tongue twisters

Matt makes money mowing messy mullets

Kayla prolly caught a coughing cats cold, Kayla can't quit coughing -Ben Larrew

Kayla mighta caught lotsa cookies had Kayla taught two cats to cook -Matt Jones

Do not get tired in doing what is good, for in time you will reap a harvest of blessings if you do not get tired and give up. Gal atians 6:9

I love it when we can help fight battles for our brothers and sisters. I know that people have been praying for me. I can feel it. Certain battles that I have been fighting are easing up a bit. I don't feel like I'm in this thing alone. I ran into a couple at Jammin Java's friday night and I know that their prayers have helped alot. I'm not going through alot of hardship or anything, just internal battles. But God is good! His love endures forever!!!

God's unchanging love. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.....thats hard to grasp sometimes. Everything else changes, but he doesn't? Thats craziness. Sometimes I go for a little while without really worshiping him. But then I crave it, something in me longs to praise him! What's the difference between worshiping him and praising him? Is there a difference? To me, I feel like it is a mind set. Maybe there isn't really a difference is the words, but there is in the way I approach them. Maybe I'm just thinking to much about it.

"To open yourself to another person, to stop lying about your loneliness and fears, to be honest about your affections, and tell others how much they mean to you-this openess is the triumph of the child over the pharasee and a sign of the dynamic presence of the Holy Spirit." -Brennan Manning

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Cor. 3:17

Why are things so much easier said than done?

These hands were made to praise you. These lips were made to lift you up . I give to you my life in worship These feet were made to serve you. This tongue to sing of your great love. I give to you my life in worship. (I like that song).

Jesus Jesus Jesus, there's something about that name.

P.S. Successfully drove stick up a hill and was able to go again without rolling back after stopped on a hill. Only burned a little rubber.

Sleep..I love it!! Last night was the first time in days that I got more than six hours of sleep. Most nights I just get 4 or 5. I can't describe how good it feels to wake up and not be tired or have to drink coffee.

My time living with Brittany Jo is quickly coming to a close. Thats kind of sad. But we like to think of it not as an end, but a break. Afterall, we do plan on living together our senior year.

My fingers smell like onions..Yuck!

Awe-a ten year old just hit on my. I'm glad one of the coaches was around to put him in line for me.

I've decided that I think I may be bad at words. What I mean by this is that it is hard for me to verbalize my thoughts and feelings. How in the world am I going to be a teacher?

It is still summer!!!

Randomness of My Life...

Tori came and stayed the night with us. It was good to see her again. I wonder if she was able to sleep okay with Brittany Jo and me cutting up all night in my bed. Its good to stay up really late laughing that hard sometimes. When's the last time I was that hyper? But I'm not so sure the step dance thing B Jo and I were working on is cool to anyone but us-at least we enjoy it.

Hunter moved into Bates last night. Its nice to have another Shacker in the building. Him and Stephen gave us their left overs. Those boys are so good!

The air conditioner in my dorm room broke yesterday! Uncomfortable warm...

I still don't really know who tit means to be a mover and shaker. How do I accomplish such a task? I think I still have a few heart conditions God is working on before he starts doing the really huge things. I'm thankful that He is being the mover and shaker for me until I am prepared to take it on myself.

"I spoiled by God"--I know that people get annoyed by christian paraphenalia and think that kind of stuff is really cheesy, but sometimes its nice to get reminders of the messages those things are sending, even if it is on a t-shirt. Besides, its kind of sweet to see people and their unashamed love expressed through an "uncool" manner. Who decides what cool is anyways? And the back of the t-shirt had Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." God and I have been conversing about this topic lately so I was extra blessed to see it on the t-shirt today.

I started writing this blog with the lights off so when my roomie turned them on, it was bright and I put on my sunglasses as I continued to blog. However, they didn't stay on too long because it made me sick.

Another clowdy and rainy day...this hasn't been a very sunny summer but I've still enjoyed it. At least now I'm hearing some thunder.

Matt Jones taught me how to play cello a little the other day. That was a lot of fun. He's a lot of fun. I'm glad he's my friend.

