Why are things referred to as "the best thing since sliced bread"? I mean, was it that hard to cut the bread with a knife? Maybe it was hard to get the slices even, but still....
I detest the smell of smoke. I am so thankful Georgia has a law that you can't smoke inside.
I am thankful for my GPS on my phone, otherwise I would not get anywhere in Atlanta. It's got some crazy roads.
I spend more money on food, coffee, candy, etc. than on items / material things on a general basis.
Firsts for me this weekend: Tried nutella, went to Helen Georgia, went to Little Five Points in Atlanta, bought a $5 scarf (I don't own any scarfs), I tried raspberry wine, and I parallel parked on the left side of a parking lot. Pretty sure I haven't parallel parked since I was 16 taking my drivers licence.
If I don't take a picture of something, it doesn't exist and didn't actually happen. It was a figment of my imagination. ;-)
I do not understand people who don't reply to a message or text - it seems like even something short would be polite. Not replying sends me the message of "I want nothing to do with you." I could be wrong, and I know people get busy, but it just seems like it shouldn't take that long to type of a few keys to reply. Makes me sad and not want to ever contact them again and yes I know that is overdramatic, I'm just saying.
Thursday God brought someone along in my life to make a point....I recieved the point and am thankful for His subtle nudges. Even through brief interactions sometimes God uses other people to speak volumes without them even knowing I was affected. Cool to know I might be used for others too without even knowing it.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Waiting, running away, running forwards
Patience is not a virtue, it's a fruit of the spirit. I
need patience. In the past month I've gained a lot of much needed patience and
have been at peace with a lot of stuff. At the same time, I have a very
independent nature, I'm very persistent, and I'm very bold. Most of the time. I
don't like to wait, I don't like in-between stages, I don't like sitting around
wondering when something is going to happen. I get in this fight or flight mode
almost - I want to act and do something, or run the other way and try to
pretend I don't actually want what I want. Metaphorically speaking I pace -
walking towards what I want and trying to figure out what to do, and then
walking away from it giving up or being mad about the wait. Back and forth,
back and forth. Especially when I pray and I think God says yes but nothing
happens. Like God telling Abraham he will have a son, but then Abraham waits
and it doesn't happen yet so he tries his own way. Or quite frankly I could be
wrong, moving in the wrong direction. The best thing is to not run to it or
away from it, but to sit still and let God take the lead.
Ah, to sit still. For how long? There’s a fine line between sitting still and moving. We can’t just sit around and expect things to fall into place if we’ve done nothing. While each situation differs, a month of “sitting still” feels like FOREVER. And you wonder, “Wait, is this going to last another month? 4 months? A year?” And the thought makes me want to run away and say, “Forget it, I’d rather not get my hopes up or hope for that because it just might never happen.” I’d rather hear a YES or a NO for sure and let the waiting stop. Because the longer I move nowhere, the stronger the urge to run away. I also feel exhausted from “sitting still,” almost like I’m having to tred water to stay in that same spot and not move. Not swimming in any direction, but still having to tred water, and I get tired. Even while I sit still my mind is going 100 miles per hour and I’m distracted and I’m hurting and I’m impatient and I’m anxious. I feel like running the other way would cause all of that to stop, but it could be running from what God is trying to give me….just not in my timing.
Life is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get. But I use a knife to cut open the chocolates before I stick it in my mouth, or I use the guide that tells you what they are. It’s the worst to bite into one that you hate. So technically life is not like a box of chocolates. Life has the constant unknown and the constant thought of, “If I make this decision, it could alter everything. If I make this decision too early, it could ruin things. If I make this decision too late, I could miss an opportunity. If I make this decision and it’s the wrong one, I could end up in a world of pain. If I make this decision and it’s the right one, then I am going to be so happy and thankful.” It’s nice to know that despite my decisions, if God really wants something to happen or not to happen, He will step in and work.
