I never work out, and I eat without thought. Just lookin' for some moderation :)
I want to re-memorize my memory verses from last Summer :)
I'm off to a pretty good start! I know the first 3 weeks worth :)
I want to follow-through on my Bible project for Jenn.
I need to start actually crafting the projects I wanted to do for the Fishbowl!
This includes a cloth-covered cork board and a vintage window "picture frame."
I need to refrain from dwelling on opportunities not offered, and instead delight in the ones I already have :)
I've felt urged to share my testimony with someone new, and listen to theirs as well.
Also, I would love to be able to complete "Conversations with God" by Neale Donal Walsch.
Yep, there's my list for myself :) In closing, I want to share a passage that Nikki referenced in her talk about salvation last night.
"8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!10 For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!11 Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."
Hooray for having my power back! Yesterday's storm did me in for a while, but all is good now! Leeeeeeet's make up for lost time.
Work yesterday was long. Playing catch-up while being all stuffy isn't fun. But, I was treated to some yummy food for lunch (on the plus side)! It was a sort of retirement party for one of the women who works at the office, and to celebrate we had roast beef sandwiches, ham biscuits with poppyseed spread, homemade guac with lime chips, fruit, almonds, punch (spiked and non), and these!
Can you say, buttercream?!
And even though soup would have been better for my body, I have no regrets! That food was so good! Delicious indeed. The storm hit shortly after, and while there wasn't any damage to my workplace or house, there's this doozy right between the two houses next to me.
Crazy, right? That uproot is taller than me! Oh, and I was also extremely bitter that it took me over an hour to get home due to a broken power-line less than a mile from my house.... But anyway, dad and I went to Panera since we didn't have power, but we were fortunate enough to have it back on before we got home. Kelly and Elsbeth came over to watch Teen Wolf, and I was able to get a shower and get in bed before my power went out again at 1am.
As for today, I sound really rough and I am still a sickling. Work was work, but even today we got treated to some delicious peach cobbler that Judy brought in! (Yummm.) I'm drinking hot tea like it's my job, and I'm trying not to be standing for too long at any one point, since my physical tiredness just doesn't allow for that too much. After coming home and taking a nap, it was off to 1822. God is good, all the time. I don't know how else to say it :) I think I want to get a Bible for my seester and mark some verses that would be helpful/encouraging for her as she transitions into college. She hasn't made the decision to delve into the faith, but maybe this would be something to help her along! If you have any verse suggestions, I would more than love to have assistance :)
But hey, at least church, lunch, and boba were wonderful :) I may have put too much in my stomach, but that's okay. I came right home, changed into comfy clothes, and laid down for the rest of the day. When life hands you a stuffy nose, congestion, and a feverish feeling, you lay on the sofa, catch up on Dance Moms, watch 17 Again (the Disney channel original movie), and talk to seester on the phone. Speaking of Jenn, she left today for a three week program at JMU. Three weeks without her at the house?! I think it might get lonely around here... Well, that just means I'll need to keep my social life in high gear!
I got a lot of kind compliments at church, so that makes me feel better about my purchase :) I was a little skeptical about how I felt about it, but hooray for positive affirmation!
But anyways, I need to drink this hot tea and go to bed. Tomorrow I enter back into my 40-hour work week. Here's to hoping I'm feeling better in the morning!
Today, when pulling into the parking lot of a restaurant, I saw a license plate that read, "ATHEIST." It was complimented by a sticker that said, "Teach Science." All I could say was "Oh..." As soon as the word escaped my mouth, my dad was quick to retort with a, "Hey! That their belief." He went on to say a few things about our my belief was mine, theirs was theirs, etc. There's just one thing that really irked me... and it was hearing my faith referred to as a belief. Yes, I believe in God. And yes, I believe that Christ died for me so that I may live forever with Him. But that isn't mere belief, it is Truth. Capital "T." That little righteous anger that churned in my stomach was only affirmation of that. My faith defines my life how I live, the things I do, how I think, who I am. This Truth is my cornerstone, the rock upon which I have built myself around. A belief? Mere religion? No. The glory of God is too evident His grace too tangible, His love too captivating, and His miracles too irrefutable. He is Truth.
