news

~Since February or March I have been on the Pastor Search Committee at church and after lots of meetings, resume parties, skype sessions and prayer we have found our shepherd! Now, he does have to come preach and be voted on, but as far as I'm concerned, this is over! A weight was lifted from all of our shoulders the night we agreed. At one point I honestly thought we would never agree on one man. But we did and can definitely see how God has been in all the details.

~I don't know if it's the time of year (or month...or day), but I feel like I should have a huge bag of chocolate wherever I go. I am so emotional. Yesterday when I was walking from my car to my office I looked up and saw a lone Goose flying overhead. I almost cried because he was all by himself. Wow, really? I told myself to suck it up and guzzled some more coffee (so much for giving it up). Then, while talking to my upline in Atlanta yesterday I got all choked up for no reason. She is a good friend and super encouraging woman who always brings the best out in me, so I didn't mind that she heard that. Maybe that is why I got choked up...bringing the best out in me when lately I have kind of been hard on myself. Hmmm.

~When I lived in Ireland people sometimes would name their houses. You know, like people do with beach houses. Well we lived at Marenda (the man named it for his wife ,Margaret and his daughter, Brenda) and it has by far been my favorite house to have ever lived in. It was a 2 story house located on the Boyne River, 2 miles from the town of Drogheda and had a large pasture with cows and sheep behind our backyard. My carpet was pink with roses on it (I was a girly girl so I loved it. I was upset when I found my mom had the room painted from Pepto Bismol pink to white). I just loved the house. Why do I mention that? I have been thinking we should name our house. I have come up with the perfect name. Money Pit. I have realized that a house really is a living breathing thing...when one thing gets fixed, another breaks. Between plumbing issues and our most recent find of early termite signs (thank God Terminix found them early and it won't be a huge problem...just a little inconvenient for our bank account) and taxes being due this month I have had to make a conscious effort to not worry or be mad about it. It is what it is. And this morning I unmistakenly heard something moving/scratching/burrowing underneath our bathroom floor. Perfect. Probably something making a nest.

~Thanksgiving 2011. Guess who gets to make a Turkey for the first time this year?! That's right, this girl! I am having family come into town the week before Thanksgiving (since that worked for almost everyone) and I could not be more excited. My parents, aunt, sister, brother (younger one...older brother is tied up in Myrtle Beach that weekend for work...excuses, excuses), and nieces will be decending on our little house for a weekend of fun. I love Anderson get togethers. I have never been with my family and not had a good time...there is always lots of laughter and lots of food:-) Need to start making my menu now.

~What do you want to be when you grow up? I have been asking myself that question for ages...even up until this past summer. It was be so discouraging to see someone who knew what their calling was (nurse, teacher, lawyer, etc.) and then ask me what I do for a living. Back in June this really became intense and I realized how unhappy I was with where I was in life. Did I really want to look forward to this job for the next 5, 10, 15 years? The answer was heck no! So I started asking myself when was I the happiest in life? It came to me fairly quickly. When I was with Nikken helping other people feel good. Why have a job when you can be on a mission?! I still do have my job, but it's not all I have. It's not what I plan on doing forever. So I jumped back with Nikken in July and have loved where it has taken me. I still have the desire to get my pilots license but is still on the back burner for now. With Nikken someone recently came up to me and said "my knees don't hurt anymore. Thank you for sharing this" . I have had people able to get into a deep sleep (something they haven't had in years) and be able to get the rest that they so desperately need. So when I compare that with a regular job you can see how the job is insignificant. Don't get me wrong, I am thankful for the job. But it's not what gives me the warm fuzzy feelings.

because it's been so long...

It's 2:00 at work and I can't wait to get out of here. All I can think about is going home and putting my feet up. Of course that isn't very productive, but it's what I want:-) In reality, I will go home, make some appointments, make dinner and start another load of laundry. I know this will be better for me anyway. Yesterday I felt like a caged Tiger all day, just ready to pace back and forth. The feeling started Sunday afternoon when I got home from Savannah. I just assumed it was from me running the half marathon instead of the full and feeling a bit disappointed from that. Our (Chris, Casey, Starla and myself) marathon/ half marathon weekend was a great weekend...can't tell you the adrenalin rush you get from running with 23,000 people. They are also very encouraging events - people cheering for you, hugging you, patting you on the back, calming you down when your nerves have gotten the better of you,etc. I ran at a decent pace and finished in 2:14:22 (of course that is moving like molasses in January compared to the 14 year old girl who beat me by an hour) I was a bit sore at the end but I learned something. Once you run a full marathon, it is hard to go back and seriously run a half. There is no need to reach down, dig deep and see what you are made of. Granted, a half is not a walk in the park, but it doesn't take much...at least not anymore. So what did I do when I got home? Why, I picked out my next FULL marathon. Rock-N-Roll DC marathon, baby:-)

The rest of our Savannah trip was great...we learned that if we wait for 2 and a half hours at dinner and are polite to the waitress and entertain ourselves, not only do we have a great time and learn new things about each other, but we get our food for free:-) If I had known that ,I would have ordered more food, lol.