Ah, to sit still. For how long? There’s a fine line between sitting still and moving. We can’t just sit around and expect things to fall into place if we’ve done nothing. While each situation differs, a month of “sitting still” feels like FOREVER. And you wonder, “Wait, is this going to last another month? 4 months? A year?” And the thought makes me want to run away and say, “Forget it, I’d rather not get my hopes up or hope for that because it just might never happen.” I’d rather hear a YES or a NO for sure and let the waiting stop. Because the longer I move nowhere, the stronger the urge to run away. I also feel exhausted from “sitting still,” almost like I’m having to tred water to stay in that same spot and not move. Not swimming in any direction, but still having to tred water, and I get tired. Even while I sit still my mind is going 100 miles per hour and I’m distracted and I’m hurting and I’m impatient and I’m anxious. I feel like running the other way would cause all of that to stop, but it could be running from what God is trying to give me….just not in my timing.
God’s timing is perfect. I believe that. And I am
thankful for His precision because I would butcher everything with my
impatience if all time matters were up to me. Sometimes I still do mess things
up. I think the worst thing is when you think God said yes and you wait for a
really long time, and it turns out you were wrong. God didn’t say yes. So you’d
sat there and waited for a long time for nothing. It makes me want to wait less
the next time.
One thing I’ve learned is that God does not protect us
from all pain. He lets us hurt. That is the result of a fallen world and He
doesn’t just swoop in and make everything amazing. What He does do is comfort
us, give us peace, give us understanding, etc. depending on the situations. I
hate to hurt. I mean who likes it, but still, I’m just saying. I’d rather avoid
it at all costs. My waiting hurts. And sometimes I think, “Really God? Why did
you have to put this want in me now
when You’re not going to give it to me now or at all? Couldn’t you wait til
right before it’s going to happen? And if it’s not going to happen, can’t you
take that desire away? What’s the point of really wanting something and you
allowing that, and then you saying no?”
Life is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get. But I use a knife to cut open the chocolates before I stick it in my mouth, or I use the guide that tells you what they are. It’s the worst to bite into one that you hate. So technically life is not like a box of chocolates. Life has the constant unknown and the constant thought of, “If I make this decision, it could alter everything. If I make this decision too early, it could ruin things. If I make this decision too late, I could miss an opportunity. If I make this decision and it’s the wrong one, I could end up in a world of pain. If I make this decision and it’s the right one, then I am going to be so happy and thankful.” It’s nice to know that despite my decisions, if God really wants something to happen or not to happen, He will step in and work.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Fall! And the events surrounding the weather change. :-)
Mondays aren't bad days when you don't have to go to school or work. :-)
This weekend was my retreat to the GA mountains! Friday night after IHOP and Walmart, we treked up the mountain on a one way road in a 15 passenger bus. When turning onto the driveway, I didn't see there was a driveway there, I thought we were going off the road!! I feaked and thought I was going to die! Thankfully I am still alive. :-) The cabin was nice -3 floors, hot tub, back porch, front porch with swing, lake in the back, pool table. There were 9 of us who went. Saturday we went hiking / walking, went to the downtwn area to some little stores, had lunch, went to an apple barn place where I got mint chocolate fudge, and got stuff at Walmart to make dinner at the cabin. After dinner some people played Monopoly (not me), and others Scrabble (me!). We then played catch phrase (hallerious) and then the guys played pool while me and my friend Rachel talked. Both nights most of us went to bed at 2 AM, while I went to bed at 3 AM because I took a shower or stayed up talking to Rachel. Sunday we went to a nearby mountain with a short hike to an overlook where we looked at faraway cars that looked like ants and some of the guys went on some rocks past the place where you're supposed to go. I'm glad they didn't hurt themselves. We ate lunch on the way home.
We had devotionals throughout the weekend and watched a guy speak on a video from a conference, as well as sang some songs with one of the guys playing gutiar and the other a small drum (yeah, there's a name for it and I don't know what it is!). We had quiet times to ourselves. We also had about an hour and a half of freetime on Saturday where everybody did their own thing - fishing, drawing, playing gutiar, watching TV, playing computer games, swinging, taking pictures. It was fun to see how each of us went off to do our own thing that we enjoyed! I love me some alone time! Haha. It's ok if others are nearby, it's just nice to think and hear the silence. Is that an oxymoron? To hear the silence?