On Choir Tour, a few people were confronted with the question, "How am I supposed to know that your Jesus is real?" Well, if ever there were a testament, it would be 70 teenagers standing on bleachers in the middle of a parking lot in the Alabama heat, shouting praises and worshiping Jesus with radiating passion. Their hearts are not singing to a fictitious character. They are not narrating a fantasy tale. This tour was a proclamation of their faith, an opportunity to depict and share the power and glory of Jesus Christ the Truth of the Gospel and what it means for us.
What we as Christians believe, is true. For the Truth is unmistakable and undeniable.
"Above all, you must understandthat no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation." {2 Peter 1:20}
"All Scripture is God-breathedand is useful for teaching,rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness[.]" {2 Timothy 3:16}
Although my father may be be slow to defend me, and he may jump more quickly to aid the beliefs of others, I have a Father that lives in and through me. He shields me with His armor, and I am never sent to battle alone. Praise for that, dear friends!
Georgia and Alabama bound we were! I'm telling you, these youth are more of a blessing then any of my numerous rambles can properly express :) And my fellow leaders are wonderful to say the least! To be able to serve and minister amongst 91 of my dearest brothers and sisters in this capacity is, truly, the opportunity of a lifetime. With incredible passion, perseverance, and humility, we were able to sing praises to Jesus, strengthen our relationships with one another, and impact the lives of those who were witness to our work :) Choir Tour 2K12, you truly were a remarkable experience!
I, along with 91 others, will be beginning the adventure that is CHOIR TOUR 2012! Woop woop! It definitely does not feel so close, but.... it is! And I am SO excited that I get to see these two amazing sisters of mine in approximately 40 hours!
Sarah and Margaret!!!!
Well, okay, I might get to see Margaret, but I will definitely be seeing Sarah :) Eeeeep! I didn't think I would possibly be able to see some of my Mu loves again so soon! And the fact that they want to not only see me, but also support the youth choir, really warms my heart :) They are so great. Truly, truly!
For those who are wondering about my day today, here it is: Work was long, and I have taken note that my hand flesh is in shambles from this job. It's just rough, haha. After work, I packed, got an Arby's dinner, and then got a visit from my beautiful Steph-squared counter part :) I love her! Whether we're picking on each other, making each other stress out over things that really are okay, or exchanging witty sarcasm, it's always a good time in my book :)
And now, I need to get some sleep! Tomorrow marks a one-week journey that will undoubtedly rock my world and blow my mind! SO STOKED!
Also.... THIS IS MY 900TH POST! Ahh! (Links to my other hundred-markers:)
Today, June 13th, 2012, my little sister became a high school graduate! WHAT?! Oh my goodness, I am so proud of her too much so for words :)
I am so excited that, as Jenn heads off to college, I will be able to partake in her journey for the next two years at JMU :) Having her there is going to be a blessing; I know it :)
Guess who else graduated?
CHANDLER!
Love him :) Proud mom/youth leader/friend moment!
Random picture addition...
Jenn waterfall braided my hair tonight, and she was so proud of it :)
Heather and I exchanged birthday presents last night before 1822 :) I just wanted to share our artsy endeavors with the blog world!
This is a little something I made for Heather :)
I started with this...
Then I texturized...
And voila!
I was scared she wouldn't like it, and potentially be elephant'ed out by my gifts bye now; haha. But she really did seem to like it, and that made my heart happy :)
For me, Heather so beautifully crafted these:
I absolutely ADORE this paining! So lovely and sincere :)
She also made me coasters for the Fishbowl! Aren't they amazing?!
I love heart-felt gifts :) Heather is the queen of those, and she always makes me feel so loved with the way she puts genuine care into things not just gifts, but with anything she does :) She is a wonderful best friend to me; truly, truly! I just love her :)
Another random piece of art [that has nothing to do with birthday celebration]....
I won this in the OCNA raffle at convention :) It too will be going on my wall next year!
1) We had our youth leader meeting for Choir Tour 2k12 tonight! WOOP WOOP!
-Nikki and John's house is SO cute!
-I love these people I get to spend so much time with :)
2) Teen Wolf was so good tonight!
-Elsbeth, Brenna, Kelly, and I made a date out of it :)
3) I finally have the SAO website updated!
-GLORY IN THE HIGHEST!
-Check it out: http://saodove16.wix.com/alphaalphachapter
-If you just so happen to be a girl at JMU and are interested in recruitment, we have an official event on facebook!
