Yep, I'm still here

So I took a little vaca from blogging it seems. I just kind of forgot about it honestly...but after some hounding from others...I think I'm back.


Update: School this semester has been great! Definitely one of my easier semesters, which I'm really enjoying. Not only is it an easier semester, it's my favorite material: Pediatrics, OB, and Community Health! And I love them all! I have already completed my pediatric rotation and l-o-v-e-d it! And now I am currently in my OB rotation, and of course...Loving it.


I spent this past wkd in Auburn with my best friend Lindsey! Oh my goodness, I honestly can not explain what a blessing she truly is to me. If you have a best friend like that, then you know what I mean. We literally pour ourselves out to each other and then refill each other through the Holy Spirit with godly wisdom, and that my friends....is by far the best gift the Lord has given us. As I said I was at that other school across the state, (cough, cough, Auburn), but it was such a fun wkd! I was able to catch up with so many of my high school friends; hang out with Lindsey's roommates, who are awesome; have a much needed therapeutic car-ride over to AU with Jane; See my favorite bride-to-be and amazing friend Meg; go to an awesome church (First Baptist Church of Opelika) with Meg, Jack, and Jane, then out to lunch; then take a run/prayer walk with Lindsey right before I left. Truly a great wkd away that I needed so much!


Now its back to reality though with a test on Friday. So this is my procrastination for studying.


Here are some pictures from this fall....proof that I really do still exist.

Alpha Gam had a surprise party at Water Oaks during rush workshop! So fun!

AGD's Go Big or Go Home party!

Beach trip with Lindsey and her AXO girls in August!

Ran in a Warrior Dash in TN!

My roommate got ENGAGED!

Gameday! Roll Tide!

My little sister and I and her volleyball tournament at the beach!

Auburn wkd!

Lindsey and I!

Guntersville High folk!

Equally opposite :)

Jane, Meg, and I after church!

All in all life is wonderful! I have been blessed and have seen the hand of God in more ways than I could have ever imagined this fall.

Oh and I have always wanted a life verse...but just never really found one..but guess what I have this fall and it means the world to me! So I'll leave you with that!

"Don't be afraid," he said, "for you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!"

Daniel 10:19

Sheep Cake Pops

For bible study this wk Lindsey and I made Sheep Cake Pops! The lesson this wk was "Your Relationship with your Parents". So we made sheep key chains and sheep cake pops for the resemblance of our parents being our earthly shepherds, whereas God is our ultimate shepherd.

It was so much fun!

Ta-da! It was so much fun!

These cake pops are from Bakerella's book!

http://www.bakerella.com/

4th of July Wkd

I'm pretty sure I had my favorite 4th of July wkd so far this year!

It was filled to the rim with family, friends, time on the lake and in the sun, great laughs, and of course....amazing food!

Again such a great reminder of all I have to be thankful for...

Hope everyone had just as wonderful of a 4th wkd!

The Strictest Discipline

I have THE BEST devotional book EVER thanks to Sara Lewis!

Honestly its amazing.

It's "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers.

And you can read it online daily @ http://utmost.org/

GO THERE NOW!

Anyways today's devo is really something that hits close to my heart this wk. So.. I thought I'd post it on here for 2 reasons : 1. I learn/remember things better if I type/write them out & 2. I want to share this nugget of encouragement :)

"The Strictest Discipline"

If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your memebers perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.     Matthew 5:30

Jesus did not say that everyone must cut off his right hand, but that “if your right hand causes you to sin” in your walk with Him, then it is better to “cut it off.” There are many things that are perfectly legitimate, but if you are going to concentrate on God you cannot do them. Your right hand is one of the best things you have, but Jesus says that if it hinders you in following His precepts, then “cut it off.” The principle taught here is the strictest discipline or lesson that ever hit humankind.

When God changes you through regeneration, giving you new life through spiritual rebirth, your life initially has the characteristic of being maimed. There are a hundred and one things that you dare not do— things that would be sin for you, and would be recognized as sin by those who really know you. But the unspiritual people around you will say, “What’s so wrong with doing that? How absurd you are!” There has never yet been a saint who has not lived a maimed life initially. Yet it is better to enter into life maimed but lovely in God’s sight than to appear lovely to man’s eyes but lame to God’s. At first, Jesus Christ through His Spirit has to restrain you from doing a great many things that may be perfectly right for everyone else but not right for you. Yet, see that you don’t use your restrictions to criticize someone else.

The Christian life is a maimed life initially, but in Matthew 5:48 Jesus gave us the picture of a perfectly well-rounded life— “You shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

Hanging around..

Just an update!

I've continued to work at the clinic here in town as a fill-in triage nurse, and I love it! The people I meet are priceless and I just absolutely love them!

 My cousin's wedding was this wkd and it was FABULOUS! Seriously it was the most elegant and classy wedding I have ever witnessed/been a part of! Ill have more pictures of that soon hopefully!

The bridesmaids luncheon was derby themed! SO FUN!

My grandmother's birthday was last wk and we went to lunch with her, my sister, and Aunt Mary. It was a great time!

