Oh Christmas

I love Christmas.  It's my favorite season.  It's so much fun getting prepared for the big day.  From the tree to the decorations, to the music, parities, presents, family gatherings, foods.  It's all great!  I love it all.  It also means halfway through the year, meaning summer is coming back!! WOOHOO.  I love summer.
I have been thinking a lot this week about memories.  It seems every sight, smell, or song takes me back to being a kid.  It's been kind of hard.  Does anyone hear me on this?  Is it just me, or are more people burning wood in a wood stove so I can think of chopping, stacking, and watching Paw Paw walk across that frozen ground to have heat in his house?  Or is the song, "it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" being played more this year than last so i can think of Grandmaw singing it every time I would help her put up her decorations.  Or Christmas Movies I have seen every year for years are now making me cry as I can relate to the situations these people are in. 
It's been a strange few couple of weeks.  I don't know what to think of it, but I have had fun remembering.  I won't get sad on happy times.  Do I yearn for those days when everyone I love was still a live?  Yes!  But I have to look BEYOND what was and look for what's to come.  Look beyond.  Pastor Furtick taught me this new, old word.  NEVERTHELESS.  Meaning although I am in this spot right now, nevertheless, God is good and he has it all figured out.  I will accept where I am, and go forward to where I am going.  NEVERTHELESS!  My new favorite word.  Although I miss the old days of Christmas pass, nevertheless, I will enjoy and embrace the Christmases to come! 

I love Christmas.  It's the most wonderful time of the year!

What's Happening

Oh man.  What a month!  If you don't know I have another blog for basketball (that updates daily! what?!), on top of keeping up with my school website, the athletic website, run club organization, waiting tables, taking pictures for the school, etc...  But life is great!  Life is starting to slow down a little and I have been able to get back to my routine of teaching, coaching and waiting tables on the weekend.
I have several friends that teach in other countries and I must say my heart is still here!  I love teaching the kids in the USA.  They need some Jesus.  You know that old saying, you can't take care of others until you take care of your self.  I think USA does a great job giving to everyone else, but often we neglect our own needs.  Can a crumbly foundation hold up a house?  NOPE!  My mission is teaching and coaching.  That's my heart!  Now, to find someone with the same heart!  God has someone in mind that has the same mission heart as me!  I wish I had more to share, but I don't know where to start so read the other blogs, websites and if anything big happens, I'll put it up! What?! 

Impression Makers

There are people who come into my life that leave impressions.  Some are family members, some are coworkers, some are strangers and some are friends.  Recently I have been blessed to make a new friend, named Mike.  Mike's life has been completely changed.  He has the history of anyone who has been abused by their father, raised in a violent home/school, in and out of jail, battled with addictions, lost his family and ended up in a place where the only place he could look was up.  UP!  Knowing Mike now you would never know he has battled these pains, these trails, this road. We recently celebrated the fact he got his license back after having a few DWIs.  But I don't want you to judge Mike.  He is a walking example of the power of Christ being lived out on this earth.  The power of the kingdom of God on earth.  I met Mike in the Diner, continued to be her waitress for many months, then would see him in there later at night and would just start general conversation with.  As our conversations deepened i learned it wasn't until he finally gave all power, all his life, all his 'control', over to God and let him take care of it.  Mike will be the first to tell you he can't do it on his own but he isn't going to worry about what might happen because he knows that his power comes from God, the God that created the world.  Sometimes I get discourages, sometimes I struggle with my own addictions and habits and in those times I remember Mike.  I remember his life and how the power of God gives him strength and it's that same power in me that gives me strength.  Thank you Jesus.  So Mike is an impression maker.
Rebekah is also someone who has recently left a lasting impression on my life.  There is power and freedom in forgiveness.  It's a long story with a few years in the making but I was recently asked if I would accept an apology from someone I didn't really know.  To be quite honest, it was very surprising to me and I would have never thought anything about it if she had never apologized but she did.  Now, I won't go into detail but let me just say impression maker.  We all have times when we do something wrong and pride will get in the way and cause us to make reasons in excuses as to how we are right, then a long period of time will pass when we think its to long now to ask for forgiveness and we never do.  Well, it's not to late.  No matter how long the time that has passed forgiveness is forgiveness.  Through Rebekah's act of obedience to the spirit I myself have had recent encounters where I had to ask for forgiveness.  I will tell you, Rebekah came to mind each time when i didn't want to humble my own self and face the music of my wrongs.  But let me tell you without her simple act asking for forgiveness I know my own recent weeks would have been bigger battles in swallowing my own pride.  Rebekah is an impression maker.
We all leave impressions on this earth and in the lives of the people we interact with.  What impression do you leave.  Let it be one that brings glory to this earth.  Be the Mike.  Be the Rebekah.  Be an Impression Maker!