Other highlights included meeting some previous contestants (Dan & Jackie) from The Biggest Loser. It is a show that I really enjoy so when I walked around the corner at the Expo to see them standing there, I may or may not have jumped up and down a little and squealed like a school girl. The cool thing was that they just walked over and hugged me and talked with me like we had known each other for years. It really made my day:-)

Sometimes it's ok to stop and walk....

This morning I went for a 7 mile run. The first 4 miles were AWESOME! Was running at under a 9 minute pace which just shocked me. So I kept pushing myself. At 3 and a half miles I started feeling a little sick and just thought I was a little dehydrated so I sipped on some powerade hoping the feeling would go away.

Nope. Just made it worse.

I so wanted to just stop right then and there but I kept running. I kept having little conversations with myself:
"have you thrown up yet"
"well no"
"then keep running until you do"

So I did. After getting sick twice I decided to just start walking. I wasn't happy about it at all. I felt like a failure. Here I was in the best run I've had and I just couldn't keep going. So as I'm walking the last mile I am having quite the pitty party (I am the absolute best at throwing those kinds of parties, btw) I look up to see the back of a shirt of a runner who just passed me. It says "It's what you can't see that matters MOST". Ok, ok, I get it God....thanks for snapping me out of my pitty party:-) I had just been focusing on the physical part of my run that went bad and didn't even focus on what was really important.

well that was fun...

I am sitting here wondering how it is only Monday. I am freshly showered and it feels sooo good to just sit and put my feet up. I hadn't planned on being home tonight. My plans included dinner and Bible study with some ladies from church.

I was getting ready to walk out the door and I hear Mike say "You've got to be kidding me".

Keep walking Sarah, keep walking! my brain screams.

Then, like a good wife, I stop, turn around and see what he was talking about...He was in the kitchen with his hand over the air vent where air was NOT coming out, even though the AC was on. Crap. I knew he would soon be heading under the house to see if something came loose . I knew I should ask if he needed my help. Don't do it! He's a man. He can do itby himself was my reasoning.

"Do you need me to stay and help?" I heard myself ask. It kind of shocked me....kind of like the shock Ralphie gets in A Christmas Story when he tells his mother he wants a Red Rider BB gun. How could I say that?! He told me to stay for a few minutes. Double Crap. I knew what that meant....a few minutes NEVER means a few minutes....

I'm standing on the porch while he goes under the house, praying that he is able to duct tape whatever is loose back to whatever it goes to. There is silence for a little while...and then some mumbling...and then some louder mumbling...and then some yelling (because everyone knows that yelling at the hoses makes them easier to work with). I'm not stupid...I know this is a 2 person job....groan to self and text Katie that I will be a few minutes late. I make my way under the house and find that I am facing an obstacle course of dirt, cobwebs , hoses and wires that becomes so low I have get on my hands and knees to get to where Mike is. No wonder he was yelling. So I get there, help him tape the dislodged hose back to the vent (I am woman,hear me roar) and start backing out, hoping I don't get too many cobwebs stuck in my hair. Freedom is in sight! I'm over my first hurdle ( a "hanging" set of hoses) when Mike says "I need you to come back". What?! Now it's time for me to say "You've got to be kidding me".Guess there were some other things that needed taping. So I'm taping....taping...taping...and I run out of tape. Mike sighs, drops his head and says there is more tape inside.

Fast forward through the obstacle course when we are back in the house looking for more tape. I am hot, sweaty and not in the best of moods. Part of me is yearning to quickly clean up and go to Bible study when I hear God say "THIS is what you are called to. You are married to this man, not to your Bible study group. Your job is to help him with whatever he needs. Would you really rather be with your friends?" The truth is I would rather be crawling under a house, dirty and uncomfortable, helping my husband. So back we went under the house. This time I was in a much better mood and kept thinking about what my mom said - "Life is messy, it's dirty, it's uncomfortable, but you do it"...and if you're smart you'll make the most of it and look for the blessings.

Robin

Tonight after I ran I was soooo looking forward to going home. I was stinky and sweaty and couldn't wait for a shower and then some of Mike's delicious spaghetti (somehow it is so much better when he cooks it:-)) I was jamming out (yes, jamming) to some cool music, I was thinking about how I might color my hair and how glad I was that tomorrow was Friday. Just petty stuff really.

Less than a mile from the house I see a woman sitting on the side of the road and she is distraught. A man is walking purposefully away from her and her whole body is shaking with sobs. As I drive by her I sense God telling me to turn around and go back to her.

And do what? my flesh asked.

