Home for Christmas!

So...... the semester ended, I found out that I passed my CBEST test, I got my grades back, 4 A's and 2 B's (one of which i was very surprised about because I expected something lower :/ but I was excited :)) And no news yesterday like we thought. It was a hard day yesterday, not really knowing what was going on. But today, I got a call from Nick. He actually tricked me, the call started out something like this......

Him: "Hi babe"

Me: "hi babe, how are you?"

Him: "I'm ok"

Me: "So you wont be coming home wednesday huh?"

Him: "no"

Me:"Oh...."

Him:"jk im coming home tomorrow (wed.)!!!!"

Me: "AHHHHHHHH"

(imagine me screaming here as he laughs at tricking me)

Anyway thats how I found out. As long as the weather doesn't cause any delays he should be landing tomorrow at about 10:21pm

I know tomorrow will probably be THE longest day of my life lol.

I can't wait to see him. AND he will be home for Christmas :)

I am SOOOO excited, this has truly been a good week, I am so thankful and excited to continue this blessed week by celebrating Christ's birth.

Merry Christmas everyone!!!! :)

A Bitter-Sweet Announcement.

Yesterday I received not 1, not 2, not 3 but 4 letters from Nick :) I was so happy, my dad brought them to work for me when they came, it was so nice :) Nick has been so successful in Illinois. The Lord has been able to use him so much to reach many of his peers. He got a 100% on his first test. One of the main guys in charge came up to him and said, "I don't shake recruits hands but I am going to shake yours." He is doing so well and I am so proud of him.

So...... as many of you know, Nick has been very sick. He has not felt well for most of his time there, he has been gone for a month now and only had about 4 more weeks to go. He was expected to graduate on January 15, as I mentioned before. Yesterday he called his dad and told him, he is being sent home. He has two kidney stones, one in each kidney, they are pretty large so they have to send him home. This is so confusing because the Lord has really used this month to glorify Himself and has taught both Nick and myself so much through all of this. Although this is not the ideal outcome for now, we are both trusting the Lord. He is in control, He has been the whole time, this is a reminder of that. I have been reminded to be still and know He is God. He has a plan, whatever it is we are excited to see. This all is bitter-sweet. I am bummed he will have to come home, but SO excited to see him. He can always go back but will have to wait a year and start all over. But we are trusting the Lord will show us what He wants and guide us in His will. Whatever the Lord wants is what we want. We know it was His will to be there during this time and I am continuing to pray God uses Him while he is there and on His travels back home. I am also praying for His friend Carter, who is still in boot-camp and is now the only strong believer there. For some reason God wants Nick to come back home for a while, we don't know, it is all confusing but I know God has a plan, and is still in control. He is our guide and we will allow him to direct our steps.

He should be home in about 2 weeks. A few days before, on, or a few days after Christmas. Please pray he is home for Christmas :D that would be so nice :)

Please pray for guidance, wisdom, and clear direction from the Lord for both Nick and myself, thanks :)

Long Blog and 40 more days!!!.... hopefully...

WOW! Thats all I can really say. So much has happened since Nick left. Today is day 27. I have, so far, sent 30 letters and 1 card. I am LOVING getting to write to him. I will admit that sometimes it makes it harder because I am really focused and thinking about him when I write but I think about him so much throughout the day that it is nice to tell him what is going on.

So.... let me think... I got sick. I was sick over Thanksgiving break. I did not know what was wrong with me so I went to the doctors the Monday before Thanksgiving, he did an xray and said he did not know what was wrong with me either. But obviously something was, I was in excrusiating pain and could not do anything. I had a constant fever and was throwing up (sorry for the details) and felt horrible. You have to know that I NEVER get sick, I have always had the best immune system but not this time, I was def sick. So he told me to go home and rest and take tylenol and come back in a few days if I was not feeling better. My friend Bethany brought me some flowers with a note, so that was nice, such a blessing! :)

So yep... Wed. I was def. going back but this time I decided to go to Urgent Care. They did a test then figured out I had a kidney infection! Crazy bc Nick and his sister both had them a month prior. Kidney infections are not contagious so that is why it was so ironic that they both had it and then I got it. I decided it was because I had started working out a lot and I was not drinking enough water so I was dehydrated. So anyway... they gave me a shot and some medicine, actually 3 medicines and I started feeling a little better.

My sister and her boyfriend Justin (actually it was his idea) bought me flowers :)

and a few friends brought over another nice little blessing.

