Christmastime is Here!

Christmas time is finally here and has been for a while! Between finishing up school, working full time and keeping up with life I haven't had much time to keep up with this! But here's a look into the past few weeks, holiday festivities and all!

Bethany came down to spend a day with us before she headed home for Thanksgiving! We went to Starbucks and ordered with fake names (Topanga, Jill and Milee).

Thanksgiving Day was lovely! Amy came the weekend before Thanksgiving,  Rachel arrived the night before and Zach flew in on Thanksgiving. Lots of good food and good company!

Friday, the O'Meara's came to stay for the weekend. We played lots of dutch blitz, watched James Bond, went to the Christmas Light show on Hutchinson Island, spent an afternoon in the park and enjoyed being together!

Then it was time to decorate for Christmas! 

We got a real Christmas tree for the first time in 6 years...needless to say we were excited!!

We celebrated my sweet Daddy's birthday with a lovely dinner at Bella's...

...and MercyMe's Christmas concert!

Last weekend we went down to City Market for the open house!

Bethany joined us for the weekend and we saw lots of pretty lights...

...and Christmas Trees! <3

We drove around to look at lights on our way home and found this house! The whole front yard was covered in lights and they said their display wasn't complete. AND they put up 5,000 additional lights after Christmas for New Years!

Saturday we participated in the Color Vibe Run on Hutchinson Island! It was our first 5K...we walked! 

It was so much fun!!

We made a gingerbread house on Saturday afternoon.

Saturday night we went to Hutchinson Island to see the light show. We went to the Westin and saw this GIANT christmas tree... 

...and lots of gingerbread houses. They had a gingerbread house contest and this was one of the most impressive.

Those are just a few of the highlights from the past few weeks. Not only am I done with school for about a month, I have gotten to spend time with some of my favorite people over these past few weeks! I am so glad my family is home! We are enjoying spending the Christmas season here in the states, taking in the lights, listening to lots of good music and keeping up old traditions! I hope you have a happy Christmas season, enjoy being with loved ones and making memories! I'll leave you with one of my favorite Christmas tunes...

Enjoy!

Thankfulness

This whole month (which by the way has flown by!) I have been focused on thankfulness and reflecting on the blessings God has so graciously given me. But somehow in the midst of all this thankfulness, God has revealed in my life areas I am not thankful. He has made me so aware of what a complainer I am. And it's just not ok. So as this month of thanks comes to a close, I am reminded to "let thankfulness rule in my heart" in the months ahead. To find joy and be thankful even when it's really really hard to see the good in things.

"A life of praise and thankfulness becomes a life filled with miracles. Instead of trying to be in control, you focus on Me and what I am doing. This is the power of praise: centering your entire being in Me. This is how I created you to live, for I made you in My own image. Enjoy abundant life by overflowing with praise and thankfulness." - Jesus Calling, November 26

Thankful Thoughts: Day 13 - Day 19

I have been super busy with school and a jam packed weekend! But I'm finally here to update my Thankful Thoughts from last week...

Day 13: I am so thankful for my best friend Laura. Tuesday I spent the afternoon with her and her sweet little baby boy, catching up! We have been best friends since first grade and time nor distance has altered our friendship. She is such an encouragement to me always! So glad God has given me forever friend like her!

Day 14: I am thankful for my job. I work with some really great people, have made some good friends and have been blessed with the opportunity to work under godly leadership.

Day 15: I am thankful for a God who cares and acts on the big and little things I stress about. Thursday I had a mock interview in French. The whole week leading up to Thursday I was nervous. And when I say nervous, I mean knot in the pit of my stomach, want to cry when I thought about it nervous. But God not only provided the time to prepare for it, he gave me an unreal and unexplainable peace Wednesday night and Thursday morning before my interview. It turns out it went much better than I expect it to go, by the grace of God! Hopefully I'll find out tomorrow what I made on it!

Day 16: I am thankful for my time and experiences in Israel, but I am also thankful that we are all home safe and sound. Over the past several days, violence has escalated between Gaza and Israel (I wrote this post about it). My dad was there this past week and left Thursday night. He said that had we been there as a family, we would have been evacuated that night. On the flip side I keep thinking of the friends and acquaintances we made over the six years we spent in Israel and how they are being affected by this conflict. I am thankful that God is sovereign and has a plan in all of the turmoil in the Middle East.

Day 17: I am thankful for my best friend Bethany. She made an unexpected visit on Saturday and it was so wonderful to spend time with her catching up and having fun. I am also thankful that she lives only 3 hours away now! Not only am I thankful for Bethany, but I am thankful for the whole Stewart family. They have been a second family to me, opening up their home to me for Spring Breaks and Thanksgivings past when I could be with my family in Israel. They are a such a sweet family that loves the Lord and I am so thankful that God brought our families together in Israel!!