Im continuing to enjoy the summer and soak up all the relaxation and AMAZING and PRICELESS time with my friends from home! Derek (my cousin) and I have been working out together daily, and if you know how we are together, you know this is always a hoot! He is so so funny!

I can't believe its July 4th wkd..... where did the time go???? I love the 4th though, and I hope everyone has a great one!

Counting My Blessings

I heard from Sara Lewis today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I honestly can not even begin to explain to you my excitement over this! But the really sad part is that I missed her phone call :( I was at work and my phone was on silent (like all good worker's phones are) and then I realized I had a missed call and voicemail from "Unknown". Listened to the voicemail and it was my bestie! Ahhh! I have literally been smiling ear to ear all day! I wish I could upload the voicemail so you all could hear it...but I'm in no way technologically gifted...so that won't be happening. But it was wonderful! And she said she loves China, loves the Chinese food (which was a worry for her, ha), and has the best Chinese friends ever! I'm so happy for her I can't even put it into words. It's an out of this world feeling to know that God has blessed you with a sister in Christ, that not only is your best friend, but is a bubble full of godly wisdom with Christ-like love to give. (If you can't tell I'm so excited right now and just giddy with the blessing of her friendship!)

Anywho... So I was just doing my devotional for today and it correlated so well with the "season" I am currently in. I am home for the summer, working a summer job, and just hanging around with friends and family. I have had a huge amount of time to spend in the Word and reading any and all books. This summer has been exactly what I needed. One of my biggest down falls is that I always get these really great and wonderful ideas that I plan on doing....and with the best of intentions....I just let them fade away as another idea I had. And all year prior to this summer I have been brainstorming about all the great and wonderful things I could do this summer: mission trips, internships, summer jobs, vacations, day trips. Just about everything. But I didn't get the internship I applied for and I did not apply for the mission trip I had been contemplating. So here I land, in Guntersville, AL, spending the dog days of summer. And want to know the best part?? I know its exactly where I am supposed to be! This summer has been a huge time of growing, thinking, and just realizing so much about myself, relationships with friends, family, guys, and God. I have had the pleasure of one of my best friends Lindsey Gillen being home this summer also....talk about a blessing. That in itself has played a HUGE role in my "spiritual exploration" this summer. I don't know how,...well actually I do know how, GOD coordinated it, but Lindsey and I are on the same page and "season" and have been able to go on walks and just discuss everything! Talk about therapeutic :)

But all in all I feel as if this summer could be titled, "Add to your Faith".

"In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God's promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient edurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone."

2 Peter 1:5-7

As I mentioned earlier about my devo, there were 2 sentences that really stood out to me, and with those I will leave you.. So of course they shall follow....

"We are not meant to be seen as God's perfect, bright-shining examples, but to be seen as the everday essence of ordinary life exhibiting the miracle of His grace." - Oswald Chambers

"I must realize that my obedience even in the smallest detail of life has all of the omnipotent power of the grace of God behind it. If I will do my duty, not for duty's sake but because I believe God is engineering my circumstances, then at the very point of my obedience all of the magnificent grace of God is mine through the glorious atonement by the Cross of Christ."- Oswald Chambers

Relaxation...

So since I've been home from school, there is only one word to describe my time : RELAXATION! And it is perfect! From this past year of school I was just so burnt out. Up until May I literally have studied everyday since last June when I started nursing school. And I know there are tons of people taking way more classes and way harder classes than me, but still I am so tired of living in the library. Therefore I have made it my goal this summer to come home and just read and hang out with friends from home, be with my family. I look at it as taking time to spend time with me, doing whatever I want.. Weirdo-comment, I know.

But really I haven't had time to read books that I wanted to read all year, and believe me I am making up for that now! In t.he past wk and a half I've read 3 books and about to finish my 4th. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE to read! As my friend Sara jokes with me, my 3 favorite things in life are nursing, reading, and taking baths....yep, as boring as that sounds, that's me, that's my life. And I love it! ha! So if you got any book suggestions, comments, reccomendations, or anything of that sort...you know who to talk to!

I have also been to the movies with Lauren 2x in the past 2 wks....another luxery of being a bum this summer. We saw Water for Elephants last wk, and then last night we saw Something Borrowed. Both so great! (Side note: we had to read the books before we saw the movie, hence the viewing delay).

I am really really enjoying spending time with Lindsey and Lauren this summer. It's been so long since we've been able to hangout like this! Me and Lindsey are on our "house-wife" theme.. haha, its so funny, because we both are the farthest people from becoming house wifes' any time soon! We are doing what we call "Mom-hills". Definition: Gunter's Landing has some massive hills throughout the neighborhoods, so we have been walking those at high-pace, with swinging arms = Mom-hills. Lindsey and I have just been doing about everything together and I love it! Lauren and I have been catching dinner and movies together and its been so great to finally catch up! She is getting married in August! Ah I can't believe that! I am so blessed to have the opportunity to spend the summer with these 2 wonderful young women!