Thursday I was still very sick but I decided that I was going to go to my aunts with my family anyway, it was after all, Thanksgiving. So I went. I was sick and didn't feel well like the whole time but I was happy I went. Friday I had to work, and I was almost back to myself but I was ok. Then Saturday I was back. I was finally me again! It was so painful I don't know how Nick could handle being sick for so long before they found out that was what he had. So.... Sunday... I got my ears pierced... I have been wanting to, when I was little I had them pierced but they got infected so they had to close. So I decided I was going to do it. I was at the mall with my mom getting pedicures :D and then I was like lets go I am going to do it! Very brave of me by the way bc my ears are very sensitive and sometimes I pass out when I get shots but... I did it! I did not pass out and I had 2 girls do it at the same time so I got it over with at once! :) YAY! :) so then school this week and work, I still had not received a letter from Nick and to be honest I was getting a little depressed, his mom had already gotten 2 by Tue. so... Wed. I get home from school and... my sister tells me I have a letter on my desk from Nick!!!!!! I started crying before I even opened it. (the girl emotional part of me coming out) and I LOVED the letter it was so nice to read it. In the letter he referred to a 1st letter, so this was really the second so I was wondering what had happened to the first... but later that night found out that KC and my friends Walter and Ily and Michelle both got a letter too! I was so thankful I got mine before I found out that they got there's lol. I would have been a mess! Anyway, it was nice to hear he is doing so well! He is a Section Leader in his division, which means he is always busy and has about 15 guys under him. In his division about 5 people have already been sent home. 2 guys had nervous break downs! CRAZY! But Nick is doing very well and he has been able to share the Lord with many people out there. He also has a Christian friend which I have been praying for :) So... YAY! things are going great :) I am so thankful for the Lord's faithfulness and for continuing to bless us! Thursday it was our friend Walter's birthday and we went out to dinner :) We got dressed up and that was a blast! Of course I was missing Nick though. And then Friday... I was at school and then got home, checked the mail (hoping the 1st letter would come) and as I am walking in... wait for it.... NICK CALLED ME!!!!!! It was so nice to hear his voice and talk with him. He also told me he felt bad bc the first letter got sent back, he put his parents zip code instead of mine but that I have letters on the way :) yay! And he is sending the 1st one back. He also mentioned he can only send them on Sundays.. If anyone wants to write to him, they can give it to me and I will send it along with mine, the more, the better! Anyway...but then he said "I might have some bad news.... I might get sent home" that was NOT was I was thinking I would hear. Apparently he has been sick the whole time he has been gone, he didn't want to tell us because he didn't want us to worry. We are thinking it has to do with his kidneys but he has felt this way the whole time! (So... I think the Lord allowed me to get sick so I can feel a little of what he is and sympathize with him more, it is SO painful) anyway.... He has a cat scan next week and then we will know what is wrong, if he can't get better he will get sent home! :( so be praying... Nick and I are trusting God, whatever the Lord wants is what Nick and I both are praying for, His will be done. If he is able to get in medical and get better then the only thing is his graduation will be later than January 15, which is the current date that he is supposed to graduate, which will also mean he probably would no longer be a section leader because he will be in a new division. So all of this is to ask that you please be praying for him. Thanks so much for all of your prayers! But it was so nice to hear his voice when I got to talk to him :) I miss him so much. Later I went to his house and talked with his mom for a few hours. It is so nice to be close to his family. I am so thankful for them!

Saturday I had to take the CBEST, I am hoping I did well on that, and then in the afternoon I hung out with my sister Kendall, I asked her to take some pictures of me that I could send to Nick :) So... we went to the park, we were going to go by the mission inn but I decided there would be too many people and that would be WAY too embarrassing for me lol. So we went, we took 171 pics... lol obviously some didn't turn out but there were some that I have picked out to send him :)

Here are a few... more are on my facebook....

so that was fun and now I am here, I have had a nice relaxing weekend. My last day of this semester is December 17, so I am almost on Christmas break. I have a lot of things coming up, I have planned to do a lot with friends and family over break, hoping time will fly by faster :) so anyway thats what has been happening. I am missing Nick more than ever but excited to see what the Lord is going to do in our lives :) I am so blessed by so many friends and family and very thankful. Thank you for praying :)

This is a map on my phone from my house to Nicks current address.... 1983.5 miles away... TOO MANY...

Anyway, thanks for reading, and going on this journey with me. Trusting the Lord and excited to see what He has planned.

Blessings!

