The Colors of Fall

So, first let me state my apologies.  I haven't posted a new blog since August!  Geez.  Here we go:

I love fall--the cooler weather, the coloring of the leaves, the candied/caramel apples (my favorite is caramel).  It's simply a great time of year, and I have to admit, it's a gateway to an even better time of year: Christmas.  But don't worry, I'm not a retail store, and will NOT gracefully SKIP over Thanksgiving.  It's a wonderful holiday, in its own right.  Thankfulness is something we all can work on.  Contentment is bred within a thankful heart.  Remember that old hymn "Count your blessings, name them one by one, count your blessings, see what God hath done."  Do that. Actually count them.  It will be a huge list.  There's no way discontentment could breed with such a list. :-)

One thing I'm very thankful for is the window in my room.  It has a great view of the trees that line the small wood behind our townhouse.  There's a very tall, huge maple that stands right in front of my window, and every time I open my window, it stares back at me.  I've watched all the seasons with this tree--pale green, the beginnings of spring, deep bright green, the middle of summer, and the bareness of winter.   But my favorite... now.  The rich golden yellow brings a smile to my face every single time.  I love the Lord, and His artistic perfection.

Everything about nature points to God, His death and resurrection--how death always leads to new life; how light will come in the darkness of nights, even in space, light abounds in the stars and planets.  The rising and setting of the sun, the falling of the leaves, the new life spring brings after the coldness of winter.  Everything points to Him. to Hope.  to Life. to Love.  It's a beautifully intricate story, which I am humbled to even witness.  Let us join with nature itself to worship and bring glory to the One who created us all.  Thankfulness.  It's as simple as that.

Happy Fall Ya'll!

The Cereal Aisle

I love going to the grocery store. Does that sound like a fat kid or what? The cereal aisle is my favorite...so many decisions for one box of cereal. Do I want healthy cereal? Or a sugar rush? Do I want a "lighter" cereal or GRANOLA? It's a wonderful process. I feel really bad for the people with no decision-making ability when they hit that isle... thankfully, I have favorites in all categories. Reeses Puffs (don't mock... its delish), Granola (without raisins), and good ole Cheerios.

Storytime....

I love, love, love a great story.  Simply a well written plot, a witty anecdote, or one of family's crazy stories all bring me immense satisfaction.  And it can come in any form, really... book, TV show, movie, play or musical (my favorite), even sometimes a commercial (see blog post below).

Especially, with a good novel, I really invest in the characters I'm reading about...going through their joys, their pains, their triumphs.  I love it.  

I'm currently obsessed with the Twilight series.  Yes, they are vampire novels.  But before you jump to radical conclusions about my social life, let me just say that I'm not one of the "those" people.  You know, the sci-fi creepers that vicariously live through Star Trek.  These were a first for me in the "fantasy" genre.  They are incredibly addicting and very well written!!  So I decided I needed to share my joys in these books to others, so that we could talk about them. But every single person I convinced to read them was dubious at first (to say the very least) but ended up after reading all of them, being more obsessed than me.  All of this to say... if you haven't read them.  Go get Twilight now and start.  Hop on the bandwagon.

But enough on my current reading obsession.  Let's move on before someone has me committed... 

In view of my love of stories, I'm very happy to be a part of one of the biggest stories ever.  The story of humanity.  No, wait its bigger than mere humanity. It's the story of God and His Kingdom reigning... and I still can't believe He wants me to have a part in it at all.  I'm always nervous I'm going to screw something up, and the world will spontaneously combust into flames (like my kitchen sometimes), but thankfully, I'm not that important.  (Huge bite of humility pie just taken...)  But God is.  He lives in me, and will live through me...and help me, despite my impatience for an answer, or stubbornness to concede.  

I think the Lord shares my passion for a great story, and I KNOW He cares about His characters (yep, that's you and me) more than I could ever comprehend.  He's told me some things about the end of His story:  He wins.  And those who are with him do too.  So, I guess there is such a thing as a "happy ever after..."

Clumsy Me

I seriously get "hurt" someway or another every single day. No lie. "Hurt" is in quotes cuz it's usually nothing serious. Normally it's just a result of me being my clumsy, clutsy self.

Example: recap of weekend:

Friday: kiddo rammed me with his trike. Bruise.

Saturday: scratched my arm on a hook (like where they hang the jewelry) at Express. started bleeding.

Sunday: Stubbed my toe on my dresser. Also bled.

Today: Stabbed the bottom of my foot with an upside down spiked heel.

(Good thing the Cullens weren't around... for those of you who got that... kudos.)

So, my new goal is to NOT get hurt every single day of my life.

Bouquets of Sharpened Pencils

I love the start of a new school year. Does this pass once you're out of school? I certainly hope not. The teeming of soccer moms vying for the last pencil pouch and kids meticulously picking out the perfect notebook with Jonas Brothers or Hannah Montana displayed proudly across the front cover. Starting new classes with new people... so fun (hey, don't mock my excitement, because in a couple of months, or maybe weeks, I'll be dragging my sorry a to class!)

I think another part of this excited anticipation comes from the fact that fall starts along with school. Welll... kind of, in Georgia it's still piping HOT until just before Thanksgiving!! But one of my FAVORITE quotes/dialogue comes from the movie You've Got Mail, at the very beginning when they're talking about New York in the Fall.

Oo--which brings me to another one of my passions--New York City. Sorry... my mind is so rando, I know.