Also I have become quite domestic while being home. Most of you are probably laughing out loud right now at that thought, it's ok you may continue. But really, I made a really good dinner the other night (pan-seared tilapia, rice, beans, and then pudding cups for dessert!) That is a legit meal for me, and my family loved it! Which is a huge deal! So watch for more domestic-ness to come!

My best friend eva.. Sara is heading to East Asia on Saturday for a 6 wk mission trip with Campus Crusades! Please please keep her in your prayers! She is absolutely amazing and I know she is going to have a wonderful experience over there! So please keep her in your thoughts! I know you'll be in mine everyday sara lewlew! Love you!

Until I write again..

"Above all else, gaurd your heart, for everything you do flows from it." Proverbs 4:23

The Faith to Persevere

"A saint's life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, but our Lord continues to stretch and strain, and every once in a while the saint says, 'I can't take any more.' Yet God pays no attention; He goes on stretching until His purpose is in sight, and then He lets the arrow fly."

"Maintain your intimate relationship with Jesus Christ through the perseverance of faith. Proclaim as Job did, 'Though He slay me, yet I will trust Him'. (Job 13:15)."

"And even though you cannot see Him right now and cannot understand what He is doing, you know Him!"

It's been a while..

Easter wkd was so great! I started it off on Friday by going shopping in Bham and then going to Secret Church! Secret Church was an amazing experience. We sat and studied the Bible for 6 hours! 6 hours!?! It flew by.. it literally seemed like 3 hours max! I fully recommend it to anyone and everyone! Saturday was spent on the lake with friends just relaxing, which was SOOOO needed! And Sunday was Easter. What an amazing day, knowing what Christ did for each of us. Knowing that he paid for my sins. Knowing that because of his pain on the cross I have eternal life with the King, the Lord of Lords. Jesus Christ died on the cross not for me or for you, he died on the cross out of his overflowing, bounding, unmeasurable love for the Father. That is Easter, that's why it is possibly my favorite day!

Cara Lee, Chance, & Me

Pretty much my life for the past month was totally, and completely consumed with studying. I had an adult health hesi and mental health hesi and then 3 finals to study for (Adult health, Mental health, and my research class). I was so determined to absolutely ACE those tests. So for the past 2 wks I have been at Rodgers library, my kitchen table, or my friend Leigh's apartment being devoured by HESI and NCLEX information, study tips, and practice questions. Well we took our Mental Health HESI last Monday (April 25th). And I am proud to announce that I completely owned that test...I made a 1026, which is a conversion score of 93%!!! I cannot explain how excited I was! Afterwards Leigh and I went and had a celebratory lunch at Iguana Grill, then went straight back to studying for the Adult Health HESI which was scheduled for that Wednesday @ 1. From Monday to Wednesday I studied non-stop for my HESI. But Wednesday morning is when things pretty much turned upside down...

I woke up Wednesday morning about 4 AM to my phone ringing, it was my Mom. She was calling to wake me up and make sure I was aware that there were severe storms with possible tornadoes headed toward the Tuscaloosa area, but that she thought they were actually going to go around Tuscaloosa. I stayed on the phone with my Mom until about 5 when we were sure that the storms had passed for a while and I was safe to go back to sleep. Then about 2 hours later I was woken up by another phone call, this time from my cousin Derek, asking if I had talked to my parents to make sure they were ok, that a tornado had just passed through where I live! Talk about a wake up call! I immediately hung up and called home. My mom and sister were both fine (my dad was in Minnesota working). The tornado had passed just north of our house, but mom and Cara Lee had taken cover in my closet with a matress on top of them...which in itself is a scary yet kind of comical thought haha. The storm that had passed through Guntersville did a lot of damage. Buck Island was demolished, but praise God, there were no deaths. Keep the people of Buck Island in your prayers, for they will now be picking up the remains and rebuilding their homes. I then got up, made coffee, and began my last bout of studying before my HESI @ 1. I studied until about 12 then was headed to my car to go to the test when Leigh text me to tell me that hesi had been postponed due to being under a tornado watch. So I came back to my apt, packed up my stuff and headed to the Alpha Gam house to stay the day. {The past 2 tornado warnings Tuscaloosa has had I got caught up in and didn't make it to the AGD basement until the time the storm was hitting--this time I was not going to let that happen}. I got to the Alpha Gam house and ate lunch and continued to study (the hesi had been rescheduled for 9 AM the next morning). I heard a few other girls talking about a strong tornado in the Cullman area, and immediatley pulled up James Spann's live report on the internet and called my mom to make sure they were taking cover. My mom and sister were headed to my aunt's to stay in their basement. For the next 2 hours I watched the storms and reported the info to my mom back in Guntersville (the first storm knocked out their power). The storms that ripped through Cullman and north Alabama were devastating and terrifying to watch knowing my family was up there. But thankfully Mom and Cara Lee were safe and sound with the fam!

