Day 20

Yep, its 8:40am and i have worked out. I had to! We are leaving in an hour for the weekend in WinterHaven, AKA vacation and limited excercise so i had to workout before hitting the road. since we were pretty intense last night with the sculpt2 and the jog, our muscles were slightly droupy, and because we had limited time, we opted for sculpt1. which was still rough because of our exhaustion.
but we are packing and getting ready. By we, i mean my friend Leah and I.
ill be in Winterhaven Florida for New Years with her familia!

peace out!

day 19

Did not want to work out cause we had a veg day all day and having already worked out 3 days in a row this week, by body was exhausted. but not only did we do the entire level 2 of the power sculpt dvd, but we also jogged 1.5 mile.
felt good, kept me awake and alert enough to do my laundry for the trip im about to go on!!!

Day 18

This morning, Leah and i did the Cardio Max Level 2. Level to is level one with the added level 2 segment and it was INTENSE! Combine last night's intense work out with the early morningness and lack of rest for our muscles and dehydration; plus upping the level of the workout and you have our morning with the dvd. Jillian Micheals is the trainer for the level 2 part and O my goodness is she intense or what! I have a feeling i will be on this level for 3 weeks instead of 2.

For dinner, i made sweet potatoes and Chicken, both seasoned with the amazing cinnamon chipotle rub and a little olive oil! yum! Its going to be so boring to not make my own food all the time again.
Tonight, i was having weird cravings. Turkey Jerky and chocolate... twas delicious!

Spaghetti Squash

Made speghetti squash for dinner tonight! so delicious and fresh tasting.
Set your oven to 350, cut this giant yellow ball in 2, add some olive oil and seasoning. bake until you can poke through the shell with a fork. Take it out and carefully remove the seeds then use a fork to scrape the flesh of this beautiful veggie out. It comes out looking like yellow speghetti. you can serve it as a fun side or use it in place of noodles for spehetti. SO GOOD!

day 17

cant believe its been 17 days! i love it!

Leah did the Power Sculpt with me tonight, we did it on Level 2. our bodies stretched, we decided to bundle up and go for a jog. After informing a few friends for safety reasons (had to) we were off.
Sometimes it is hard to workout with others. When the level that they are out in thier workouts is greater then the one you are at, it can be discouraging. Nothing against the others, or in this case, my friend Leah. Thats just the nature of the beast. after reasessing my true thoughts and feelings of this, I was able to recognize that its ok. There may always be those who are a little, or alot more, advanced in their process then I am. That is just life, reality. The key, i am finding, is to push past that, recognize how im feeling or thinking and its root and make it a goal to do my own personal best and realize that one day i too will be there at that level as well.
Im at a step in the process, not going to let myself become discouraged.
I shared with Leah how i felt and we were able to talk about it and i truly am enjoying having a workout partner this week. Each of us need that person that is going to push us to the next level, and we need that interaction in order to be able to learn to grow stronger in who the Lord has made us and in knowing our own limits while not making excuses.
Getting closer and closer to that 5k. January 29th!
Please pray for me in this way, that i wont grow lazy or give up. I have noticed that this healthy lifestyle, pushing myself and such is an outward display of my relationship with the Lord. Tis pretty interesting to see the connection.
Have any of you ever noticed this in your life as well?

Day 16

After joining my old roomie and her family in St. Augustine for the day, we (as in Leah and I) drove back to BCF. just got back at about 9:30pm and because I didnt work out yesterday due to travels i knew i had to workout tonight so in goes the Cardio Max. Leah is used to intense workouts so i feel like this was a breeze for her. but whatever, we will be doing more of her type of stuff all this week, this will definitely test my limit which i am quite excited about. I will report that i know its time to move onto Level 2 in this dvd because franky, im not tired really, i think i could have done that whole thing a second time.
But i was feeling the grilled cheese and chilli from last night, and possibly the couple bites of fried alegator tail (its alegator, you cant pass up the opportunity, it doesnt come around too often) stiffening in my intestines as the dvd progressed...

Day 15

The beginning of week 3:
Today, though sunday's are not my rest day, i was on the road from the time i left church until late that night therefore i was unable to work out so i made Sunday my rest1 of the week. This means that Monday-Friday i will work out everyday. This week there will be alot of extra workouts as well because my roomie from last fall is visiting and she is training for something she will be a part of next winter so i will be pushing myself along with her this week. I plan on taking her to Zumba, if its open, just cause its fun! and we will be braving the elements and jogging outside...please pray this does not lead to bronchitis as is usually the pattern when i try to run in cold weather. but i need to be able to do this because the 5k i am working towards is January 29th. which, though it could end up being a warm day because i am in Florida, it will mostly be frigid.

o the words i wish i had.

This holiday has been quite different then the ones of the past for me. I remained in Graceville for this break and did not go home for Christmas. Though some may pity me for this, or feel bad for me, they really shouldnt. Yes, i miss my family and friends in Virginia and it would have been great to see them, especially since one is leaving the country for 4 months hear soon. But i am very grateful for the time i have had here this break. Most of it has been void of human contact, but not in the least void of fellowship with the Lord.
I feel blessed for this time with my savior. I usually try to not ponder too much, i rarely have time for it. I rarely have time to sit and open my mind and heart fully without interuption to the molding of the Holy Spirit, but this break i have had nothing but time!
It has been an adventure, a little honeymoon with my Savior. Though i am realizing how difficult it is to open my heart and mind to his mending, He is showing me more and more the necessity of it. With the challenge ahead for me leading my dorm this Spring, this time with the Lord was very necessary.
The molding has just begun. Through scripture, music, books, service and moments of solitude, i am learning more and more about my savior, my need of Him, the Joy He provides and of how unfathomable it is that such a mighty and soveriegn God would love an undeserving woman like me.

Please pray for me ya'll. pray that i would not push Him away, but instead to drop my independent selfish spirit and become solely dependent on Him, Please pray for me to be broken and pieced together again :)

Merry Christmas Yall! and thank you Adam's and Hendrix Family for welcoming me as part of your family today as we celebrated our Savior's birth! I am blessed to have you in my life!

Week Two: Recap

Looking back at this week, i am able to notice some areas that need improvement as well as areas that i am doing well in.
Pros of the Week:
I completed the week, and though i switched some days around, i still worked out the 5 days this week.
I began the week at 206 and have ended the week at 200 (or 201, scale was being funky...) thats a loss of 5-6lbs! PRAISE The LOrd! that was all him, so i guess that was a pro for the Lord!
in the workouts, i am becoming more and more able to do the exercises in the correct techniques and in line with the DVD's so therefore, i am getting more out of the workouts because its pushing me to improve and stay on task.

Cons of the week:
around tuesday or wednesday, i stepped on the scale and became upset at what i found. it said i had gained 2 lbs. though i know in my head that this was probably an increase in muscle, it was still difficult to see an increase when i feel as though i am working harder at this now then ever before, eating correctly, journalling, maintaining exercise... that day was difficult to remain encouraged to eat healthily. i found myself munching on tortilla chips and chocolate chips...until i snapped out of it and realized i just needed to press on.
i believe i need to increase my water intake, though im usually very good at staying hydrated, it really hasnt crossed my mind lately, so i dont know for sure if im drinking enough.
a schedule is needed. i need to implement a schedule now that i know will be conducive to my semester coming up so the transition doesnt throw me off and mess up this great thing thats goin on here.

all in all, twas a good week and i feel great!!!

Day 14

Just finished the Cardio Max DVD. i think today will mark my last day on level one in this dvd, tomorrow i will do Level 2 to start out my 3rd week.
I pushed myself today in the pushup sideways things and was able to lower deeper in all the lunges, though i have not mastered or really even been able to do the lunges where i have pop back up and jump into the next lunge. in time though, it shall happen.
i am finding that the later in the day that i wait to do these, the more i must wrestle with myself to do them. i really need to set a time, not just for the workout, but for my time with the Lord, and my time in prayer, so that i have my best foot forward in all of these areas. each day is so different though, this could become a challenge. right now im just trying to be sure i do these things before i am super exhausted.
well, i feel energized now, so im pretty sure that secures some book time.

Ps. today is Christmas Day! i can honestly say that i have controlled myself well today in the area of food. it was tasty, and i had just enough to fill me, thus i am content!

