T08:20:00.000-06:00

(2/7/11)

Read my Bible

Did School

Went to Starbucks

Went to Math

Came home and did more schoolwork

And had a salad for Supper.

(3&4 from weheartit.com)

My Valentine(s)

2011-02-14T22:47:00.000-06:00

*dreamy sigh*

Its that day where you celebrate love.

Love of all kinds.

This kind

That kind.

And you sing songs about

This Love

That Love.

To me, Valentines is not about spending a superfluous amount on gifts or candy its about spending the day with the people you love.

And that's just what I did.

Welcome to my world.

You see that little guy??

That's my Valentine.

And the rest of them!

I had the privilege of kidsitting them on Valentines Day.

We had bleeding hearts. (heart-shaped pasta and sauce)

All gone!

We had a scavenger hunt.

And we made Mom a card.

It was wonderful!

Magically, I got the youngest one to go to sleep in his own bed. Yeah, I'm a Miracle Worker! :)

I Really Have Nothing To Say.....

2011-02-12T21:29:00.000-06:00

Life has been busy. And so, as a result, I have not been able to blog like I wanted to. I am actually going to go back and put the second week of this on my blog, so stay tuned!

Movie Monday: Valentine's Day Special

2011-02-06T15:45:00.004-06:00

Hello All!! I hope you are having a wonderful start to the week! According to this post, I am supposed to be telling y'all some of my favorite things for Valentines Day. So, here I am. :)

I, personally, LOVE this movie. See for yourself. :)

You can find Plugged In's review of the movie here.

Plugged In mentions a thing or two that I did not see or hear in the movie. (ex. The lady in the movie says "make love" instead of outright saying it like Plugged In portrays it.) Also, I think boys could careless about the movie. Its definitely a girls night out movie. :)

I would like to say that I would NEVER review/advertise a movie that is against my beliefs.

Basically, Sophie travels to Italy with her fiance and finds a letter on a wall in a courtyard from 1957. This courtyard is where women of all ages go to write letters for help for their love life to Juliet of "Romeo and Juliet".

She then finds a network of Juliet Secretaries writing letters back to the women who left them. And so, she joins them and responds to the letter. Thus, begins a journey of adventure and love.

Its a cute story and I hope you will enjoy watching it!

And maybe one day, you will find your Romeo! :)

Have a Fun and Happy Monday Y'all!!

The Purpose of Valentines Day

2011-02-01T10:09:00.023-06:00

Valentines Day approaches soon. Which means, all the guys in the world are franticly searching for a place to ~~hide~~ take a girl for a date. So, I want to pose the question.....

"What purpose does Valentines Day serve?"

That question has puzzled many minds since who knows when. So, I did some research.

And this is what I found.....

It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines"). (Wikipedia)

{And in case your interested, a summary of the founding of the holiday.

A brief history:
In the 5th century AD, Pope Jalacius called the holiday Saint Valentines Day. (It had originally started as a festival honoring Lupa, the she wolf that nursed Romulous and Remus, and Fawnus, the god of fertility.) One of the many Valentines that lived, lived in the 3rd century under the reign of Claudius. The Emperor had banned marriages because he wanted the men in his army to forget about love and focus on fighting. Father Valentine disobeyed the order and performed wedding ceremonies in secret. Claudius soon found out, arrested him, and had him put to death in a timely manner. He reportedly fell in love with the jailer's daughter and wrote her a note the day he was executed. It was signed "From Your Valentine".

And thats the story.}

So, I think it best to start finding a Valentine for someone you love. Whether it be a neighbor, a family member, a friend, or a spouse. Just to show some love for someone this Valentines Day.

I will. :)

*side note: I will be sharing some craft and recipe ideas in the coming days leading up to Valentines....So, stay tuned!! :) and.....our Mac's hard drive needs to be replaced so it will be a couple of days! ;)

Dear Anonymous,

2011-01-29T21:46:00.002-06:00

Who are you?

Please leave a comment telling me who you are!!

Thanks!

Too Busy To Blog....

2011-01-28T09:43:00.003-06:00

I just love these!! Do YOU??

Life has been incredibly busy as of late. We have had construction crews in and out of our house, numerous "travelers", and commitments that have kept us busy! (i.e. homeschool co-op, church.) I haven't even taken pictures since I went to Colorado!! Pretty sad, right?

Well, don't worry I will be back blogging here soon! I just need to take more pictures and decide what to write about!

So, I am asking YOU, dear reader, what YOU would like to see on my blog. Do YOU want more giveaways? Book/Movie Reviews? Do YOU want to learn about homeschooling? Do YOU want more pictures? Do YOU want to see me write about what I am learning in the Word?

Its an open forum. YOU can decide!

All YOU have to do is leave a comment telling me what YOU would like to see on this blog! Its that easy.

I look forward to hearing YOUR answers!!

In Which I Couldn't Find A Title...

2011-01-27T09:32:00.003-06:00

In American Lit. this year, our teacher made us write a poem. I started brainstorming immediately....like in class. I hope you enjoy it! :)

Believe In

"Believe in yourself they say

but that is not the right away

You are dead and cannot be

raised to life you see

But, God sent His Son

so we might become

children of life and light

All the world will know

that Jesus is the Christ

He has come so you might believe

not in yourself you see

But instead trust in Him

for He was raised to life

So, now you can live for eternity."

~Written by Giann~
*11/18/10*

Please ask permission before using. Thanks! :)

America's Finest...

2011-01-24T09:17:00.000-06:00

MEN.

Yes, be jealous people.

These guys are REAL.

L to R: Clay, Thomas, Justin, Charlie, & Dad.

hahaha

"This is feminine..."

Clay's friends came over for the weekend to go to church with us and just to hang out! Clay brought Thomas and Justin to Secret Church and they wanted to come back and hear David preach on a regular Sunday. They also brought a new guy, Charlie.
I enjoyed getting to know them better and look forward to next time! :)

A Little Quiet....

2011-01-22T14:52:00.000-06:00

"He leadth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul."
Psalm 23:2&3

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you."
John 14:27a

(photos from weheartit.com and self-taken. :) )

#CantThinkOfATitle

2011-01-15T09:14:00.002-06:00

My Mom and I had a wonderful three days in Colorado at the Set Apart Girl Conference hosted by Eric and Leslie Ludy! I met some awesome girls, (most of them in their 20s), spent time with my mom, and learned about what it means to be a set-apart girl!!

Here are some pictures I took of the campus and the girls.

Eric and Leslie introduced us to their kids on the last night!

Hudson

Harper

Kip

Avy

Are they not adorable??

We woke up Sunday to a fresh batch of snow on the ground!
It was sooo pretty!!

Its snowing!! lol

The "girls" with Eric and Leslie...

I will share more later once I compile it all! :)

Anyway, to explain the title of the post, I might as well tell you that we survived the lock-in of '11. aka THE BLIZZARD THAT SHUT DOWN ATLANTA ––– COMPLETELY.

yeah. not fun.

Coming back home from the conference, mom and I got STUCK in Atlanta. My Mom recaps the story here.

Needless to say, we are just getting back into life around here. Hopefully, I can post in the next couple of weeks of what I learned while I was there! :)

Happy Weekend Y'all!