It seemed that once the Cullman tornado popped up, then tornadoes began popping up all over the state. Tuscaloosa was put under a tornado warning and told to take cover around 4:45 for a tornado that was headed directly towards downtown Tuscaloosa. Thank goodness I was already in the basement at AGD. I promise half the sorority was down there. We all ended up in the chapter room because it is the safest room in the basement. We lost power almost immediately. One of the girls was able to have a little bit of internet and able to pick up bits and pieces of James Spann's broadcast. We also had a radio, but it kept cutting in and out also. Literally the last thing we heard before we lost radio and internet is... "It looks like its going to pass right over Bryant Denny." Ok.. seeing as the Alpha Gam is maybe 50 yards from the stadium...we were all terrified. I honestly don't think I've ever been that scarred in my entire life. All I could do was laydown, cover up with my blanket, and pray. I felt like I did that for hours, when it was actually probably no more than 30 minutes. I could not get my cell phone to do anything, so frustrating. I finally received a call from my Dad, and was able to talk to him just long enough to tell him I was ok, and for him to tell me that the destruction in Tuscaloosa was going to be really bad.

All of the storms eventually passed that night. There was no power anywhere though and my cell phone, like most others, had died. The majority of the girls stayed the night at the AGD house, mainly just to be near each other, we were all so scarred.

Around 9 that night about 30 of us Alpha Gams decided that we were going to go volunteer at the shelters. To make a long story short, by God's will, I ended up 2 guys who were also students at the University that had come to volunteer and with 2 ladies ( a mother and a daughter) who were searching for their uncle. Us 5 searched all the shelters for the man, with no luck of finding him. We then were allowed to walk through Alberta city. Wow. Wow is all I can say. Alberta city is not recognizable. The destruction there is unlike anything I could have ever imagined. The people of Alberta city need your constant prayers, donations, and support. We walked to the man's apt, it was demolished and the man was not inside. At this point it was 3:00 AM. We eventually got the ladies back to their car and traded numbers so they could contact us in the morning if they wanted us to continue helping them look for their uncle. We spent 5 hours looking for one man. One man that we did not find. It was mentally, physically, and emotionally draining. The time and energy we spent with those precious ladies looking for their loved one, is the exact same thing the emergency crews and police are doing non-stop since the tornadoes, for not one, but hundreds. Now that is an overwhelming thought.

The group of people I was with looking for that gentleman, was a godly group. I knew from the minute we all met that God had a spiritual adventure planned for us, and that we received. Praying out loud in front of people might be one of my least favorite things..and I wish so bad that I didn't have that fear. I guess that's something to pray about, huh? :) But sitting in the UA rec center with the mother, I had this overwhelming feeling, I had no idea what I needed to do, but I just knew that I needed to pray. I asked the lady if it was ok if I prayed with her and her response was one that put a huge smile on my face..she said, "Baby, yes! I'm not afraid of my Jesus!". I love it! So there we sat and prayed for the victims of the storm, the dead, the injured, and the missing, and her uncle. It was amazing. Then on the car ride to the shelters, Parker (one of the guys we were with) began praying out loud as we drove. And to me that was so powerful. It was spontaneous and there was no mention of him doing it, he just did! And lastly, after we had walked through Alberta and went to the man's home and not been able to find him, the mother fell to her knees in the street. She was so engulfed with the emotions of the night, and rightly so. Us 5, plus 2 other ladies who were walking the streets looking for a loved one, joined together in a tight-knit circle and prayed outloud..all at the same time. We have a God who hears all of us, all of our prayers and needs, at the exact same time. The entire night I know with my heart that the Lord was with us, and even though we did not find the uncle that night, God was there and he was actively participating in each of our lives. I know that God was doing that with everyone Wednesday, April 27th.

The destruction in Tuscaloosa is horrific. Finals were cancelled along with the rest of the semester and needless to say I didn't take my adult health hesi. I can't stop thinking about how studying had become front and center of my life for the past 2 wks, and then in 10 minutes all of that studying and taking practice tests didn't matter for anything. It is a humbling thought, to know that God will and can change all of my so thought "concrete" plans for something so much greater. The damage done by the tornado that swept through 15th street, Mcfarland, and Alberta City will take years to rebuild, and a lifetime to deal with the emotional wake. But I KNOW, I know without a doubt that this catastrophe will bring glory to God. That he will receive the fruits of this disaster and many will come to know him and his sovereign love through this.

May God bless the EMS workers, police, doctors, nurses, volunteers, and everyone else that I know I've failed to mention that are working tirelessly to serve others. Serving others, that's Christ's love.

Tornado party!

So I'm currently writing this in the basement of the alpha gam house! Thank goodness for the basement! This is the 2nd time this week that we have all huddled down into the basement because of tornado's! Ahhh scary stuff.

These past few weeks have been pure craziness with school work. But thankfully I am on the home stretch now... Just one more wk of clinicals, a wk of Hesi's, and a wk of finals (which is the wk of my birthday too!!!). Then I'll be through with my 3rd semester of nursing school and only have 2 more semesters left... Woah... I'll be a senior.

This wk I saw 2 of what I thought were the sweetest things. First off on Tuesday I was down at the river walk and saw 3 older ladies who were mentally impaired and their nurse having a picnic and taking pictures... The ladies were having the best time. They were laughing and posing for pictures. I literally couldn't focus on my reading because of how precious the situation was. And then yesterday I was getting gas and a homeless man was sifting through the trash collecting cans and a man at a pump beside me walked over and handed him some cash. It's just little things like that that literally bring tears to my eyes... I love people who have genuine love for other people. It's great... It's Christ's love.