The first downtown store we went to on Saturday didn't have mint chocoalte fudge, but they had other fudge. I knew I wasn't going to buy any other fudge because that's not what I wanted. The others were confused, "Why aren't you buying fudge? You kept saying you wanted some." "Yes, but it's the wrong kind. If we go to another store later, maybe there will be some there and then I will regret getting the fudge here." I wasn't sure if the later store would have any, so I risked not getting any at all! But it was a risk I took. Later in the evening at the apple barn they DID have mint chocolate fudge! Along with being stoked, I told my friends Rachel and Nathan, "I feel like this is a metaphor for some things in life. I knew what I wanted and had to wait for it, even though I could have settled for less earlier. Sometimes you have to wait for the good stuff in life, even if you don't know when you'll get it or where."
I LOVE weekends like we just had. It's so nice to escape regular life for a while and explore and laugh a lot.
Yesterday after we got back from the retreat I went to the first meeting for my new job with all the others who will be working there (that could make the meeting). My nerves were calmed when I met some of the people - I think the unknown makes me nervous but once I know what's going on I'm better. We start training next Monday and then open to the public the following Monday. I'll be a receptionist for an aerobics place part time. I'm glad it's not til Monday because I have a lot of plans this week and weekend!
Today I went back to the park with my friend Rachel for lunch. She loves to draw / paint / create art so I showed her some of mine from several years ago. Tonight - Zumba. Tomorrow night - dinner with girls from my Thur night bible study. Wed - bible study with my church. Thur - bible study with a different church. Fri - I'm going to Helen GA, a small town near the mountains, with my friend Rachel and her husband Nathan, and a few others. Fun! Saturday I'm going to a place in Atlanta that has some shops with some friends. Sunday I am going to a Halloween party at night with my friends from Thur night bible study! Monday, besides training, is Halloween and at my church there's Trunk R Treat which means people decorate their cars and then kids walk around with families to get candy from the cars. I will say later what I'm dressing up as - don't want to ruin the surprise. :-) (Uhhh, even though probably nobody reads this anyways.) It's sooooooo nice to have things to do recently instead of just sitting around my house like I have been the past few months.
Starting in January I'm going to start practicing my Swahili on Rosetta Stone so when I go back to Kenya in July I will know more! I'm excited about that! I also want to start drawing again more - my friend Rachel has inspiried me!
This weekend was my retreat to the GA mountains! Friday night after IHOP and Walmart, we treked up the mountain on a one way road in a 15 passenger bus. When turning onto the driveway, I didn't see there was a driveway there, I thought we were going off the road!! I feaked and thought I was going to die! Thankfully I am still alive. :-) The cabin was nice -3 floors, hot tub, back porch, front porch with swing, lake in the back, pool table. There were 9 of us who went. Saturday we went hiking / walking, went to the downtwn area to some little stores, had lunch, went to an apple barn place where I got mint chocolate fudge, and got stuff at Walmart to make dinner at the cabin. After dinner some people played Monopoly (not me), and others Scrabble (me!). We then played catch phrase (hallerious) and then the guys played pool while me and my friend Rachel talked. Both nights most of us went to bed at 2 AM, while I went to bed at 3 AM because I took a shower or stayed up talking to Rachel. Sunday we went to a nearby mountain with a short hike to an overlook where we looked at faraway cars that looked like ants and some of the guys went on some rocks past the place where you're supposed to go. I'm glad they didn't hurt themselves. We ate lunch on the way home.
We had devotionals throughout the weekend and watched a guy speak on a video from a conference, as well as sang some songs with one of the guys playing gutiar and the other a small drum (yeah, there's a name for it and I don't know what it is!). We had quiet times to ourselves. We also had about an hour and a half of freetime on Saturday where everybody did their own thing - fishing, drawing, playing gutiar, watching TV, playing computer games, swinging, taking pictures. It was fun to see how each of us went off to do our own thing that we enjoyed! I love me some alone time! Haha. It's ok if others are nearby, it's just nice to think and hear the silence. Is that an oxymoron? To hear the silence?