Day 18: I am thankful for music of all kinds. Today I got to hear Alan play with the Lyric Youth Orchestra at Armstrong and it was fantastic. From country to classical I love it all, my life would be so sad with out it!

Day 19: I am thankful that there is only one more day of classes between me and Thanksgiving break! I am thankful for the break from school and the sweet memories that we will make with friends and family this week! So excited!

So there you have it, I'm all caught up!! Hope y'all have a Happy Thanksgiving week!

Israel

By now you may or may not have heard, that there has been escalating tensions and violence between Israel and Gaza since Wednesday. I won't go through play by play what has gone on, you can look for yourself....

HaAretz is a leading Israeli newspaper that has up to date coverage of the situation. Also Joel Roesnberg's blog is being regularly updated with solid analysis of the developments in the Middle East.

There have been hundreds of rockets sent into Israel from Gaza and hundreds of airstrikes into Gaza. There are millions of people caught in the crossfire on both sides. It's hard to believe that just a few short months ago my family packed up from six years in Israel and moved back to the US. We have many friends and acquaintances all over Israel that are being affected directly by this, whether they are in the IDF, about to be drafted, in the reserves, having to leave the country because of company policy, or running to bomb shelters as sirens wail overhead. It's a scary time for all of those caught in the crossfire, but I just ask that you pray for peace in Israel and Gaza. No one knows how this is all going to play out, but from what I can tell it's only getting uglier now. Ultimately God is the only one who can bring peace and reconciliation so lets pray.

"An Israeli woman is praying while taking cover after sirens go off, Nitzan, southern Israel November 16, 2011. Dudu Bachar" (HaAretz)

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure....For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.”

Psalm 122:6,8

P.S. I will get back to my Thankful Thoughts hopefully tonight. It's been a busy week with school and today is pretty jam packed with to dos and fun things! I haven't forgotten about them though!!!

Thankful Thoughts: Day 12

Today I am thankful for my little brother, Alan. It is his thirteenth birthday today...I can't believe it! Even though he is annoying (as any good little brother should be) at times, I love him so very much. He really is a pretty cool kid, I mean teenager! I am so glad that I have gotten to live with him (and the rest of my family) again this year after being so far apart for three years. I can't imagine our family without him. Happy 13th Birthday Alan! <3<3

P.S. I'm pretty sure that by this time next year, he's going to be at least a head taller than me. 

Thankful Thoughts: Day 9, 10 and 11

Since I was out of town this weekend and didn't have much time to post, I'll play catch up tonight.

Day 9: I am thankful for the friends I made in Israel (You know who you are!). This weekend Stephanie and I spent it with our friend Amy in Auburn, Alabama. But the pretty amazing thing is that we met her while we lived in Israel. When we moved there in the middle of tenth grade, I thought I'd never have friends like I had here in Savannah in Israel. Little did I know I was going to make some of my best friends there. I am thankful for the sweet genuine friendships and memories made there together. It is so neat to think how God brought these people into my life and how even when we've all moved our separate ways we have still remained friends. 

Day 10: I am thankful for new experiences, whether it is moving across the world or going to my first football game (this weekend) I am thankful for the opportunities God has given me to travel and experience new things!

Day 11: I am thankful that God knows what is coming and speaks truth and promises into my life! This week ahead is going to be a crazy stressful week as I have a paper due, a group project to finish up and a mock job interview in French on top of daily homework to get done. But God knows what is coming and had the perfect encouragement for me tonight in my quiet time. He is so good!

Thankful Thoughts: Day 8

Today I am thankful for my Mama and Daddy. They are two of the best parents a girl could have. I am thankful for their commitment to the Lord and to each other. I am thankful that they led me into a relationship with the one true God and continue to be godly examples to me. I am thankful for their unconditional love, for their friendship and that they always encourage me to do my best and seek and follow God's will for my life. I really am blessed to be a part of this wonderful family and I am so thankful for the adventures we have had and will continue to have together!

Thankful Thoughts: Day 7

I am thankful for a sovereign God. He reigns above everything from the presidential elections to my mundane daily tasks. And the best part is he is not surprised by anything. He's working all things for his glory and for the good of those who love him.

Thankful Thoughts: Day 6

Today I am thankful that I have the right to vote for the leaders of our nation based on my beliefs and values.

But I am even more thankful that my God is in control. That it's not a surprise to him who will win and it does not make him any less powerful.

Whoever our leader may be I wake up tomorrow, I pray that God will bring him heart change and give him wisdom to lead our country effectively.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.  - Psalm 33:12

Thankful Thoughts: Day 5

Today I am thankful that God provides. Not just in the big things, but in the little things too. It's that point in the semester where I have so much work to get done it seems impossible. I have been stressed to say the least about how it's all going to get done.

But tonight, by the grace of God, I was able to get a good start to my school work for this week. I spent the evening studying and working at Starbucks, which was a nice change of scenery from my room.