Letting God fix the fix

November 17
	Ye also, as lively stones are built up a spiritual house …
	1 Peter 2:5
That we are living stones who are being built up, or fit together, as a spiritual house brings to mind a most interesting Scripture ... And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building (1 Kings 6:7). When Solomon’s Temple was being constructed, all of the chiseling, hammering, cutting, and chipping was done underneath the old city of Jerusalem so that when the stones were taken to the Temple Mount, they could be fit together in silence. We’re living stones being fit together for an eternal temple in heaven. This life is the quarry — which explains why we always feel like we’re being chipped and chiseled. ‘Why am I next to this blockhead?’ you ask or ‘Why are they part of the family?’ Because as living stones, we constantly rub against each other, knocking rough edges off each other in the process. You see, God puts us right next to the very people He knows will smooth us down so He can build us up into a temple for His glory. The problem is I try to get away from the blockhead I’m rubbing up against. But because God puts us in fixes to fix us, He puts us with people and in situations He knows will shape us most effectively. So if I try to fix the fix God put me in, He will be faithful to put me in another fix to fix the fix He wanted to fix in the first place! If we don’t learn this, we’ll go from fix to fix until finally we say, ‘OK, Lord. I’m not going to try to fix this or wiggle out of that, but I’m going to embrace and accept where You have me because I know You’re doing a work on me, shaping me for eternity.’ This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Days Journey" by Pastor Jon. "A Days Journey" is a collection of 365 short devotions from the New Testament.

Living a Life of Open Hands

Its almost been a week since Nick left. So, although things are not easy, I can feel God's strength. It is difficult, being away from my best friend without communication, but I am trusting God, and listening to His direction. I am so blessed to be surrounded by such great friends and family :D

Thank You all for your prayers and words of encouragement.

Something the Lord has been showing me, is something I have always known, but now am really experiencing for the first time. Living a life of open hands. Being willing to hold everything in your hand in an open position so the Lord can take it freely if He wants to. Everything we have, we are blessed with, is Gods. My family, friends, possessions etc. We need to be living a life knowing that at anytime anything can be taken because everything is on loan from God to you. Your spouse, children, family etc. Although Nick has not been taken away for good, and I am thankful for that, I am realizing how to live a life with open hands, surrendering all to Jesus, knowing that He is in control and owns everything I have. I am so blessed with many things in life and am thankful for them all. I am and will continue to live a life of open hands, knowing that God can take anything at any time. No it is not, and will not be easy when this happens, but God uses these times to force us to rely and trust Him more, and I am thankful for that.

This song has really been speaking to me, its called "Open Hands" by Matt Papa

Verse 1:
To give unselfishly, to love the least of these
Jesus i'm learning how to live with open hands
All of these treasures that i hold will never satisfy my soul
Jesus i lay it at your throne with open hands

chorus:
And i lift my hands open wide let the whole world sing
how u've loved, how you died, how you set me free!
Free at last i surrender all i am with open hands
with open hands

Verse 2:
To finally let go of my plans
These earthly kingdoms built of sand
Jesus at your cross i stand with open hands

chorus:
And i lift my hands open wide let the whole world sing
how u've loved, how you died, how you set me free!
Free at last i surrender all i am with open hands
with open hands
You took the nails and you wore the crown
You hung your head, your love poured out
You took my place and you paid the price
So Jesus now i will give my life!!!!!!!!!

chorus:
And i lift my hands open wide let the whold world sing
how u've loved, how you died, how you set me free!
Free at last i surrender all i am with open hands
Jesus i lift my hands open wide let the whole world sing
how u've loved, how you died, how you set me free!
Free at last i surrender all i am with open hands with open hands

with open hands
with open hands
with open hands

Another song is "While I'm waiting" by John Waller (many of you have prob. heard this in the movie Fireproof, great movie :) if you haven't seen it, you should)

I’m waiting
I’m waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I’m waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience

While I’m waiting
I will serve You
While I’m waiting
I will worship
While I’m waiting
I will not faint
I’ll be running the race
Even while I wait

I’m waiting
I’m waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I’m waiting on You, Lord
Though it’s not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait

I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting
I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting
I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting on You, Lord

This song has really been a blessing too, because I am waiting for the exciting day when I will be able to talk to and see Nick again.