The first downtown store we went to on Saturday didn't have mint chocoalte fudge, but they had other fudge. I knew I wasn't going to buy any other fudge because that's not what I wanted. The others were confused, "Why aren't you buying fudge? You kept saying you wanted some." "Yes, but it's the wrong kind. If we go to another store later, maybe there will be some there and then I will regret getting the fudge here." I wasn't sure if the later store would have any, so I risked not getting any at all! But it was a risk I took. Later in the evening at the apple barn they DID have mint chocolate fudge! Along with being stoked, I told my friends Rachel and Nathan, "I feel like this is a metaphor for some things in life. I knew what I wanted and had to wait for it, even though I could have settled for less earlier. Sometimes you have to wait for the good stuff in life, even if you don't know when you'll get it or where."
I LOVE weekends like we just had. It's so nice to escape regular life for a while and explore and laugh a lot.
Yesterday after we got back from the retreat I went to the first meeting for my new job with all the others who will be working there (that could make the meeting). My nerves were calmed when I met some of the people - I think the unknown makes me nervous but once I know what's going on I'm better. We start training next Monday and then open to the public the following Monday. I'll be a receptionist for an aerobics place part time. I'm glad it's not til Monday because I have a lot of plans this week and weekend!
Today I went back to the park with my friend Rachel for lunch. She loves to draw / paint / create art so I showed her some of mine from several years ago. Tonight - Zumba. Tomorrow night - dinner with girls from my Thur night bible study. Wed - bible study with my church. Thur - bible study with a different church. Fri - I'm going to Helen GA, a small town near the mountains, with my friend Rachel and her husband Nathan, and a few others. Fun! Saturday I'm going to a place in Atlanta that has some shops with some friends. Sunday I am going to a Halloween party at night with my friends from Thur night bible study! Monday, besides training, is Halloween and at my church there's Trunk R Treat which means people decorate their cars and then kids walk around with families to get candy from the cars. I will say later what I'm dressing up as - don't want to ruin the surprise. :-) (Uhhh, even though probably nobody reads this anyways.) It's sooooooo nice to have things to do recently instead of just sitting around my house like I have been the past few months.
Starting in January I'm going to start practicing my Swahili on Rosetta Stone so when I go back to Kenya in July I will know more! I'm excited about that! I also want to start drawing again more - my friend Rachel has inspiried me!
Monday, October 17, 2011
October
I got this REALLY soft blanket at Khols and I'm excited about it. :-) Can't wait to take it on the retreat this weekend. I'm also really excited about the retreat this weekend, which I mentioned 2 posts ago, and some awesome people are going. :-) My last retreat was more of a learning one with speakers and stuff, this one is more of a fun/hang out one.
Hmm, let's see...
I had pink eye last week. What is up with that? I haven't had it since I was 7 that I remember! Thankfully it wasn't severe - went to Walgreens clinic right after I got up that morning and realized I had it. Had to wear my glasses for a week, but now it's better. Whew. I went to the dentist and then surgery people to confirm my wisdom teeth that need to come out and my surgery is scheduled for Nov 11. They say it shouldn't be too bad, but I'm nervous because of the pain and all the possible side affects.
Last Sunday afternoon was the church picnic with my home church. Last year it got rained out. It was good - got to talk to some people and watch the youth vs adults play kickball. It's weird that after going to the same place for picnics for as long as I can remember, that it changes so much. Not the actual scenery, but the people and what you do. In high school I always hung out with the youth group and got in the slimy river (with sandals on!) and had fun with all these people my age. But now I am older and just kind of hang out with all the adults. Still fun though, just different.
Today I had lunch with my friend Mel at the park. It was soooo nice out. We walked around a little and swung some too on the kid playground but the swings weren't tiny. Tonight I'm having dinner with a friend I made on the retreat a few weeks ago!
In other news, I have a part time job that starts next month! I will be a receptionist for a tae kwan do / aerobics place like 2 min from my house. I'm not sure of the details yet - it's not open yet either - and Sunday we are having a meeting with the owners (who go to my church) and the other people who will be receptionists. Hopefully it will be fun as well as some type of money coming in.
Well, that's it for now folks.
Hmm, let's see...
