Procrastination

So, I've been a bad girl. I still haven't sent out my Christmas cards. And now I'm really procrastinating by writing in my blog, which I've been procrastinating about writing in for about 3 weeks. So, here I am. This is my song for the day, the week, and possibly longer.

Protest to Praise
by Downhere
album: downhere (2001)
I knew the times would come and now the times have landed
With stinging abrasion As ready as I seem to be
It's never like I planned it, yeah

Pre-Chorus
I'm wrestling my thoughts I'm overcome
Would you give me up I'm asking Lord
There's no where I sense Your presence here
So I will cry out, until I go

Chorus
From Protest to praise
You're always amazing me
You're changing me slow, but surely
And You're gonna see me to the end

How long will I be forgotten by You forever
You're not making sense here
Seems like eternity has made a home between us, yeah

Pre-Chorus/Chorus (2X)

You're changing me slow
I just can't help but see it that way
Cuz You're gonna see me to the end

Yeah, and I'm still not writing my cards. Goodnight all.

Grace and peace.

Narnia - 12:01

Wow. I don't even know if there are words that can describe what I was feeling while I watched the movie last night. All I know is that I was crying from the beginning and almost balling by the end. It was so stinkin' amazing. It was exactly as I pictured it as I've read it. I felt like a little kid! As I got in the car to head home, I thought, "What can I listen to that could possibly follow that?" Then it hit me- "The Far Country". I cranked up the music, rolled down the windows, opened the sunroof and drove home. I didn't care that it was 2:30 in the morning. I felt amazing.

Ok, now I really do need to get stuff done so that I can leave for Nashville after work tomorrow.

Go under the mercy!

Memories...

"If you read this, if your eyes are passing over this right now, even if we don't speak often, please post a comment with a memory of me. It can be anything you want- good or bad. When you're finished, post this little paragraph on your blog and be surprised about what people remember about you."

~Grace & Peace!

The Sapphire Sea...

I was watching PBS last night and I saw this half hour program on Crater Lake entitled "The Mirror of Heaven" and it captivated me. Yes, I know, I'm a nerd and I love watching PBS and am very saddened at the fact that I can't get the History Channel. Now that I got that out of the way...seriously, I was facinated. I want to go there. As the credits started rolling, I ran into the kitchen and started writing down lyrics or verses, I'm not sure yet. Usually with me, they're just verse, since I can never come up with a tune. The point is, that I haven't been that inspired in a long time. I can really feel God moving and drawing me further in and further up. All I have to do is follow. I want to follow and as I sit here in my rocking chair in the living room with my candles lit and music playing, I say, "of course I'll follow!", but then I'll have to get up and go to work tomorrow. I just ask for the grace and strength to keep following.

Until next time, grace and peace!

Prayer request

**UPDATE**
We had some of the info wrong, so I'm fixing it

Hello all. Just a quick entry tonight. I wanted to ask you all to pray for our assistant manager Barbara's daughter Kathy. She's a few weeks older than me and has a blood clot on her lung. Barbara has headed over to Orlando to be with her since she has to lay completely still for the rest of the week. This is not the first serious family health problem they've had in the last few months. Her husband found out a few months back that he had had a heart attack and never knew. He is now functioning with only the front section of his heart. Anyway, they just need a lot of prayers sent their way.

Thanks all.

Go under the mercy!

6 days...

It's 6 days until my birthday, 5 days until the most dreaded day in retail, and 4 days to Thanksgiving. As all of these things are drawing closer, I can't help but look past them to Christmas. It's a little odd, since Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, but the whole Christmas season has always made me feel excited. I love the decorations, the music, and most importantly, the meaning behind all of it. I love the symbolism and the pagentry. I love the traditions that have been passed down. We're one week away from Advent, but I feel as if I'm already there.