I have felt a little convicted lately, because I look forward to times in life so much, and different events, Christmas, being done with school, going to Glen Ivy with Michelle, being married,having a family, going to disneyland, it FINALLY being January so I can see Nick.... many things in life. When we are excited about something we usually tell people about them, because we can't help but share some excitement with friends and people we see. How much more should we be so excited and telling people about when we will see Jesus face to face :) Although we know when those things in life will occur, and we don't know exactly when Jesus will return, we should live each day as if today were the day, because it very well could be :)

So while we are waiting for, whatever it is in life, AND most importantly for Christ's return, we are to worship, serve and run the race with boldness and confidence.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

Hebrews 12:1-2

When He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. Job 23:10

November 14
	… Being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
	1 Peter 1:7
‘I know you’re going through exceedingly difficult days, with even tougher times coming your direction,’ says Peter, ‘but you can choose to rejoice. Why? Because trials strengthen faith.’ In likening faith to gold tried by fire, Peter reaches back to a statement made by a man who knew uniquely what it meant to go through trials and difficulties ... but he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. Job 23:10 In Bible times, when a man wanted to make something of fine gold, he would subject the golden ore to such intense heat that all of the impurities would be burned out. And the goldsmith would know that the work was done when he could see the reflection of his own face in the liquefied gold.  The same thing is true with us. The Lord says, ‘I’ve got big plans for you, huge plans not just for this life, but for eternity. Therefore, I may need to turn up the heat a bit to work out the impurities. But My hand is on the thermostat. I know exactly what I’m doing. And, although at the present moment, it might not be easy, you’ll thank Me for the next billion years to come because what I’m after is to see the reflection of My face in your life.’ Why? God doesn’t want to see His reflection in our lives because He’s on some sort of an ego trip, but because He knows that although we may not realize it, what we really want is to be like Him. But there are things in our lives which keep that from happening. So the way He deals with them is to turn up the heat a bit in order that we’ll come out of the fire stronger in faith and more like the Lord.  ... but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us (Romans 5:3). When you finally understand this, you’ll rejoice in difficulty rather than rebel because you’ll see it as a purifying process which will work wonderful things into your life. Tribulation works patience because when you’re going through difficulty, there’s not a lot you can do other than wait for the Master Goldsmith to finish the process. Patience in turn works experience as we learn that God truly knows what He’s doing. And experience works hope — the absolute expectation of coming good. This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Days Journey" by Pastor Jon. "A Days Journey" is a collection of 365 short devotions from the New Testament.

Day 1- Keeping Busy.

So today was the first day I didn't see Nick, since he left so early yesterday, that doesn't count. I have always known that when you are busy time goes by faster, and luckily I have always managed to keep myself busy, all of my life. I have always had a lot going on and at times have had to force myself to relax and take time off of things. Well now, I feel like I am not busy at all, which I still am to many people, but to me I am not. Today I talked to him on the phone a couple of times and he is now in Great Lakes, Illinois. He made it safely :) I think tomorrow will be harder because it will be the first day I don't talk to him at all. REALLY weird. Anyway, I have already written 1 letter last night, and will write at least 1 every day. I promised him that, and will keep my word. Unfortunately I do not have the address yet, so until then I will store the letters in my room then send them all (labeled by date so he knows the order) until then. It should be here in the next week I think. Anyway, I am so thankful for my friends. I have had many conversations, texts and visits from many people. Yesterday before school, my good friend Michelle showed up with Starbucks for me ( a blueberry muffin and pumpkin spice latte (without the coffee bc I cant have coffee bc of my heart)). It was such a nice surprise. After school I went to Ily's house and me her and Michelle hung out with me until Michelle had to work and I hung with Ily. I got a call from Nick yesterday telling me about his flight and that things were going well. Eventually Walter came home and we went out for a surprise. Dessert! mMMmMMMm... so we decided to go to Michelle's work (macaroni grill) and visit her. It was so nice to hang out with good friends, but I have to admit, it was hard because normally Nick is right along with us. Michelle gave Ily and I a stem of flowers :) Then I was so tired, I only got about 3 hours of sleep the night before so I came home and slept. Anyway I am so blessed by my friends and their support. I have definitely had hard moments but I can definitely feel the Lords presence. Tonight after class I wanted to go to the gym so I invited Michelle to go with me. I think it will be our Tue night thing, gym after class. I also sent a text to Nick's sister, Jessica, and we are going on Thur. I love going to the gym, I always have, but lately have not made time for it. So now, I have plenty of time to go. It helps a lot and I know Nick is working out too so I feel like were kind of, a little, in the same place. 

I have also been able to keep in contact with Nick's family, which is such a blessing, I am so blessed that we are able to talk, even when he is far away.

So anyway.... thats an update, just keeping busy, tomorrow I go back to work (I took 4 days off, 2 before and 2 after he left) so that should be interesting. Anyway..... thats the update. :)

the 9 weeks officially begins....

