through the eyes of a nomad

I am just continually amazed at how awesome GOD is! I guess I shouldn't be, but sometimes, the Lord sends people into my life that just remind me of his unfailing love for me - and it AMAZES me! WOW!

Have you ever just blinked, and your life just changes. There is no option, no fighting, relenting - you're just changed? I mean, goodness! I feel like I have had one of those these past few days. I mean, there is complete confusion, fear beyond belief, but at the same time peace and understanding that I know everything is going to be fine. What an amazing feeling that is.

I was at Lifeway on Friday night (they were having lots of sales, and staying open till 11...I'm a sucker for stores when they have extended hours like that. Ha!) and as I was walking around, I saw a green coffee mug that was adorned in a golf theme. I looked at the cup closer and on it was an excert from James 1:2-4: (2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.)

When I saw those words ("...the testing of your faith develops perseverance.") it hit me like a thud - a good thud. According to dictionary.com the word 'perseverance' means:

–noun
1. steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., esp. in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.
2. Theology. continuance in a state of grace to the end, leading to eternal salvation.

I really feel that's where I am at in my life - and the Lord has just thrown something at me for me to persevere 'in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.' And let me tell you, I have had A LOT of those feelings of discouragement lately.

Wow, and what can I saw about faith?! For starters, it can be the hardest thing in the world to do. Faith - have you ever thought of just how incredibly complex that word is? To TRULY have faith, w/o understanding. That's hard to do. I really believe that GOD tests us sometimes, just to see that we are willing to place all of our faith in him. I pr*y that I am like that and don't have to go through what Jonah experienced. Would you please pr*y for me? Pr*y that I will make the right decisions and follow my Saviour earnestly 'to the ends of the earth' if that's what he wants.

December 1 has finally arrived...well I guess it's not really 'finally' here, it's more like 'dang, I can't believe it's almost Christmas again.' My roommate April and I have been decorating for the holidays, wrapping Christmas presents and looking for tacky outfits for a Christmas party next week. I found a sweater today at Goodwill, it is terribly ugly - but perfect! :)

I have been in a weird mood over the past few days. Some may think I'm being morbid. I have been thinking about death, not MY death, just death in general. Maybe it's because it's the holidays and I am mourning for friends and family that are going to spend their first Christmas without a loved one. Or maybe it's because it's World AIDS Day today, and it makes me think about all those who have succumbed to this terrible, painful and unfair death.

When I was walking out of Goodwill today, I saw an elderly man walking into the store by himself. I immediately looked to see if he had a wedding band on - he didn't that I could see. What as my first thought? That he was a widow and his wife died and he was all alone. My heart immediately went out to him. Now, I don't even know if he is/was married, but this is where my mind has been. Have you ever found yourself in such a 'morbid' state? Feeling for people that you don't even know are actually hurting? I do it all the time.

On a happier note, I'm watching Harry Potter. I love these movies! Probably my favorite. Oh, and something else to be happy about - I am having a great hair day. Haha! :) Oh and I have some of my wonderful friends coming over to mine and April's apartment (we just resigned our lease, so we'll be living here for another year) to watch Christmas movies and eat good food! Yum!

Sooo...I have been neglecting my blogs recently. I have no excuse. I'm just lazy...and busy with work. Well, I got my hair cut.

Last night April, Mindy and i went to see Bebo Norman and Shane & Shane play at Jerry Fallwell's church in Lynchburg, Va. It was wonderful (and FREE!)! Mindy and April were going for Shane & Shane, I am a Bebo fan. But I do have a new respect for Shane & Shane...I was never much of a fan, but now I am - they are really good, and Shane B. can sing! Dang!

We all got to "meet and greet" with the Shanes and Bebo after the concert - which was AWESOME! We got their autographs, and I got to talk to Bebo about being from Columbus, Ga. and me living in Albany, Ga. (1.5 hours away from Columbus).