This will be my first year working in retail at Christmas, and I'm really hoping that it won't dampen my spirit. I suppose that I'll just need to be more vigilant about keeping myself fed. That's where I have been lax in the last few weeks and maybe even longer than that. I allow myself to go into these modes where I get "too busy" and don't make the time that I need to be in the Word and in prayer. Not to say that I'm not praying, because that's almost a constant thing, but I'm not taking to time to listen for His Word for me. I wish that I could snap my fingers and all of a sudden I'd be back on track, but we all know that wouldn't work! :)


All that being said, I just pray that I can fully enter into the season this year and that He will grant me a peace in my heart that will allow me to share my experiences with all the people that I come in contact with, which is a lot of people! That's probably enough deep thought for tonight. Until next time, go under the mercy!

Hello World!

Sooo...I open my email on Saturday morning and I have an email from Shimmy (producer of Total Axxess: a nightly Christian Music radio show broadcast on WAY-FM, their affiliates, and worldwide on the web) telling me about their new site, that is going to be launching this week. Since I used to run the "unofficial messageboard" for almost a year, they thought of me to help moderate the messageboard that was going to be on the new site. It's not a paying job, but I've got an in to the latest stuff going on out of Nashvegas, which is pretty sweet. Plus, it's a lot of fun. The show is great and they always have really interesting artists on. So...I said yes. Fast forward....

I'm heading to Ft. Myers on Sunday night because I'm going to meet up with my college roommate, Tracy Lee, and her husband, Tim, who are staying in Marco Island. I decided to stay in Ft. Myers for the night, get up in the morning and go to the WAY-FM station down there and say hi to everyone, then head down to Naples to see Tracy and Tim. I had found a room off of Hotwire, which had never let me down...yet. I was staying right on the beach, well, kinda. The room that I was supposed to have was actually across the street from the main hotel and looked more like a "no-tell-motel" if you get my drift. It was creepy. I went back over and told them I wasn't staying, so they gave me a room in the main hotel. Great. Yeah...except for the reggae music from the Tiki Bar that lasted until 2am. Thank the Lord for earplugs and clock radios. I got up Monday and was pleasantly surprised that my bill was actually a lot less than it would have been to stay in the cruddy room. I went to the station and while I was waiting to talk to Jeff (who was on-air at the time), I met Cobi or Nate who works at the station. When Jeff came out I told him about how Shimmy had emailed me and all and he just started laughing and called Cobi back out because he is actually the person who designed and wrote the new website. So, before my email ever reached Nashville and before the site even went live, I was set up with a user name, a password, and had Site Admin status. It was pretty sweet. I hung out with Tracy and Tim in Naples and we went to the beach. I forgot to put on sunscreen, so I now have a boatneck sunburn that is oh-so-attractive. I stopped back by the station and then headed home.

Now I'm looking forward to Saturday, which is of course, the Andrew Peterson concert here in Lakeland! It's also our Holiday Open House at Hallmark, so everyone should stop by in the morning and then go to the concert in the afternoon. (Since most of you live NOWHERE near me! LOL) Ok, I think that's all that I can pour out onto the screen at this moment. I'm pretty tired and I'm opening in the morning.

God bless and go under the mercy!

Horrible

Dang it! I've let it happen again. Life always seems to get in the way of sharing it. Well, that and really slow dial-up connections. With that being said, I'm off to work!

Banner Day

So...this has been an eventful day. I turned in all my stuff at Curves and left a note for Linda letting her know that I don't have the hours to work at Hallmark and Curves. I wrote to the people doing the Fall Festival and let them know that I now only had one week to learn the music that they still had not sent me and that it wasn't going to work out. And...I'm now driving to Savannah tomorrow after work to join my mom, my aunt, and my aunt's two best friends for at least one night and part of the Sunday morning, after which they'll head home and I'll stick around the city for a bit. Good times. So, now I must go to bed so that I can work and then drive. Hopefully, I'll have an inspiring weekend with lots of fun tidbits to share when I get home!

Go under the mercy!

Stolen from others...