So I keep driving...and then turn around at the light and head back to the person God has called me to. I pull on to a side road, park my car , pray for guidance, and approach her. She is on the phone with a person who I am guessing is her pastor. Let me tell you ,this woman was is in agony. From what I gathered, her husband had just walked away from her for good...sounded like he had been an abuser - physically, mentally and verbally and that he suffered with some mental illnesses. She didn't seem to care that I was listening to her conversation. I knelt down beside her and she grabbed my hand and clung to it. I just rubbed her back and prayed silently as she continued to talk and cry on the phone. Cars were driving by and I'm sure we were getting stares, but I didn't care.

Finally she composed herself a little bit and I offered to drive her anywhere she needed. She asked if I could take her to a friends house (who happened to live right down the road from us) When she got in the car she started sobbing again...gut wrenching sobs that only come from someone who has a broken heart. She told me a little bit of her life story and it broke my heart. We prayed together and it was beautiful.

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted" - Matthew 5:4

As she was getting out of the car at her friends house,I asked for her name and number and told her I would call her. She gave me her number, said her name was Robin and that she needed prayer. I told her I would be praying. She thanked me for the prayers and the ride and then left.

Tears were streaming down my face as I drove away. I realized how Jesus felt when he saw the crowds and had compassion on them. I think he had compassion because he saw their pain...he saw how life had beat them up and he felt their pain. I praise God that I felt that compassion for someone else. My meeting Robin tonight was NOT a coincidence. I feel so blessed that I was used to encourage a sister who needed a hug, lots of prayers and love.

Then I thought about all the other Robin's in this world. Sometimes they aren't on the side of the road visibly crying. Sometimes they are in the line at the grocery store, or at a childs soccer game, or sometimes they are working women who are trying to hold it all together. Sometimes they are the ones who cut you off in traffic or the person who is rude to you for no reason. The big question is "Do I see them?" Do I see the hurt in others or am I so tied up in my own life that I don't notice anyone else? Father forgive me for being so selfish! Show me how I can minister to these precious women. I encourage you to look for the Robin's in your life...a beautiful woman who may need encouraging...a woman who needs to feel the love of our Savior and experience forgiveness and redemption.

It all starts with a thought

"When you are deep in your own thoughts, you are behind enemy lines"

I heard that quote once and the more I thought about it, the more I found it to be true. My thoughts are not always good. Last night for instance, as I was sitting at dinner with Mike I began to entertain an accusational thought towards him (and if the truth be told, even more towards myself). IMMEDIATELY James 4:12 came into my head with "There is one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you -who are you to judge your neighbor?" I have been memorizing the book of James so I should have been thrilled that scripture was readily on my mind but, you know, Scripture is only good if you apply it to your life and your thoughts! I am sad to say that I pushed it out of my head and found myself in a downward spiral towards the pit of despair...first I started thinking about how I do judge too much...and then how that makes me a bad wife...and then the thought of what else don't I measure up to? And the thought of a failed interview...then something as trivial as failing to pitch strikes at our last softball practice...failed time management...fear of failing as a parent (if and when that happens)...failure after failure after failure came to mind and pretty soon I was just staring into space with tear filled eyes wondering how I got here so quickly. Dinner had started out well and ended not so well. Poor Mike. He started with a good dinner companion and ended dinner with one that he didn't know how to respond to. In the middle of my thoughts I felt the Holy Spirit ask "What are you clinging to? Why are you not clinging to me?" Good question. How do you answer that? "Because I'm a selfish little vapor who only cares about my pitty parties?" Great excuse to give God. Thankfully, God is forgiving and loving and can bring about peace in an instant. Thankfully my husband is quick to forgive me and quick to hug me when I need it.

Today has been good. Started with a 7 mile run. Went better than I thought since I hadn't run at all this past week due to a knee injury from softball. 16 weeks left until my next marathon. Hard to believe this will be my 5th race. I never would have believed I had the ability to run like this. It has been a good growing experience for me. This race will also be fun because we are getting a group together and running together. The more the merrier!

After running, I made my way to EarthFare and spent too much money, but hey, we'll eat really well for a little while, lol:-) I've been trying to eat better and I can really tell a difference in how I feel overall. It's really not that hard. I try to eat at least one piece of fruit at breakfast,I've been substituing fruit and vegetable slices instead of chips in my lunch, drinking more water and trying to limit sweets (very hard for a chocoholic like me though!).

I really must get off the couch now and do some housework, study my Sunday school lesson for tomorrow and run a few errands.

Happy 235th birthday!

America, you are still a baby compared to other countries! While I am sad with some things that are happening , you are still my country and I pray that the ideals you were founded on would make their way back into the hearts of your citizens. May we drop the hypenation that we have clung to for so long(African-American, Irish-American, German-American, Latin-American, etc.) and see ourselves as just AMERICAN'S. May we take pride in the fact that we are American's...and more importantly, may we ACT on that pride...to stand up for those who can't stand for themselves, to stand for moral issues and to treat our fellow man with the utmost respect and honor.