"For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." 2 Timothy 1:7

The unexpected

Many things in life come unexpected, I never thought 1 year and 2 months ago (September 8,2008) when Nick and I got together that today I would be saying goodbye, but things will continue to come unexpected, as they did today. So originally Nick was supposed to leave on November 10 for Navy bootcamp but because of Wed. Being a holiday, plans changed. It was unexpected and a day was taken away but Sunday we got a call saying he would need to be ready to leave at 12 on Monday, and while we were at church we got another call saying he needed to be ready at 4 am Monday. Nick was able to say a quick goodbye to some but unfortunately could not see many as thought for the last time. So, our time was cut short. Nick had a hair apt on Monday at 9 and obviously would now not be able to make it. So our good friends Walter, Ily, and Michelle came over and Walter cut Nicks hair. (more pictures to come) I love him so much and am so proud of him for listening to the Lords direction, but will and already do miss him so much. I am ok though, I am at home right now, studying for a test I have today, and can definitely feel the Lords strength. Thank you for you're prayers, they are much appreciated. Today he will be in San Diego and will fly out tomorrow from Illinois. I will hear his voice later tonight, 1 more phone call :) I am so thankful for the friends and family the Lord has surrounded me with! Although it will be hard, I know God will help me through and I will be ok. The countdown begins.... 9 weeks and counting....



Sent from my iPhone

The Only Consistency

So... I know I post Jon Courson's devotions a lot but its because they really bless me. Today this really blessed me because it is so nice to know I serve a God who is faithful, and consistent. He is strong, I am weak. He is all knowing, I know so little. He is everything I am not. I am so blessed to know I serve an unchanging,  trustworthy God.

November 6

… With whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. 

James 1:17-18 

Not only is God good in the gifts He gives, but in Who He is. In Him there is no variableness or shadow of turning. That is, He’s not moody. He doesn’t have bad days. He’s not generous with me one day, but grouchy the next — as I can so often be. 

We’re variable. We go through ups and downs. God doesn’t. He can be nothing but good. He doesn’t react to me according to how I’m doing with Him. He is faithful when I am faithless (2 Timothy 2:13). He is good when I am grumpy. He doesn’t change. He’s locked into His nature. 

That’s why I love the Lord so much. He’s solid as a Rock. And I can just enjoy Him without worrying about Him being ticked with me or tired of me. He gives nothing but good gifts, for He is a good God.

This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Days Journey" by Pastor Jon. "A Days Journey" is a collection of 365 short devotions from the New Testament.

I don't know where I'm going, but I trust You.

October 30

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 

Hebrews 11:8 

Abraham didn’t know where he was going — he just started moving. Most of us in his position would say, ‘Father, I know You’re calling me to leave Ur, and I’ll be happy to go as soon as You give me a map of Mesopotamia.’ 

But the Lord doesn’t work that way in the arena of faith. ‘Start moving one step at a time,’ He says. ‘I’ll direct you, but I will not give you directions for Step 2 until you first take Step 1. A step of faith is the prerequisite for a man or woman to be used by God. He’s looking for those who will come to the Jordan and get their feet wet (Joshua 3:15).

My tendency, however, is to say, ‘Here I am, Lord. Right near the edge, just like You told me to be. Now, Lord, this ark is important cargo. You don’t want to see it get dropped in the river and carried downstream, do You? That’s not practical. So in order to help You protect Your good name, whenever You part the water, I’ll be thrilled to go across. Here I am, Your man of faith, ready to serve You on the spot.’ 

But without faith, it’s impossible to please God. ‘Why?’ you ask. ‘Why does God take me to the edge of the Jordan, tell me to put my foot in, and risk me looking like a fool or the ark floating down the river? I don’t get it.’

Guess what? You will — because faith is the lingua franca of eternity. God’s not saying, ‘I’m going to put you to the test for the fun of it. Let’s see if you step in or not.’ The Father has no joy in seeing His kids agonize at the edge of the Jordan. ‘If this causes you agony,’ He says, ‘it’s because you yet need to become a man of faith. After all, it’s who you are in the arena of faith that will affect how I will use you in the next billion years to come.’

You see, gang, if you take eternity out of the equation, the whole thing seems like a bad joke. But once you understand that this whole deal on earth is to train and stretch, develop and mature you for heaven and the ages to come, then you start looking at everything in that way. ‘OK, Father,’ you’ll say, ‘this is a stretch for me. It’s uncomfortable. It’s not easy. But You told me to be like Abraham, so even if I don’t know where I’m going, I trust You.’

This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Days Journey" by Pastor Jon. "A Days Journey" is a collection of 365 short devotions from the New Testament. 