Well I'm going to focus on these 5 tornadoes that are circling good ole Tuscaloosa!

Hodge-Podge Post..

Like the title this post is going to be a hodge-podge of random things.....Just cause it's what's in my mind tonight! :)

So this wkd was the ultimate. Today (Monday) was the first wkd ALL SEMESTER that I haven't had a test on Monday to study for! So I took full advantage of it and lovvvved it!

Friday Vic, Courtney and I laid out with some other pledge sisters and a friend of mine from nursing school! The weather was amazing, just enough to start getting a tan! Yay! We all hung out at Vic's apt and then went out Friday night. Ahh so much fun! I literally haven't been out in so long, that it was a blast! Much needed! And then Saturday we thought it was going to rain so Vic and I planned a craft and movie day! Pretty much my dream day! And after much hard work these are the 2 things I made!!

So this is terrible lighting and doens't do it justice. But its just branches from Hobby Lobby and then I made paper flowers and attached! So simple and fun! 

And ta-da! A spring time wreath! I thought it was so fun and bright! I just loved it! Now this took a little more time (actually a lot) but it was so worth it! Its just a wreath frame with cloth covering and cloth flowers!

And then Sunday I spent watching like legit 5 movies and catching up on all my reading! Like I said....could this have been a dream wkd?? Most definitely! It was much needed and so great!



So last wk at Crusades Jeff spoke about being satisfied with God, even when He doesn't feel satisfying. Jeff does a great talk on this topic, and I always love it! I feel like each time it has new and better meaning to me. Anyways with the talk came an article from a man named Larry Crabb.  (Here it is: http://chrismiller.cedarville.org/content/crabb.pdf ) It's a must read, I'm serious! Anyways there were two main paragraphs in this article that really stuck out to me. And then along with those 2 things, tonight at community group there was a question in our study and the answer really hit me in the face. And I'm not even sure if the 2 correlate together or if its going to make any sense for me to combine them... but maybe, cause somehow they fused as one in my mind!

In walking with Christ there are times were it feels just plain bad. When giving in to "what everyone else is doing" would (you think) make you much more satisfied. But its faith,..faith that reminds you and brings you back home to knowing that even though Christ may not seem satisfying right now...what He is currently doing in your life that you may not be able to see, will surely be much, much more than satisfying one day in heaven with God.

"He was not helped by the erroneous but popular teaching that there is a way to feel so alive in God that sin loses its appeal, and that pursuing the experience of aliveness is the legitimate center of the spiritual adventure. That teaching is deadly, all the more so because it is so near the truth. Knowing God is life. But living to feel alive is not the same as living to know and glorify God. When the bottom line is reached, the issue is not finding an experience of overwhelming joy in knowing Jesus. That will happen later. It may happen now. If it does, praise God. When the bottom line is reached, the issue is faith; what do you most deeply believe? How then shall you live? Heaven is coming up. Only that fact makes sense of the choice to perservere when blessings are withheld, when emptiness is seemingly unending, when anguish of soul eclipses even the prospect of joy."

Desire...oh that word. You know all those things you want, and think you just must have. Everyone can identify with that feeling, guys and girls. But what about storing your treasures up in heaven (Matthew 6:18-20), what about sacrificially loving God while here on Earth, so that your worth and belongings are with the one and only one that is your true lover and husband. We are his bride and he ensures us that through our faith in Him we will never be let down by his grace, love and eternal gifts.

"If the real battle is to keep from making an idol of desire, if the real battle is to let our choices be ruled by a desire for God that sometimes leaves us empty and lonely, then, though we can rightly celebrate whatever blessings come our way and enjoy the pleasure they bring, we must never deposit that pleasure in the bank and write checks on that account. We must rather hope in Christ when life makes no sense, when sin does a better job of relieving emptiness than righteous living. We must write checks on the account of faith. Our hope must be fixed on Jesus, and the hope his presence brings, not on satisfied desire in this life."

So thus far, what have we been worried about? US. Yep me, I, number 1, what I want and what I need to feel satisfied.  So tonight in community group we read John 17:1-26 and discussed some things. One question we asked was, " What is then the reason God created us?" After much discussion we came to the realization that pretty much made us go...oh. God created us and sent Jesus to be an example and pay the ransom for each of my filthy, heavy sins, so that... We could bring glory to God! I am here for God's glory, not for my own desires or selfish wants and wishes in life. It magnifies my sin to know that I was created to bring GLORY to God, and that everyday I sin, robbing God of his due glory! (The sole reason I am even here!) Get's you, huh?

Anyways... thats my hodge-podge of random thoughts. Hope they made some kind of sense ha! All in all I am thankful every second that I have a savior who grants me new grace everyday :)

-Amanda

Spring Break Vaca!