"Ours is the only country deliberately founded on a good idea" - John Gunther

"My favorite thing about the United States? Lots of Americans, one America" -Val Saintsbury

"We on this continent should never forget that men first crossed the Atlantic not to find soil for their ploughs but to secure liberty for their souls" - Robert J. McCracken

"We dare not forget that we are the heirs of that first revolution" - John F. Kennedy

what's that you say?

I get to sleep in tomorrow?! oh yeah! After a super long week, this 3 day weekend is much appreciated:-) It was VBS week at church and I spent it with eleven 4 year olds. Whew! Fun, but exhausting! I slept in yesterday just a little and then did a bunch of nothing (other than a couple errands). Today church was really good! We received quite the history lesson which I LOVE and made me so proud and blessed to be a Christian who is priviledged enough to live in the United States of America. This past week during VBS we had missionaries come talk to us and one night a precious woman from Uganda spoke about her experience of being smuggled out of Uganda after her husband was arrested and imprisioned for 3 months. His crime?He was a Christian. After being released, he ran. If he was caught again he would be put to death. And since he ran, his wife had to run because they would come after her. For 7 days she was inside a large bag on a train, fearing she would be discovered and also praying that her husband was still alive and would meet her in Egypt. They were reunited and came to America. I wish you could have seen her enthusiasm! The joy in her eyes as she said "You don't know how blessed you are...to be able to go to church and to shout 'Praise the Lord' whenever you want". I felt so spoiled and so weak in my faith. What have I lost for my faith? What trials have I really gone through because I'm a Christian? So many of her family members have been killed because of their faith and also through the horrible wars they have had. I wasn't aware of this, but next week South Sudan will be declaring their independence and Christianity will not be persecuted as it is now.

The rest of my weekend has gone well! Church was good, lunch at Mema's was yummy (duh!), I took a nap (yay!), had coffee with Tiffany and then went to see Something Borrowed with her and Starla. We ran into some girls from church which was a nice surprise. The not so nice surprise was how the movie ended. Absolute horrible ending! Oh well. Now I am at home with Mike watching Despicable Me:-)

Feels so good to just sit and write.



Mike was one of about 70 that went on our youth groups Jacksonville mission trip. They left last Saturday and were gone for a week. He was a driver,chaperone, cook and errand boy:-). I was so looking forward to having the house all to myself all week....until I got home Saturday night....was just a little too quiet and a little lonely. At least I had Rose there:-) It was a really good week though. I enjoyed some pool side time with friends and dinner with the girls on Sunday night. I found out that 3 friends are pregnant....wow! Talk about everyone getting pregnant at once! I feel left out of the club! I only worked part of the week and then took Thursday and Friday off to work on some home improvements to surprise Mike. My parents, my brother and his girlfriend came down to help me put up a storage shed, we finished a linen closet, fixed the oven that stopped working last week and some other little odds and ends. It was so nice to have them here for a couple days:-) They left yesterday and I miss them.



Mike got home last night! They got back earlier than I expected so I was thrilled:-) As soon as he called me to tell he would be back to the church early I started frantically trying to find something decent to wear, threw on some make up and sprayed a little perfume....was nice to feel the butterflies in my stomach just thinking about seeing him. Absence definitely makes the heart grow fonder:-) It felt more like home as soon as he walked through the door. He was surprised by the storage shed and the other improvements and made me feel like a million bucks. I am usually not able to pull of surprises of any sort for Mike so this was extremely nice.

what's new

1. I have been trying new recipes lately and some of them are going well while some need a little improvement. My recent recipes have been Chicken and dumplings in green salsa (dumplings were a little 'thick' but other than that it was good), Easy Pad Thai and Homemade Squash Ravioli with herbed butter sauce . It was good but the pasta was a little thick (obviously I didn't roll it out thin enough). It was so time consuming and I probably won't do that recipe again...unless I use wonton wrappers instead of making pasta from scratch:-) 2. I am feeling all creative and crafty and am debating making my own kitchen curtains. I don't have a sewing machine so I may have to borrow one...or just buy one:-) 3. TV and internet were out earlier so I started reading The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe. I am halfway through it. Other than the Chronicles of Narnia I like Till We have Faces and Out of the Silent Planet ....oh, and The Great Divorce, The Screwtape letters and Mere Christianity. Ok, Ok, I love anything by C.S. Lewis! 4. I am so ready to go yard sale-ing! I need to decorate a bedroom and find a kitchen island/ bar and barstools. I'm thinking a yard sale is the way to find it! So, yard sale buddies (you know who you are), be prepared to go shopping in a couple weeks!...if you want to join me that is:-) 5.Choices, choices. In June our youth group is going to Kentucky again and although I really want to go, I am thinking maybe I shouldn't...for one thing I don't want to leave the new girl at work all by herself (whoever she is...we haven't hired anyone yet...grrr) . And I'm want to save as much vacation time as I can.

