Face Lift

I thought it was time for a new look!  I'm not usually big about change.....in ANY part of my life.  Don't get me wrong, I can be very flexible and go-with-the-flow, but there are some routines I like to keep.  The first few semesters of school were difficult for me socially because I was never certain what my friend group would look like.  I loved college, but because your classes and schedules change, so does your friend group. So many times, just as I was getting close to or getting to know someone, semesters changed, holidays meant time apart and things changed. I did learn to appreciate meeting new people and the lesson of making good use of your time.This is especially true now as life has completely changed for me and I'm looking forward to my new "normal."  The Lord is constantly teaching me to just trust him.  I don't need to know exactly what's coming next, I just need to trust that my Heavenly Father has it all under control and it is in my best interest.

I've been reading a book called "Sons of Encouragement" by Francine Rivers.  The first two characters are Aaron and Caleb, both men of God who were faithful while wandering in the desert and waiting to see the Promised Land. So many times I am like the Israelites,God has shown me more than once how much he loves me and that he has a perfect plan for me, but I tend to complain and worry when things don't go exactly how I thing they should.  He's teaching me how to pay attention and be ready to go when He says it's time and ONLY when He says it's time.......Being stubborn makes this slow work ;)

My Favorite Summer Things:

Fireflys, or Lightning Bugs as I grew up calling them, were one of the first signs that summer was officially here. I still get excited when I see one! 

I have some of the best memories of being a kid and sitting in my drive way with my brother and sister, eating Popsicles and talking.  I especially like making my own and experimenting with different flavors using fruit juices.  These look like fun to try to:  Grape,  Strawberry Short Cake and Fun Shaped!

If I could have had my way, I would have been barefoot from the time I could walk, but seeing as that is impossible, flip flops are the next best thing! (Don't get me wrong, I LOVE shoes, but we'll save that for another post ;) It wouldn't be long before even these got kicked off, but to this day they still symbolize summer for me! These are some of my favorites. 

 

 

 As a child Summer also meant longer days and more hours to play outside.  I still love the extra hours but I also love the sunsets that I get to watch every night.  Living in a city, sometimes it's hard to really see them,  but every now and then we get one that just blows me away and reminds me how creative our Creator is.

And as any good southern girl does......

 I love my Sweet Tea :) 

 

 

What are some of your favorite summer memories? 

It's Summertime

It's been a month since graduation and I don't think I'm any clearer on what the future holds than I was then....but that's ok.

I still can't believe how fast time flies and how easy it is to not realize it.  Since graduation I've not done much different then I did before.  Summer Conference was incredible and a much needed oasis from the craziness and uncertainty of life.  But fun on the beach had to come to an end and now I'm home trying to find a job and figure out what the next step is.  I HAVE been able to return to somethings I love since school has ended:

1. Sleeping in, this is an art, let no one tell you otherwise ;)
2. Cooking, I really enjoy getting in the kitchen and mixing textures and flavors and really experimenting with what's in the Kitchen 
3. Writing Letters, this is actually what I'm most excited about! There's something special about getting an envelope in the mail with your name on it.  It's a simple something that shows you've been thought about.  I love knowing that I've put a smile on someone's face, and there is something I just love about fun stationary like this!!

I'm also hoping the time off will allow me to use this blog a little differently than I have.  Not only do I want to let you know what's going on in my life, but I also want to try and let you know a little more ABOUT me, so I'm going to try and use this blog that way by showing you more of the music, movies, food, oddities and other blogs that interest me and have been helpful as well.  Here's to Summer!

Endings and Beginnings

I graduate in a month.

A MONTH!

It's so weird to think that I'm to this point in my life. In 4 weeks I enter the real world and have to actually become a responsible adult ;)
I definitely feel much better about this fact then I did a month ago. I think it has something to do with the fact that I finally know what I want to do the rest of my life: PREFORM! Something just clicked after we finished The Light in the Piazza. I realized I love the stage too much, I love getting into character and a chance to explore other personalities and stories. I enjoy musical theater but I think I'm more suited for opera. Opera also seems to touch something in me that most other music can't. There's something about the languages and the beauty of the phrases in the music that speaks to me. The only problem with having finally figured out a plan is I'm anxious to get started. I'm tired of sitting in class learning about what I want to be out DOING. But I only have one more month :)

I am going to miss everyone though. I think after spring break the girls and I realized that is was kinda our last Hurrah and that soon we'll be going our separate ways. We'll always be close, I have absolutely no doubt about that, but not having them with all of the time is not going to be easy to get used to. Not to mention all the other people I've come to love and rely on.

I'm excited though and soooo ready to start looking for a job and auditioning!!