I had pink eye last week. What is up with that? I haven't had it since I was 7 that I remember! Thankfully it wasn't severe - went to Walgreens clinic right after I got up that morning and realized I had it. Had to wear my glasses for a week, but now it's better. Whew. I went to the dentist and then surgery people to confirm my wisdom teeth that need to come out and my surgery is scheduled for Nov 11. They say it shouldn't be too bad, but I'm nervous because of the pain and all the possible side affects.
Last Sunday afternoon was the church picnic with my home church. Last year it got rained out. It was good - got to talk to some people and watch the youth vs adults play kickball. It's weird that after going to the same place for picnics for as long as I can remember, that it changes so much. Not the actual scenery, but the people and what you do. In high school I always hung out with the youth group and got in the slimy river (with sandals on!) and had fun with all these people my age. But now I am older and just kind of hang out with all the adults. Still fun though, just different.
Today I had lunch with my friend Mel at the park. It was soooo nice out. We walked around a little and swung some too on the kid playground but the swings weren't tiny. Tonight I'm having dinner with a friend I made on the retreat a few weeks ago!
In other news, I have a part time job that starts next month! I will be a receptionist for a tae kwan do / aerobics place like 2 min from my house. I'm not sure of the details yet - it's not open yet either - and Sunday we are having a meeting with the owners (who go to my church) and the other people who will be receptionists. Hopefully it will be fun as well as some type of money coming in.
Well, that's it for now folks.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Your house is on fire
If I were to tell you that your house was on fire and you needed to get out, would you be mad at me? If it were the 2nd floor burning and you were on the first, watching your favorite TV show, would you still run out of the house? I hope so. Because you'd turn around and see the house on fire once you got out. But metaphorically speaking, some people just shrug at the alarming news and continue to enjoy their TV show. If I ran past you out of the house and didn't tell you the house was on fire, wouldn't you be pretty mad? I would if someone did that to me! So even if you are busy right with something else, take a minute to read this and let me explain. Because your house is on fire. Don't read the first paragraph and assume you know what I'm about to say and roll your eyes and stop reading.
Steve Jobs was a Buddhist. Which means he will not be in heaven. I can't imagine the scene where he stands before God and all Steve's brilliance and wealth on earth was not enough and he suddenly realizes that there was something more important in life that he missed. He did not have it all. The mark he left on the world may be a big one and it may last for decades, but essentially it is meaningless.
"And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." - 1 John 5:11-12
"Jesus answered, 'I am the way, the truth, the life. NO ONE comes to the Father except through me.'" -John 14:6
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." -Matthew 7:13-14
In a book that Francis Chan wrote called, "Erasing Hell," : "We have become dangerously comfortable - believers ooze with wealth and let their addictions to comfort and security numb the radical urgency of the gospel. What's encouraging is that there seems to be a growing number of American believers who recognize this and are making changes." "If my two-year-old son runs out into the street, is it unloving to warn him of the destruction coming in the form of a Chevy 4x4? Does anyone criticize the fireman for waking up a family to rescue them from a burning house?"
Does it all make sense? No. But did we create everything that exists? No. Does an ant understand that humans have houses, jobs, friends, families, feelings....no. All an ant cares about it getting food and building ant hills. We're like ants. We can build the biggest ant hill ever in mankind, but at the end of the day the rain will wash away the ant hill. And as much as the ants understand humans, that's as much as humans understand God. But the cool thing is, God LOVES us! He doesn't just want us to go to heaven some day, but He also wants us to experience love and joy and peace here on earth.
I've heard, "Well why would I want to love a God who sends people to hell?" God doesn't send them there, they chose to go there. He says, "I want YOU in heaven. But if you don't want to come, that's your choice." And not just God, but Jesus as well, because they're the same thing. Jesus is the reason we GO to heaven! Just believing in God but not Jesus is like saying to a friend, "Hey, I want to be friends with you, but only when you're happy, and only on Wednesdays. I don't really want to be your friend the other days of the week, and especially not if you're hurting / sad / mad / irritating." Some people just don't believe He's real but I'm here to tell you HE IS.