On hold

I've been meaning to blog about this for a while now but just seems to be forgotten every time I log in to write... My flying lessons have been put on hold. I feel unfocused in that area and it makes me a little sad. Maybe that is why I don't think about it so much. The main reason I had to put them on hold was a financial reason. Of course I think that if I REALLY wanted to pursue this I would find a way. Does it mean I really don't want to or is it that I'm busy with other things in life that should take priority over learning to fly? In May I am planning on heading up to Waxhaw, NC for JAARS day (www.jaars.org) to see the bigger picture of mission aviation. Maybe it will spark something in me:-) Anyway, that's it. Just needed to write about it:-)

Once you know, you have to change

I am really wrestling with myself right now. It may not seem like a big deal, but it is. It's funny how once you know the truth you can no longer hide behind ignorance. The truth: When we choose to sin we choose to allow Satan to manifest his nature through us. Hmmm. So every time I choose to not forgive, every time I choose not to repent I am allowing Satan to manifest his nature through me. Ouch. How many times have I felt justified in my anger and in my accusations? Turns out I'm not justified...I'm walking in sin. Another thing I'm learning is to put blame where blame is due. Too many times we look at life's problems (at least I did) and say "God, why did you allow that to happen?" or "God, you must have had a reason for that" or "God must want me to learn something from this". Some of you will read this next sentence and think 'oh goodness, she's lost it'....I have learned that although God's overall plan will take place, God does NOT always get His will. What?!?! Ok, follow me for just a minute... Is God's will accomplished on earth as in heaven? Do people go to hell? Some perish. We all sin. Definitely not in God's will. The Bible says that it is not God's will for ANY to perish.We are in an all out war. Satan, the enemy, has come to steal, kill and destroy. We must tear down the strongholds of Satan and stop blaming God! Crap happens. Painful things happen to us and to loved ones. But in the midst of that we cling to the One who has overcome. We look to the one who offers life abundant! We learn that freedom is found in forgiving. One of the things that has been taught to me recently is that EVERY good and perfect gift is from God! If it is not good and perfect it is not from God. Once I REALLY realized that ,it makes discernment so much easier! So, this feeling of annoyance that I feel entitled to right now? Do I forgive or do I cling to entitlement? If I want to be forgiven, I will forgive.

so sleepy but need to post....

ahhhh. Where has the weekend gone?! Yesterday was very productive....I actually slept in until 8:00. Woo hoo! Then I went for a nice 6 mile run with Starla. Our next half marathon is in 3 weeks so it was time to get our butts (and legs...and respiratory system...and circulatory system) in gear! I am really looking forward to this race. I wanted to do something special for a dear friend of mine who happens to be in my family too (yes, I am blessed to have several family members who I am priviledged to also call friends:-)) So....I am running my race in memory of Ava and Mackenzie, Jamie and Daniel's two sweet girls who taught many about the precious gift of life. These two girls lived, bonded, loved and were loved (and continue to be loved). They were knitted together by the God who loves them more fiercely than anyone ever could. They were such a blessing and will forever be missed. The rest of my weekend went well. We did yard work until in started to rain on Saturday (ok, ok, so I just pulled a few weeds while Mike mowed the yard...but hey, I just ran and was tired!). I did clean a little bit inside and then Mike took me to lunch and to the Christian book store. Lunch and books from my hubby? Score! He bought me "Me. My Country. My God" . Really good. Of course I love American History. One of my hobbies is memorizing American History...like the American Presidents, The Gettysburg Address, Signers of the Declaration of Independence, etc, etc. Not really normal I guess, but I enjoy it:-) I really do love this country and am so proud to be an American. Obviously we have our flaws and looks like we are in a downward spiral in more than one issue but I am still proud of what my country was founded on. Having a strong desire to break out into the chorus of Lee Greenwood's "Proud to be an American" right now. lol:-) Still loving the house! Last weekend was D-Now weekend and Mike had middle school guys at the house while I was with middle school girls. Last Saturday night we had a joint Bible study and everyone met at our house...it was so nice! Had 13 people in our living room and it didn't feel cramped. This is what I want to do! I want to use the house for Bible studies, for get togethers, for outreach. I feel so blessed! God knew the desire of my heart to entertain and to open our home up and although our home is not large, it works. In a couple weeks we will be holding a seafood boil at our house for the young married Sunday school class and college students. Can't wait!!! Oh, and back to D-Now...I had 2 girls in my group make decisions for Christ! It was so exciting and I will tell you why...these girls didn't lightly enter this commitment. They knew it wasn't a "Lord, forgive me from my sins, live in my life and now all I have to do is go to church every week and go to Heaven when I die" . No! They were excited about what they would DO. They realized that taking the narrow path is what God calls us to. And they realized it would be hard. They realized the importance of sacrifice and really living what they believed. Such a blessing to see! I am currently reading David Platt's "Radical". If you have not read it yet PLEASE go get it! It will change you! It will challenge you and put you in an uncomfortable spot until you change. I am dealing with these uncomfortable areas right now (praise God!) and so looking forward to living out my faith and doing what I have been called to do! Again, go get this book! Wow, I realize I have sooo much more to write, but it is late and about my bedtime. Work will be extremely busy this week. All I have to say is "yay for overtime!"

what's up?