Here are a few snap shots from Spring Break:

At the Olympic Training Center



Watching the Monkeys at the Zoo

Garden of the Gods

Breckenridge

We're ridiculous....and ok with it :)


And here's a shot from The Light in the Piazza
The Nacarelli Family

Sometimes I Just Need to be Put in My Place

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:6 & 7

I tend to get caught up in the situations I'm in and the emotions that causes....I'll admit it, I tend to be on the dramatic side....surprise right? ;) Lately I've given myself over to them, allowing them to get out of control and, in a lot of ways, take over my life. In short, I'm letting my emotions become my idol. One of the biggest emotions I've always struggled with is worry. As a child, I would almost make myself sick worrying when bad weather would hit our area or about what other people thought of me. It used to drive my friends crazy when I would ask if everything was ok if they seemed just the teensiest bit off. I was terrified I had done or said something that would make them the lest bit annoyed with me. I've always been afraid of being vulnerable.

Now, worry less about if I've done something, but I do worry about those I care about more than ever. And I tend to let it take over. I worry about what's coming after I graduate. I'm not doing anything I thought I would be at this point in my life and it scares me a little. I thought I'd know by now what I want to do with my life and I still don't have the foggiest idea.

After venting about all of this to a friend the other night, he read me Philippians 4:6 & 7. I was lovingly but promptly put in my place. :) He reminded me that my worry is just a way of not trusting the Lord to have my best interest in mind. We also discussed the fact that we are supposed to be thankful in EVERY situation, no matter what it is. It's ok for me to be concerned about those around me, it means the love of our Heavenly Father is present within me, as it should be as a Christian, but it DOES NOT mean it consumes my life to the point that I can't function. I am to pray for my friends and family and to be concerned for them, but I'm to be thankful even when life gets tough and trust that God has no need for a "Plan B." When I do this, I'm promised a transcending peace of mind and protection.

I'm so unbelievably thankful for my compassionate and gracious Heavenly Father and for those He has put in my life to remind me when I forget :)

Zoom Zoom

Some days, I just want to get in my car, roll the windows down, turn the radio up and DRIVE. Not to anywhere in particular mind you, I just want to feel the freedom that comes with riding down a highway with nowhere to be and time to spare. It's hard to do that in Jackson so I tend to go one of our outdoor shopping centers to walk around in the fresh air, but it's way too cold for that today and besides, I don't have the time.

I think this week has just made me restless. I have plenty to do, but the craziness of life that I was able to avoid during the Christmas break is starting to catch up with me.

Classes can get overwhelming

Work gets tedious

Sleep gets lost

Relationships are hard

Thankfully, I have a Savior who has it all under control. It's just so easy to forget that in the midst of everything. Brian Sorgenfri, the RUF Campus Minister at MSU preached at Pear orchard on Sunday on Jonah. I can be so much like Jonah sometimes, I forget how merciful and compassionate God is towards me, how much he longs to love on us and bless us. Brian reminded us that Heaven is unstoppable: there is no plan B. God doesn't need one because he can't fail. I'm so thankful that's who is holding me up, directing my path and catching me when I fall. His plan for me can't fail and I can't mess it up...........WHAT a relief!!

I still kinda want to go for that drive though........I'm still enjoying having Etta back ;)

Breath...Breath!...BREATH!!!

I'm kind of impressed with myself and how long I've kept this up. Normally it will last for a month or so and then slowly be forgotten or discarded in an attempt to find something to waste my time (something I don't have much of these days :) I have found I enjoy more than I thought I would though and hope to keep it up. I don't really know if anyone reads this or if I really want them to (haha). What I do know is that it allows me to empty my head a bit everynow and then to make room for all the other stuff I have to remember and helps me relax a little.

I don't really even know what I'm rambling on about at this point, nor do I know why I had this urge to get on here and type. BUT I did and so here I am, going on and on aimlessly and here you are reading, probably wondering why you made it this far. :)

ANYWAY, School is back in session after Christmas break and I'm suddenly very thnakful that I did nothing for a month but lay around and do house work. If I sit down for more than 30 minutes, it's probably because it's almost midnight and I need to be getting to sleep.

Despite my busy schedule, there isn't much that'd I'd be willing to give up...even my classes. This is one of the reasons I've loved College: you get to study what you love and you love what you get to study. Most of my music classes are done so this year I got to pick a couple extras to fill in space. My Introduction to Marketing class is actually pretty interesting and I'm sure will be useful if i ever decide to market myself to an audiance through music. My Christian Doctrine class is also pretty entertaining, especially when we start getting into different theological ideas, something I haven't been able to really discuss in awhile. All my other classes, Bio and Bio lab, choir and voice lessons are pretty normal but I'm still finding that I enjoy them, just as long as I have time to prepare....something I'm suprised I've actually been able to do. When you start adding up the hours each one of my activities takes (14 hours of class + 20 hours of BLC and Worksstudy + 18 hours of practice = 52 hours....and I haven't even counted time for homework and friends....and there's only 144 hours in a week...plus sleep...oh gosh I better stop now or I'll start stressing!....."Where is my calander...and my books...and AHHHH!" .....Ok I'm fine...I think) I thought I'd have less time than ever. But the Lord has been good and it seems like I have time to spare at the end of the day.....I just have to somehow get up the next day :)

Despite the fact that most days I go from 8-10 without stopping, I'm really begnning to enjoy this last semester.

I think it's what comes after the next 3 months that I'm worried about...!!!!