This should pretty much sum it up:

I am tired and you're so beautiful
I am dirty and old
I am glass and you are the rock that breaks me apart
I am nothing at all

Is there something I can be
More than this tragic comedy
Because if you would die for me
I wish that I could be worth something

I am weak, you are a soldier next to me
You're everything I wish I could be
I am a page and I am writing you my heart
So please don't break it

Is there something I can be
More than this comic tragedy
Because if you would die for me
I wish that I could be worth something

'Cause I am worn and if you asked
Well I would be the last to tell you
Are my prayers as frail as I?

I am tired and you are the one thing real to me
So hold me while I sleep.
~"Tired", by Andy O and The Normals

Sometimes when I'm all alone
I don't know if I can take another breath
Some say home is where the heart is
Tell me where my home is
'Cause I am scared to death

Falling from the rooftop
Crashing like a raindrop
Can you make my heart stop
Shaking like a leaf
Standing at the floodgate
Steady as an earthquake
Can you hear my heart break
Tearing at the seams

I am drifting in the deep end
holding onto your hand is all that saves me now
Life can treat you like a beggar
You hold me together
But I don't know how

Falling from the rooftop
Crashing like a raindrop
Can you make my heart stop
Shaking like a leaf
Standing at the floodgate
Steady as an earthquake
Can you hear my heart break
Tearing at the seams

Some say home is where the heart is
And my heart is in Your hands
You are all I need

Rising from the ashes
Lifted from the madness
Now you see my heart is
Deep enough to dream
Heal me from the deathblow
Lead and I will follow
Now you feel my heart glow
Mending at the seams
~"Drifting", by Bebo Norman

Day 2

So, I forgot to mention in my post yesterday that I got my tickets this weekend for the Andrew Peterson Christmas concert at the Ryman on December 11th! You'd think that I would remember that since I'm so freakin' excited about it, but noooo, I forgot. I'm sitting in the front row of the balcony again this year. Last year's seats were so sweet. This year's will hopefully be just as sweet. My mom and I have roped my aunt into our insanity this year. That's right, all three of us will drive up to Nashville late Friday/early Saturday to get there and fellowship (read: go to La Hacienda and eat cheese) and sit in awe at the amazing amount of talent on the Ryman's stage.

And now I'd like to take a moment to say that I love this guy: Randall Goodgame. That is what I'm aspiring to - sharing things from my life to enlighten (and amuse). And heck, if I could write a song like him I wouldn't be too upset either! :-D

That brings me to the Fall Festival at the church. They've asked me to lead the singing while playing my guitar for the "sing-along" after the baking contests and the dinner and all. First of all, what are they...crazy or something? They asked me a while back and said that they want to do campfire songs or something like that. 'Cause I know a lot of those! I'm not the world's best guitarist either. They only time that they've seen me play is when our worship leader was out of town and I filled in...in the background, with a direct box that was ghetto-rigged and only worked half of the time and they didn't really even turn me up in the house system. So, yeah. I mean, I like to think that I can play, but I really don't know. Now I have to try and get that Saturday off (the 15th) as well as the 22nd, since my aunt won 4 tickets to Mark Schultz in Orlando. *Sigh* I don't know if I can do it or not. It could be a really great experience or it could really suck. Those are my thoughts for tonight. I should go to bed since I'm opening in the morning. Maybe I'll just play a little bit of guitar first...

Anyway, until next time, God bless!

I am bad at keeping up...

I am a bad blogger. I know this, you know this, I think we all now know this. I know that I should just come on here and pour everything into a post and get on with it. Im sure that I have brilliant things to write, but I tend to either wait until I have so much to say that I don't want to type it all out or until I've forgotten everything. Yeah.

Right now I'm not doing any Bible Study. Only one person wanted to do the Narnia one and I really wasn't prepared enough to teach it. I didn't want to take the one that was meeting on Wednesday and the other two are going to meet on Monday nights, when I'm normally working. So, now I have to try to motivate myself, which as you can see from my posting here is not the easiest task in the world. So...I'm thinking that maybe I should make myself read something and post about it everyday. We'll see how that plays out. If anyone actually reads this thing, leave me messages to make me stay on it! Ok, now off to bed.

