Picture Takin'

My camera finally came in!!! What better way to celebrate than to take random pictures!

In the depths of Your love I find peace makes me whole

On Wednesday night I faced one of my worst fears and did something I never though in a million years would be possible. I got to speak in front of a hundred or so 7-12 graders on Ephesians 3:14-21 and was hardly phased at all. A few years ago I could hardly get up and make a presentation in front of 15 or 20 people.....30 or more would have probably caused me to like, die or something. But for no special reason at all, I signed up to speak and was not afraid. Things were different this time for one reason alone.

The Holy Spirit was at work.

Thats right, there is absolutely no other way to explain it. Before I went up to speak, the worship band played a song that I had never heard before called I Love Your Presence. It was perfect. The lyrics were so simple and I felt this crazy rush of peace. Not only did I hear the perfect words at a time when my heart normally would have been racing but it was as if God was telling me that He was there and had everything under control. I even got to talk about how ridiculous it is for people to make excuses about how they are too scared to do something. You see the thing is, Jesus did not die on the cross and send us the very Spirit of God so we can just ignore it and live our lives like we are no different than everyone else. As Christians, we are called to something different. We are called to a life of no fear and believe that God can use us in ways that we never thought imaginable.

God is good, God is powerful, God is worthy of praise, and God is definitely worthy of our trust.

Thoughts while sitting on the back porch

Any day now I will become the proud owner of a Nikon D3000. I am SO excited. I think getting this camera will be the start of something great and bring about some sort of new found love for photography. I'm planning on taking it everywhere with me. Or at least as many places as I can. Yesterday on the way home I looked up at the sky while I was driving (probably not the best idea) but the way the sun looked behind the clouds was so beautiful. I thought how if I had my camera right now I would pull over and take a picture of it. Yeah, I've basically been dreaming of these kind of moments nonstop since I ordered the camera.

On another note, I had to get shots today for college and such and can hardly move my arms which is great considering I sort of challenged myself to a basketball game with my friend Aaron tomorrow (again, not the best idea, even with arms that work). Yesterday I finally finished all of my thank you notes from graduation and will be attending the first night of Monday Night Bible Study for the summer tonight! It is looking to be the start of a fantastic week.

Ode to Bangs

I must admit, things started off great
But the more I think about it, it is you I hate
I always thought after this haircut my life would be complete
Except I have a cowlick and that is not so neat
You curl and split apart, you must have your own way
Flat down to my head you just won't stay
It is quite bothersome and often annoying
Having to constantly blow dry and straighten you I am not enjoying
Maybe things would be different without the summer humidity and sun
But for now, fighting this battle is not so fun
I guess the risk I took was better late than never
But if you could grow out soon I would love you more than ever

Oh, hey.

Ok, I am ashamed. I thought with summer I would be blogging a lot more frequently. Unfortunately, I've somehow just either been too busy or not in the mood to write the past few weeks or however long it's been. Hopefully you guys have not given up on me.

My original intent had been to write about graduation and everything that had happened up to that point but soon that idea turned into a post about graduation and everything that has happened since then. Now it is just a random blog post about who knows what. Oops.

I guess I'll still write a little bit about graduation though since this is the only chance I'll ever have to do so (until college graduation at least, but that's different). Basically, I feel pretty much the same. Besides the thought of my future schedule at Auburn lingering in the back of my head, the few things I have purchased or have been given for my dorm room and the graduation cards that make me excited to check the mail every day, it still hasn't really seemed to hit me yet that I won't be going back to Spain Park next year. I wasn't sad at graduation and never thought I would be. I've been ready for a while now to meet new people and do new things! However, senior share night on New Wind is going to be a whole different story.

In other news, many other important things have happened since my last well thought through post. I have taken two senior trips to the beach, will be speaking in front of about 200 people at church a week from tomorrow (AHHH!), I have watched all four Pirates of the Caribbean movies over the past two days, am currently working with 4 and 5 year olds at VBS this week and a week ago attended my first funeral. It was for my digital photography teacher Mr. Myers and was absolutely nothing like I thought a funeral would be. It wasn't sad at all! I left the church amazed at how cheerful the music was and how packed the sanctuary had been. It's so crazy to think about what an impact Mr. Myers had on people while he was alive and how he still continues to inspire even through his death.

In closing, I will try to write more. I really will. Here are some pictures to make up for the blog posts I have not been writing (in order!).

Beach trip 1

Beach Trip 1

Graduation Sunday

Graduation

Adventure

Adventure

Beach Trip 2

Beach Trip 2 (War Eagle)

Love Through Me

there is plenty on this earth to suit our needs
but there will never ever be enough to satisfy our greed
weigh this heavy on me now until i can hardly breathe
love through me


i've never gone a day without a meal because i couldn't afford it
stood on a corner and begged for pennies, holding out a sign
call me blessed, but it sure does feel pathetic,
children ‘round the world are hungry now

so would i give up:
pillows and cable, clothing and candy,
if a boy could rest his tired bones?
would i lay down:
making all this money, just to have my milk and honey,
if my fellow man could get the chance to watch his children grow?

there is plenty on this earth to suit our needs
but there will never ever be enough to satisfy our greed
weigh this heavy on me now until i can hardly breathe
love through me

i feel in the right, self-justified giving coins away
but what about the time i consider mine not tomorrow but right now today?
clothe the naked; feed the hungry; welcome strangers
come on, get up and open your eyes

so would i give up:
pillows and cable, clothing and candy,
if a girl could have some more to eat?
would i lay down:
making all this money, just to have my milk and honey,
if my fellow man could get the chance to hear about the King?

there is plenty on this earth to suit our needs
but there will never ever be enough to satisfy our greed
weigh this heavy on me now until i can hardly breathe
love through me

help us see, our eyes are weak, help us please
love through me

Freak of Nature

It all started when I figured out I could lick my elbow. It is supposed to be impossible but I've somehow defied the laws of nature and can do it. In the same sense, I was always told I couldn't have bangs because my hair would stick straight up with my cowlick. Well folks, I've done it again. I had always believed this lie until today when I decided I would rebel against my hairdresser and test this little theory out myself. I sat in my friend Lauren's bathroom and let her work her magic. I now have the bangs I have been wanting and good news, they aren't sticking straight up!

So don't let anyone tell you something is impossible....you could wind up licking your elbow or having those bangs after all.