Day 13

Power Sculpt. moved onto level 2. definitly more difficult then level 1. right up to par. level 2 is level one with an added section. i could probably still do more weight on level one, but by the time level 2 comes around, im not sure id be able to hold my arms up for that one. it wasnt bad at all though, heart rate increas; check! sweat; Check. jello feeling; check.

Warren St. Memories

Coming from the crisp, cool winter air, I race to the door. Welcomed with a sweet aroma of wintergreen and peperment, or whichever candle happens to be burning in the hallway, i hang up my coat and make my presense know. There is a comotion sounding from the kitchen and i move closer to find out what is going on. My aunts are in every corner of the kitchen. one getting something from the fridge, one stiring the contents of the pot on the stove, one washing dishes or cutting veggies, (i cannot tell from where i stand). My grandma has some of my cousins help set the table and i am greeted with hugs and kisses and luckily in this family, no cheek pinches. a few toddlers are meandering around trying to get to the cheese and crackers and i nestle myself at the kitchen table to hear all the happenings of life in my family or the old tales of "Back in the day" or my personal favorites, "when grandma and grandpa weren't looking we..." and in the later years, when there were more ppl living far away we would pass the phones around with some distant relative on the other line, wishing them a merry Christmas and wishing they were with us.

so much joy filled the air.

I remember i havent seen Gramps yet, but i know where to find him. as soon as the basement door is open i can smell it already. an aroma so calming and pleasent to me no. the sweet smell of pipe tobacco and cigars. as i come down the stairs, i see a few more cousins, the boys, have already been joined by my brother zach and are wrestling in the back corner of the basement beside my Uncle's old ski looking workout nordtrack thing. gramps makes sure to tell them to settle down every so often just to throw in that "responisible grandpa" word in case grandma or my aunts come down and see the sight. but really, he is just smiling, watching his football game, completely at peace in his Lazy Boy. I greet him with a kiss on the cheek and join him on the couch. not much conversation, just his wonderful company. theres something about being around him that just made me feel so safe and warm, as if nothing could harm me.

a few minutes go by and my attention span for this barbaric sport goes right out the window in time for my uncles to meander down the stairs, and just to be in thier company i stay and listen to the football and fishing jargain.

My little cousins tracy and emily join me and i find myself dragged off up the stairs again. both of thier imaginations going wild and trying to throw me in the middle of it. it passes the time and thier cute little kids so why not! truth be told, i loved it. we would explore the upstairs where our mothers used to share a room, or even sneak up to the attic and take a peak around. it was good times, they were both so much bolder then i, even being so much younger.

the poker chips, o the poker chips...and that old drum...along with some other old toys that had to be as old if not older then our parents. we would play with them all the time. we would play with them for hours, switching back and forth trying to come up with some new use for them.

The tree! always seemed like the biggest tree ever to us kids. all the gifts around it, our brothers trying to see if they could get away with opening thiers just a little. and it always happened, just as they were almost successfull, we would hear our moms call us up to wash for dinner.

By this time, Val, Jimmy and Kimmy would have arrived and joined the ladies in the kitchen so it was always great to run and give them a giant hug. My brothers are the best huggers ever. i think Zach learned it from jimmy! They got to sit at the grown up table, while i, who felt ages older then my little cousins was confined to the kiddy table.

man, i always wanted to sit at the Grown up table. at the kiddy table, i could see all the grown ups, and sorta hear thier stories. alas, this was how it was so o well, ill just enjoy it! after filling up with all the delicious holiday goodies from who i think are the best chefs in town (my grams, and aunts) we kids would get really excited because we knew what was next!

Sparkling Apple (or grape if we ran out of apple) Cider and Dessert! which was always followed by PRESENT time!

our eyes would brighten and we would race down the stairs...there always seemed to be a casualty in this as the boys would plow over the girls to get down there first, slipping between the railings on the way down onto the couch and jumping infront of the tree. so anxious to get thier own gifts and pass out everyone elses, sometime shaking them for you to see if it was something good.

paper everywhere, thank yous and huggs and modeling of the new jewlry, or sweaters. so many camera flashes, we were all seeing stars.

I miss the years of Christmas on Warren street. I cherrish the memories i have with my aunts and uncles and cousins and especially with my grandma and Grandpa. THinking back, i wish i had soaked that time in more. the memories fade, locations change, people move away. But i will alway thank the Lord for those Christmas's together. Me, the silent observer of each beautiful member of my family, Loud. Irish. Honest. and Loving.

Merry Christmas to all those familiar with Warrent St. Christmas's. You made every year special to me :)

what is your favorite Christmas memory?

Not Possible without God's help.

sometime i just need to be reminded how far the Lord has brought me and find encouragement that i can do this, there is a change, and the mirrow lies at times. so here is a photo montage of what the Lord has brought me to.

4 years ago, winter of my senior year of High School.

June 2007, 3 years ago in wales July 2007,

May 2008, July 2008

august 2008, December 2008, December 2008

April 2009, May 2009

Fall 2009

March 2010, May 2010

Fall 2010, November 2010

December 2010

a different kind of Christmas thought...

ive been thinking about Christ's birth lately and martyrs of the centries who have died in defense of the gospel.
I simply cannont shake the thought of Herod's death order that night.

Have you ever wondered about the babies who died that night in Bethlehem. Have you ever taken a moment to appreciate what thier part in Christ's story is, or of the parents of those babies?

I have known parents who have prayed and prayed for the blessing of a child, read in the scriptures of women such as Hannah and Sara and Elizabeth who have come to the Lord in hopes that He would bless them with a child. I have seen thier joy when that little boy or girl arrives and have been able to watch these little joys grow up through the years.

I have also known many mothers and fathers who have experienced or are experiencing the grief of losing a child due to miscarriage, illness, or even suddenly. I have known parents of children who are sick and hurting. I have witnessed thier tears and been burdened for thier pain and grief.

The men and women who lost thier precious little boys that night in Bethlehem were no exception to the reality of grief and loss experienced when one loses a child. Its merely stated in scriptures as a point in history, but i dont think we should belittle what they went through.

I wonder if, in the many who recieved Christ some 30 years after that night, did they know they were worshiping and following the very one who was the reason for thier child's death? Im not at all trying to cast blame on Christ for this incident, or neglect that Christ's birth was most important. I am just simply sitting here thinking about what me, as a woman, as a human, would have maybe thought if it were my child who died.

Would i have been able to worship and follow Christ whole heartedly if i were to have known it was because He came into the world that my innocent little child had not had a chance to live. Would i see it that way, or would i look at it as a privilege to be apart of His coming. He is my savior, He is the reason I have hope.

makes me wonder, knowing what i know of Christ, and of God's love, (thinking way into the future here), when im holding my own little one one day, will i ever be able to fathom the possibility of losing my precious child for the sake of the Cross?

I dont know, i still can't fathom what Abraham went through with Isaac on that mountain, i hope i never have to.
(is that bad?)
Jim Elliot once stated "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."
i wonder, am i a fool?

Thank you little ones who lost your life that night in Bethlehem. I wonder if you know what your death helped accomplish in this world? I wonder if you are sitting by Christ's throne with Him, celebrating His birth.

Day 12:

Hold me accountable to this. it is only this way this week. I will not be working out tonight, and will instead make this the second rest day of the week. which means i will carry on tomorrow with todays work out and work out on saturday instead of resting on saturday. too much is going on in my room today with moving my roommate's stuff in and doing an art project that has consumed my floor space!

Day 11

wow! somehow having double digits on the days makes me feel like i may be accomplishing something here! i mean i already know i am because i feel great, but still there is just something i guess psychological with seeing the numbers increase on the days and the numbers decrease on the scale (thought i don't quite understand y there was an increase on the scale today, i have been eating good, sleeping lots and as you can see, exercising...o well, fluctuation).

Cardio tonight. man, i realized i still need to work on my abs, those push up things that i had never noticed them doing before kicked my butt tonight when i incorporated them like i should have been doing. Question, How do you breath, hold in your core and move about all in the same nanosecond?

this is the earliest this week that i have actually worked out and no i feel energized and may go for a light jog out in the lights of my campus, aka ima go run around the dorm a bunch :)

Day 10:

Twas a rest day, from the workout dvd's at least... Dropped my good ole bro Justin Grack at the Airport in PC and decided to drive the extra 20 minutes to the beach where i spent the next hour walkin down the shore :) my heart is happy. then walked some more tonight with a friend around graceville. so not completely rest, but rest enough. though i went to bed late and woke up early, sleeping only from 2:30-7am. so now im tired and am going to bed. night.

day 9

Just did Power sculpt. i did it, it was easy. i may either increase to level 2 or do power sculpt with the cardio max twice a week, or get heavier weights and see if that makes it better. i just know its not really challenging me as much as it should be.
any suggestions?