We all forgot our cameras (which sucked), but I'm hoping to get some of the pictures from some of the people who were there from Mindy and April's church...here is a picture April took with my cellphone camera (so, obviously it isn't the best quality) of me and Bebo. :)

My brother, Samuel, and I went to see the wonderful, amazing, fabulous, etc. Michael Buble last night 8/11! Oh my goodness, he was AMAZING! He is so incredibly talented...and a class-A entertainer...super funny too!

This is how are night started...


And then Samuel sees Michael for the first time. Yeah he's pretty excited. Ha! Well...maybe too excited...maybe he was just making fun of the screaming girls...who knows?


What can I say? ;)

Samuel and I went to D.C. today...lots of fun! We went to the International Spy Museum and to the World War II Memorial. If you haven't been to the Spy Museum, you should totally think about going! Below are some pictures from the World War II Memorial.

My brother is here! My brother is here! :)

We are going to the Spy Museum sometime while he is here...and on Saturday we are going to Fairfax to see Michael Buble in concert! Woo! Woo! :)

Here are some cute pictures of Samuel and Maggie... :)

MY BROTHER IS COMING TO SEE ME!!!! Yay!!! I can't wait...he flies in on Saturday morning. I've been a bit homesick, so I'm really, really looking forward to him coming to visit. :) I would be looking forward to it regardless, I'm just EXTRA excited! :) I'm going to take him to D.C. so that we can go to the Spy Museum - pretty cool place! And then we are going to see Michael Buble in concert later on in the week. FUN TIMES! I can't wait!



Today was also a special day for a special person - James Johnson graduated Cum Laude from Kennesaw State University! Congratulations!! I am so proud of you! :)



Maggie had her first bath (given by me, the ladies she lived with before bathed her) today. I think she probably hated it. But, I guess what dog doesn't dislike baths? I also started trying to walk her on a leash today. Needless to say, it's been quite a traumatic day for little miss Maggie. She doesn't like the leash at all, but she can outrun me now, so she needs it...I don't want her to run out in the road.



My parents are coming to see me at the end of August, so I'm pumped about that as well! Aug. is going to be a good month I feel! Oh, and April leaves for Uganda on Thursday. She is really excited, but nervous...lift her up! :)



A close friend of mine just received a job offer today, please lift her up as she makes this big decision...she will have to move about three hours away...

I brought little miss Maggie home last Sunday! She is such a great dog...not quite grasping the potty-training thing yet, but she is only 10 weeks old. :) One of my friends has a blog for her dachshund, so I have started one her Maggie as well! If you care to read about her life (from HER perspective hehe), check it out! It's a pretty fun blog to write...if you have pets, you should try it! :) http://maggiethedachshund.blogspot.com/

Here are some photos of my baby! :) Enjoy!




Nosy little thing!

So it has been a few days since the last day of King's Fest...sorry for my lack of picture updates. The two headliners were Jeremy Camp and Todd Agnew. I was THRILLED to see Jeremy Camp because he is the artist that got me listening to Christian music again (pretty much after dctalk, I wasn't interested)...his music also has a big influence on my testimony, if you want to hear more just ask. :)

Enjoy!

Todd Agnew:

Todd Agnew is the one wearing the 'Memphis' shirt. The man on the right was our amazing MC for all three days of King's Fest. He was great - I will forever think of him when I read (or hear) the verse about being 'salt and light' because of a message he gave on the second night.



Jeremy Camp:



I love this picture...however, I wish it wasn't so grainy-looking.

He's amazing.

Last night (Friday), April and I got to see Kutless, tobyMac and Casting Crowns at King's Fest. Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure. :)

Kutless:


tobyMac and the Diverse City Band:



Casting Crowns:

...and so goes the Newsboys song "Breakfast." Great song! (I love breakfast food)

April and I had the chance to see them Thursday night at King's Fest. Amazing! We also got to see the David Crowder Band. He was wooonderful! Here are some pictures.