The other day I was reading a book and it inspired me to write in my journal what it means to feel like I am in a safe place. I had a little trouble getting started but once I did I felt like I could go on forever. Brittany Jo said that it is "a place where you can just be and be appreciated." Other than being confindent and comfortable in my own skin, it is a place where the present is focused on and the mistakes and sorrows of my past vanish as percect love washes over me. The more time I spend in God's presence, the more I can be in that safe place...where the pressure of being cool, original or artsy isn't relevent because the focus is on Him.

Tyler Trotter is a wise man that I admire and his wife, Alli, is an amazing woman that I hope I will get to know more. Being around them blesses and excites me. I love Godly couples!!

Quote from Kenneth E Hagin: "We're waiting on God and He's waiting on us, and He won't don't do anything until we act."

"Cleanliness is close to Godliness"

Umm...I don't know about that one...
I love a clean room. I really do, although you probably wouldn't have guessed it by looking at my room this summer. But I have what I consider a good excuse: two people living in a single dorm room during the chaos of summer makes it difficult to keep the tiny space clutter free. But last night I cleaned it up and it was great. My roomie came home to a clean room lit by candles and the silhouette of a girl playing guitar in the corner. The best part is that our room actually smells nice now. And baby powder on our sheets before bed....makes me feel like a little kid again when my mommy use to put powder on my sheets.

I drove to Walmart all by myself last night...my first real excursion in the stick shift. I stalled out only three times. But they weren't bad stalls, I just started my car right back up each time and kept on going. But I'm still afraid of hills.

Isn't it interesting how people can be struggling with the same general topic but in completly different aspects? I don't think it really occurred to me before sunday night that faith has so many different facets. One who wants an increase in faith may be struggling with believing in God, believing what He says, not worrying about the future but to leave it in God's hands, or having the faith to see really big things happen (like healing the sick). And those are just a few examples that come to mind in retrospect to faith. I am one of those who want more faith. The aggravating thing about that is that you can't give yourself more faith. You either have it or you don't. All I know to do is ask for more. I'm not worried, just excited about what more faith will bring about. Its going to be great!

Exploring the depths

PRAYER...Wow! I don't understand the magnitude of it. I'm so thankful that one little hour in a basement, pouring out my heart to God and one other person brought about so much. I am pumped, excited and inspired. By the end of the day I saw a multitude of prayers answered and recieved insight into the things prayed about in that hour.

Movers and Shakers. Its time. What does it mean to be a mover and shaker? I don't know, but its time to find out. Its time to move away from emo prayers. Those kinds of prayers are needed and I'm not saying we should abandon them, but I think its time to add more offensive prayer to my life. Its time to shake things up. Let's be radical. I don't really know what this entails but its going to be an exciting ride.

"I was made for battle, Lord. I was made for war."

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The past few days has been filled with insight concerning my hall mates. The four of us are all so different and yet we are alike in many ways. My heart breaks for them in the same way it breaks for myself. And yet it breaks more for them because I know where to find my hope and selfworth. More prayer...I must pray more for these ladies...

I know that God is doing major things with me right now. How do I know? Because I am up against some major opposition. Its difficult but not impossible. I've stumbled a bit but I refuse to fail the testing I'm going through. Life is too short, I don't have time to waste it on the things of this world. I must keep my priorities straight and constantly ask myself: What is worth living for? Is this what it means to have an abundant life? Is this really what I want? Will this action help me in discovering and taking hold of the authority I have in Christ (something I'm learning a whole lot about)? There are so many decisions to make in day to day things that affect my walk.

Its not about me.

The Nanny...

Who would have thought that a Lifetime television show would have spurred an adventure? The Nanny was eating a hot dog and at first my roomie and I were grossed out but then...

"Actually that looks kind of good." -Brittany Jo
"Yeah, want to go to Sonic?" -Me
"Do they have hot dogs? Are they open all night?" -B Jo

And off we went to get not just any old hot dog..but a foot long, cheesy, oniony, chili yummy goodness called a Coney...mmmm....actually, i'm kind of nauseous thinking about it but it was good at the time.

"I'm an Indian 'cause I'm red" says white, blond haired blued eyed girl who just happens to be sunburned.

