Nice MOOOOOOVe

It's been forever since I have blogged!! A lot has happened in my life, I don't even know where to begin!

Well I have finally moved out of the nest, again, and into a house with two of my friends. It's been two nights and it still doesn't feel like 'home', but I can definately tell it will be soon. We don't have internet yet, which is KILLING me. I feel so disconnected from the world. I mean when I check my bloglines it takes me forever to read everyone's!! I need THE INTERNET!! (But due to lack of funds I don't know when thats going to be possible) I wish my neighbors had wireless internet so I could just borrow theirs...don't judge me.

This move has put me financially strapped. Okay, maybe not just the move, but other things as well. I don't know if I blogged about it but I quit my second job at Kellehers. Time was not on my side and I was scheduled to be gone most weekends this fall. I felt confident in my finances knowing that it would be hard, but God was putting something in my heart and I knew I had to do it. I took a leap of faith, and am trying to live faithfully knowing God will provide. I sometimes wish all of my bills would be paid off and I would be left with nothing. I could then rely on God to provide and not give me bad credit! ;o)

This weekend we have the Nexus retreat and I can't tell you how excited I am for it! (I just have to find the money to pay for it!!!!)

my reason to smile: my beautiful house and beautiful roomates!

Comic Relief

The past week has been nothing but a ball of stress. I was living in the hospital, gladly, for 4 days and school was running its course once I got back. Not only with struggles I always have, but with moving next Wednesday and Young Life and fighting getting sick...my body feels like its breaking down. I sleep but when I wake up it feels as though I haven't. Let me just say God has definately been my strength.
I am a firm believer that its okay to be stressed out, just NOT ALL THE TIME. I love to laugh I love to make people laugh and I really don't think there is a lot in this world that should bog people down. Well in the midst of my serious 5 days straight, I think God wanted me to have a bit of comic relief. Granted I didn't think this story I'm about to tell was funny at the time, but now that I look at it..I know God was telling me to smile.

So I was walking out of the library the other day to my car. I was going to stop by my friend Alyssa's house so I had my phone out and I was calling her. Suddenly I felt a branch brush my head and my bag (I don't believe in book bags, just large enough bags to fit my books) was carry extra weight. I look over my right shoulder only to find a HUGE FURRY PUFF of a tail. A SQUIRREL.... A FRICKIN SQUIRREL HAD FALLEN INTO/ON MY BAG!!!!! Murryl, we'll call him, fell or jumped from the tree branch RIGHT ON TOP OF ME. Of course I did the only normal thing and screamed "HOLY S***" and threw my bag then ran away. Murryl then scattered away as I was doubled over trying to catch my breath. My heart was beating so fast!!! The worst part, besides the possible rabies that are spread in my bag, is that a group of fraternity men were walking by and witnessed the whole thing. How embarrassing!

I know I will NEVER look at a squirrel the same way!

My reason to smile: IF this happened to you, how could you NOT?

Prayer Request

Saturday night I get a phone call from my mom telling me my sister's water broke. Great. Minus the fact that she was due in December. After spending hours at the hospital they decided they couldn't wait any longer to transfer her to Peoria due to excessive blood loss. They performed an emergency c-section. He was born 4lbs and 14 ounches, 18.5in long. 1:54 in the morning on 10/15/2006. Baby Ethan Michael was then transported to the Peoria Children's Hospital, but my sister has to stay here in Bloomington. He's doing well but his poor little lungs haven't developed. Its hard for my sister to be here while the baby is there....but she is healing exceptionally well! If you could just pray for strength not only for my sister but for baby Ethan I would appreciate it! I don't know what my schedule is going to be like...and I'm fighting a cold. (The lack of sleep hasn't helped at all) It's bee a great experience to be here with my sister and watch as she goes through this all. But it is wearing down on us all.

PS: My reason to smile.....Seeing God's miracles so close to home.

The New Age

I've always been in a hurry to grow up, and I don't know why. Maybe its the different circumstances I faced as a child, or the fact that I have always hung around people older than myself. People have always been telling me to slow down and be patient. When I was in highschool people told me "college is the time of your life". But honestly, I've been through 3 1/2 years and I'm still waiting for it to come true. I was thinking the other day how I don't think I am the type of person to fall in love with college. I have fallen in love with the idea of the next stage in life.