I think the hardest thing about all of this from a Christian's standpoint is that it hurts SO much to know people and love people who don't love God because they aren't going to heaven. It's hard to have a conversation and explain that without them being mad or upset or offended or running the other way. It's hard to express the importance of this, that it's not just going to church on Sundays and you're good to go. It's hard knowing that so many people have made up their mind and they are completely against changing their mind. And knowing that there's nothing I can do to change it. I can live it out, I can tell people, I can serve people...but sometimes people still don't care or don't believe or don't understand how important it is. Sometimes I don't know how to tell other people. Sometimes I try, and it just doesn't really do anything. Yes, sometimes I worry that someone will defriend me from facebook because they are tired of hearing me talk about God, or will never speak to me again. But for me to not say anything at all is so much worse. This is not about people liking me, this is about where you will spend the rest of eternity when you die. This is me loving you enough to tell you. I pray often for those I know who don't KNOW Jesus and love Him and follow Him. To believe He exists is not enough. I believe satan exists but I sure as heck don't follow him.
Our purpose on life isn't to make more money, to impress the world with our talents or ideas, or to live as happy of a life as possible. It's to get to know God, tell others about Him.
Steve Jobs was a Buddhist. Which means he will not be in heaven. I can't imagine the scene where he stands before God and all Steve's brilliance and wealth on earth was not enough and he suddenly realizes that there was something more important in life that he missed. He did not have it all. The mark he left on the world may be a big one and it may last for decades, but essentially it is meaningless.
"And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." - 1 John 5:11-12
"Jesus answered, 'I am the way, the truth, the life. NO ONE comes to the Father except through me.'" -John 14:6
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." -Matthew 7:13-14
In a book that Francis Chan wrote called, "Erasing Hell," : "We have become dangerously comfortable - believers ooze with wealth and let their addictions to comfort and security numb the radical urgency of the gospel. What's encouraging is that there seems to be a growing number of American believers who recognize this and are making changes." "If my two-year-old son runs out into the street, is it unloving to warn him of the destruction coming in the form of a Chevy 4x4? Does anyone criticize the fireman for waking up a family to rescue them from a burning house?"
Does it all make sense? No. But did we create everything that exists? No. Does an ant understand that humans have houses, jobs, friends, families, feelings....no. All an ant cares about it getting food and building ant hills. We're like ants. We can build the biggest ant hill ever in mankind, but at the end of the day the rain will wash away the ant hill. And as much as the ants understand humans, that's as much as humans understand God. But the cool thing is, God LOVES us! He doesn't just want us to go to heaven some day, but He also wants us to experience love and joy and peace here on earth.
I've heard, "Well why would I want to love a God who sends people to hell?" God doesn't send them there, they chose to go there. He says, "I want YOU in heaven. But if you don't want to come, that's your choice." And not just God, but Jesus as well, because they're the same thing. Jesus is the reason we GO to heaven! Just believing in God but not Jesus is like saying to a friend, "Hey, I want to be friends with you, but only when you're happy, and only on Wednesdays. I don't really want to be your friend the other days of the week, and especially not if you're hurting / sad / mad / irritating." Some people just don't believe He's real but I'm here to tell you HE IS.
I think the hardest thing about all of this from a Christian's standpoint is that it hurts SO much to know people and love people who don't love God because they aren't going to heaven. It's hard to have a conversation and explain that without them being mad or upset or offended or running the other way. It's hard to express the importance of this, that it's not just going to church on Sundays and you're good to go. It's hard knowing that so many people have made up their mind and they are completely against changing their mind. And knowing that there's nothing I can do to change it. I can live it out, I can tell people, I can serve people...but sometimes people still don't care or don't believe or don't understand how important it is. Sometimes I don't know how to tell other people. Sometimes I try, and it just doesn't really do anything. Yes, sometimes I worry that someone will defriend me from facebook because they are tired of hearing me talk about God, or will never speak to me again. But for me to not say anything at all is so much worse. This is not about people liking me, this is about where you will spend the rest of eternity when you die. This is me loving you enough to tell you. I pray often for those I know who don't KNOW Jesus and love Him and follow Him. To believe He exists is not enough. I believe satan exists but I sure as heck don't follow him.