I love how every weekend I attempt to sleep in just a little and then end up getting up before 7:00. Oh well. I guess that is sleeping in for me now:-) Don't have too much planned this weekend...Project Go (local missions with our church) and then lunch or dinner date with my hubby. And then some errands. Wow, what an exciting weekend, lol.

My kitchen is a wreck at the moment. I really should get up NOW and clean it....yep, I should. The other night I ended up cooking 2 dinners for us (yes, I guess I am just that good)....I decided to cook a healthy dinner of "chicken", rice and green beans. You may be wondering about the "chicken". It was actually a soy protein substitue made to look like chicken. I had been toying with the idea of doing a meatless night and I know that you get tons of protein from soy. It looked good in the package, smelled good while it was cooking in the tomato sauce it came with...and then we ate it. ok, so Mike ate it...I ate part of it....and then ended up throwing a frozen pizza in the oven later on. Oh well. I made up for it last night when I made cheesy shrimp and grits. It is one of my favorite meals:-)

I did work out this morning and it felt great. It has been quite a while since I have done anything...and considering I have a half marathon in 5 weeks....ugh. This could be interesting. I think I am more concerned for this race than I was for my full marathon. I have felt so unfocused in that area. I hate feeling out of shape. I know that it's probably not as bad as I think it is...but, heck, it's my opinion that counts in this, right?:-) I had every intention of doing a karate tournament at the end of the month but I could never get to go train with my instructors (who happen to be a couple of hours away) and I won't do a tournament without some serious training first. The last tournament I did was with my brother in Athens, Greece almost 7 years ago so it's been a while. It was the best tournament for us as far as synchronized forms and we actually beat black belts who were higher rank than us. I kind of like having that memory as my last tournament:-)

ok, so work out is complete, I just started taking some new vitamins and looking forward to making some healthy changes....I'm afraid cutting coffee out of my diet is next. There's no time like the present, so I might as well stop today. I will miss coffee. It is so nice to just sit with a cup of coffee and read on a cool morning. Oh, I've got to go! Have to get ready for Project Go!

So....

I feel like I have so much to write about! I have not blogged OR made one journal entry in over a week...which is huge! I pretty much journal every day...every couple of days when I get extremely busy. I have missed it - it's my outlet and where I get my thoughts organized.



So where do I start? Hmmm...I will start with last Thursday since it was my birthday:-) I woke up as a 27 year old, realizing I am 3 very short years away from 30. I might joke about getting "old" and approaching 30 but it really doesn't bother me. Life seriously goes by so quickly. I keep thinking of the verse in James that talks about your life being a vapor...here today, gone tomorrow. This may sound very depressing ,but sometimes I think too much about the end of life...one day it WILL happen. And when the reality of that hits me (as it does every now and then) it literally takes my breath away...kind of like the feeling you get as you near the top of a rollercoaster. It is then that I realize that it doesn't matter if I live for 27 years or 120 years, my life will be over in the blink of an eye. I appreciate that feeling because it makes me more aware of the here and now...how the little stuff doesn't matter (because all stuff is little in comparison), and how thankful I am for the people in my life. When you realize that life will end everything becomes more precious...a kiss from your husband is sweeter and more passionate, the need to be right diminishes (does it really matter if I am right and you are wrong?! btw,I wish I had this whole mentality before arguing with my husband...lol:-), people and not things become priority.



Beginning today,treat everyone you meet

as if they were going to be dead by midnight.

Extend all the care, kindess and understanding

you can muster, and do it with no thought of

any reward. Your life will never be the same

again.

- Og Mandino





Anyway, the rest of my birthday was awesome:-) The lady I work with threw a little birthday celebration ,complete with cookie cake (yum!), birthday hats, noise makers and chocolate for me. It made me feel so special!



When I got home I found a very sweet birthday card and a Starbucks gift card from Mike (he definitely knows the way to my heart!)I was so looking forward to dinner with my husband at Chili's. When we got there he gave the server his name, she looks down at her sheet and says "Hall...party of 12 right?" I start shaking my head and Mike just grins and nods...that sweet man invited some of our good friends to help celebrate my birthday! I really did not see that coming. We had both been busy all week getting ready to move and I was just expecting a quiet dinner. Usually I can tell when he is up to something but I was totally clueless!