Angel fan.

In case you didnt know...
Yes I am a HUGE Angel fan.
Yes I wear my jersey and hat when I watch games at home.
Yes I watch every game and almost ditched my class to watch the game tonight but was let out early to watch the game instead.

:)

Change. stamps. and diet.

I HATE change, I do not adapt to it very well at all. A lot of things will be changing the next few weeks and even months and I do not feel ready. I know the Lord will prepare me and that He has a plan but as of now I am not ready for change. 

I know I said I HATE change but I am actually uneasy about change though, it is bittersweet, I am thankful for it because it keeps me from getting comfortable and forces me to trust the Lord but I do not like it because I really struggle with trusting people. It is something that I have always struggled with and the Lord continues to show me how to trust Him. Sometimes I think the reason so many things occur that force me to trust Him is because He knows I have a problem with trust in general. Anyway..... be praying for me...5 weeks from yesterday Nick will be leaving for bootcamp, and its gonna be tough. 

So in light of "getting ready"

I bought stamps...I figure I better stock up now, so I bought some and will probably be buying A LOT more in the next few months.... 

I was thinking I should get some stamps and other misc things I will need for the many letters I will be sending Nick. 

So....Nick is on a diet, bc he will be leaving soon and is getting ready... so I am being supportive of course... Here we are....

I know I know, I am eating ice cream, but he is eating an Apple! Yea!
No but really we are watching what we eat, we were doing so good for a while and then kind of slacked off but are getting back on track, I don't mind, I LOVE vegetables and eating healthy, it makes me feel better every day, I don't feel gross from eating unhealthy food, and it even got to the point that when i eat at certain places now it makes me feel sick because my body is not used to it anymore.... But anyway...it also means I get to cook! Yes! I Love cooking, seriously.... anyway, thats a quick update.... enjoying my last 5 weeks with Nick before he leaves. :)

A thought- POISON

Last night as I was attempting to go to sleep the Lord kept putting different thoughts through my mind...One of them I will share....

It is kind of convicting so beware:

Let me preface it with this, I was convicted only because no I don't watch CRAZY things or listen to music with crazy language but it was just something the Lord put on my heart.

We fill our minds, our perceptions...we just view so many unholy things, and allow ourselves to look upon or hear things that really are poison to us as believers. 

When you are watching something or hearing something that as a believer you should not introduce yourself to, or put in front of you, its like feeding yourself a little bit of poison. 

These can be simple things such as tv shows, movies, songs, the words you allow people to use around you, jokes you hear etc. 

Those things that seep a little poison into your mind are those things which hinder your walk with the Lord; they are like little doses of poison that you are feeding yourself. How much poison do you allow into your mind every day?!? 

Something to think about.

So Much....

So Much has been going on in my life lately.... I have been hesitant to blog about it but have decided it is time.

As some of you may know my boyfriend, Nick, joined the US Navy on May 19, 2009.

To be honest, this has probably been one of the hardest times in my life because more than ever I have been forced to trust the Lord. 

There are SO many emotions that come with this decision and so many questions that run through my head. But... Those things don't matter, I do not need to worry myself silly or put myself into depression, the one thing I do know is, I am trusting Jesus.

 ("For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7)

Yep thats right, Trusting the Lord who created everything and knows both Nick and myself better than anyone else. I am so thankful to have His guidance and to be able to hear Him speak to me.

This has been really hard for me because, well, I wont be seeing him for a while when he leaves.. September 8, 2009 marked our 1 year anniversary together, and what an exciting year it was! So much has happened and I am so blessed to have him and his family in my life. 

The Lord has also blessed me with many great friends who have helped me and supported me, even to just listen and tell me when the Lord shows them something. Things seem confusing at times but the Lord continues to show me His plan and purpose and I am very thankful for the few who have stuck by my side even when things might not Seem to make sense.

Overall, all of this is to say that Nick will be leaving for bootcamp on November 10, 2009 for Great Lakes, Illinois.  Things will be hard, they will, I will probably have a hard time, but I do know one thing, I will be ok. The Lord has a plan and I am excited to see how he will use both of us in the situations that are to come. This is not something I ever imagined happening, but the Lord continues to speak to me and show me how he will use us in many situations. 

So... I will be using this blog to update on further events... 

on another note, school has started once again and only one more year until I get my BA in Liberal Studies... WOO HOO!!! I wish I could say then I will be done with school but then...another year will be here for credentials and then another if I decide to get my masters....

