"...and a Happy New Year"

Today is the last day of 2009
I guess the expected and cliche thing to do is "look back" on this past year.
I should talk about all that occurred in my life...


I should speak of great or tragic events that took place
I should probably talk about the Daniel Fast in January that started the year off
I should talk about the intern missions trip to Dallas during Spring Break
(how it revealed things...)


I should talk about the 1st ever Re:new Block Party at Veterans Park
About celebrating my 20th Birthday and Jenni & John Peter's Wedding on the same day
(and Mrs. Karen's!)
About a summer of graduations and students going off to Masters and College
About a summer of running kids and youth camp in Marianna
I should talk about the ONLY canoe trip that ended in a crazy,
scary ligtning storm that seperated 2/3 of adult leaders from the kids
I should talk about the interesting speech given by a Maid of Honor at the
reception of Dallas & Tiffany's wedding :)
About how I loathe school and, for the first time in my life, did horrible at it
About how Kristina and I did a middle school girls small group for the 1st time and
it actually working out, and being better than I ever thought possible!


I should talk about Laguna Beach & how the band fell through and our band stepped up
(how organic and awesome it was...just a time of refreshment that couldn't come from another group)
How we got the news of Mr. Bernie's passing
(and the facial expressions of family I hope to never see)
I should talk about the news of Brian and Aundrea's baby boy-their 1st kid
About the shocking news of Ms. Vickie's death just day's before Halloween...
About how Easton burned his hand under my care & how I'll never live it down
About Ashleigh & Allens wedding a week before Christmas
About Lindsey & Jason's engagment on Christmas Eve night
(just like Ashleigh & Allen)


I should talk about my brother's divorce and how I'm discovering more and more that
love is an emotion that can change and marriage is about commitment
I should talk about him
I should talk about a whole years-worth of things lol but...
...that'd just take up so much space don'tcha think :-)


This year has been an interesting one but I'm thankfull to have either endured or enjoyed all that happened. I was alive and well and not everyone can say that. I'm hoping to be blessed with another year and I'm mindful of what's to come...

A Christmas Carol

Christmas Eve yesterday....

*go to Wal-mart for, yet again, some last minute shopping

*stop by Starbucks for a certain gift :)

*get home & change out of wet clothes into pjs...comfy!

*rockin' around the christmas tree with some rockband

*scream, ooh and ahh about Lindsey's beautiful engagement ring

and soon to be beautiful future

*short goodbye (lol) with some parting words from Jason's truck hahaha--along with

awkward moment with Nathan...sry Love :D

*exchange and open gifts with family....Yay starbucks card key chain, underwear, money and old jeep

*my dad reading the christmas story out of Luke....like he does "every" year :)

Christmas Day...Today hahaha...

*christmas with Shelly's family

-gifts

-kids

-pics.

-feeling like family even

though i'm brown :D
*'merry christmas' call from pastor Cory

-good to hear his voice

*christmas meal at waffle house

--not the ideal place for a

christmas feast but (it was open &) today it was about

the people not so much the place

*movie with my family...Chipmunks the Squeakuel

*sweet visit from Annalee with baked cookies

*chillen at home thinking about my last christmas endeavor tom.,

smiling and anticipating just being together--can't wait!

Proverbs 19:11

...This afternoon I set out to go do some work at the church. I got into my old Dodge truck and proceeded to back out of the driveway. I do that thing where I look back and all but I could really be more cautious and take a second glance but I don't. (I've been drivin' for a few and doing less has just become a habit I guess). Well I put it in reverse and start moving and right when I do a boy runs right behind me in the street...




I stopped the truck and waited. It hit me that I had just almost ended a boy's life. I think the same thought hit the boy too because when I glanced at him he was standing near our mailbox clutching his chest and breathing heavily. He started to mouth some words and from the looks of it, it seemed as though he was using some pretty foul language for such a small statured fella.


My first instinct was anger. I was thinking "did he just say that word?!...wait a min., he's the one who ran out behind ME!!". All sympathy for almost grazin' this kid went out the window about as fast as my foot had hit my brakes minutes before. I countinued to back up with this "you've got some nerve" look on my face hoping he sees me and when I put it in drive to go past him he just looks at me.......holding out his hand like a traffic guard.....mouthing the words "I'm so sorry....I'm so sorry!".


I realized that I had never really seen or actually heard the words he'd said seconds before. (But, you know, it sure "looked" like he was sayin' a certain something). I looked at him, put my hand up, smiled, and mouthed the words "It's ok. No, I'm sorry, I'm sorry" and then drove off...

Life is short; Eat dessert first!

Today I picked up a friend's sister and we both hung out till he got into town. After a good lunch, a great movie and just doin' nothin' we decided to go to Wal-Mart for some ice cream :)....

I scan the freezers looking at the different brands of pint sizes when I see it!....Starbucks ice cream! I never knew they had ice cream. I mean, it makes sense--coffee flavored ice cream exists so why shouldn't a popular coffee place sell ice cream. Heck!....I probably wouldn't be surprised if they sold.........Cereal!! .....well......maybe not cereal...

Needless to say it's delicious and I discovered how much a pint really was and haven't finished it all yet. Guess that means I get to have a little goodness later on aswell :)

The Darndest Things :p

...An eight year old saw a picture that I drew about a year ago. She raved about how good it was, how great of an drawer I am, how I should be an artist and how my picture should be in a museum lol. My response to her was "you've obviously never been to a museum before :)". Don't get me wrong, I was flattered by her compliments--she was completely sincere--but everyone knows how kids are at times; they haven't experienced a lot and therefore think that almost ANYTHING is amazing...all because they don't have anything else to compare it to...

This got me thinking--(something I don't recommend)--about people and how we compare things sometimes. Like...the Grand Canyon. I've never seen it in person but people say it's pretty....what's the word...mmm...Grand! And take mountains, waterfalls, ruins, the pyramids, deep ocean reefs, castles in Ireland, buildings in Mexico, the Northern lights, the Eiffel tower, Big Ben and so on. People are pretty amazed by these and many other things. God has created everything that exists and He allows them to be. So why is it that people oooh and awe over these things and just sort of act ho-hum about the one who actually made it all.
~That's one of the cool things about worship. It's a way to express how great God really is AND because there's nothing or no one greater than God there's nothing or no one to compare Him to!--He's like the ultimate drawing... with His own museum LOL...

Speed Bumps

The other morning I woke up thinking--something I don't recommend to anyone. Something a friend had said to me was sticking out and made me think. As cliche as it sounds--& it really is-- there are bumps on the road of life.... There!....I said it.

Right now...there are a few bumps. I know where I'm going--kind of lol and I wanna get there, but it seems like I can't all because of these stinkin' speed bumps. Then it hit me. Speed bumps aren't made to force you off the road they're made to just slow you down in certain areas. Sure they're a hassle, they're an interruption and they're pretty frustrating but they're not stop signs! I thought I'd stopped when really, I'm just slowing down to prepare for whatever I'm about to drive over to get to where I'm going...