Yeah, I've been MIA this past weekend. Some may have noticed; other may not have. Either way, here it goes!
Friday, June 8th:
After work, I went over to Stephanie's, where I was invited to have dinner with her and her mother :) Twas a lovely meal! And after relaxing and talking in the living room for a bit, we went to Bobalicious, where we enjoyed some delicious pearl/popper-infused beverages and met this adorable little boy named Roden :)
He came over to us while we were playing Connect Four, and he decided to stay a while :) He was SO cute in his little Iron Man outfit (complete with muscles). He even taught us a new game, where you line up chess pieces and try to knock them over with a marble! He was pretty darn good at it, and he got oh- so very excited when he was able to knock down the "horsies" :) Him mom told us he's known to flirt with, and even try to go home with, girls he meets in public places. Haha! Too precious!
After getting back to Steph's casa, we did some YouTube browsing. We cannot handle how cool it is to have a JMU Duke competing in So You Think You Can Dance!
Asher is a wonderful dancer! And even though hip hop is his strong suit, he's been training in other areas while at school. (He was in my modern class this past semester.) I can't wait to see how he does!
Saturday, June 9th
Since I stayed up until 5am Friday night (working on.... something), I slept really late on Saturday! I saw Juliana for a little but to try to help her out on a project she was working on :) I'm not sure how much help I was, or even if it was constructive, but I was happy to see her nonetheless.
For dinner, I went to Heather's for a combined-celebratory birthday fondu dinner! I meant to take pictures to include on here, but we ate it so fast that I didn't remember until after it was gone. Haha! Oh well! Just take my word for it; it was good :) Afterwards, Heaths and I just relaxed int he living room and talked for a bit. Loved that :) Love her!
Sunday (today), June 10th
I didn't go to Sunday school this morning, because I wanted to get 8 hours of sleep (a rare feat as of late). So, I slept in a bit, and I was even surprised by a home-made breakfast courtesy of Jennifer!
Ham, egg, and cheese on ciabatta!
My little sister is so sweet :) That kind of made my morning. (P.S.- It was SO delicious!) Once 10 o'clock rolled around, I got up and got ready for church, which I really enjoyed and took a lot out of. Shane talked about being a people pleaser and how, if we let that consume us, we are no longer being true servants of Christ, but of man. #BOOM! I've never really thought about it that way, but it makes sense! I appreciated that sermon, truly.
Dinner with padre was enjoyable :) We dined, had a surprise visit from Grandma and Grandpa, and even got to go to Sweet Frog! We "conveniently" ran into his girlfriends and her daughter Lisa, but even that was pleasant :) Her daughter is very nice, and she made it not the least bit awkward.
Since I've been home, I've been looking online at dresses to potentially get for Kelly (my Big's) wedding. It's rough! 1) Because I'm poor. 2) Because most of the one's I want are not available in my size. #TallGirlProblems! I'll figure it out though :)
This evening, my beautiful Kelly treated me to a belated birthday date. Dinner and a movie :) After enjoying some delicious Thai food, we went to West Tower and saw Snow White and the Huntsman, which I have been dying to see!
The intensity was SO great! (I love pretty much anything intense fun fact!) And I know there are a lot of Kristen Stewart haters out there, but I think she possesses talent as an actress, and she did a splendid job in this film! She was beautiful, poised, and a little fierce :) Everything a princess should be! Haha.
My only qualm was the ending. It lacked some closure that I would loved to have seen, but all in all the story was told; I can still very much appreciate that! I'll be watching it again :)
Speaking of intense, I caught up on Teen Wolf tonight! WOAH BABY! There is a ton of craziness going on up in there! I love it, and I am stoked to see what happens this Sunday! Shout out to the Teen Wolf fans :)
In other news, I have a new fascination with "Safe and Sound" by Taylor Swift. I started listening to it today while I was at work, and the beauty of her voice is just so striking to me. It is insanely beautiful, and I border on chill bumps when she transitions to those high notes. I love it.
All in all, I really am happy right now :) Hooray and praise for that! I love you all; goodnight.
spawned by forgiveness.
Freedom preciously gifted,
a gateway branded and refined by love
of the purest and greatest form,
its shackles unlatched by faith.