Our purpose on life isn't to make more money, to impress the world with our talents or ideas, or to live as happy of a life as possible. It's to get to know God, tell others about Him.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Fall! Yes, the season, not the action.
Ah! I have a wisdom tooth coming in! Does this signify
that I am a full adult? As one of the girls I baby-sit used to ask, "Are
you a kid adult?" "Yes." I replied at 21 years old. This meant I
could still jump on the trampoline with them. A kid adult seemed to be a
fantastic name for the 18-21 age group. Legally adults, but really just big
kids with freedom and their own money (if they work). Anyways, tomorrow I go
for x-rays to see if they'll need to take them out. :-( NERVOUS! Also, there
goes my recent baby-sitting money!
I'm super excited for the young adults’ retreat I'm going on Oct 21-23 because we're going to a cabin in the mountains by a lake with a hot tub. 12 of us are going. We'll play games, watch movies, go hiking, go to stores where we don't really buy anything, and hopefully I will get mint chocolate fudge. Because I LOVE LOVE LOVE mint chocolate fudge and can only find it in touristy places or order it online. Some of my great friends are going on this weekend retreat also which makes it even more enjoyable. It's a weekend that there is always so much laughter that you can't breathe, your stomach hurts, and tears roll down your cheeks. Also we have singing, devotions, quiet times. It's probably one of my favorite things each year, even with different people going each year.
There’s a new facebook layout coming out on Sunday called Facebook Timeline. Long story short, you’re able to view all your past things EVER posted with a much easier click of the button. You can click on any year and scroll to find certain pictures or events. I found a way to get it early and in this I began tagging where pictures were taken and it shows little pins on a map. It was fun to see where I’d been. This DID take hours upon hours and I doubt anyone is as ocd as me to go through all their thousands of pictures to do the same. However, this trip down memory lane was interesting. I thought how young some people looked! And how there were so many good memories, along with so many I wish to forget.
After I get married, I want to go on a cruise. Why after I marry? Because nobody my age has money or time to go now. Or they just don’t go. I don’t know. I want to go to the beach, and Savannah Georgia, and a cruise, and I’m willing to save up money to go, but others don’t. And I admit I get really frustrated with that. But I guess I’d rather do that with somebody I’m married to anyways right? And beyond that I want to travel to other countries. I wouldn’t mind living in a really small house if that meant we could go cool places. Oh, and this for sure includes Disney World and Islands of Adventure again. :-) And Hawaii. And New York. I mean it’s only like $200 for a plane ticket to NY! That’s not too bad! $450 or so to Washington state! Those numbers seem so low to me because the plane ticket to Kenya costs around $2,500 though. Anything below that just sounds WAY cheaper.
Random side note – this one youtube video I did where I sang, “Someone Like You” by Adele 3 months ago, started getting around 1,000 hits a day in the past month, so it’s up to 32,000 views! Wow! I mean think about 1,000 people viewing it every day – that’s a lot! I always delete the mean comments because DANG some people are mean! What possesses people to say such things about the way people look or sing? Geez. Anyways, it’s been interesting to see the views shoot up when generally my few other videos that got the most hits maybe got 1,000 total.
I would like to take a moment to say that I am SO ridiculously thankful for the people who are in my life right now. For 4 years in college I had a few friends here and there during my classes, but only IN class, rarely outside of class. I went to an amazing girls’ bible study my freshman and sophomore year of college, but when we stopped and went into different majors the only way I kept in touch was through facebook. I only had a few close friends, and often they were too busy, or I was busy as well and our schedules didn’t match up. I prayed so hard for true and deep friends. I prayed for 4 years and was angry that God just gave me a bunch of surface level friends. I kept praying. Last summer God finally answered my prayers. When I began at a new bible study through Northstar, although a lot of people have come and gone over the past year, there are several who I treasure so much and seeing them every week means to much to me. In my last year of college, this time last year I had 4 classes and all 4 with the same women, all of us about to become certified teachers. They were awesome. When student teaching started, I worked with great teachers who were there for me. I knew that they were there for me. With a few people at my home church that went to Kenya I’ve made a point to keep in touch with them better, and also some at my current church. Some awesome people have made a point to get together with me on a regular basis. The young adults’ group at my church has slowly grown and those new friends over the past year have also encouraged me and filled my empty days with laughter. As I now step back and look at who is around me, I am SO blessed. I don’t know why I went 4 years with little to no friends, but He has now given me amazing people of all ages. I pray and thank God for them often.
