some Thanksgiving highlights....

Kendall and Justin on Thanksgiving :) They are so fun, I love to play games with them....we play a lot of games and I always win...ok jk Justin always wins...lol

(above) This is my nephew Colin on Thanksgiving, he is so cute! I love him so much, he has the cutest little voice. 

(above) My mom and I on Thanksgiving :) I am so thankful that the Lord gave me a Godly home to be raised in! My Parents are both huge blessings to me! 

(below) These are my aunts (my dad's sisters) with my dad :) I don't get to see them very often but I did on Friday :) What a blessing, I love visiting with them. My uncle wasn't able to make it though but the rest of them were there :)


(above) This is me and my beautiful cousin Amy. Her and I used to see each other so much more than we do now..I miss those days. Her and I and her sister, my cousin Emily, would get to spend time together a lot during our younger years, and now all three of us are in college. I finally got to see Amy on Friday :) Emily was still in Washington though but we are hoping to all get together during our Christmas breaks :) Oh how I miss them. 

It is kind of weird getting older, we were actually talking about it (Amy and I), how things change so much and your eyes are opened to what is going on and its just so weird to think that those memories we have of being little were really apart of our life. lol 

Oh, Winter....

Oh, winter....please come soon, I miss thee. 

So i know this sounds silly but I love winter so much. I love it being cold so I can curl up by the fireplace. Tonight it was cold enough that I came home to the first fire in the fireplace this Holiday season, it was so nice :)

Cherry on top!

So I took my niece (Skyler) and nephews (Dylan, on left, and Colin, on right) to Cherry on top. It was my first time, its pretty good, nothing will ever be as good as pink berry though, i think thats my ultimate fav. Anyway it was fun to spend time with them. I don't see them very often so it was a lot of fun. :) But, I might be seeing them more these days so, its a blessing!

A nice Surprise :)

Tonight after work before doing some homework, I decided to take a short nap. I knew my parents were at the store and that they'd be home soon, so I would soon be awoken. What I didn't know was that I would wake up to these! It was such a nice surprise, my parents bought me flowers, just because :) I am so thankful for the two of them. They are such a good example to me of Godly parents. They have been married for 36 years now! (Their anniversary was in October) Anyway, just thought I'd share the beautiful flowers, enjoy! :D

A Blessing from the Lord

I love Jon Courson's daily devotions. He currently has 3 books out, and each of them are great. This is today's from "Footsteps of the Flock":

November 14

"Therefore behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths." Hosea 2:6

"In Job 3, we see this same hedge of protection when God declared that He would plant a hedge around Job so that the enemy would not be able to harm him more than what the Lord allowed.

There is a hedge around every believer that protects us from the attacks and attempts of the enemy to destroy us. If Satan could, he would strike every one of us with disease or death. He would show no mercy whatsoever. But the Lord has a hedge around us and only what God allows for His purposes in strengthening our faith or developing our ministry can touch us. That is why the Bible tells us to give thanks in everything (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Nothing can come into our lives except that which the Lord allows."

This is such a blessing and a great reminder of the Lord's promises to us, He is so faithful!

P.S. if you are interested in reading the daily devotions from Jon's "Footsteps of the Flock" click here

In class!

So I'm in class....and I'm on my comp. (obviously)

anyway, I don't normally bring it to class but today I did. And I'm soooooo Typative, that's right, not talkative, but typative, I just keep typing messages

I am talking to Anna, Biggy, Kenton and April. Not to mention Jillian and Bethany who are sitting right next to me! lol this has made class go by so quickly. I haven't gotten the work I wanted to do done yet but eh, its been a fun class! haha :)

My friend Jayden.

This is my friend Jayden, he's 4.

I met him one Wednesday night at church, and we've been the best of friends ever since :) isn't he cute?

He's even cuter in person, and a lot of fun :D

Christmas.....

They played this video in chapel today... It's very interesting.....

... Something to think about.

Christmas is coming :)

So...I made an unexpected trip to Starbucks tonight. Not with the intentions of getting coffee, but once I got there I couldn't resist. Tomorrow I register for classes, while I'm working. SO....the plan is to take my break right when my time opens up so that I can register for the classes I need. I am actually kinda bummed about registration. The classes available this semester that are those I need to take are at lame times, I don't know how I will ever be able to work. I know the Lord will work it all out though.