I was trying to list the things I was excited for. Here's what I came up with:
1. Graduating college
2. Finding a full time job
3. Getting married
4. Buying a house
5. Starting a family

Most people don't want college to end, I wanted it to end right after it started. I can only be patient for this next stage of my life. I suppose right now I have to live vicariously through my friends that are getting married and having children. One day....one day.

My reason to smile: um....I dont know? Today its hard because I am sick and at work and its soooo slow and time is crawling. ;o( But I guess Nexus tonight!!!

The Barbarian Way

So I've been brewing on the topic of this blog for a day or so now. I am back from Vegas alive and well (and breaking even I might add). For my trip I borrowed a book from Bethany called The Barbarian Way. I had heard people talking about doing a book study on it, and I finally have finished all the summer reading so I thought I'd bring some plane material. I read one chapter on the way there and read the rest on the way home. Once I was into it, I couldn't stop reading it. As the pages kept turning I found so many comparisions in points that the author, Erwin Raphael McManus, stated to my life. I wish I would have had a highlighter, but I read somewhere that its rude to write in borrowed books. The ideas in this blog came from the book revamped with my ideas and thoughts.

I would have never considered myself or my faith 'barbarian-like', but after reading this book I want to strive to reach nothing else. There are two types of Christians. Stale church Christians that get caught up in the routine of religion. Then there are Christ followers who have no other mission in life but to win the war we face. Christians go to church, follow the rules, and strive to be a better person. Christ followers want people to know who Christ is, what He has sacrificed for us, and base all of their actions on love. I LOVE love. But I get so caught up in doing the right thing as a Christian that I forget that I am desired to be something more than just a person who follows the rules and strives to do good.

Another idea that I loved from this book is the fact that as soon as you accept Jesus as Lord, realize we as humans are nothing alone, a change starts to take place in your heart. For me it was instant but the goodness faded away. But a change took place. A fire started that I turned my back on it when all I needed was to put a few more logs on to burn. Throughout the years I may not have been a follower of Christ but whenever someone said something about God, I heard them. Eventually it built up enough to change my heart, entirely. But how are non-Christ followers supposed to hear about God? Christians go to church and keep their religion to themselves. Barbarian Christ followers are needed to run around the town naked (imagery folks..) and catch the eyes of non-belivers. We need to be in places where there are non believers, not just the comfort of Christ followers. After we are there, its up to God to soften hearts.

There were so many other points that are still brewing in my mind, and I can guarantee (sp) in the next few days if I see you, I'd be glad to tell you my thoughts. This book as made me realize a lot about my life, and reading it while I was in the city of sin was probably the best thing I could do! (I will post on Vegas later) I highly recommend it, its a quick but powerful read!


My reason to smile: I have way to many. ;o)

Battle of the Sexes

I've never played the board game, though at times life between guys and girls is a game in itself. One of my professors gets heated about the subject of Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus, because we are different but studies have shown we are more alike than anything. I've been thinking a lot about guys and girls and my relationships with the two.

I have always been friends with guys. Which is good and bad for different reasons. There's not that competitive aspect to a relationship with a man, they just don't care. You get dating blunt dating advice, and you don't have to dress up for them. The downfalls tend to be that everyone thinks I'm either flirting or a tom boy, and I always end up just being "one of the guys". You know, always a bridesmaid never a bride. Well lately, and don't get me wrong I LOVE my guy friends, but I've been doing the girl thing. Last night two of my girl friends and I sat at my house and just were able to talk about everything. (Mostly guys of course) But its been such a blessing to be able to connect with my girl friends.

I can't begin to tell you how excited I am for tomorrow. I leave for Vegas! 5 nights! With 10 of my college girl friends. No work. No school...ahhhhh I could just scream out loud. Now the last real vacation I took was about a year and a half ago. And I need this now more than ever! I have to say though I am a little nervous. Vegas is SIN CITY, the city that doesn't sleep, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas...you catch my drift? Now one major aspect that I am lacking which could be a good thing is money. I can't afford to get myself into too much trouble. Actually I see it as a great challenge. I mean 10 girls out on the town for 5 days! Who knows, maybe I'll find my husband and get hitched in a one-stop wedding shop. (Brittany Spears did it, why can't I?) Just keep your fingers crossed that I strike it rich on the penny slots, or that I find a million dollar chip. (I kinda wish I had money to play hold 'em....but I don't)I'll be back late Tuesday night.....so until then my friends. VEGAS or BUST! ;o)

My reason to smile: It was a beautiful sky this morning! AND we signed a lease for a house!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;o) (More about that on a later blog)