Fun Finds...

Here are some fun finds that I thought I would share:)

1. Looking for a way to check out music and artist before you buy it...www.grooveshark.com is free. I also listen to Pandora, but on grooveshark, you can make a playlist. Thanks Ryan Rushing!

2. BIRTHDAY CLUBS! I recently got the urge to look for birthday clubs online to see what kind of fun coupons they might send you online. In Ruston, Katie Noles and Amber Patterson always talk about Log Cabin's birthday club, which is where I got the idea. Anyways here are the best ones I have found.

Wendys: I am pretty sure it's a free frosty

Baskin Robbins: Free Scoop

Krispy Kreme: free 1/2 dozen glazed and a coffee ( I think thats the best one I've seen, but I don't think we have one nearby)

La Madeline: I believe it's a free pastry

Subway... I think they have one but I haven't figured out what they offer.

So pretty much get some one to take you out for dinner and then go out for free desert with them after:)

3. This is really not a recent find but an old one that I want to bring back...it's called a fox tail http://www.klutz.com/toys/Foxtail-Sonic?merch_location=outdoor%20Listing.

It's a toy we used to play with growing up that is loads of fun! Get one and I'll show you how to throw it:)

4. I wish I had a reason to decorate and make pretty deserts because I sure can't eat them, but I need someone to make them for! When I do have a reason or someone else to eat them...I will use this website for SUPER cute ideas! www.brightideas.com

5. Book Club time! "Same Kind of Different as Me" (I realize books are underlined, but i can't figure out how to do that on here) is a book about a homeless man who grew up working the cotton fields on the plantations of LA and wound up being a mean homeless man on the streets of Ft. Worth, a rich art seller and the rich man's wife who changed both of their lives. GREAT story!

6. For my last fun find for now, if you live in my part of town or just come to visit me sometime!!! I will take you to a sweet little cafe named BonBon...they are quite yummy and have fabulous tortilla chips!

I hope you will check some of these out and enjoy:)

Laughter and affection!

Some sweet facts:

Laughter is one of my absolute FAVORITE things in life. Thank You God for giving us the gift of laughter! Giggles are sweet. Chuckles are nice. But the best of all is where you can't catch your breath, your abs hurt, your eyes water, it just won't stop, and it catches on to everyone around you! I say this because I laughed like this for the first time in a long time (not because things haven't been funny...this was just one of those really good ones) today with my family, over something so little but so sweet...ole Popps. Laughter is something that can completely change things around...think about it. If you are having a terrible day where everything is going wrong, one good laugh, the kind that kind of lingers around for a while, will completely change your mood! Or if some one is really upset about something and you talk through it with them and then at the end you usually try to leave them with at least a little chuckle. Me and God get a lot of good laughs in...some times when some thing funny happens to me and there's no one around to share in the fun I just talk and laugh about it with God. After all, it is not all that fun to laugh by yourself. So the facts (according to random internet sources) laughter gets your blood flowing and is good for the immune system. I mean it just makes you look at life in a positive light, and in a world that at times seems to be struggling to hang on, we all need that reminder to put things in perspective.

Affection:)

We all need to feel the love! And I have always been a bit of a cuddler!! I love to snuggle, so I guess you could say physical touch is one of my stronger Love Languages. I have never really noticed the effects of physical touch until the past few months, when it was lacking. Shannon Stokes, my college minister at First, always told us that everyone needs at least 5 (I think it was 5 or so...maybe 7...not sure but several!) positive physical touches everyday! In Ruston, I was always hugging or high fiving or something, but in Longview I didn't know anyone well enough to hug 'em...I mean really hug 'em where you know you mean it:) I remember my first trip back to see everyone in from the BCM, I met them in Shreveport for a conference, and I felt so refreshed. I didn't quite realize what it was until after the fact, but it was genuine meaningful touch! HUGS from people I knew and loved and knew loved me...HUGS. This is probably why I kept going back more and more often during my time in TX lol. Because I just love hugs and I needed to be lovingly touched! Everyone needs it! Something about it...maybe it's how it breaks down barriers and it's proven (again random internet source) to be good for your heart. You can take a deep breath when you are in a stressful situation and someone holds you tight. You feel safe and secure. And it's sweet when it comes from people who know you and have a relationship with you of some kind, but not everyone has people like that in their lives, so it is all of our responsibility to step out of our comfortable bubble and break the personal space rule and love and hug people! ok now I will step down from that box... Jesus touched and He still does. But since He is not currently physically with us, though He is perfectly capable to do so from right where He is on the throne, He has given us that sweet privilege to be His arms to wrap around His people! Touch can be awkward at times, lets just be honest...I've had my share of awkward hugs, but don't let it stop me Lord... the fear of awkwardness is just something Satan uses to convince us to stay in our comfortable bubble. Did I say I stepped down from that soap box...Ok now I really will. I completely wasn't expecting all that...I guess God needed to show me what He was teaching me:)

Patience is a treasured virtue!