Speak.

I do not like to be lied to.  I do not like to be deceived.  I do not like for people to say one thing and not truly mean what they are saying.  Do not try and spare my feelings with lies, I would rather hear the truth.  Do not give up just because it's hard and do not live a double life.  I will try to the end but when every stone has been turned, every word has been said, and every means of effort exhausted, even I will turn in the towel.  Tell me now, don't tell me later.  But make sure what you say now is true, not just a lie to pacify the time.  You speak.  You speak hollow words.  No my friend.  Speak what is true, speak what is real, speak what is truly on your heart.

summer

This is my first summer in the states since college.  I must say I haven't had a summer vacation in a long time.  It's nice being able to wake up, run, read the word, drink coffee, type a blog, paint, sit by a pool, hang out with O, and work the diner.  That's my summer.  It's amazing.  3 days off a week!!  I don't get three days off in a month. So, no good jungle stories this summer.  But, I do think something big is going to happen.  Don't know what but something.  Either in my life or in the life of someone close to me.  Because my big question has been why am I not in Costa?  Why am I here?  I don't know if I will get one answer.  I will say God is at work.  My prayer has been Lord work in me so I can work in them.  I have so many relationships that I am building with people who are open to something, who are searching for something, who are ready.  For example, I wait table at a diner and the other day one of my customers and I were conversing when we got on the subject of who God is and how he sees us.  Well, let me say this scares me to death.  Sometimes I get to this point where I wonder what to say next, how to act.  So I have to stay in tune to the spirit and how the spirit is speaking to me.
I am still praying for my Greek family!  Lord, is that why I'm in Concord?  Maybe!
Granted I'm not in a foreign land serving for Jesus but I will say I believe my service here this summer is going to impact my lives than I know.  So this is my prayer, Lord keep me focused, keep my grounded, keep me in you and you in me!  And in the school year when I am slammed busy, I feel as though I don't keep this focus. God is so Great.  He is moving.  Watch out world!  Watch out Concord!

a rant

Really?  Am I wrong?  Am I that wrong?  How could I have been that off?  I'm not one to open up.  I'm not one to just let people in easily unless I'm sure I'll be treated okay.  I don't like jokes so I don't play them on people.  I don't like to be lied to, misled, or take advantage of.  So, how was I fooled?  I don't know.  But as it goes: trick me once your a fool, trick me twice I'm a fool.  And guess what buddy row... I ain't no fool!
Bad Grammar..> i know.  But i'm just saying.

I'm not a spring chicken anymore.

I have multiple stories to share about my mini vacation with the rents over this past weekend.  I think I should add the fact, I have not went on vacation with my parents since before college.  So, i was a little nervous about how I would do spending 24 hours with my momma, but I had a blast.  It was nice to be a "kid" again.  To have someone over me to make decisions.  It was a nice break.  I think as a kid I was so gun hoe about not having my parent make decisions, but now I can appreciate a break from being an adult.

Story One: The groundhog.  Before we even left the Lasley plantation I was laughing my face off at my parents.  Dutchess, the farm dog, was barking her heart out at a pile of dirt.  My daddy being the curious george that he is had to figure out what was pestering this dog.  Well, it was a ground hog.  You must know that my daddy was a deep down hatred for ground hogs.  He thinks they play games with him on his many endeavors to trap and destroy the little pests. So, here's my knight and shinning armor of a father poking a stick at this little ground hog, while momma and myself wait patiently in the driver side opened door car. (the driver door being open is a key part to this story.)  The ground hog is scared trying to figure out where to go, my daddy is jumping around wondering where it is going, and all the while I am thinking what is he trying to do.  Daddy takes a kick at the ground hog... and misses.  Hit's the dirt.  Straight up kicked the dirt.  Then tried again, and kicked the little pest.  Not to be deterred, that little rodent went back to the other side of the dirt pile only to be followed by my father.  Who, got his stick out and poked the ground hog one more time.  Well, this time the ground hog took off.  Straight towards our car.  Straight towards the open door on the car.  Straight towards my Momma, who has by this time unbuckled her seat belt, has her hand on the door handle and ready to jump out of the vehicle and let the ground hog have it.  While Momma is trying to flee, daddy is now running after the rodent with is hands in front, as though he's trying to catch it, saying, "oh no... not the door.  Not the car."  I'm in the back seat in tears from laughing.  This is my family.  This is the start of my weekend.  Oh my....
Well the ground hog did not jump in the car (good thing because Momma would have blamed daddy for leaving the door open!) it ducked down below the chassis towards the barn, only to mock my father another day.

Story 2:... Apollo's Chariot.