Go under the mercy!

A Call to the Wardrobe...

Just wanted to throw this out there for anyone who might actually be reading this. Our Wesley group is splitting into 4 groups and we each were asked to come up with ideas for what those 4 studies would be on, who would lead them, etc. The idea that I came up with was doing a study on The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe because,

1) it's a stinkin' awesome book and I highly recommend reading it.
2) the movie version (which will be a hundred times better than the BBC version) is coming out in December and it would be great to have people read it, then go see it.
3) it's a stinkin' awesome book and I highly recommend reading it.

I found a few books that I might be able to work from 'cause I have a feeling that if anyone is actually interested in doing the class that I'll be the one leading it. (Stop laughing, it's not funny!) But, if anyone else has any brilliant ideas on resources (more for me than the whole class...I think I'll just have them read the book) let me know. We have our organizational meeting tomorrow evening, so I'll know more about whether I'm actually doing it or not by then. But...if you happen to have some great idea, I'm going to check between work and when I go to the meeting! :) Thanks in advance!!!!

Go under the mercy!

Worth the wait...

So, I had to wait a week and a half to get "The Far Country" by Andrew Peterson because Family Christian didn't get it in their shipment and I was stupid and didn't pre-order it off the website. My aunt bought it for me over in Orlando, along with "Lifesong" by Casting Crowns. (there was a buy 1, get 1 sale at Long's) The catch was that I wasn't going to Orlando until this Friday for Night of Joy...

When I got there Friday it was pretty hectic and we basically went straight to Disney, which was really fun and really tiring. We hit the usual suspects- Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion, grabbed some food, and headed to the Galaxy Theater where Mark Schultz was going to be playing. We got there at 6:30 (an hour early), but they were going to let us in at 7:00, so we hung out and talked with the other people waiting. I ended up getting a seat in the front row with the family that we talked to while we were waiting and my mom and my aunt got a seat a few rows back, strangely enough with a couple that my aunt had invited! We talked while we waited for the show to start. Turns out that her name is also Heather! Her son was so cute. He was 3 and loved Ariel. They had come down from South Carolina on the train (because their son likes trains) to go to Disney and to come to Night of Joy. We exchanged emails and then convinced them to come with us over to Matthew West. Mark came out and played a freakin' awesome show. People had not only packed the theater, but were standing outside about another theater's length! His face was priceless when he saw that! He actually played a little longer than a "normal" NOJ show, so we were already sure that we were going to miss part of Matthew's show. Once the whole crew of us (the other couple with my mom and aunt came too, so there were 7 + a stroller!) got over there, we saw that the Splash Mountain stage's crowd was almost out the middle of Adventureland. That is a BIG crowd. I think that Disney underestimated things this year. We could kinda see Matthew, but we lost Heather and her family in the madness. We stayed there for Casting Crowns and worked our way up to the front. We had to leave though, 'cause the bass instruments were so hot that it felt like they were cutting through us. We listened from inside the little restaurant next to the stage. We downed a few waters and then decided to see how bad the crowd was going to be for Mercy Me. It was pretty bad. And the bass was really bad. You couldn't hear anything but the low end. So, we decided to get ice cream. As we were sitting eating our ice cream on Main Street, we ran into Heather and her family! They were headed back to the hotel. We went into the Main Street Shops and then headed home. We finally got back to my aunt's house at 1:30.

Saturday was busy, but not. We went to lunch and did a little bit of shopping and visited my grandmother and then I was going to head home. But I didn't feel so great, so I thought that I'd take a nap for a half hour and then leave. My mom and aunt left to take my grandmother to dinner and I went to sleep. Two hours later, I woke up and decided that I was going to stay the night. So...