 Pray for me if you get a chance, for His Wisdom Peace and comfort when I am having hard times... and Please pray for Nick as well that the Lord would bring other Godly guys along side of him as he serves our country and above all else, our God. 

Thanks :)

"For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide. Even to death" Psalm 48:14

Worship.

August 18
	And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord: Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
	Ephesians 5:18-20
When I feel things aren’t going very well, I’m tempted to lose heart. And when this happens, I know there’s only one thing to do: speak to myself in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.  No wonder David was discouraged. He and his men returned from fighting the Amalekites only to discover that their town had been burned by their enemies, their wives and kids taken hostage.  ‘This is your fault, David,’ said his men. ‘You took us away from here.’ And so angry were they that they wanted to kill him.  So what did David do? He encouraged himself in the Lord (I Samuel 30:6). He sang songs. He wrote psalms. He began to praise and worship. As a result, he rallied his men once again and they recovered all that was lost.  Had David remained in his depressed state, not only would he have been rendered ineffective, but the women and children would have remained captive. And so will you until you begin to worship. God’s will is that you be free — and nothing will free you from the tyranny of your own situation like worship. You will be profoundly blessed and amazingly productive whenever you give thanks to God for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Days Journey" by Pastor Jon. "A Days Journey" is a collection of 365 short devotions from the New Testatment.

Knowing the hope of His calling

August 8
	… That ye may know what is the hope of his calling …
	Ephesians 1:18
Throughout Scripture, the word 'hope' always refers to that which is coming, to that which is ahead. I'm convinced the single greatest problem carnal Christians have is that they don't know the hope of His calling. They don't know the reality of heaven. Consequently, they are constantly striving for material things and are continually chasing carnal pursuits. They remain in bondage, depressed, and discouraged because they don't see the big picture of eternity. If you're not happy at this moment, neither will you be with a change of location, salary, or ministry. You'll not be happy until you know the hope of His calling. That's why Jesus said, 'Let not your hearts be troubled ... I go to prepare a place for you,' (John 14:1-2). The key to overcoming a troubled, perplexed, stressed heart is to focus on the hope of his calling, on what's ahead, on heaven.  'But heaven seems so far away,' you say. 'For years, I've been hearing Jesus could come at any time. But where is He?' 'Beloved,' Peter said, 'be not ignorant of this one thing: One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day,' (II Peter 3:8).  A day is as a thousand years. Maybe you're saying, 'Is that ever true! Will this day ever end?' If you are in a strained marriage, a single person aware of your loneliness, or if you're physically afflicted, a day can indeed seem like a thousand years.  'Lord, where are You?' you cry. 'I've been talking to You. I have total trust in You. But where are You?' This day is as a thousand years because in your day of difficulty and dilemma, pressure and pain, sadness and sorrow, you have the unique opportunity to share the fellowship of the Lord's suffering, and to pray for others in a way you never would have been able to otherwise. We want to get out of the trial, solve the problem, move on. The Lord, however, says, 'Not so fast. I want this day to be as a thousand years for you. The discoveries you'll make, the understanding you will glean, the gifts of praise, the expression of even frustrated prayer will affect you for the next zillion years. Because My coming is near, and your heavenly account is pretty small, I'm giving you an opportunity to make some huge investments in the few days that remain before you go to heaven.' You for whom this day has seemed as a thousand years — rejoice. Savor each moment. Extract each minute. Take every opportunity in this long, long day you're in to thank the Father for the opportunity to store up treasure which will make you rich for eternity.   This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Days Journey" by Pastor Jon. "A Days Journey" is a collection of 365 short devotions from the New Testament.

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Birthday Extravaganzas!

I had such a great birthday :)

On Wednesday I worked for 4 hours and then.... off to Disneyland with Nick :)

At work when I clocked in and out it put a nice greeting on the Screen wishing me a Happy Birthday :)

At Disneyland I got a free gift card because Disneyland gives you a free ticket for your birthday this year, but since I have a pass I got a giftcard for the price of one ticket. I got some cool oven gloves that look like mickey hands for when I am baking :) I also got some cookie cutters, some suckers for my niece and nephews and a Wii game called "think fast" its a Disney one, it actually turned out to be a pretty fun game...

Then we were off to BJ's....it was a long ride, we were going to go to one on the beach but apparently google maps didnt know that one closed...soooo...off to corona... lol

After that I went back to Nicks house where a nice surprise gift was given to me from his mom. Then....church, when I walked into my office I was greeted by some balloons and a few gifts along with many cards and more balloons throughout the night.

This day ended with In N Out. A few friends and myself went and enjoyed some tasty burgers after church.