Friday was signing day! I was so antsy all day at work...3:00 could not come fast enough! The signing on our house went smoothly for the most part. Felt so good to be handed keys to our house! If you have seen our house you know that it is small, and old and needs a little cosmetic updating here and there but it feels like home; In honor of our new house I want to have a viewing of "The Money Pit" , hahaha! I love that movie. Our home is on a couple of acres and has 2 stocked ponds, which is something my husband loves. I am not overly fond of fishing, but I do like to just sit and look at the water and enjoy the quiet:-) Thanks to some good friends and family (Lee, Karen, Travis,Starla and Holly you are lifesavers! And also Larry for helping with some electrical stuff and installing a light in our living room...yay!) we were able to get most of our stuff moved on Saturday. We definitely could not have done it without them! Between moving, cleaning and fixing things these people have been AMAZING! Holly pretty much spent all day with me Saturday helping with anything and everything (that included helping me keep my sanity!)There are still a few things at the apartment but we have until next Friday to get everything out.



Last night Stephen and Brandi (my brother and his girlfriend) stopped on their way to Atlanta to see our house. We went to eat at Amici's which had good food, but not such good service. oh well, at least we tried it:-) It was also nice to be able to just sit and talk with Brandi while the guys were briefly fishing. I had met her one other time in November and never really had a chance to just talk. She is so sweet and is really good for my brother. I pray for nothing but blessings for their lives.

Tonight I enjoyed a yummy spaghetti dinner prepared by Mike and now it is time to crash and start my weekend off:-)

It's been a good night when...

... you are in a Nissan, but feel like you are in a Mercedes Benz
... you are in a modest Japanese restaurant but feel like you are in an the nicest and most expensive restaurant in town
...When you are on the 150th date with your husband but feels like the your first date

Tonight it was about living in the moment and enjoying it. I am so much more content with life when I can enjoy the little things:-)


I started the day in a very lazy way...coffee and a movie. I had intentions of going to Goodwill and the grocery store. Neither one happened. The company I work for volunteered at Golden Harvest Faith Food Factory sorting and inspecting food from 1:00-4:00 which was a lot of fun actually. It was kind of nice to get my co-workers outside of work...a whole lot more laid back and without the stresses of work. Then I came home, watched a movie with Mike and then we went to dinner. That is about it. Didn't do much, but was very fulfilling day.

Wednesday.....

Not that anyone is interested, but I love Wednesdays for several reasons. For one, the work week is half way over:-) For another, I enjoy getting my Earth Fare coupons every Wednesday. I know, that is so lame, but is something that brightens my day...ah, the little things. lol:-) One thing that I love is heading to Mema's after work. Tonight her home was warm and inviting as always, smelled of delicious food and was just comforting to be there. I usually work a cross word puzzle and chat with her as she cooks, then we eat and then I clean the dishes (it's the least I can do since she feeds me). Then either Mike or I will go drop her off at church. She always has stories to tell. The story tonight was about washing clothes before there were washing machines and, with a little laugh, she thanked the Lord for the person who invented the washing machine. Wow! After listening to everthing it entailed I am SOOOO thankful for my washer and dryer!

Well, not much else is going on. I am ready for it to warm up a bit so I can start running again. I need it! I know I could run now....but, I'm not that dedicated...I don't run in really cold weather. I have 3 months until my half marathon so I should have time to build my miles back up.

Closing on the house is being pushed out by a week due to bank stuff and money not clearing in time...which is fine. I haven't done as much packing as I should have and an extra week will be appreciated! Wish me luck with packing:-)

well....

Guess I wasn't done writing:-)

Totally forgot to mention the one thing that has been on my mind for a while. I shared with you that I am taking flying lessons....ok, so I have only taken one and have to budget and schedule my next lessons. The Lord has laid this on my heart and it was scary for me to make this step. Well, here is another scary step...it will take years before I will be able to volunteer in the way I want to...have to get a pilots license, a commercial license,get an A&P license so I can actually work on the plane, fly a certain amount of hours (minimum of 500), have a class 2 medical and learning a new language. The first thing that comes to mind is that it is impossible. Ok, is that really true? Do I or do I not believe that ALL things are possible with God? The next thing that comes to mind is - 4 years?!? It will take that long and then part of me wonders if it's worth it. I won't be able to do anything until I am 31! And then I hear a small, calm voice inside say "won't you be that age anyway in 4 years? Why does it matter how old you are?"

So now it's time to see what I am made of and see if I have the faith I say I have. Time to totally let go and trust God to work it out. I don't believe this will be an easy journey for me, but a journey well worth it. I praise God that He will change me through this and teach me so much. I am so thankful that my heart is being molded by him.

Snow!