Day 8

Just finished Cario Max for the 8th day on the program. Evaluation: Realized i have been doing the walkouts incorrectly this whole time...well not entirely, i have just been forgetting a step. i also realized that im not sure im reaching down enough in my squats or anything resembling a squat...though i know i go as far as i can, ithink. I think im pushing myself enough, but im not sure.
My favorite part of the whole thing is the yoga moves at the end. Its an enjoyable challenge to find my ballance as i contort into the warrior poses or the upward sunset and downward doggie [or whatever they are called]. Dont think im doing too shabby, but i still say i lack accurate ballance due to the Toe, it may sound crazy, but its true. im sure of it.
the scale says im doing this right so im gonna keep on going. I almost skipped today, but i didnt. i instead decided to do it barefoot. We are all 1-2 choices short away from failing.
im not failing today because i made the choice to press on. Day by day discipline becomes more and more a part of my being.

Week One: Recap

I think this first week of biggest loser has gone well. down from 213 to 206 lbs. my food journaling is finally going well! writing it out on a dry erase board is seeming to be the way to do it that is effective.
Ive realized 2 things: Sweets taste good but give me a headache and mess up my stomach. and fried food does not agree with me.
If i could ask for anything from yall, it would be that you would pray that i can stick with this and stay focused. I don't want to mess this up. I need the Lord's help to stay consistent and not give up.

Day 7:

Saturday was a rester. I spent it with friend baking sugar cookies and enjoying the day. KP and I rocked out to Lecrae, dancing around and showing some of the cardio moves to our friends as we baked. it was pretty awesome!

Day 6

Its kinda late in the day, midnight to be exact. but i did the cardio max today. My friend Katie joined me for the workout this time and i actually incorporated the weights for the first time in the cardio workout. it was great! im a bit shaky. its been crazy busy today for me, almost didnt do the workout. but decided if i dropped today, in the first week, then i would find excuses later. going for a walk to cool down before bed. night everyone!
PS. ate chic-fil-a for dinner tonight and felt completely gross afterward...somehow fried food is just nasty now.

Day 5:

Power Sculpt day!
I'm beginning to think of these as semi restful days...JUST KIDDING!! i just remembered the pain of all the lunges Jillian has me do and realize that its not the same as rest, quite the opposite.
But one question... HOW THE HECK DO YOU FOCUS ON THE CORE while DOING EVERYTHING ELSE???!!!!!
that's my question!
i did have the weights today, and a mat. less sliding around, but i need heavier weights...i got a set of 3 lb weights... knowing that muscle mass doesn't go away i should have know i wouldn't be feeling anything with 6 lbs when just 3 months ago i was using between 10-20 lb weights on the various exercises in that work out regime.
If only they werent so stinkin expensive! maybe i can just find heavy objects in my room to lift, like my water bottle or a text book!!! or maybe goodwill has some!

Day 4

Cario Max. I woke up this morning and debated whether or not i was actually going to do the work out. still sore from sunday and monday but not willing to give up i got up from bed and put on my sneakers. as i started the workout, my muscles loosened and it actually felt great. it was still really hard and kicked my butt, but my muscles are working with me again instead of against me so it made it easier. i am way off balance though... i think i may need to try those power bands that are supposed to bring balance to your body through this little band around you wrist. everyone i know that has tried them has claimed they are legit and work. I've always been told that i may lack some balance because of my big toe, not sure how legit that is, but ey it could be.
i think my scale is dumb because according to it, i have lost 5 lbs in the last 5 days... so either my scale is broken or i really have lost 5 lbs in the last 5 days. if i have then either A. thats way to much for only 5 days and im starving myself, or B. this is just actually legitimately working and is really good! the second of the two is what im hopeing for. but it is always an encouragement to look at the scale and it say less than it has before :)
I bout some samon tonight that im really excited to cook soon. also some good stuff like fruit and brown rice, totally forgot to pick up veggies, but i did grab some black and pinto beans and some salad stuff. Im trying to collect kitchenware again because im lacking in cooking utensils and pots!

Day 3:

I woke up and could hardly move today! Thank the Lord it is one of my rest days. in regards to workouts, i have been trying to stay moving all day and stretch as much as possible. sitting down is quite funny for anyone around to see, i have to come to a point where i just fall into the chair because my muscles cant stand to try it the slow way any longer.
Its a glorious sore! Just drinking water and trying to relax the muscles a little bit before tomorrow! Tomorrow is Cardio Max day!

Sunday: Cardio Max
Monday: Power Sculpt
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Cardio Max
Thursday: Power Sculpt
Friday: Cardio Max
Saturday: Rest

Had to write that out to see the schedule.
i think i may try to get to bed early tonight and wake up at a decent time tomorrow. i have some goals for the break and now that im completely settled in my new room (The RD suite in my dorm!! Interject: the Lord is Amazing!) i need to work towards accomplishing my goals.

"All that was ever ours..."

I am reading a book by Elisabeth Elliot entitled "All that was ever ours...Meditations on Faith and Character."
Just 50 pages in and i already whole heartedly recomend it to anyone and everyone! It is a collection of various essays she has written over the years.
In one of the essays, she quotes Sir Joshua Reynolds with a statement that took me by surprise and is packed with a gut level honesty. ‎"There is no expedient to which man will not resort to avoid the real labor of thinking."
Just glancing through my memory at the many things that i should take more time to meditate on, i can see that the fact that i usually find anything and everything that can distract me from really focusing proves this statement to be true in my own life. This break, i hope to meditate and pray through those things that i try to distract my mind from thinking through. I want to come to the point where i am able to be honest with not only the Lord and others, but also with myself. I also would like to stretch myself in that "labor of thinking"; nothing worthwile ever comes with out a little hard work.

Day 2:

Today i switched gears from the Cardio Max to the Power Sculpt.
I realize now after doing the video that i need weights and a workout mat. the weights are because they are used in the videos and lifting air is not going to get me anywhere. the Workout mat is because the floor in my room is hard linoleum covered concrete. Which is kinda painful when you are doing push ups or crunches. and my feet keep sliding on the linoleum. Maybe i can find these things at a yard sale or something!

well, the workout was not too intense, but still difficult cause of my lack of activity here lately. That's OK though, I'm gonna keep at it. soon it will be easy peasy...and right about then is when it will be time to move to the next level...
my tush is sore from the cardio max yesterday, and my muscles are tense. ill be sure to stretch them much today cause for real, i dont want them to get stiff!

Day One: The Biggest Loser Cardio Max

This was the first day of my six week winter break fitness journey. I plan to blog everyday after the workout as a way of accountability to stick with this.

Man, i can feel the effects of not so much as a walk around the campus for 2 weeks! This workout kicked my butt today! It is kinda shameful because at the beginning of the semester i was able to jog almost 2 miles and i was able to do zumba, now not so much! O well, the past is the past, cant fix it and im definitely not about to let it keep me from pressing on!

If there was any doubt that my thighs and legs existed, those doubts are gone!! When i was jogging, my legs were always what would keep me from being able to go further. One of my hopes is that this would help me strengthen my legs to build endurance. My second goal is to jog my first 5k in 8 weeks, its on January 29th.
This is going to be a pretty intense 6 weeks, but im real excited. Bob from the Biggest loser is the trainer on the videos. I look forward to my second day with Bob! Mondays and fridays are my rest days, but i will try to go on a brisk walk on those days, im afraid that if i dont do something every day then i may not stick to it.

Evaluation time!

With finals and the stress of the last 2 weeks, i have not been able to work out at all.
I began this past semester really strong, consistent with my workouts and also making good decisions with what i ate. In the first month of school, i had lost 10 pounds and felt GREAT!! Better then i had ever! Then midterms happened!
From then it was a crazy hard time to juggle everything. By thanksgiving time, though i could still jog a consistent amount of time, i had managed to gain back 8 pounds. quite shameful!
In the past 2 weeks, finals and crazy amounts of school work to finish out the semester left little time to exercise or to worry about what i was consuming. on came the last 2 pounds.
It is so hard to implement a new exercise schedule, a new way to manage what you eat, 5 new classes, a completely new semester with its own new complications, obstacles, and events ALL AT THE SAME TIME!!!
Enter this break!
6 weeks of break from school= six weeks of implementing this particular health routine, and working out all its kinks, before i add to the crazy with what is happening next semester!