Today is a crazy mix of emotions ... things couldn't be going greater here at home! I am absolutely loving being back with the family. Laughing at my parents and their efforts to crack jokes, eating and chatting with my grandparents, and being around familiar faces and a church that I love. Oh and jobs are coming! I am working at Sylvan and have my first sub day here in Livingston Parish tomorrow, and waiting to hear about a babysitting job for a few nights a week. So things are picking up, but as I have still had a little too much time to think over these past few months and the Lord is just growing and changing my heart through this time away from social distractions aka no social life:), some days I am just emotionally exhausted and overwhelmed at life and some things that are lingering in my mind and heart that just aren't resolved. But it's great all the same because I am learning to pray and pray boldly and honestly. I know thats vague, but it will have to do for now:)

The pictures above are of the parents and grandparents...shhh don't tell them they would die if they knew I put them up here ;)

AnyWAYS so during this time I have learned how grateful I am for patience. I am realizing how patient people and especially God have been with me. Of course, I have needed people to be patient with me my entire life, trust me!! For example, my dear mom has learned to be patient and forgiving with me when I lose things, and at times very important or expensive things never to be seen again:/ Speaking of forgiving that kind of goes hand in hand with patience. But this has come to my attention especially in these months after leaving the sweet town of Ruston, LA. I seem to need a lot of time to work through things, to learn lessons, to completely trust the Lord and thankfully I have dear friends and family and an amazing God who put up with me.

I feel like my prayers for the past 9 or so months have not changed ... mine for me personally that is. And can I tell you how frustrating that is for me, but how great all the same because I am learning perseverance in prayer. Now I must admit there are many times that perseverance was the last thing I wanted to think about so my prayers went a little something like this "God you know already good night" because I was tired of saying the same thing and couldn't think of any other way to ask or talk to Him about it. But He is PATIENT and FAITHFUL and UNDERSTANDING, and though none of these issues have been resolved it is so good to see that as much as I require patience from others towards myself (wow if that even makes sense), I too can be patient towards others and love and encourage them as they work through this crazy life.

OH and it is also so cool that even though it hasn't been the easiest time in life it has been great! The Lord has given me this time to work through these things. He got rid of the things that would distract me and keep me from focusing on these issues. Thank You Lord for being patient with me as it has taken me quite some time to figure this all out but I think we can start working a little faster now:)

Isaiah 40:31 "Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary."

It's all for His glory!

It is amazing to me how God can turn anything around for His glory, whether it was intended to be by those doing it or not. I am sitting here watching Life on the Discovery Channel, and dear old Oprah (she's just narrating) is talking about evolution every now and then and saying that the earth is billions of years old or what not. And yes I am aware that there things have evolved to adapt to their environments, but I am pretty sure thats not what she's talking about. ANYWAYS back to my point:) This show was not intended to glorify God, or at least that would be my guess, you are welcome to correct me. BUT it absolutely is doing just that!! People all over the country are seeing just how amazing God is, whether they realize it or not. " For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - His eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made so that men are without excuse." Romans 1:20 Maybe some will see that surely a big God, THE only big God that is, is all that could make this crazy earth and all it's made of work so wonderfully together.

Another thing comes to my mind as I think of how God brings circumstances that the world meant for harm for His glory. When I was in Longview, there were 7-9 or so church fires in the Tyler, TX area. Many might think how terrible and one's initial reaction might be a bit of anger towards the arsonist. But you see the great thing is what these arsonist meant to harm these churches or the church, the body of Christ, in general, God will use for His glory. (I am not real sure the actual reasons these guys did what they did, just to lay that out there.) I never really became angry towards these guys or bitter or saw the tragedy in the situation, I mean PLEASE don't misunderstand, it was an awful thing that these churches went through and I would never wish it on any of them. But as I was listening to the people talk about it on the radio I couldn't help but smile because so much good was coming out of it. Churches were being united, seeking the Lord, praying for their enemies. Communities were seeing the body of Christ and how they endured trials and hardships. Not through anger and bitterness but forgiveness, leaving judgment for the Lord and deeply desiring to see these men come to know the Lord. The men have been caught btw and thankfully that nightmare is over and no one was ever hurt in the fires as far as I know. What these men meant to harm the church, God meant to strengthen it!!! Genesis 50:20 "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."

These are only 2 examples, and I pray that we will begin to see the Lord in all kinds of different situations and circumstances daily. The good, the beautiful, the bad, and the ugly.

Sweet Sweet Home

So I have moved back in with my parents, something I never thought I would do again since I have been out on my own for so long. And tomorrow we head to Texas for a quick trip to gather the rest of my things. But it so far has been great ... a little boring since I am unemployed and just watch "Wife Swap", "Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman", and "Ellen" all day:/ which is actually quite embarrassing to me because I hate being unproductive and lazy. BUT I am very hopeful for things to pick up soon!!

But my mom always know that I am back home when:

* They cannot find the remote because somehow I managed to bury it in the cracks of the couch. I have yet to figure out how I am the only one who has mastered this skill in our family... always my fault:)

* They walk through the kitchen an hour or so after I have cooked something, and they feel something sticky on the floor or on the counter or on the cabinets. I don't leave it intentionally of course I just didn't realize it was there...I'm known for creating messes in the kitchen.

* The couch is further back than usual because I "sit down to hard" or something like that.

* The trash is beyond overflowing because I have been cleaning out.

* There are at least 2 pairs of shoes near the coffee table or right by the door because I pretty much walk out of them as I walk in the door.

* The front door is unlocked and there is no alarm set.

* The T.V. is messed up because they have a wacky set up that it would take even a genius some time to figure out.

* There are always leftovers from my amazing Nanny and Poppy in the refrigerator because she usually cooks lunch for me at least once a week.