I didn't get to listen to "The Far Country" until 12:00 this afternoon. I was driving down I-4 from Orlando to Lakeland trying not cry and yet had this huge grin on my face the entire time. Somewhere during "The Queen of Iowa" or "Little Boy Heart Alive" my car turned to 15,000 miles. I just don't even know what to say. The whole album is amazing. Andy has done it again. I need to listen to it again before I can give a full review of it, but wow! I still need to listen to all of "Lifesong", but I have a feeling it's going to be good too. Oh, and of the other CDs from my list last time, I got:

Bethany Dillon - sooo good!!
Nickel Creek - didn't think they could get any better, but this CD is amazing!!!

That's about all for now...until later, go under the mercy!

Slacker? Yes, I am

Wow. I am such a slacker. I haven't posted in a month and the post before that was a month before. I guess I've just been really busy. Now I'm not only working at Hallmark, but also at Curves as a trainer. I'm still in training right now, but I'm taking over my mom's position and the position of another one of the ladies there. Basically, I will have no life henceforth. LOL. Em and I are doing great in our apartment. We may get a third roomie. Her name is Alison and she just came down this weekend from Michigan to interview for a couple of teaching positions. She brought her friend Brandy and the 4 of us had a really great time playing cards until the wee hours of the morning, going Cosmic Bowling and hanging out at Steak N Shake.

Let's see...what else is new? My parents are moving to Orlando the middle of next month. They found a house to rent that is only 2 miles from my aunt's house, which is really sweet since we spend so much time over there anyway! I've been to some cool concerts. Last week my mom and I saw Todd Agnew, which was a total spur of the moment deal. (we're talking...hey it's 12:00, the show is at 3:00 in Orlando. should we go?) Tonight my mom, my aunt and I saw Bebo Norman here in Lakeland (free!). We also got a chance to say hi to Gabe Scott and to tell him that we'd see him in Nashville 'cause we are SO going to the Christmas Show again this year!!!! I don't care what I have to do to get out of work that weekend! I'm also going to Night of Joy on the 9th of Sept. Man, I am such a music junkie. Maybe someday I will actually get around to practicing my guitar and play my own set! Speaking of music...

CDs that I really want to get in the near future:

Andrew Peterson - The Far Country (releases 8/30!!!!)
Bethany Dillon - Imagination
Chris Rice - Amusing
Nickel Creek - Why Should the Fire Die
Casting Crowns - Lifesong (8/30)
Switchfoot - Nothing Is Sound (9/13)

Not to mention these DVDs...

LOST: Season 1!!!!!! - (9/6)
Gilmore Girls: Season 4!!!!!! - (9/27)

Ok, that is enough rambling for now. I am going to try and be better about this whole thing...

Go under the mercy!!!

Gilmore Mania

Sooo...Emileigh and I are in our new apartment!! That's right. Our apartment! How excited am I?! We've been here about a week and a half and are loving it! We finally have internet, which is a great thing, let me tell you. That means that I can once again update all two of you that read this thing! I've been working like a mad woman and we've been watching a LOT of Gilmore Girls. I haven't seen as many as Em, but I'm up there! :-D I don't think I ever noticed all the food references in the episodes. Let's just say that we had to go out and buy a strawberry rhubarb pie because of those darn Gilmore Girls. Anywho...back to the madness...a film by kirk...oh yeah.

No slow cars...

I'm listening to:

Things You Can't Stop With Your Hands by Tara Leigh Cobble -Beautiful Drive

First of all, let me say that I am very much enjoying my new copy of Things You Can't Stop With Your Hands by the lovely Tara Leigh Cobble! There is nothing quite like driving with the windows down, singing at the top of your lungs. And when it hasn't been pouring down rain, that's what I've been doing! Today is my second day off in a row and so far I haven't accomplished much. Yesterday, I at least got my paycheck and mailed a package and went with my mom to get her haircut. Now all of sudden I'm feeling very creative. I may have to go grab my camera and go out and take some shots. I haven't done that in a long time. It's about time I do that.