Reign in Us

minor alterations to personalize parts. great song By Starfield
"Reign In Us"

You thought of us before the world began to breathe
And you knew our names before we came to be
You saw the very day we'd fall away from you
And how desperately we need to be redeemed

Lord Jesus come lead [me]
[I'm] desperate for your touch

[Chorus:]
Oh Great and Mighty One, with one desire [I] come
That you would reign, that you would reign in [I] [I'm} offering up [my life], a living sacrifice
That you would reign, that you would reign in [me]

Spirit of the Living God fall fresh again
Come search our hearts and purify our lives
[I] need your perfect love
[I] need your discipline[I'm] lost unless you guide [me] with your light

Lord Jesus come lead us
We're desperate for your touch

[Chorus]

We cry out
For your love to refine us cry out
For your love to define us cry outFor your mercy to keep us blameless until you return

[Chorus 2x]

You would reign in us

[Bridge:]
So reign, please reign in us
Come purify our hearts we need your touch
Come cleanse us like a flood and send us out
So the world may know you reign, you reign in us

[Repeat Bridge 3x]

i wonder

... Jesus was single his entire life... How did he do it? He felt some of the same emotions we did, did he feel lonely ever?

44 hours

in about 44 hours i will be home in VA once again. sorta... i land at 10:10AM on Thursday, i will be off to my Grandma's for the night from there and then will be back in Stafford Friday. After that, well, thats just the BEGINING of the CRAZY!

I have alot of homework to do over break. and i hope to finish it all before Thanksgiving day because my sister Kimmy is gonna be arriving that day and i need to have my complete attention on that time!!! SUNDAY I WILL BE AT PILLAR FOR CHURCH SO COME!!!!!

on a different note, i have barely any winter clothes! i have 4 long sleeve shirts that fit and 2 pairs of pants... and a hoodie. considering this is more then most have, i am grateful, but i dont know how i am gonna make it in that 30degree mess up there! today it was warm and beautiful here in Florida, i have a feeling im in for a gianormous shock here soon!

Im excited to be where the leaves change (please tell me there are still leaves on the trees), see that firey scene as a fly into DC, and embrace those i love and miss with big hugs!
See you soon!!!

Anesthesia

Its a fun thing, truly.
The last thing i remember is laughing as they put an oxygen mask on my nose and attaching a bunch of wire things and an IV to my arm...When i woke up my mouth was full of gauze and i felt great, i tried to get up and do a bunch but the Nurse kept pushin me to stay put. when my friend came and got me they walked my woozy self out to the car and off we were to Publix (equivalent of Bloom) where i got to ride around the store in an electric cart chair thing. that was fun. Liz had to keep redirecting me so i wouldnt run into the shelves.
Apparently i decided to text and call some friends, leaving funny voicemails and texts that i dont remember ever sending.
when i got back to the Dorm, Liz took care of me and stayed with me. She bought me a slinky and some coloring books while they were takin my teeth out and so i played with those things while we watched the first season of Gilmore Girls.
today, since the numbness wore off, the pain was tough. but i watched Gilmore Girls and relaxed.
Havent eaten much in the last couple days but soup and mashed potatoes and a shake. oh and a sweet friend bought me Popsicles. I love my friends, they have really made sure i am Ok.
Liz was taking such care of me that she forgot to take care of herself and ended up getting dehydrated, so we were able to recooperate together.
All in all, the pain hasnt been too bad, the company has been great, and its really weird to see stitches in my mouth!!!

desert reflection

even in the dry, arrid environment of the desert
Your hand is still visible and i know You are there

Revealed Ministry

There is a group of girls here who have started a ministry in the last year and a half. their focus is on revealing God's truth of His love for them, by exposing all the lies we believe in our lives to the Truth of His word.
Tomorrow night, God is giving me the opportunity to be a part of this awesome ministry by sharing my testimony of His greatness! Im excited and nervous, but realize that He will be the one to receive the GLORY because its only by His grace that I am who I am.
I would greatly appreciate that, until then, you all would pray that the Lord would grasp the attention of the young women who attend the event. Ask Him to show them the lies they have believed, bring them to the light and allow His truth to replace each lie. Also pray for the leadership and those involved in this ministry, may Satan have no foothold in our lives and absolutely no way to get in the way.

Love yall! THank you!

the bog

I am really struggling these days to stay on task and do my work. to be able to focus on my school work. There are a few reasons: my mind runs in thousands of different directions constantly and i have moments of laziness, and i get so distracted.
This is an odd way of attack, but its what is being used currently. i know, you are reading this saying, "Stop blogging and get to work!"

alas...i know what i must do and am finding it more and more dificult to do.

(though i realize how i despise the reprecutions from my procrastination and lazy attitude.)

SOMEONE HELP PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Publix

Im beyond thrilled! Publix is finally in Dothan! Publix is the equivalent to Bloom, and they have an amazing Sushi selection! Aside from sushi, it also has a much bigger selection for groceries including a stinkin awesome produce section and international isle, and Amazing TEA!!! and the list can go on. im quite thrilled to have this beautiful alternative to super walmart these days. so much better!

1.7

I increased my jogging distance...or more so, the Lord gave me the ability to progress in my jogging endeavor. Instead of 1 mile, which i have successfully jogged twice, once this semester and once last semester, i was able to jog 1.7 miles. (and truth be told, i think i could have gone longer, but where i was in relation to where i wanted/needed to end at, well...that would not have been a timely endeavor so i decided to cut my losses and end the jog short. next time though :) It felt so good! i finally know how to breathe properly and i know how to stay at a pace, more importantly, i can now see the difference between my limit and my laziness!

Prayer Request:
Please pray with me that i would keep my priorities straight and that the Lord would create in me a studious, lover-of-learning mind set. I would also ask that i can remain focused and on task.

Life is crazy, but im loving what the Lord has been teaching me lately. He really challenged me a couple weeks ago. He showed me that i was not remaining focused on Him, and that in my heart, i was not complete in Him. WOW!!! talk about a smack in the face :) You see, i guess i had begun to believe that my life would be in limbo until "the man of my dreams" came into my life. The very thought that i have rejected verbally for so long was finding its way into my heart and mind and it was time to give it to the Lord. It was difficult to work through, but I truly believe that I am complete in Him. One thing to remember, this is a process. its not over, the world is full of lies, satan likes to throw them at us as we grow closer to the Lord in order to trip us up. It's the battle of mind. 2 Corinthians 10:5 is just the truth that we all need, it displays the action we need to take in order to cling to the truth of God.
"We DESTROY arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and TAKE EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE TO OBEY CHRIST."

September update

i should do a real post soon, as for now though, just wanted to update yall on a lil recent decision making.
It looks like i will be home for Thanksgiving Break, alas, Christmas Break does not look promising. I think im supposed to stay in FL for this winter....if it changes i will let you know, other then that, VA will have me for a week :)
But im excited cause my Sister Kimmy and baby niece Venice will be in town over thanksgiving break! i havent seen my sister in 6+ years, this is LONG over due!

Also, My brother Zach is in Iraq, as some of you know already. Thank you wonderful church family who have been praying for him. Im proud of him for this amazing opportunity that the Lord is blessing him with and entrusting him in the Lord's hands just as i have been entrusting Jimmy, my other brother who is in Afghanistan.

God is Good!!!

Blessings and New things

The Lord is the Provider!

Just before i left for Florida the Lord provided a car for me.

Britt and I set off August 6th. twas an eventful trip. We broke down in Atlanta, spent the night with some old friends of mine from Global while the car was being fixed, then drove the last leg of the trip the next day. I enjoyed showing Britt round Graceville, then she helped us decorate the dorm and such. Monday she flew home from ATL. Twas an insane day, i almost fell asleep behind the wheel...thank you McCafe for saving my life!

many things have happened in the last 3-4 weeks of being here. including prankin some boys who live off campus. Going out to Frozen Yogart. Hangin out with church ppl. movies at frineds house. classes, working out with a "personal trainer", and went skeet shooting again, and as of recently, my besti was here from Ft. Lauderdale. We went to the Botanicle Gardens and did a phot shoot. twas great, we were in our fanciest dresses. Tye-dyed t-shirts and did this awesome art project. we got plagues from walmart and i had a sodering iron that we used to burn an image in the wood. rather exciting, didnt think i had gotten any bit of my mom's creative bone. but i think i did.