Anyway...so the reason I had to go to Starbucks was bc they have wireless and are located right next to my work. SO.....in order to use their wireless you have to register a Starbucks card. So, I bought a gift card only with the intentions of registering it. I have always wanted to register one for the cool benefits it comes along with, but always figured I don't have money to go there enough to benefit. But tomorrow makes it all worth it, so now I can register while I am at work :) yay! lol

SO anyway....all this to say that...The Holidays are coming! I am so excited, this is my favorite time of year. (the lights, the weather, the family get togethers, the food, the baking, everything!)

Lately at work no one really wants to listen to the November CD because it is mostly Christmas music, but you better believe when I am there, that CD is playing. I LOVE this time of year, everything about it! So when I went to Starbucks tonight I was reminded yet again of the time of year we are going into. :) I cannot wait until it is consistently cold, and I can curl up by the fireplace with a hot cup of coffee, or hot cocoa and watch a movie or enjoy the company of friends and family. :)

Ok well I have hw, and this was yet 1 more way I am procrastinating haha.

"But let him who glories glory in this..."

"But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgement, and righteousness in the earth, For in these I delight says the Lord" Jeremiah 9:24

This is one of my favorite verses right now. The Lord has continually been reminding me over and over of this verse. It has been such a blessing because nothing can be better but to have scripture on your mind. This verse has been something I have been trying to implement more and more. It is so often that we try to let people know how much we know, or at least make it seem like we know a lot, or have a lot, or get to do a lot, really people try to make others jealous everyday. Daily, we as humans, are constantly trying to make ourselves look better or in other words boast in things we are doing. It has just been a constant reminder to me to glory in knowing the Lord. I want to know and understand the Lord and for it to be evident that this is true in my life.

The Bible continues to bring up this idea of boasting and glorying in Christ.

In 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 it says,

 " But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption--that, as it is written, "he who glories, let him glory in the Lord"'

Lately the Lord has been speaking to me very clearly and getting more of my attention. I have been realizing how much people need to know the Lord and how lost so many are.

When the song, "Hosanna" came out by Hillsong United many months back, I really made it my prayer. Part of the chorus says, "Heal my heart and make it clean, open up my eyes to the things unseen, show me how to love like you have loved me"

 I have been praying for this in my life and the Lord has been answering my prayers.

More recently.... For a couple of months now one of my favorite songs has been "Give me Your Eyes" by Brandon Heath

" Give me Your eyes for just one second

Give me Your eyes so I can see

Everything that I keep missing

Give me Your love for humanity

Give me your arms for the broken hearted

The ones that are far beyond my reach

Give me your heart for the once forgotten"

These words have been my prayer for a few months now and the Lord is really opening my eyes to people. I have always thought about people around me and how they really do need Jesus but just recently my eyes have been opened to how lost people really are and how they really try to fill their lives with things that will only bring them temporary satisfaction. I have many friends and family members that I want to reach out to, if only they would just realize what this life is all about. It is not about us, and saying you are a Christian doesn't mean anything in today's society. It is so sad how many people don't even know Jesus. They can know about Him and have heard many things but there are so many who don't actually KNOW Him. It breaks my heart, my prayer is that I will constantly remember that it is not about me, that the Lord has a bigger plan that He wants to follow through with, and I know He will do it. While His plan is carried out, I will glory in one thing, to know and understand Him. 

 

Halloween :)

For Halloween this year, Nick and I decided to hang out with Kendall and Justin at my house. Justin and I created a cool contraption for when kids came so he could scare them.  Nick and I went to Chipotle to pick up some food and there were people covered in foil because they had a sweet deal: Dress up like a  burrito, get a free burrito. Neither of us did it but it was fun to see. We also carved pumpkins (Justin's was super cool, he made the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland) and watched The Twilight Zone and played games it was a lot of fun, and...I ALMOST beat Justin at Monopoly..... :( But it was a really fun night and I had a blast :)