I had the absolute best SB EVER! Really it was so much fun! My family and I went to NYC through Wednesday and then DC through Friday! My family literally hasn't taken a true family vacation in like....gosh at least 5 years. Every  so called "beach vacation" or anything of that sort was actually a disguise for a softball tournament or volleyball tournament. And don't get me wrong, those were a blast because I had my family and my best friends with me, what more could I ask for right? But it was def time for a real, non-athletic associated, Mason family vacation... And that we got!

So here's a synopsis...may get lengthy.. hang in there I can promise at least 2 stomach cramping laughs (well at least they were in person!) :)

So the trip starts out with Momma and I packing the luggage into the car..It was actually more like a logic puzzle. We twisted and turned and moved the luggage until there was a precisely perfect fit! And of course, Mom had me crawling in and fitting and pulling everything....and we actually found I was a perfect fit in a little nook between the luggage! Ha...

The travel up was fun, but pretty much un eventful...so fast-forward! We arrive in NYC on Sunday night at like 11:00 PM. Driving into the city was one of the most exciting parts of the trip! Neither my sister, mom, or I have ever been to New York, so we were like little kids constantly saying, "Ooohh Mom/Dad, look over here! Look at that! Ahh!". Ha it was great! Once in the hotel we discover that we may possibly have the tiniest room that has ever held 4 humans. Really it was hysterical! But hey, what else do you expect on a family vaca besides extreme bonding! We just through our bags down and immediately went walking through Times Square at midnight. Walking around in the city for the first time was so neat. Lights? Umm.. woah serious electrical bill there. Like it was crazy how bright and crowded and intense things were at midnight on a Sunday! We walked around for about an hour then went back and crashed for the night!

Monday: We woke up "bright-eyed and bushy tailed" (my dad's favorite morning-time quote ha) and ready to take on the city. Its literally almost like a blur all that we did because we did so much! We toured the empire state building and went up to the observation deck, where you can look off and see literally the next state (New Jersey). It was such an incredible view.

After the Empire State building we went to St. Pauls Chapel and Ground Zero. St. Pauls was incredible. That church is across the street from where the twin towers stood, and with all the damage done to buildings 5 blocks away, this church stood across the street untouched. Coincidence? I think not! The church was beautiful and the stories and moments that were captured in that sanctuary following the days of 9/11 as it served as a resting area for rescue workers to get sleep between shifts and everything else that it stood for itself are undescrible. Really, just standing in that building there is an immediate sense of awe.

Then we treked on following the pack leader, Mom, to the Brooklyn bridge. It was as expected, awesome! But I'm pretty sure it would have been alot more enjoyable if my mom hadn't have thought there was a prize for crossing it in record time. Im serious...the woman can power walk. She left my dad, sister and I in the dust... it was intense. But we got some great pictures and it was comical relief!

Following that we road the Stanton Island ferry and saw the Statue of Liberty. Pretty neat. But it was soooo cold! And it was nearing the end of the day and seeing as we had conquured 5 major tourist sights by 6 PM... we were so tired...

But dinner and more exploring were the obvious actions we took!

Tuesday we explored Central Park and Chinatown! My 2 favs!! The history and movies filmed in Central Park is awesome to see. Not to mention the GORGEOUS trees and flowers and awesome running trails (true love). Now Chinatown....my guilty pleasure. I could walk up and down that street and be taken in a hundred different secret rooms and allys to see purses, watches, jewelry, anything and everything for super cheap. Now if it's real authentic stuff....I don't know, but if its fakes then someone went to a lot of trouble mimicing the pieces so closely! I don't care though, I loved it! As my mom said when we first started with our first journey to buy things in chinatown.. "Oh no Andy...Amanda's in her element, shopping.." and sad but true. Its a weakness of mine.

Oh we also ate at the Shake Shack on tuesday and got to meet the chef/owner who apparently through google is a HUGE DEAL chef... pretty neat. Oh and the food was delicious! (Actually only my mom, sister, and I ate, while my sweet Daddy stood in line for show tickets!) We saw Mamma Mia Tuesday night and it was so great! It was hysterical, the music was so fun, and the main character, (Sophie's Mom) was absolutely incredible! I could watch her act and sing every day! Such an awesome experience.

Oh here's the first big laugh of the trip. So we are walking back to our hotel after the show. I have to give you the set up first for you to understand. Cara Lee and I are in front, with CL closest to the street..Dad and Mom are behind us with Dad closest to the street. Ok...so were walking along and literally out of nowhere I feel this grabbing on my shoulders and back, and by the time I can turn back to see what in the world it is...I see out of the corner of my eye, my mom literally rolling off the sidewalk and into the street! Hahahahahha. And I mean rolling with velocity. She popped up faster than she fell and continued on...but the other 3 of us couldn't continue on because we could not breath for laughing so uncontrollably. My dad kept saying he thought she'd been tackled ha, but she claims she hit an unraising in the sidewalk ha. It was so great! Although, poor thing now has a bruise that covers her entire left hip....I couldn't fall asleep that night because everytime I closed my eyes I saw mom rolling. Priceless. Oh and that grabbing on my shoulders and back I felt...that was mom grasping for something to break her fall, thanks mom.

Here's a few more NYC photos!