Biking and Tube/paddle/hike-ing!

O the Bliss of waking up to birds chirping and a gentle breeze blowing through the tent!
after a delicious breakfast of yogart and fruit parfett's, it was time to take the bikes out for a lil ride around the Park. man, i have respect for Triathete's. i dont know how you sit on that seat so long! it was a good work out, Lake Anna is not too hilly, it was fun exploring around. just before heading back to the campsite we biked down to the lake and before we knew it, Brittany and i were watching Aimee roll herslef (purposefully) right into the lake! twas great!
After we broke down the camp, grabbed a quick bite, and dropped some things off at Aimee's, we were off to the Rappahanok for some Tubing!!!
after our intense morning of biking, we were ready to chil in a tube and float down the river for a couple hours. we were quickly becoming very grateful for our awesome water shoes when we had to walk our tubes over the rocks, through the algae and seaweed and shallow parts which were becoming more frequent! though we got a good distance of relaxed floating, when we turned the corner the wind picked up...and it was blowing against us. Since the river was quite low, the current was overpowered by the wind and we found ourselves layin on our stomachs paddleing with our hands and arms through the river. poor Britt kept getting caught on rocks and algae patches, she was about done.
None of us had been on this river before so though we knew our end destination, we had no idea how far away it was or how long it was going to take us to reach that point. we had anticipated it taking us about 4 hours. none of us had watches or anything with a clock so we had no idea where we were or what time it was. for reals, it was crazy! lol
there came a point where we realized when we walked through the water vs. floating and paddleing we were going faster. and our backs were getting a break, so we just walked it. tripping and falling all over the rocks. stepping in seaweed and algae. sinking in the sand as we walked. Then, Aimee said "If only we could find a trail that goes through those woods over there." not even five minutes later, she spots something in white rolling through the woods and ventures towards it. Britt and I follow her and sure enough, the white figure she had seen was a biker, thus leading us to the Trail! with our tubes on our backs we climbed onto the trail and began walking. Some more bikers came through, we must have been a strange sight. 3 girls in their bathingsuites, dripping wet, carrying water tubes. they informed us that the trail would lead us to Fall Hill and we were so excited! by this point we still were unsure of how long we had been in the water. we kept walking...and walking...andwalking! walked under 95 and up and over a huge hill and finally came to...The Fall Hill Ghetto! lol. k, picture it again, 3 girls, bathingsuits, water tubes, dripping wet, walking through the Ghetto.
Luckily i had brought a shirt along with me, i had no idea why, but Aimee was able to us it and britt and i used our deflated tubes to cover as we walked through. got on to fall hill and reached the truck! what a glorious site to see! FIVE HOURS LATER!!!!! and had we stayed in the river and trecked on, it would have been another 2 hours!
after that, we were STARVING! we ended the day with Pizza and icetea at Aimee's.

hours later, after we were showered and ready to crash, Britt discovered that our route was a 6 mile stretch, of which we stayed in the water for about 4-5miles.

for future trips, we will be bringing a waterproof camera for the many hilarious moments (such as falling out of the tube, or slipping on the rocks...) we will be making sure that we get out sooner! and that the river is higher so that there will actually be a current to take us and help us avoid all those stinkin rocks!

it was an awesome day, and we all slept very soundly and well!

camping

O the BLISS!!!! O the amazingness of the outdoors! this week has been FULL to the brim with wonderous adventures outdoors!

Thursday night, Aimee and I met up at Lake Anna State Park to set up the campsite and gather wood. Aimee Scott is wilderness woman extrodinare! She was picking up logs and smacking them against tree trunks to break them for firewood.
it began to rain while we were setting up the tent, luckily, the storm blew right over us and we only got a slight drizzle.
Just after we were done pumping the tires in the bikes it was time to get britt from CWAC. (Thanks Jen for the shortcut through the back roads)
by the time Britt and i returned to the site it was just about dark and aimee had the fire blazin! we made hotdogs (the only time i ever eat hotdogs is when camping) and just as we were prepin our s'more, the drizzle of rain came back and we scurried to get all the food and stuff in her truck. the drizzle lasted about the same amount of time it took to get everything in the truck! but the S'mores were tasty!
we went on a lil walk down to the lake round 10, our pump flashlight was not that helpful as it went out like 3 times! Amen for Cellphones!
with a crazy packed day planned for the morning, we headed to bed.

Old Rag

Wednesday, I set out to Old Rag Mountain with a couple friends: Brittany, Josh, Shane and Gabby. I have always heard everyone talk about this amazing hike and being deprived of mountains in Florida, i was determined to hike this before the summer was out.
We arrived at the mountain around 8:30. Decided we would take the shorter trail, 3 miles, and began our hike at 8:45am. for the first half of the incline, it was like any other mountian trail i had been on, steep and a nice path. then we came to the Rocks! Let the fun begin!
we found a dog on the trail amidst the rocks, called the owner, owner was rude. the dog looked etremely weak and tired. we were saddened by this...
Ok, while i have a fear of heights, over the years i have begun to realize that to let my fears run my life will only have me miss out on some awesome opportunities. When ever im faced with a height fear to overcome, i let my self freak out internally for a few seconds, take a deep breath, and just go for it! this method was used mucho wednesday as we had to jump up, down, over and under rocks along the mountainside.
its a good think josh and shane were there to guide us and help us up some of the rocks.

the views along the way and at the peak were INCREDIBLE!! so worth it! I love how each mountain top view i have seen is completely different then the one before. God has such creativity that he created each uniquely!

for our decent, we chose the 4.5 mile route, basically meaning we circled the mountian that day! it was great! this trail was just as steep as the other one had been, but was a steady steep and didnt have the crazy rock wall and maze that the other side did. At the end of the day, im glad we went down the 4.5 mile way, but i love and will probably always hike up using the 3 mile route. its mucho fun and awesome!
pics are posted on faceboook.

thought of the day

"Have nothing to do with irrelevant, silly myths. rather train yourselves for godliness. for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way as it holds promises for the present life and also for the life to come." 1 Tim. 4:7-8

21st

July 21st was my 21st Birthday! this week has been pretty much centered around it! the Lord has really provided for our family recently, thus making it possible to purchase a few items that were on my "gonna need them pretty soon" list that i would not have otherwise been able to afford.
When I got back from SBCV Studentz Camp on Friday, my dad had called to tell me that he wanted to get me a new laptop for school since mine was on its last leg. So, on Sunday, after church, i met up with him at my parents house and off we went to Best Buy. The laptop is stinkin Awesome! i am truly grateful for this blessing, Dad did not have to do this, and i definitly dont deserve it. But it is so awesome!
After Best Buy we went and test drove a car at the Toyota Dealer in Stafford. Great car, too expensive. next thing i knew we were setting up a time to meet up during the week to go Car shopping!
Tuesday was full! I was surprised by the Ladies at Bible Study with a Surprise bday celebration complete with cupcakes and gifts and amazing people! After that, my dad and i headed to Pohanka Honda where we test drove and purchased a 2001 Honda Civic. Silver. a DEFINITE Gift from God (and my Dad). and I believe that God was looking out for us even more so because the car broke down on the way home from the dealer so the dealer had it towed back and they are fixing it free of charge. these repairs, had they come a month or so from now would have had to be repaired from our pocket so BLESSING that they are going to fix it. (praying that that is truly the only thing needing to be fixed). PTL!
Wednesday, the actual day, i loaded up in my mom's car(AC) with Brittany and Josh, Gabby, and Zach. our plan was to go to Old Rag Mountain in Shenendoah National Forest and hike to the peak. Ive always wanted to do this and i figured for my 21st bday it sounded like a brilliant plan! well, nature didnt think so. we got almost the entire way there and had to turn around because of rain. we proceeded to try to find something else to do. out of bowling, putt putt, funland and chic-fil-a, Chic-fil-a was the only success. so went home and relaxed. watched tv, took naps(we had gotten up at 6 to go hiking so we were tired) and played trouble. Momma Shaw came home and we went out for chinese, (part one of her surprises) after bible study they had cake and sang happy birthday to me. Got the most stinkin hilarious cards from the shaw fam. then it was glorious bedtime!

this was seriously the best birthday ever! my previous 3 bdays were spent working at camps, not a bad thing, but family and friends were not there. i enjoyed being able to celebrate with them. not to mention it was the "golden Bday". and it was my first year in like 10yrs of having a bday party-ish. i felt special and loved by the 2 surprise days! how does one get so lucky!