In other news, I'm a little bummed 'cause I have to work until 2:00 on Monday and then somehow have to figure out how to drive approx. 70 miles in under an hour so that I can see Matthew West play over in Apopka. Yeah, it's probably not going to happen, unless the show is delayed by rain. I already apologized to my mom for wishing that it would rain on her and my aunt so that I could make it there. A little rain never hurt anyone, right? But it stops shows that use expensive sound equipment! Well, at least I should be able to see Todd Agnew, since he doesn't play until 7:30. Such is life.

Ok, I'm off to be creative...go under the mercy!

Falling...

I'm listening to:

Back Home by Caedmon's Call -Walk With Me

Hey all! Happy Father's Day! I survived the "day before the big day" at Hallmark. We were pretty steady, but it wasn't overwhelming. Of course, that wasn't great when you look at it from a business perspective, but I wasn't ready to fall over when I left! And speaking of falling...(nice segue!) things are falling into place for the apt! We already have an entertainment center for like practically nothing (from one of my co-workers, who actually lives in the same complex as we will), a coffee table and end tables (from my grandpa), a dining room set (from my grandmother), another table for my bedroom, a lamp, and a bookcase (from my mom's boss), plus all the furniture I already have! And we were worried! (Not really...I knew things would eventually work out) It looks like all we'll need to get is a futon!

I've been working on putting a set together so that I can try to play a show over at Jammin' For Jesus sometime in the near future. I was practicing out on the lanai tonight and my neighbor was out grilling and came over to tell me that it was sounding good! And I didn't even realize that I had an audience!! :-D Anywho...that's all my excitement for now!

Go under the mercy!!!

We got it!!!!

I'm listening to:

Brave by Nichole Nordeman -Brave

We got the apartment!!!! We move in on July 15th...one month from today!!!! And there was much rejoicing! Em and Mom & Dad Rice will be heading down here just in time to move in. Good stuff. :-D

Oh, and happy birthday roomie!!!

Rain, manatees, & apartments...oh my!

I'm listening to:

Brave by Nichole Nordeman -Brave

So this weekend was really fun, eventhough it rained almost the whole stinkin' time! Ten of us from our Bible Study (well, 9 from Bible Study and 1 other guy) went up to Homasassa Springs/Crystal River to stay at our friends Kim & Chris's family "shack" on the St. Martin's River. We played games (spoons = dangerous!), went out on the boat (rain + fast boat = ouch!), went to the springs on the boat (COLD WATER!!!). While we were at the Springs on Sunday, 7 manatees swam underneath us. I mean like RIGHT underneath me. I was next to the boat and had to cling onto the boat and lift my feet up so that they didn't touch me. Oh, and we also ate some really good food while we were there. Chris grilled up some yummy steaks on Saturday night!! The best time (sarcasm...) was on the way home when Dena, James (and Phantom...the Jack Russell Terrier), Erik, and I were following Kim & Chris (and Kelcey...the Black Lab) home and the battery on their Explorer died completely. We're talkin' really dead here. We couldn't even use jumper cables. And we still had about 50 miles to go. Luckily, James (or the "car god" as Kim is now calling him) was able to bypass the ignition and get the car started. The car was nice and didn't die again until we were almost home. So it took us 4 hours to get home instead of about 1.5 or 2 hours.

In other news...I put down a holding fee on an apartment yesterday for me & Emileigh!! If everything works out we'll be moving into the apartment on July 15th!!! Keep your fingers crossed!!

So, I'm updating this thing...

So, apparently I've been slacking off...and someone noticed! That means that someone actually read my blog! (thanks lara!!!) :-D

My life has actually been pretty exciting and that's why I haven't had time to blog about it! My really good friend, Emileigh came and visited me this past week and we did all kinds of cool stuff, including watching 9 fabulous episodes of Gilmore Girls: Season 3 DVD! We went to the Outlet mall over in Orlando, where I was introduced to "Om", a GAP scent that was discontinued, but is available at the outlets and is a-mazingly wonderful! I also got some cute skirts and tanks. Em also got to go to church and Bible Study with me on both Sunday and Wednesday and she seemed to really enjoy it! Other than that I've been working at Hallmark, trying to convince people to buy the stuff in the Summer Sale (50% off folks!), so that we can start making room for the Ornament Preview, which is quickly approaching. That's right...Christmas in July! At the end of this week I get my employee discount...LOOK OUT!!! LOL. Anywho...that's all for now. I promise that I'll post more this week. You have my word.