I want so badly to visit the city. I've never been, only dreamed of going. I want the whole experience... the crowded sidewalks, bustling streets, the Stores!, and oh, the love of my life... Broadway!!! But to make up for the sad reality of not going to NYC, I am going to see Wicked at the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta.

To Trust Or Not To Trust

Vacation was so much fun...I read a ton (one of my absolute favorite things to do), I wrote in a brand new journal (also a fav), and got to be at the beach literally every day.  But then I get home and it's not so restful.

This week I realized I wouldn't have consistent work (with babysitting or Trackside Grill), which would seem like a nice break normally, but being on a strict budget and already having rested for two weeks, I was ready to work.  So not meeting my financial goals: sucky.

THEN... I also found out that my living situation for next year is unsettled.  I might have to move out of the townhouse, but maybe not?  Either way, moving or not, I have to find more roommates.  ugh.  

So with all of this info being thrown at me the moment I get back in town, made me feel like a slacker for being gone for 2 weeks and slightly stressed with the housing and the money stuff.

But life keeps going, and time goes on, even if we want it to stop.  Or at least slow down so that I can catch my breath.  And Sunday morning rolls around.  I called Trackside in between church and sunday school to see if I could make up for my lack of work at home, and work there this week.  Nope.  My stress level starts to climb.

I feel at a loss, and sort of like a failure and slacker all in one... all in a matter of moments.  I head on to Sunday school and we break into our families (literally with my parents) to read the this week's chapter of Hebrews (see, I go to reallly cool SS class where its mostly parents--its actually THEIR class--and college kids of the parents--we like the teacher).  And Brad, my stepdaddy, starts to read and a start silently crying.  Great.  I am officially nuts.  I try to stop. To calm down, but I can't.  Mom starts to read and I excuse myself to the bathroom, where I proceed to BREAKdown.  Nuts.  I thought I was going to be checked into Charter Wynn.  Geez.

Mom came searching for me after I didn't return like 10 minutes later.  She calmed me down.  

The breakdown didn't help.  Worrying does nothing, except make us haggard and subtracts years from our lives.  That's probably why Jesus tells us not to.  Don'tcha think?

To trust or not to trust.  I choose the trust.  I like trusting.  I'm certainly out of control on all this stuff, so I have no choice but to trust in God's timing (or be move to Millegdeville), while praying for Him to Send Help.

Vacation

So, I just returned from 2 whole weeks at the beach.  It was wonderful.  I celebrated my 20th bday down there too with the fam.  very fun.  Some pics:

Traveled with my best friend, Kayla.  "Wait... where??"  always laughing.  seriously.

Celebrating my birthday with the 'rents. :)

  We went on a "manatee watch tour"  on the night of my birthday.  HAHA!  And saw this poor sailor...owned.

Overall, very relaxing...I read  a TON, but very grateful to be home.

Visa Made Me Cry...

This commercial just made me cry... Beautiful.  

Trivia Mania

Random fact about me: I love trivia.

I Tivo Jeopardy every day. No lie. Every day. Then, when I watch it, I pause it to see if I can get the answer before they tell me. Sometimes my family and I have competitions to see who's right. Sad... I know.

Trivial Pursuit... also amazing.

I really don't know why. It just makes me feel intelligent when I get some right. Little confidence boost, ya know?

Maybe one day I'll be this guy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy8Zdjkpmzk

The Blue Blanket

What's up. Today's the first day of my blog. Yep, I caved to pressure of the blogging world. So here we go:

Today I was babysitting for 2 precious kiddos, one 3 years old and one 5 years old, having a glorious day at the mall. We did the usual--lunch at McDonald's (a sad excuse for food), a stroll around the mall, and then a cookie (healthy, I know). It doesn't sound like much, but after a busy day at the pool yesterday, it wore the kids out. We were on our way home, and I was jamming out to some old school Superchic[k] (you should go listen to them right now), when the two boys passed out cold in back seat asleep (which was an amazing feat considering my off-key renditions of "Barlow Girl"). Hoping to keep them asleep I turned down the blaring music and drove safely to the house, when both of them woke up. Great. But still being sleepy, they both asked for their blue blankets--a necessity for them to sleep. Well, I searched in all the usual spots, and couldn't find them. I kept looking, everywhere, and came up with nothing. The youngest broke down into tears and fits like the world was coming to an end. I text their mom and ask where the blankets are. She tells me that they're in the washing machine. Sweet. I take them out and put them in the drier. I tell both kids that their blankets are drying. But the youngest still cries and cries, just standing in front of the drier looking in, longing for it, as it tumbles around and around and around. He just stood their and moaned for it. I laughed some, then told him that it would be dry soon. I tried explaining that it was wet, and it he wouldn't want it right now anyway. Being three, and probably not comprehending the concept, he insisted he would.

This whole little scenario had me thinking about my relationship with the Lord. Life can be sweet and everything is going fine, but then something hits whether its school, finances, family, or something minor like fatigue or discontentment. It jostles me, and my love, joy, and peace are now centered around a particular status, grade, weight, job, or whatever my "blue blanket" is at the time, instead of grounded in the Lord and His Truth. I look to Lord and whine and beg for this thing or this friendship or this situation, and He says no or not right now. And just like my 3 year old, I cry and pout and wonder why the Lord would withhold that thing from me, instead of realizing He's just preparing it for me, so that I don't have use a wet blanket to cover up with.