Thank you Lord, for your blessings this week and for your protection and provision all throughout my life! Thank you for the breath i breathe and the love that you have placed in my life via such awesome family and friends!

thought of the day.

i like to go/dream for the impossible, but the realist in me says it just wont happen. goodness gracious.

disecting the brain

im definitly one track minded. i become very tunnel visioned and focused for one thing. and when that one thing has hit its climax, my attention span diminishes.
Camp was my one thing i was focused on and tunnel visioned for. now that its over, my mind cant help but vere off to thoughts of school starting back up.
With a renewed outlook as the one the Lord has been producing in me this summer, i want to finish strong and get to school! So much to think about! FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS!!!! im freakin out!
i miss my school buddies.

update

let me just say, had i gone to Liberty University, i would have the craziest calf muscles ever!! no joke! so many stairs and distance between everything is crazy! im back in the grove!

i had just about forgot my secret weapon to weightoss, CAMP! which can be translated to no stop activity and choosing salad instead of nasty greece filled mess. :) lost about 5lbs this week just cause of all the walking and stairs and tons of water and portioned not crazy meals! (go figure!)

camp

I was on staff with the SBCV Studentz Camp this past week.
God rocked the house! we can now welcome 100+ into the family and Praise the Lord for the 40+other decisions that were made. one statement that the speaker made to the students was that they need to be ready because "the devil will be waiting in their driveway." for clarification, he was illustrating that Christ had gotten ahold of their hearts this week at camp and that sickens Satan. He was cautioning them to be on guard and aware of what they would face as they return to reality, to life outside of camp. Please join in praying for these. Our Brothers and Sisters need us to join along side them, praying for and encouraging them. though you may never meet any of them, please join in praying that they would hold on to the truth of God. and that they would rely on him for strength when faced with temptation. Pray the they CLING to His word as if it were the very breath they breath.

The Lord also refreshed me this week. Challenged me to not give up, to pursue holiness even more fervently then ever. He blessed my life this week. felt like i was falling in love with Him all over again. Amen for a great week of serving along side some amazing people, and for conversations i will never forget :)

F.

Well, im off tomorrow for a week in Lynchburg, VA. Studentz Camp 2010 is my destination. once im done here at CWAC for the day, i will be off to pack and get ready.
Prayer Request:
Lord, make me invisible. Lord, be the only one that is visible this week. May the words that come from my mouth be Your words. May You be glorified in all that happens. Break down our walls, reveal to each of us Your Truth. May we come face to face with you this week and unable to leave unchanged. Help me to lay aside selfishness, pride, any thing that is of me and my desires. Help me to lean on you and you alone for strength, for joy, for wisdom, for discernment. Lord. Wipe out everything that is blocking us from seeing Your heart and following Your will, example, and commands.

my drug of choice

i have an extreme urge to go jogging, alas, it is 10:30pm and im babysitting and ive already been freaked out by movements outside....

earlier this weekend i had one of those moments where i just felt like a blob. just completely off and in a daze...

i want to start new, but at the same time I am tired of starting new, and im reminded of how hard it was to let go of bad habits. habits i had gotten rid of but have slowly crept back in the last few months.

Keeping focused on the goal is key and so that is what i will do.

today, the Lord blessed me with the urge to LIVE! i dont know if i sound ridiculous now, but what i mean by that is that my gloppy feeling that has lingered over me the last week or so just really sickened me today. and i found myself soaking in the sun as if it were my strength. swimming in the Lake with the Garman girls, wishing to just go free and swim around the entire area. and as i road Annie's bike, i was reminded of how amazing it feels to have the wind blowing at your face. I got a taste of what i have missed so much today.

why do i so easily forget these beautiful things in life?

I want to live. i want to "feel the burn" that somehow says i have accomplished something today! i want to soak in the beauty of the world around me that the Lord provided, that He created!

thats the kind of medicine that is good for my soul.

epic failure

first couple days doing this and its already an epic failure! my streak of not gaining or losing any weight has broken, but not in my favor.
i shudder to write that i have gained 5lbs.
this is stinkin hard...
back to the drawing board.


lets try:
no eating after 6:30pm
one desert a week

ive not been doing good about writing down what i eat...
i need to revamp the exercise thing...right now i need to figure out when i can make time to exercise. usually the nights are all i got, but when i excercise at night i cant get to sleep, so i dont excercise because i have to be able to sleep to get up in the morning for work.

maybe ill try something DRASTIC!!! like p90x....?

Acountability

this past semester and into this summer, i have had a seriously dead time in my goals of becoming a healthy 20 year old. its been tough to not see myself loosing weight as easily and consistently as i have the past few years since Graduating High school. for the last 3 summers, i have been able to shed about 15-20lbs a summer (40-50ish lbs). this is great! and I'm so excited to be healthier then i was in High school, Mentally, Physically and Spiritually.

but I'm in a slump. I've hit the wall. i haven't gained or lost weight in the last 6months. so while that is good, and while i have accomplished some success, my goal still is not met. I'm not the completely healthy person that God created me to be, or that i desire to be.

I sought out assistance from a dietitian on Base, but in order to see her i have to attend a class, which is offered twice a month and always seems to be when I'm either scheduled with CWAC or doing something else for my internship. so i asked if i could just meet with here privately. i really just want to get a move on this. i want to get started for Pete's SAKE! i have questions, but alas, i cant meet with the dietitian till i go to the class.
while that is on hold for now, i will just have to take matters in my own hands for now. I have set some goals and am going to blog about them for accountability purposes.

this is an ego buster for sure because i am going to admit on here to my weight and to everything about my weight loss journey. this is all i know to do, i figure, if my pride gets me in trouble most of the time, i might as well use it strategically.
I will be transparent. and well, i just ask that if you have any negative comments (excluding some constructive criticism) please keep them to yourself. please understand this is hard for me to do. but i promise to be honest.

Its always been about a lifestyle change for me in my attempt to be a healthier person. diets have never worked for me. I'm a free going person who loses focus alot and diets become a drag and i just usually drop them.

I don't know much about the ins and outs of health food and whats truly good and truly bad for me...thus is why i wanted to talk with the dietitian...so we shall see how this goes. advise is welcome.

The GOALS!!
GOAL Weight-145
GOAL BMI- 24

Strategies:
control portions.
record what i eat.
utilize my-calorie-counter.com
exercise- walk/jog 10 miles a week, or 30-45 minutes a day.
continue drinking a ton of water!!

Starting weight- (i cant believe I'm doing this...) 213 lbs
Starting BMI- 35.4

E.

My Crazy week of the summer is over. i met some great people that i got to work with who came up all the way from the Eastern Shore of VA. miss them already, they were such a blessing!

at CWAC right now.
new post series to come.

D.

At the Davis'. bout to peace out for the night. working at the Coffee Shop in the AM.

C.

Today is my first day alone at CWAC and before i start diving in to the work i need to do, i thought id blog about my first few hours here.

READY TO LAUGH?

I got her right at 6:30. counted the safe, and 1st moment of the day. i forgot how to clock in. but i figured it ou.
went to set up the espresso machine and left the water on after rinsing the pull things, thus overflowing the lil water thing. but i didnt realize that was the cause of it. so it kept flowing. i emptied the lil bucket twice before i finally saw the water was still on! well. with the water off, no i had to clean up the huge mess of water on the floor. off to find the mop! im wearing flipflops today. they have no traction. as i mop up the mess im sliding around, one wrong move away from falling on my bum.
i get what i could mopped up. the floor looks nice now :) but its still not dry, still had to prep the drip coffee and actually open the store. i opt to open the store and return to prep the drip.
prepping the drip is difficult to do when you are sliding...but it wasnt bad. just funny.
for the first couple customers i felt like a shake maker on skates must have felt, having to remain balanced as your making drinks is an interesting sight.
a regular customer came in to get his coffee and ended up being the one to walk me through how to turn on the machine... but, even though ben had warned me of this before, i still managed to forget to turn the dial from 1 gallon back to 1/2 gallon...so i made an extremely weak batch of coffee...
then a coffee FANATIC came in and got a latte, TALK ABOUT INTIMIDATING!!! he strolled his way in and ordered the fancy lil drink and i was like, "After this drink, this guy is never coming back again!" He was telling me that he has had coffee from all around the world and knows when its good or not and was telling me all about his business in thailand and his many trip all throughout asia... i hope he liked his Vanilla Hazelnut Latte...