Oh and one of the neatest things we saw was a simple metal fence near Soho that was covered with tiles that had been decorated by children all over America, showing their support for our troops overseas. It was absolutely precious! I took, like 25 pictures of it and its only like 12 ft long...but I was obsessed! Here it is!

That pretty much concludes our major stories and adventures in NYC, but it most definitely does not justify our time there. We had the best time ever! But it was on to DC!

Here's funny story number 2! So on the way to DC we drove through this huge state park that had massive mountains up to 4000 feet. My dad was driving and we were just riding along enjoying the scenery when we saw a side of my dad none of us knew! As were climbing up the mountians (by car of course) Dad keeps getting more nervous and states that his hands are sweating haha. After about 10 minutes of his nervousness my mom finally insisted he pull off and let her drive! My dad immediately did! He was SO scared of how high we were and how close we were to the sides. It was hysterical. I know it sounds mean, but this is coming from a man who flies every single wk and overseas at least 3x a year. Fear of heights should have been conquered about 25 years prior to this experience! ha. It progressed to the point where he grabbed a pillow my sister was using and leaned over in the seat burrying his face in the pillow, in his lap, while saying, "Don't laugh at me, I think I'm getting sick". I know this story sounds mean  probably for us laughing at him, but you would have laughed too. It was so funny! My dad isn't chicken about anything...but woah did we find a fear he has! It was super funny, yet enlightening haha.

DC was a lot of fun, but less eventful and exciting than NYC. We toured the capital, where we actually got to see the president and his 400 secret service men enter the capitol...and that was super cool to see! We had a really great time in DC seeing all the monuments and things!

We got home on Friday night about midnight and all crashed all day Saturday! The trip was very much a success! It was so awesome to spend the wk with my family, away from any schoolwork and stress. I am very adament and truthful when I say that I have without a doubt the best parents I could ever have and possibly the coolest little sister ever... (really, try me! I am obsessed with my family! I love them more than they know.) and this trip verified it all! They're the best!

Oh and to top it off...I had an adult test on Monday at 8 AM the wk after SB.... and with one night to study.. (when I normally study for ab 4 days)..... I proudly pulled in an 89! Like I said earlier....everything about the past 10 days has been perfect...I just love it all and especially this Spring weather!

-Amanda

SPRING FEVER

I have an intense case of spring fever. It's really bad, but thankfully this rainy weather has somewhat put a damper on it (But weirdly enough, I honestly love rainy/messy weather..strange I know). I think it's just the combination of spring break being in 3 days for me! Ahh!! And that I know when I get back from SB I only have 6 wks of school for the semester left! And that is a HUGE relief!

Anyone who knows me in the slightest bit knows that I am 1000000% OBSESSED with nursing. It's kind of out of control really. If your around me for more than 20 minutes, odds are I've already referenced something nursing related at least 3x. Like I am admitting publicly right now, that I enjoy studying for my classes and just everything that comes along with it (Nerd at heart). I mean don't get me wrong it's ridiculously hard and intense and overwhelming 98% of the time, but I think I've grown accustomed to that. I just love the act of caring and physically taking care of someone who can not do it for themselves. I believe that nursing is THE most humbling profession. Not going to lie there are some mornings that I wake up @ 4AM (yep, a day in the life of a nursing student) to go to clinicals and the last thing I want to think about is the things I'll be dealing with in the coming hours. But honestly I wouldn't trade my major choice for anything, because once I am on the unit with my patients I am in my element (ha! Soooooo cheesy!). But for real, I LOVE interacting with people, esp. my patients :)  Another nerdy confession, one of the books I am currently reading is a documentary type book titled "Nurse" that is about 6 wks in the life of a med-surg nurse. I just love it. All the things the author talks about are so true. And as I am going through my 3rd semester of nursing school in Adult and Mental health, I am truly seeing the themes in this book play out in my everyday clinical nursing care. On the back of the book in large print it says, "Sometimes I help people live. Sometimes I help people die. Always I help them. I'm a nurse." Ha..kind of dramatic, I'll agree, but it's true I feel like. I mean I don't know, you who are reading this may be thinking, please, give it a break, nursing is not that legit. But it is most definitely legit to me, and I absolutely love it. It's me. It's my personality. I am and have always been the one who wanted to take care of everyone. I don't know I just love loving on people.... Ok off my random nursing soapbox explosion! :)

But anyways so I have been doing intense schooling since last June and so this summer I have no classes to take and am planning to spend the summer with my first ever BFF, Miss Lindsey Gillen, in Guntersville on the lake relaxing, soaking up the sun, reading a billion books, and just enjoying the scenery of life! And I couldn't possibly be more excited!! Also I'm hoping, if everything pulls together correctly, I'll be leading a little disciple group with my sister and her 3 best friends, and I am over the moon about that (prayers please!)!! Needless to say, I am so ready for a break to relax and just enjoy and this summer is going to be my perfect chance!

Oh and P.S I am leaving for New York in 3 days and then DC in 8 days! Ahhhh! Im super excited for this much needed spring vaca!

-Amanda

And the walls came tumbling down...