I'm super excited for the young adults’ retreat I'm going on Oct 21-23 because we're going to a cabin in the mountains by a lake with a hot tub. 12 of us are going. We'll play games, watch movies, go hiking, go to stores where we don't really buy anything, and hopefully I will get mint chocolate fudge. Because I LOVE LOVE LOVE mint chocolate fudge and can only find it in touristy places or order it online. Some of my great friends are going on this weekend retreat also which makes it even more enjoyable. It's a weekend that there is always so much laughter that you can't breathe, your stomach hurts, and tears roll down your cheeks. Also we have singing, devotions, quiet times. It's probably one of my favorite things each year, even with different people going each year.
There’s a new facebook layout coming out on Sunday called Facebook Timeline. Long story short, you’re able to view all your past things EVER posted with a much easier click of the button. You can click on any year and scroll to find certain pictures or events. I found a way to get it early and in this I began tagging where pictures were taken and it shows little pins on a map. It was fun to see where I’d been. This DID take hours upon hours and I doubt anyone is as ocd as me to go through all their thousands of pictures to do the same. However, this trip down memory lane was interesting. I thought how young some people looked! And how there were so many good memories, along with so many I wish to forget.
After I get married, I want to go on a cruise. Why after I marry? Because nobody my age has money or time to go now. Or they just don’t go. I don’t know. I want to go to the beach, and Savannah Georgia, and a cruise, and I’m willing to save up money to go, but others don’t. And I admit I get really frustrated with that. But I guess I’d rather do that with somebody I’m married to anyways right? And beyond that I want to travel to other countries. I wouldn’t mind living in a really small house if that meant we could go cool places. Oh, and this for sure includes Disney World and Islands of Adventure again. :-) And Hawaii. And New York. I mean it’s only like $200 for a plane ticket to NY! That’s not too bad! $450 or so to Washington state! Those numbers seem so low to me because the plane ticket to Kenya costs around $2,500 though. Anything below that just sounds WAY cheaper.
Random side note – this one youtube video I did where I sang, “Someone Like You” by Adele 3 months ago, started getting around 1,000 hits a day in the past month, so it’s up to 32,000 views! Wow! I mean think about 1,000 people viewing it every day – that’s a lot! I always delete the mean comments because DANG some people are mean! What possesses people to say such things about the way people look or sing? Geez. Anyways, it’s been interesting to see the views shoot up when generally my few other videos that got the most hits maybe got 1,000 total.
I would like to take a moment to say that I am SO ridiculously thankful for the people who are in my life right now. For 4 years in college I had a few friends here and there during my classes, but only IN class, rarely outside of class. I went to an amazing girls’ bible study my freshman and sophomore year of college, but when we stopped and went into different majors the only way I kept in touch was through facebook. I only had a few close friends, and often they were too busy, or I was busy as well and our schedules didn’t match up. I prayed so hard for true and deep friends. I prayed for 4 years and was angry that God just gave me a bunch of surface level friends. I kept praying. Last summer God finally answered my prayers. When I began at a new bible study through Northstar, although a lot of people have come and gone over the past year, there are several who I treasure so much and seeing them every week means to much to me. In my last year of college, this time last year I had 4 classes and all 4 with the same women, all of us about to become certified teachers. They were awesome. When student teaching started, I worked with great teachers who were there for me. I knew that they were there for me. With a few people at my home church that went to Kenya I’ve made a point to keep in touch with them better, and also some at my current church. Some awesome people have made a point to get together with me on a regular basis. The young adults’ group at my church has slowly grown and those new friends over the past year have also encouraged me and filled my empty days with laughter. As I now step back and look at who is around me, I am SO blessed. I don’t know why I went 4 years with little to no friends, but He has now given me amazing people of all ages. I pray and thank God for them often.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)