Thursday I was taken to BJ's by Michelle and Bethany, it was a fun dinner and so nice to be able to get together with them :) (Yes, I got 2 birthday pazookies, is that allowed? oh well it happened... :) and they were soooo tasty!)

Friday morning at 4 am we were ready to go...so.... we packed up the car and left for Vegas. My mom, dad, Nick and myself went to pick up my sister ( Courtney) and her husband (Sean). We stopped for some donuts ( I was so hungry, weird I know for being so early) and we were headed East. After a few hours of driving (well more like sleeping, except for my dad he was driving) we were finally there! I had a great time while we were there, Kendall and Justin met us out there and we all had a lot of fun. We went through the hotels and saw the lions in the MGM and in the Bellagio we went to the pretty garden and in the Venetian we saw the Grand Canal, each one kind of has their own main thing. On the fourth of July they didnt have a huge show as I thought they would, Caesars did shoot some fireworks but the great part of the night was when they shut down the strip for a helicopter landing on the street. It was one of the shows they were going to have, the guy needed to have a grand entrance apparently... Meanwhile a guy tried to run across the street and got tackled by some cops.... His beer went one way and he went the other... anyway...It was crazy but overall it was a lot of fun. We went to PF changs one night for dinner and Serendipity for dessert. Its a famous place known for its frozen hot chocolate, the desserts were HUGE!! and sooooo yummy :)

It was pretty hot while we were there but it was a lot of fun and nice to spend time with my family....

We got home super late on Sunday night because of all of the traffic, and on Monday after work, Nick and I went to lunch and he also got me a new pair of rainbows :) (they were much needed, my old ones were really thrashed) then for dinner I made Tasty tostadas and sweet corn cake....MMMmmMmmMMMm :)

A couple of things to note:

-I am so thankful I have Jesus, people are so lost and waste their lives away

-I knew it would be bad there, I have been there before, but I think now that I am older my eyes are more open to how crazy the world is or something....

-being around so many smokers (not my family, the crazy people that were also in Vegas) made my lungs hurt, and I attribute this to my being sick

-people focus so much on things that will burn, they are searching for pleasure instead of satisfaction

-its not going to get better the world is going to keep getting worse

The Lord really spoke to me about a lot of things this weekend and really reminded me of how important it is to share His truth.

I am very thankful for my friends and family, thanks for contributing to make my birthday a great one :)

P.S. The pictures are backward so...the first one is really the last, its the ride home from Vegas... :)

21.

Today I turn 21. WOW! It doesn't really feel like it yet, it is only 29 min into my birthday but....yea. I was curious to see what time I was born so I checked out my birth certificate... I will officially be 21 years old at 7:20 PM. Anyway it looks to be like a fun day, actually fun 5 days so far.... :) I am very excited for the next 5 days. Yay! :D Thank you Lord for another year 

Just Beachy.

Its been more than a month since I posted a blog so I figured hey, why not...

So.......Summer has been Beachy indeed! :)

For those of you who have read my previous blogs, I decided to make it a goal to go to the beach once a week this summer.....Not happening, but I have gone more than I have the past 2 years combined which makes me very happy because I LOVE the beach and rarely go, well usually.....So....since my last blog I have gone to the beach 3 times... Trip number 1 Nick and I decided to take my nephew Colin to the Beach before my niece and nephew got out of school for the summer(the bottom 8 pictures are from that trip) This trip consisted of burying Colin sand fights between Nick and Colin, sand castle creations, water extravaganza...and of course a nice sleeping 5 year old on the way home :)

Trip number 2 Nick suggested we take all 3 of them to the beach, brave, I know. (the top 3 pictures are from this trip)

This trip was a little more hectic I woke all of them up and had a little more to do because you are adding 2 more people to the planning...anyway...We got down there and yet again, more burying, sand castle creating and water fun. Nick helped Dylan learn how to boogie board a little better. Colin is a little more afraid of the water at this point in time so in the picture you will see him sitting on the board right where the waves nicely brush across your feet :)

This trip ended similar to the last but this time it ended with a 5, 8 and 11 year old asleep in the back seat :)

Anyway...the most recent trip was yesterday, I went with Nicks mom and sister to the beach (no pictures for this one...)

It was a lot of fun and this time I was able to go in the water more because I wasn't looking out for kids running around.. but the only draw back is every time we have gone to the beach this summer which is 4 or 5 times now I think... there has been so much sea weed, it REALLY grosses me out...but nevertheless I have been having a blast soaking in the sun :)

P.S. I am excited for this weekend.