Today is the second day that I have driven the stick shift car that my brother gave me. Yesterday I didn't leave the parking lot but today I worked up my courage and drove near the stadium. Surprisingly, I didn't stall out today and I stalled only once yesterday. I think I may grow to like stick shift thing.

"Oh it tastes like a monkey, a monkey's that is past its prime." -Family Guy

I'm glad its summer.

Post Fourth of July

"How about after we swim I teach you binary math, that's computer math," says Bryce, a six year old. And for the record, he really does know binary.

I think my favorite part about the fourth of July was when I fought the Marsians with Bryce and his little sister, Lilly. It was a long fight but we won the battle. And the sandcastle we made was pretty cool. Not as neat as the high tech the picture, but it was still great. The fire works on the beach weren't much to speak about, we couldn't really even see them through the smoke. But it was good seeing my friends. And my Aunt Cynsa, her hubby, her daughter Sarah and her friend were down. I haven't seen them in years so that was fun. My aunt is a crazy woman, but she keeps things interesting.

I've known that Columbia is my home but I was unaware just how much Charleston is not longer my home. The big sign for me was when I went there and I got homesick. I longed to be back here in Cola. And here I am, home again and with a car! My big bro. just gave me his car because he got a new one. Granted the car he gave me is a little...not ghetto...just different. Brittany Jo says that its flaws gives it character. And it is a stick which I haven't driven in years and never was very good at. I'm going to practice driving around the parking lot when no one is around because people will laugh at me. Heck, I'm going to be laughing at me. The main point of me bringing the car here was so that I can help out with a youth group. I've had many wonderful mentors growing up and I think that it is about time that I poured into some younger ladies. I'm looking forward to it.

I had started a xanga site but only wrote about three entries. And I want to post one below that I wrote June 29th just so that it will be here when I want to read it:

Okay, Frog, its time for you to meet man's best friend..not you puppy, the TV." -Xander (a seven year old I babysat who is half animal, or so he says but I'm not suppose to tell anyone. And he says that woman's best friend is stuffed animals.)

So much is going on right now. Definitely an internal battle that I am always at war with. My flesh is so strong and I feel like I'm losing this battle. What scares me the most is that at times I think I do want to lose, or at least give up because it just gets so tiring. But then I think about it and NO! This is not who I am and it isn't who I want to become. I'm just gonna keep on trucking and fight, fight, fight. God has promised me certain things and I refuse to mess any of it up by giving in. And you know what else? I am good enough! God wants me for who I am at this very moment. Sometimes I get frustrated because I know that he deserves better. I can't give him the love and devotion that he truly deserves, I'm too broken for that. But he knew that before he persued me. I just seem to have problems getting that head knowledge to sink into my heart. Do you feel neglected, God? I'm sorry.

End Post

P.S. I don't feel so far from God anymore. He let me know that He is commited to me and that things are going to be okay.

I went and saw Ward play at Jammin Java last night. I foget how talented he is until I see him play. Listening to him play cello made me want to go and watch an orchestra perform somewhere. I had a lot of fun. It was the first time in a while that I got dolled up to go out. I'll admit that I felt a little silly looking nice but at least Marjorie did it with me. And it was refreshing to look nice without the intentions of trying to impress some boy, we simply did it for ourselves.

So I'm going "home" to Charleston this weekend. By home I mean the place where my mommy lives becuase I don't exactly live there, I don't really even have a room there anymore. But I'm okay with that because it is just another sign that I am growing up and getting out on my own. Sometimes when I meet my bestfriend's people she introduces me as being from Columbia. But I'm not from Cola. I consider myself as being from Chuck town but living in Cola.

"At the end of the day grace wins" It doesn't matter what the day looked like or what happened, grace always wins.

I need to hear some love words from God. there's a place deep inseide of me crying out to be loved. Its always there but it is very prevelant today. I don't want to try to seek out the affection from someone else that I know I need from God. I need to spend time with God. I have to! How does the world live without Him? It is sometimes hard for me to accept that I don't have to clean myself up before I come to see him. How can he love me so passionatley? Even thoug I don't really understand it, I am thankful for the way he loves me. He deserves better than what I can give him. But it isn't about me. Its not about me!Thats a relief.
He speaks to my heart: "I adore you more than completely" (The Falls Lost).