Washed clean by crimson,
and saved by scars,
pain has bore peace.
For we are offered redemption
redeemed by love.
The ultimate sacrifice:
the Son for His children;
we are made new.
For our confession allows renewal,
and forgiveness rains like a might flood.
We are His creation;
we are made free.
"15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." {James 5:15-16}
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sinsand purify us from all unrighteousness." {1 John 1:9}
"Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy."
{Proverbs 28:13}
"21 Again Jesus said, 'Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.'22 And with that he breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.'”
This song verse has always struck a chord with me, and tonight at 1822 was no exception. From the very first verse, we can see that we our strength is little and we are feeble, but by turning to God we find all that we need. Everything that we need, God provides. We are not able to survive independently as we all like to think we can. We strive to take on the world and be filled with self-satisfaction in achieving our goals when, the truth is, nothing will be accomplished in the absence of the Lord. This is a truth that exists beyond this worship song, and beyond music in general. The truth lies in Word; it lies in God. It fuels our faith, and sustains our walk.
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." {Isaiah 41:10}
"The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him."
{Exodus 15:2}
"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me."
{2 Corinthians 12:9}
God is my creator, my light and my life source. With Him I will confront the obstacles of life, and in Him I shall overcome. Goodnight my loves!
Yesterday, June 3rd, was a day so many of us have anticipated for quite some time now. At 4:00pm, we watched Nikki walk down the aisle, where she took her vows with John and became happily married :)
There is more to say about these two than I could begin to convey. For me, they are a beautiful depiction of was a Christ-centered love looks like in a romantic relationship. Both of them possess wisdom and a heart that I will continue to strive towards in my walk with the Lord, and they have each served as vessels of God's love, provision, and support in my life touching countless others as well. I am so excited to see the Lord work in and through their marriage! I have no doubt that they will have an incredibly strong and blessed life together as man and wife :)
Reception photos!
Love me some Shelly and Heather :)
Best friend/ birthday girl :)
(Photo cred: Kathryn)
And check out the wedding party entrance!
Twas a lovely time had by all :) Truly, this was a cause to celebrate! Praise and glory be to our Father who has blessed us with abounding love and joy!
I'll be honest with you; I came into this past weekend with very few expectations. I wasn't expecting to be impacted but so much, and I did not anticipate to be sad upon my departure early Sunday morning. Well, all of this was wonderfully and incredibly shattered. I found myself blown away by the passion and joy radiated by my beautiful sisters in Christ both within my chapter and beyond. The amazing heart behind my sorority of Christian women far exceeds my previous perception. It expands to the far edges of this country, and it resides within college campuses both near and far fueled by the love of Jesus Christ first, and our sisterhood second. With a desire to serve, and an aspiration of physical and spiritual growth, we all humbly came together to learn from, confide in, and share with one another. Despite assembling as a group (in large part) of strangers, we came to know each other as beloved friends. Sharing stories, laughs, dance moves, and memories, this weekend of fellowship will not soon be forgotten.
To my dearest Mu loves,
You all have truly touched my heart. And I want to take a moment and genuinely express how deeply you have touched me. During the worship service, when National Board was sharing the things that they are so deeply afraid of, I was overwhelmed by my own fear: I am burdened with a fear that one day all of my friends will cease to love me as they do now, and that I will face rejection until I've lost the people who I hold most dear. That expounds further to say that I am afraid of having new acquaintances dislike and internally belittle me. But, like my expectations of this convention, this fear was diminished; and God used you all to do that. The initiative you took to know, love, and support our chapter showcased your pouring out as a vessel of Christ, and the beauty of that resonates with me more than you may ever know. In that twenty-six hours of time in community with you all, I came to whole-heartedly love and treasure each one of you. I am so thankful that God placed you all in my life, and I feel so blessed to have sisters as caring and compassionate as you all. There will forever be JMUGA love in my heart :)
I'm Stephanie. I love everyone, and everyday I am amazed by the blessings God has bestowed upon me. I have an amazing family of friends that I share my life experiences with, and I have a crazy culmination of thoughts that clutter my cranium. I have passions and dreams, opinions and questions. I blog to share these things with others, and for my own personal relief at times. My hope is that someone, somewhere, is interested enough to read about it. If not, that's okay too :) I just enjoy the opportunity to set my thoughts free!