Its been good. just crazy. but now its the normal, yet not so great part of the day when yes, i get to relax, but there's no customers... if anyone has any promo ideas or any idea at all that could help, please let me know or someone from CWAC.
k ive got alot to do. just wanted to say COME VISIT CWAC!!!

B.

FYI: the letters as blog titles, thats cause i never know what to put on the Title line.

Well, i have been back in stafford for 3 weeks now. I've finished my observation hours for my summer class and have now officially started my internship with Pillar Church.
I have not found a flow or routine, but then again, most of the time its routine for me to not have a routine.
after a relaxing weekend with Brittany and Momma Shaw, including Itty Bitty City with Kristen Marks, Babysitting the Pelts, , the Toole's going away party, a movie night with my mom and Momma Shaw church at Pillar Dumfries and Locust Grove, BLITZ with Kristen and sleep :) my favorite things!

Funny story: Monday, i walked Brittany's dog Kitty. during the walk, it got boring and i wanted to run. Kitty is not the brightest dog in the world and she is just as ADD and crazy as Brittany. As I began to run, she couldnt figure out what was going on. she ran with me, but instead of staying to my side she was running in front of me, stopping ever few seconds and looking back at me, thinking i was playing with her, causing me to TRIP over her! Constantly!
then she would spaz out and run backwords freaking out. it was humorous but most def. was not good for the purpose of jogging!

I have my first day alone at the coffee shop tomorrow. i think everyone should come out and say hello! ill be there from 6:30am-2pm.

Internship is fun, trying to think through every possible little detail is sometimes crazy... praying i dont mess up :) We have a church group coming up from Exmore, Va. they will be hosting a Back Yard Bible Club for a neighborhood in Dumfries on behalf of Pillar. they will also be helping out at CWAC with promotional things, and with Pillar's Yard Sale fundraiser for the upcoming Mission trips to Torronto and Indonesia. i think my favorite part of them coming is the Church Planting classes they will be attending. these classes were formed by the Pillar team, i believe, and are designed to train them to be "church planter minded."
The Lord has great plans for this summer and for Pillar.
I've already begun to realize that this summer is 100% different then the past 3 summers working on camp staff's.

1. there's is not a set, intense, minute-by-minute schedule.
2. the amount of Bible intake in a camp setting is drastically more then you encounter in everyday life unless you REALLY discipline it.
3. Camp is in God's creation, so beautiful, you are surrounded by it. you must purpose that time in everyday life.
4. Camp is ACTIVE! extremely! you must discipline yourself for this in everyday life.
5. access to a pool is much easier at camp.
6. Cost of living is cheaper at camp. you must budget for food and gas money and living.
7. Im out of the Christian Bubble that BCF and Camp has.

Looking at this list, i can say that i know for sure this is where God wanted me. here are my reasons:

1. I have prayed to learn discipline because it is something i Lack. discipline in all aspects of life. Having to Budget, set aside time for the Lord, and exercise is a reality when these things are not already planned for you, thus this forces me out of my zone and well, puts me to the test. Can i do this? Not without the Lord, thats for sure.
2. You can take for granted the Word of God when you have unlimited, unhindered access to it. my summer's up to this point have been 2-3 sermons a day everyday with 3 bible studies. for 8-10 weeks. My faith up to this point has been largely influenced by this. I dont believe this is bad entirely, but i do believe that it is entirely good either. I have to know that i know what I believe and why I believe it. Just as when having a heavy does of Bible and Biblical intellect daily for 2 1/2 months would stretch and grow your faith, so must this 2 1/2 months of my life. but I must work for this now. no more being spoon fed.
3. I live in Virginia, and while the inclines of our dear Appalacian mountains are small in comparison to that of the Rocky's or the Andes', we still have the blessing of God's creation. I look forward to enjoying it at some point. the fact still remains that Virginia is more above sea level then Florida, I plan on enoying it as much as possible!
4. for years i have admired and followed the example of the Godly men and women of Stafford Baptist, Pillar of Dumfries, and now Pillar of Locust Grove. God has blessed me to now work along side them in ministry. Pretty stinkin sweet if you ask me!!
5. Finally, the Lord has and is using this time to remind me of the calling He has placed on my life. and of the Goal i am working towards. Goal in mind, i will press on :)

A.

Officially started my internship Thursday! I'm so excited!

what to do:
BE ORGANIZED
Don't Procrastinate
Don't mess up

o snap. im excited...(and nervous)
this summer is already different then i thought it would be. (thats a good thing :)

Two Weeks Home

its soothing to the soul being surrounded by the ones you love.

Its been great being back in Stafford. Im living with the shaw family this summer, though ive not been there much because last week and this week im living with the Davis Family. I had to do observation hours for a class im required to take in order to enter the Education Department at my school. 50 hours in an elementary school, so this past week and a half, I have lived with the Davis fam and came with Jen and the kids to Riverview to complete the hours. last week was awesome! i was observing a 1st grade class and the teacher and the kids were awesome! today and tomorrow will be a hodge podge of different grade levels. Today i observed K, 2nd, and 3rd. i still like 1st grade the most. tomorrow is 4th and 5th.
Thursday its off to Glen Allen, VA, for SBCV Intern Training. Friday is my first meeting for the internship! and then training at CWAC Quite a busy week ahead!

Thanks Pillar for the car for the summer!! you are awesome!

my break so far

been back since sunday night, trying to get set up to go to Rockhill El. to observe for my summer class. in the mean time, i feel unproductive.
ive not, not had something to do in a long time....its weird, and kinda nice.
Though ive enjoyed the rest and relaxation, im ready to get back to a schedule, to a day of substance.

the week to come...

4 finals down. 1 to go.
Packing up the room.
Last night of work tomorrow.
Wedding rehersal Friday.
Wedding Saturday.
Drive to Lee, FL Saturday night.
Meet Cliftons in OP Sunday morning.
On my way back to stafford Sunday! 13+hours with the Cliftons= Great times to be had!!
See amazing people soon! you have no idea how much i cant wait to hug each and every one of you!

4th semester of college almost over. 6 more to go :)

the end is near...

One more week til i am back in Stafford for the Summer. only one more night working with Valley. Lots of things going on. In a wedding May 15th. Driving back to VA with the Cliftons. funny how God works things out! I LOVE IT!!
Prayer request on the plate... Have to come up with a way to pay for summer classes. My internship with Pillar is going to be used for a 6 hour practicum and i have to observe 50 hours in a classroom for a 1 hour credit course...tis nuts! just that 7 hours at $270 an hour is not easy to pull out of pocket (no financial aid). God's got it though, so im not worried. I have about $700 saved for school. so, join me in praying this to come through. I've asked if i can pay a little at a time throughout the summer, i dont think that will be approved (they have been pretty stern on the need for 100% of summer tuition being paid before the first day of the summer class), however, with prayer it could!!! im going to go talk with the business office on monday.

on life, life is going quite strange beyond all that. Trying to remain focused on the Lord. new verse ive been pondering lately is Romans 8:1-2.
Lets have a PTL session: God is really working in the hearts of my siblings. no joke. Its been really awesome to see Him working and im excited for the opportunities that lie ahead to continue talking with them and some of my old highschool friends this summer. Kinda freaky, but definitely amazing!
I appreciate your prayers and will see some of you soon.

Radio Awesomeness!

For any of you familiar to the Stafford Native, Justin Grack, you should show him so love and support every week day morning from 7-8am Central time (hour behind eastern) by tuning into WFBU radio. He is the new radio host. go to Baptistcollege.edu then click on the "listenlive" link down on the left side of the page.

its just fun when you know the person on the other side of the radio!

Packing Up and Closing Out

Its time to pack up the dorm again. im going to try to consulidate all my stuff. I need to find a place to put the big items, like my two storage bins and my fridge and microwave. Storage places are really expensive though, and everyone around here just takes all thier stuff home because most of them live really close by, or at least close enough to justify not leaving thier things. Im hoping i can pursuade a friend to let me leave some stuff in their appartment...(PRAYER REQUEST)

What is Becky excited about these days?

• School is almost out
• My last days as a Valley (cafeteria) employee are in sight!
• Im in a friends wedding on the 15th!
• Ill be driving home with the wonderful Cliftons on the 16th!!!
• For the first time in 3 years i will be home for my Brothers birthday on May 17th, My dad's birthday on May 23rd, Father's day (whenever that is...june i think), my 21st Birthday, my niece and nephews 3rd(?) birthday, Grams bday, and SOO MUCH MORE!!
• Interning with Pillar!
• seeing all you amazing people!
• The Lord still working in my Sister's life!