I can't remember ever having a snow day! I was home schooled, so that never happened for me (yes, I was a deprived child...lol:-) jk!) Was so nice to wake up, look outside, take a look at the news and realize I would not be heading to work. It was such a lazy day for me. I really should have done a little packing and cleaning but I didn't feel like it. Spent my day memorizing some more of the book of James (I only have a chapter left to memorize...yay!), journaling, watching movies and that is about it. My boss called today and said to plan on coming in late tomorrow which is cool. Would be nice to not have to go in until Wednesday but hey, there is work to do! At least I can sleep in a little.

Can I be honest? I struggle so much with judging myself...my looks, what I have (or don't have), and my success level and sadly I do often judge it based on the worlds standards. More often than not I see someones beautiful house or their children or their impressive jobs and I am envious. God has been humbling me though. The reality that countless children in third world countries don't have homes or families...and yet I get envious because someone has a nicer house than I do. I should be on my knees thanking God for what he has given me. I don't go to bed hungry or cold, I have a job, I have a car, I have a loving family, I have freedom. What right do I have to complain? If only I could keep this grateful attitude all the time.

While I am being open and honest...I am wondering if I will ever stop trying to please my parents (especially my mom). I absolutely love my mom and to this day I can't stand that thought that I have disappointed her, or that I am not everything she wanted me to be, or that she questions my abilities. Of course this could all be in my head, but doesn't make it easier to think about. Maybe it will never stop...at the age of 26 I still get uncomfortable around mom if I am wearing anything I think she wouldn't approve of (summer clothes such as halter tops or bikini's). What is that about?! I know that my mom wants the very best for me, she always has...but it can be stressful because it makes me feel that what I am doing is not good enough. I use to think my perfectionism came from my dad, but now I am second guessing that just a little:-)

Ok, so consider this a therapy session because now I am getting so much "out" that I haven't really thought about....You know what is funny about my childhood? I never remember getting spanked. My mom says it's because I never did anything that deserved a spanking (my brother on the other hand got one almost daily). I know why I never did anything that deserved it....I wanted to please my mom so badly. If I was about to do something wrong she would just give me that piercing look with one eyebrow raised and I would immediately stop. I did't stop because I knew I would get in trouble. I stopped because I didn't want to disappoint. Maybe that is why I don't seem to be able to say no to anyone when they ask me to do something.

Back to the snow day- I kept thinking all day how pretty our house must have been in all the snow! I need to put pictures up of our house...will do that soon I hope! As you can see, I am not so good at putting pictures on my blog (I know it makes for a boring blog)

All a man's ways seem right to him...

...but the Lord weighs the heart.

It is amazing how quickly my mood went from on top of the world to selfish, angry, jealous and a little bitter. What is wrong with me? Maybe I have serious emotional issues, lol:-) Or maybe it's just that I am human and prone to these things until I leave this earth.

I have so many wonderful things going on in my life right now - we move into our house January 15th (yay!), I am pursuing my private pilots license (had my first lesson yesterday and it was amazing!), we are getting out of credit card debt (double yay!) and I have another race planned for April (hoping to beat my previous times).....but tonight I am not feeling as excited as I thought I would. I am really feeling the spiritual battle. Maybe it's because I am where I am meant to be and Satan is ticked. Maybe I just have a lot on my mind and can't really focus on any one thing. My brain is just in a fog and even though this is a short entry, I feel like I am rambling. I think it is time for bed; so I will finish this post being thankful that my little temper tantrums and insecurities don't scare God :-)

obedience....not just for children

It's kind of funny how when I think about others learning obedience it is mainly children I think about. How about me, as an adult? Do I obey when God tells me to do something? Or do I go sit on the couch and sit like a zombie in front of the tv until the conviction goes away? Goodness knows I've done that many, many times. It is so easy to just sit there with a bag of chips or a bowl of M&M's and go numb. I'll admit my weakness tends to be a combination of a cold day, a cup of coffee and an I Love Lucy episode. And watch out if there is an I Love Lucy marathon playing...there is a chance no one will see me that day. I have seen every single episode many times but I just can't resist. Guess the question to ask is "Why?" I know when I look back on my life I won't say "I wish I had watched more t.v....if I just could have watched that I Love Lucy episode 30 times instead of 29 my life would have had more joy in it". Ok, so what should I be doing with the precious time God has given me?

This is where the obedience comes in...the Lord has seriously convicted me about hiding His word in my heart...REALLY memorizing it. It happened a while back when I started thinking about all the song lyrics I knew, all the movie lines I had memorized and all the stuff in general that is burried in my brain so deep that I can't get rid of it....and then I thought about scripture I have memorized. Ouch. That was quite an ugly wake up call. So I have been memorizing the book of James. I have the first 3 chapters memorized and my goal is to have the whole book memorized by the end of January. I don't tell you this so you can say "wow, that is awesome"...I tell you this because of what the Lord impressed on my heart and the strong desire he has given me to make his word a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Once you start studying the word of God you start to crave it. That's my desire - to crave His word. To crave the things of God is so much better than any episode of I Love Lucy:-)