Go under the mercy!

I survived...

I've now survived week 1 of working at Hallmark. It's not too bad, although today I started getting a little confused with the whole auditing the cards thing. Meh...I'll try to figure it out on Monday when I'm NOT about to leave! I ended up with about 25 hours, so they had to send me home 3 hours early today, since I'm still just training and really shouldn't have over 25 hours! It was cool, though 'cause I went bowling with Chris, Kim, & James. I only bowled the last game with them, but I won with a score of 110! Of course, they were all really tired by that point, but I still am going to count it! Two weeks until Emileigh comes to see me! I'm soo excited!!! Ok, I had better get to bed, so I can be awake for church in the morning.

Go under the mercy!

Yeah!!!!!

Emileigh is coming to visit me in a little over 2 weeks!!!! I'm so excited! We've already decided that we're going to drive around in my car with the sunroof open singing with Rascal Flatts at the top of our lungs! We'll have to come up with some other things to do, since we can't do that ALL week. Well, we can do that while we're in the car, but this IS Florida and it does rain sometimes, so the sunroof can't ALWAYS be open! Anywho...that's my excitement!


Good night to all!

Working Girl

I'm listening to:

Rascal Flatts by Rascal Flatts -This Everyday Love

So, today was my first day of work at my new job. I am now a Hallmark Sales Associate! Today was really fun too, 'cause we took down ALL of the Mother's Day cards and gifts and started putting up Father's Day cards and gifts. I'm also excited 'cause I may have a friend coming to visit me really soon and I haven't seen this friend in a long time! More details on that as we work it out! Let's see...I'm walking tonight, which is always a good time. I really don't have too much more to share. I think me getting a job is news enough!!

Go under the mercy!!!

You like me...you really like me!

Hello world! So, I joined MySpace.com on Satuday and I now have 29 friends!! Coming in first place with 15 friends is Greenville College, followed by the .net with 8 friends, then we've got 2 family members, 1 friend from New World School of the Arts High School, 1 friend from church, 1 really cool band (Aireline), and Tom, the MySpace guy. If you too want to be my friend, you can always click above on 'MySpace'. Well, except those of you reading on xanga...so here ya go: MySpace.

(Yes, I went crazy with the links, whatcha gonna do about it? ;-) I feel "linky" today! )

Well, today I'm off to see if I can't find someplace that wants to hire me. I'm hoping that the severe thunderstorms that we've got in the area stay out of my way! Then it's off to church for Wesley Group. I'm excited about this weekend, 'cause I'm doing fun stuff with a couple of people from our group! Well, that's all for now.

Grr...

Sometimes I just want to scream really loudly. Thank goodness for walking partners like Kim (and Kelcey, the happy black lab!). It's been one of those days...in oh so many ways. It's been good, it's been ugly. God has shown Himself to me in many places and the devil has stuck his ugly face in mine and laughed. I guess that's just how it goes. The question is whether or not to persevere. Oddly enough, I open my Book of Common Prayer and today's Epistle reading is James 1:1-15

²Consider is all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, ³knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

¹²Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to whose who love Him.

Hello! Yeah...you don't need to tell me twice. But You do anyway...Luke 9:18-27 was my Gospel lesson:

²⁵For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?

So basically I'm being taught that the devil is going to throw all kinds of crap (or insert other wording...) at me and I can expect it because I am choosing to listen to and follow the only One that is Truth. The world didn't except Him and it's not going to except me because I don't buy into the "way of the world". Let's home that tomorrow is at least a little easier than today.