K love you all, bye!

K love you all. bye!

Aboriginal madness!

Semester is winding down here!
only my finals are left on the to-do list. finished a massive awesome paper last week with the help of some amazing people! (I love international calls from people i love!)
what was supposed to be a 12-14 page paper ended up being a 17. but it didnt feel like it took that long to type it. the concept of the paper was awesome and my favorite so far so i would like to tell you about it.
Earlier this semester i had to pick a people group to research and write a paper on. we then had to, for this paper, imagine we are going to live with them and plan out our first year there, how we would become immersed in and learn the Language and Culture. We had to basically have a month by month assesment of our progress. My people group was the Anangu Aboriginal People of Australia. (Think the movie Australia, the little kid and his grandfather).
I think im falling in love with Australia. Ive always wanted to go there, didnt know why. Who knows, maybe someday i will. for now, i will just pray for them. It was awesome to picture myself living amongst them for a year.

Update of Life!

Recently, I have been going through, and am not currently completely out of, a period of slight depression, though i dont know for sure that its depression, just felt really low...lower then dirt.

But one day last week lifted my spirits when i got to talk with my sister from Hawaii! The Lord is moving greatly in her life and the whole conversation was so encouraging and amazing, God answers PRAYER!!! Please keep her in your prayers.

my angst is gone for the most part. While the Lord works out my kinks, Im trying to focus on finishing this semester strong. There is much to be excited for that is coming up in the near future such as Completing the semester, being a part of my friend April's wedding, going back to Stafford for the summer where i will be doing 2 things, sitting in on classes in elementary schools, and interning with Pillar! im thrilled to be able to work along side my wonderful church family! and i am excited to see all your beautiful faces!

Peru 3- An Awesome Jesus Moment

This picture is a favorite of mine despite how disgusting i look. It reminds me of a great day in Santa Rosa, and of an awesome God-story. The teenager in the red shirt, His name is Bladimero. to his left is (holding the kid) is Roberto, he was one of our translators.
Bladimero is a high school aged kid that we played soccer with the morning of this picture.(picture was taken around 5pm). that night when we were in his town for a Bible study with the adults, one of our teammates got to have a great conversation about the Lord with him. Bladimero is hungry for truth. you can see it in his face. He was attentive whenever we talked about the Lord or from the Bible. The Lord is doing a work in His life for real!
the next day, at 6am, we heard a knock on our door. we were not even awake yet. It was Bladimero. He came by for a Bible!
Please keep praying for Bladimero. He didn't make any confession of faith, but he has the Word now, and he is hungry for truth. He has great potential and I know that the Lord is working in his heart.
On either side of Lacie are two girls, Left is Cynthia and Right is Karen. these are also two girls hungry for the Word of God. we were only able to give them one Bible to share but the Lord is def. working in their lives as well. these three may be young, but one day they will be the leaders of their town. Please keep them in your prayers.

Mountain hiking in Peru

When a Peruvian says to you "Would you like to see the farm i work at? Its only a 10 minute walk". Please realize that ten minutes in Peru is NOT ten minutes in America.


It was about 3pm. we were all sitting around having lunch(rather late, o well). A storm was brewin outside, looked like it would be a down pour from the look of the clouds and the thunder we heard.
but our new friend Damian (who is really awesome, he has been traveling all around South America for years, been nearly everywhere, and he is actully form i believe Venezuela) asked us if we would like to see the farm he works at. He assured us it was just a ten minute walk so we set out, thinking that its just ten minutes, we can beat the storm for sure!

Ten minutes became 20 quickly. down hill at a steep angle. We should have taken note when we were asked if we had problems with our vertigo...or when one of our translators, whom damian had just shown the sorta location off yonder that we were headed to, decided she would not be continueing with us. With her we lost 2 others. 7 remained and carried on.

that 20 minutes became 45 before we made it to the farm. luckily the rain had not come and it was still pretty light out.
as we were walking, downhill, still at a steep slope, we shuffeled through our minds the concept that of "what goes up must come down", except the difference was that for us, "what goes DOWN, mus go UP!" keeping this in the back of our minds as we continued on. we crossed over little streams and through fields nestled in the mountain side, walked throught the sometimes extremely narrow farmers paths and up and over the various rock wall fences. It was a GORGEOUS walk! green hills, beautiful mountainscapes, precious little flowing streams, wild flowers everywhere, animals around. GOREGOUS!!

us 7 (Stephen, Amy, Liz, Jim, Damian, Roberto and I), i would say we were tough and rose to the challenge! we made it to the farm, met the farmer and his wife, saw thier little puppies and the donkey and pig. damian showed us the expanse of land that was a part of the farm and the chickens tried to attack once. (haha, it was funny)

It was great times, only one of us had a camera, so we do have a pic of us there.

alas, the time came to head back up. We contemplated doing a straight steep hike to the road above us a ways to be able to ease our way from there into Chavina, but Damian reminded us that there is a possibility that Matt, Lacie and Margaret were still waiting for us where we left them(30-40 minutes earlier) so we just went the same way we had come from.

It was intense. and i had to pace myself. I was in constant conversation with the Lord, in complete relience of him for even my next breath. "Lord, fill my lungs with Oxygen, help me take this next step, stop the burning sensation on my hand from that plant i just grabbed and shouldnt have!" lol those were my prayers. as silly as they sound, they were truth, honesty, and proof that the Lord provides ALL of our needs. It was a beautiful time. Not only because of the surroundings, but because of the closeness to the Lord, the fellowship with friends, the challenge, the smells, EVERYTHING! The fact that the Lord answered our prayers for the rain to not come (there were many rocks on our return, slippery rocks would have made for some danger, and possibly funny stories...). One minute the clouds were thick and gray, the next they were gone.

At the close of the walk(HIKE!!!), when i asked Roberto to help me thank Damian, Damian responded with something along these lines. "When you are given the chance to see the glory of God through His creation, you should take it, no matter what the cost. He is the ultimate artist and this world is his canvas and he has given it to us. Look how magnificant this is, this piece of art, here for us to see".
That made the entire walk worth it in my book. He was so right! It was a phenominal experience.

FYI. Peruvian 10minute walk=45minutes there, 2 hours back.
got back just in time for night to settle in.

Peru #2

These three amazing people are our translators! Left to right it is Manny(Manuel), Margaret, and Roberto.

Roberto was very sweet, sorta shy, in love with the Lord, easy to talk to, and ready to learn and translate and love on the people! I enjoyed trying to learn Quechua with him, he def. picked up on it better then I did...

Margaret was great! I enjoyed hanging out with her and learning how to make Peruvian Tortillas. she was outgoing with the people, hilarious when being taught Ebonics from some of our team, and really did a great job translating.

Manny was very chill, easy going, had no time schedule, loved to eat, play the guitar and one thing i will remember bout him is that he was protective of us, looked out for me on the bus ride up to Chavina.

The Lord truly blessed us with them!

Peru Post 1

Here it is, 1:35am, Sunday night/Monday morning... definitely just watched the monkey video on the Garman's blog and am still laughing to myself! never a dull moment with them!
Let me just regain my thoughts here and share with you of whats going on these days...

I have returned from a mission trip to Peru, been back for a week. i was sick with the grody "d" word starting the day we flew back (Saturday) until Tuesdayish. or at least the remnants of it. FYI Pedialyte is NASTY!!! but affective (through this, i have discovered my need of electrolytes...they are quite important) Coinsidently, it was not the Peruvian food that i have to thank for my being sick, nope, in fact it was the good ole American Hamburger, granted i did get it in Peru. Ive learned through this that, though i would order a burger medium-well in the states, i should always order a burger complete and fully WELL DONE!!!! needless to say, i dont believe ill be eating a hamburger any time soon. :)
its quite ridiculous that ive begun my discussion of Peru with something so negative(infact a positive to this is i lost 5lbs, partly to do with the "d" but mostly to do with the constant mountain hikes and lack of apetite due to amount of activity, the food is phenominal there though, fresh and delicious!), but i figure, this post will be at the bottom of all my other posts of peru as i Plan to use pictures to tell of the trip. Too much happens in 10 days to capture in one post.

Peru was AMAZING!!!!