This wk has been so "free" for me. I usually have clinicals at least 3 days a wk and class from 8-4 on Mondays and then studying every second in between all of that, but this wk I only have 1 day of clinicals and that's it! Its been so great and luckily the weather has been perfect, so that means lots of time outside :) It's funny though because it's like I have no idea what to do with my time during the days... like I almost have a little anxiety over it! Ha! But the break is much appreciated and now I'm even closer to SPRING BREAK!!! Ah I can't wait!

I know many of you know of the Radical Experiment. Well I read Radical over Christmas and my best friend {Sara :) } and I decided to give it a try. Well so far the only part I've really been able to keep up with is the daily reading of your bible, leading to reading through the Word in a year. So I use the little schedule for daily reading in the back of my Bible and it works great! So a lot of my posts will probably be stemming from that!

Today's reading was Joshua 5:13-6:27. I really found this passage neat. There were 2 main things that really stood out to me. So here goes.... this passage is the story of Joshua leading the Israelites into Jericho. God gave the people specific instructions on how they would enter Jericho. God told Joshua that him and his men would march around the city of Jericho for 6 days, once a day. Then on the 7th day they were to march around 7x and when they heard the long sound of the trumpet, they were to all SHOUT as loud as they could, and the walls of Jericho would go tumbling down! A simple shout cause these walls that were 25 ft high and 20 ft thick in some areas to fall! Now that is CRAZY! God wanted to show the Israelites that no weapons would win the war for them, only their faith and obedience in God. I feel like this is so applicable to how we should live our lives today. No weapons of hurtful words, harmful actions, and everything else we turn to to "defeat" others will ever advance us in the long-run. The only way we will triumph over our enemies and have full success is if we have faith in God and his plan for us! With faith and obedience to Him we will WIN, only because of Him--not because of me or what I did. The 2nd thing that really struck me weird at first was in 6:21. "They completely destroyed everything in it with their swords-- men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys". When I read this I was like...woah, wait a sec, that sounds terrible! But then after further reading I discovered that God required them to destroy everything in Jericho and that none of it would be taken for themselves! God was carrying out the severe judgement on the Canaanites because of their evil practices and idolatry, they were the complete rebellion of God. God had to have everything having to do with Jericho destroyed because it would soon corrupt the Israelites if not done away with. Yet again, God was PROTECTING the people who loved and obeyed Him, from the things He KNEW would destroy them! This may have no correlation at all and I could be 100% off here, but it made me think about all the things that I want and desire for so strongly, yet never receive or have taken away. Maybe that's God's hands protecting me from what he knows would not be good for me and the effort for the right kind of living that God demands :)

-Amanda

Giving this a try!

So I have been an avid blog follower for several months and have been dying to have one of my own...so here it is! I have no clue what direction my posts will take, but we'll just have to see! Wish me luck!

This past weekend I attended Outback University, which was one of the best weekend investments I've ever made! If you ever get the chance to go to one, GO! People always rant and rave about wkd revivals and their life changing ability, well this one is legit and no joke. I honestly cannot even explain the impact this wkd had on me and all of the other 250 college students there! Yes, 250!

The setup for the wkd is to be literally in the middle of nowhere (on a gorgeous farm!) with no cell phones or car keys, sleeping in tents (my kind of wkd!). We had meetings in the Big Top throughout the wkd with great speakers. We literally could not have asked for better weather...it was so sunny Saturday that my face and top of my legs and knees got sunburnt! Such a great sign that Spring is HERE! Yay! During the afternoon Saturday we had group activities of volleyball, the infamous trust fall, and then this logic-thingy game! As Sara and I were walking over to the trust fall we saw a few girls that were emotional...we both agreed that no way were we getting emotional today....Can you guess who the first 2 people crying were? Yep...Us 2! Its so crazy how God can take something as simple as a trust fall and speak to girls. The girls in our groups were voicing their struggles and then releasing them for God to handle...an awesome sight to see. We took the time Saturday to write letters to each of our parents, which is something that is so long overdue. Being in a large group you really have the chance to see the ways God has blessed you. I have always known what great parents I have and been thankful for them, but never truly taken the time to write each of them a letter truly explaining that to them. I am so thankful for the people the Lord chose to be the leaders of my life! The last thing we did before leaving Outback on Sunday was allow time for anyone who wanted to share their testimony time to speak. Want to talk about a movement? This wkd the Lord absolutely shook the earth there and took over lives! To see these people stand up in front of their peers and give their account of their love for the Lord, incredible. This wkd was phenomenal...I am leaving out like a trillion-billion other amazing parts of the wkd....but there's no way I could explain them all or that my words will ever justify the works God started this wkd. God finishes the works that he starts, and I know that he is going to mold all who are willing into disciples that will spread the Good News. 

As I was looking back on this wkd last night, I couldn't stop thinking about Matthew 9:36-38.

³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. ³⁸ Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

The devil gets furious over wkds like I mentioned above, and he attacks. He attacks those who are striving to walk daily with Christ and bear fruits. But we know that ahead of time and we have a hope like no other... “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33.

We truly serve a holy God!

-Amanda