Until then, go under the mercy...

Ask and ye shall receive...

Here's me with my new glasses:

I feel pretty...

I'm listening to:

The Way We Are by Fleming & John -Rain All Day

So, I got new glasses! I think they're fun! But what do I know...I'm a nerd.

I didn't get the job, which I already kinda expected. No, my excitement today is that I get to lead our Wesley Group Bible Study tonight! GOO! I'm a little apprehensive about doing it, but I've gone over the study several times and I *think* I can handle it. It's not like it's on something important or anything...just Christ's RESURRECTION! Yeah, just the central point of the Christian faith-no biggie. At least when I finish tonight I can say, "I'm going to Disney World!" because I am on Friday! My cousin, who works at MGM Studios, is getting me, my mom, my aunt Donna, and her mom, my aunt Sunshine into Epcot for FREE to go to the Flower and Garden Festival. I'm a big fan of Epcot. Anywho...that's the excitement in my world, which really isn't that exciting. I don't even have anything to rant about. I need to get out more.

It's a big blue-ish green man... with a strange goatee... this must be significant.

So, I survived my interview, but won't find out whether I got the job or not until sometime on Monday. I'm fine with that. I made it through the interview...that's a big enough step for me! :) Walked Lake Hollingsworth for the 2nd day in a row with Dena and Kim from my Wesley Group. Went and saw "National Treasure" at the $2 theater with my mom. (hence the title for this post!) Can't wait to own it. It seriously cracks me up! Riley IS my friend Brad. I swear they followed him and did a character study! Ok...now I must go to bed. My muscles hurt. It could be the whole working out 3 days at Curves and then walking 2 miles around a lake for 2 days when before this week I basically didn't do much of ANY exercising. Huh...go figure! Good night all!

Home again, home again, jiggity-jig

Well, I'm back! Yeah, we came back 1 day early. The trip was really cool, though. I saw sooo many people that I hadn't seen in forever. We even ran into a few very unexpected people- like a guy that I went to high school with who is now living in New York and happened to be visiting his parents this weekend and came and sang with the praise band at our old church. He didn't go there when I knew him! I have kept up with only a handful of people from high school, and most of them not very well. I haven't seen Rob since I graduated and he was in his first year of college. This by itself is a little odd, but factor in the chance meeting I had earlier last week here in Lakeland with another guy that I know from Miami and things get even weirder! I was getting coffee when I hear my name being called (and I know like 10-15 people in Lakeland!), so I turn around and there is Kenny! Kenny's uncle, Danny, had been my youth director. Well, Kenny, Danny, and Rob all knew each other REALLY well. When I told Rob about that meeting, he couldn't believe it! God is doing something...I can't say what just yet, but I feel something. There are never this many "coincidences" without it leading up to something. More on the trip later...I'm sleepy now.

Hittin' The Road

Well, it would be the first time that I get invited to go do something here in Lakeland, I will be in Miami! A bunch of people from my Wesley Group are going to a concert downtown and then out for coffee. Oh well, there will be other times! So, right...my mom and I are heading to Miami tomorrow for a surprise party. I'm going to get to see a bunch of people that I haven't seen in a a long time. Some of them we haven't seen since we moved in '99. It should be a pretty fun weekend. It will be a little weird to go to our old church, though. I don't know if we would have ended up staying there if we hadn't moved. Who knows. I'll try to update while I'm on the road if anything exciting happens (don't hold your breath!).

Good morning!

Welcome to my mostly boring world! This is my first real post on this blog and the really sad thing is that I don't have anything grand to say. I'm probably going in search of a bathing suit today...Ooooo...exciting! I guess there is one nice thing about today in that I have my Wesley Fellowship Group tonight. I'm really thankful for some great people to hang out with and study the Word. That's all for now. Maybe I'll have something exciting to post about later!

Hello world!

Woohoo! Now I am really cool because I too have a rmfo-blog. More to come...