David Crowder Band:



The Newsboys:

Ok, I have made this cake before, and it turned out WONDERFUL! Not sure what happened this time - but it was ghetto from the beginning. Pretty soon after putting the two eight inch pans (with chocolate-cake batter of course) in the oven, I started to smell a burning smell. But there was NO WAY it could be burning - both pans were on top of cookie sheet so that they wouldn't burn. Well when I took them out of the oven I knew something had burned. I let the two cakes cool, and then took them out of their pans. One-half of one of the cakes was burned on the bottom and the other was PERFECT. After pulling off the burned parts from the bottom of one of the cakes I started to GLOB on the homemade peanut butter icing so that it would be somewhat level (it didn't work, by the way). I started putting the icing (which I have also made before, and it was fine) on the rest of it, and that's when the ghettofying continued. It just started to crumble, and the icing wouldn't spread!!!! ...After my roommate and I had a good laugh, we decided to take pictures. Why? Because this cake is bad. Real bad.



OH! But it tastes GREAT in case you were wondering...




Oh, I almost forgot - I was making this cake for Chris B. (and intern at work) who's last day is tomorrow. Sorry Chris! Not just for making a ghetto cake, but also because you won't get to try it. It's a little too embarrassing! Haha!

Have you seen or done worse?? If, so...I would loooove to see your "masterpiece." (Oh, and it has fallen apart more since these pictures were taken. Ha!)

Evan Almighty. What can I say?

It was a GREAT movie and I HIGHLY recommend it!

My roomate and I went to see it today...it was one of those movies you walk out and want turn around and see it again. It was funny and it had a great moral. :)

Now...GO SEE IT...or I'm gonna "do the dance!" Don't know what I mean...well go see the movie then you can "do the dance" with me! :)

Maggie with her brothers - she's the one looking down.


Both litters of puppies together. Maggie is the dark one looking up.


Maggie on the right.

My beautiful baby!

These are the things I want to do before I turn 70...they are't in any particular order. :)

1. Go to all seven continents...I've been to five so far.
2. Live in London, England.
3. Do AIDS humanitarian work in Africa.
4. Adopt a child.
5. Own a horse.
6. Take an Alaskan cruise to see the whales.
7. Write a book about Papa.
8. Win the Pulitzer Prize.
9. Be a political writer.
10. Get at least one Master degree.
11. Get my Ph.D.
12. Live overseas longer than I've lived in the United States.
13. Own a Mini Cooper.
14. Go to LA and see the Hollywood sign and Mann's Chinese Theater.
15. Go to Mount Rushmore.
16. Visit the Grand Canyon.
17. See Niagra Falls.
18. Go skiing and not break any bones...I've never skiied before in my life.
19. Get a Golden Retriever.
20. Learn to play golf.
21. Go to the Masters.
22. Go to a World Series game (preferably with the Yankees and/or the Braves playing)
23. Go to Russia.
24. Pierce the tragus of my ear.
25. Buy a diamond ring from Tiffanys.
26. Learn Arabic, Italian and French.
27. Perfect my Spanish.
28. When the new list of the 7 Wonders of the World comes out, I want to see all seven.
29. Visit all 50 states, plus Puerto Rico.
30. Be an extra in a movie.
31. Attend a Bible study class taught by Beth Moore (in person).
32. Interview the President of the United States - former or present.
33. Read through the whole Bible and understand it all.
34. Go to the Harry Potter theme park in Orlando.
35. Visit all of the Disney theme parks in the world.
36. Swim in the Dead Sea.
37. Walk the road to Damascus.
38. Go to Bethlehem for Christmas.
39. Visit Sydney, Australia for New Years.
40. Write a story on human-sex trafficking.
41. Own a home on a golf course.
42. Go to a New York Yankees game before the current Yankee Stadium is torn down.
43. Go to a Broadway musical.
44. Get out of debt.
45. Visit Machu Pichu (spelling?).
46. Run a marathon.
47. Go back to Costa Rica.
48. Take a train trip across the United States.
49. Do rescue work with animals.
50. Learn to make a "hundred layer" cake.

Here are the latest pictures of Maggie. She's 6 weeks old...and ADORABLE!!!