I am thankful that when I commit my ways to the Lord he makes my path straight. When I commit my time to him, somehow, even when it seems like there is no way it's gonna get done, it does. Because he is good. And he knows my needs and he provides.

Thankful Thoughts: Day 4

Today I am thankful for my sweet Savior. I am thankful that there is a God and he loves me so much that he sent his only son, to walk among us as an example of how to live, then died a horrendous death to take away my sin. But I am so thankful that the story doesn't end there. Jesus rose from the dead on the third day. He conquered sin and death, they have no victory! I am thankful that my God did that so that I could know him and have a personal and intimate relationship with him. 

I was sitting in church today thinking while we were singing some of the worship songs about some of the things my friends are going through and in all honesty, I would be a hopeless wreck without Jesus. I can not imagine facing the messiness of life with out being one hundred percent certain that my God is for me. He is always there and has a wonderful amazing plan for my good and his glory! I am thankful for his unfailing love, his great faithfulness, his loving kindness, his undeserved grace and his persevering pursuit of my soul! 

Thankful Thoughts: Day 3

Today I am thankful for my sister. I am thankful that we are not only sisters, but best friends. I honestly couldn't imagine my life without her! I am so glad she lives only one room away now as opposed to a whole ocean away!

I am blessed!

Thankful Thoughts: Day 2

Today I am thankful for my sweet friends, old and new, near and far. God really has blessed me with some amazing people. And to think about how and when he has brought them into my life, it just blows my mind. More on this to come... I assure you!

God is good, all the time.

Thankful Thoughts: Day 1

November is here, can you believe it? This is one of my favorite months, it kicks off the holiday season and my favorite time of year!

So since this is the season of giving thanks, I decided I am going to blog one thing a day until Thanksgiving that I am thankful for. I was going to try and come up with some clever title, but I could not think of an "N" word that meant thankful to go along with November, but I just kept thinking "No Shave November." Fail!

Instead I decided to title it Thankful Thoughts.... So here is my Thankful Thought for today:

I am thankful for November and all the fun times and sweet memories that will be made. It is going to be a busy month, with travels, friends, family and lots of school work mixed in there. But I am thankful for the holiday season that is kicking off. And most of all that I get to spend the whole season, Thanksgiving and all with my family for the first time in three years; And for the first time in the US together in six years! It's going to be great!

JUST ONE MORE!

After much back and forth, flip flopping, I have finally figured out that I AM GRADUATING IN THE SPRING/SUMMER! Just one more semester (plus a summer abroad in ITALY!) and I will be a college graduate! HOO-RAH! I have been praying about this and trying to figure out what exactly to do since this semester started.

And as I was reminded in my quiet time last night, God hears me, God remembers his covenant and never forgets me, God sees me and God knows my desires! (Exodus 2:24-25)

For a while now I've been contemplating getting a minor in French. My only hang up was that I would have to stick around an extra semester to take my last French class. Just one class. I thought I had come to terms with the idea that I would be in school until December 2013 until a few weeks ago. I started to really doubt that and was not at peace with it at all...and it hit me. And I'm not really sure why or how I had not thought about this before...but I decided to explain to my French teacher (whom I've had for the past six semesters) my dilemma and ask about doing an independent study. It was a God thing for sure! She said that was not a problem and we would talk more soon about it.

That afternoon, I went and talked to my advisor to find out what I have left to take before I graduate. And it just worked out that all I need is an intro philosophy class (which I am taking in ITALY THIS SUMMER!) and three electives.

So I talked to my french teacher today about what exactly my independent study would entail and again confirm it would work for me to do it. It will be a 4000 level class, I will meet with her weekly and write an extensive research paper on a topic of my choice. It will be a lot of work, but I am looking forward to it!

Only thing left to do now is find out if I can walk in the Spring. Oh, and figure out what comes next in life...? NBD!

Lord, I am so thankful that you have a plan. A plan that is for my good and your glory. I am thankful that you hear me, you remember me, you see me and you know me. You know the desires of my heart and I ask that you would guide and direct my path, that I would be attentive to your leading and seek first your will! Show me what's next, I'm ready and excited to see what you have for me! 

Ever Presence

"Try to stay conscious of Me as you go step by step through this day. My Presence with you is both a promise and a protection. My final statement just before I ascended into heaven was: Surely I am with you always. That promise was for all of My followers, without exception.

The promise of My Presence is a powerful protection. As you journey through your life, there are numerous pitfalls along the way. Many voices clamor for your attention, enticing you to go their way. A few steps away from your true path are pits of self-pity and despair, plateaus of pride and self-will. If you take you eyes off Me and follow another's way, you are in grave danger. Even well-meaning friends can lead you astray if you let them usurp My place in your life. The way to stay on the path of Life is to keep your focus on Me. Awareness of My Presence is your best protection."

- October 15, 2012, Jesus Calling, Sarah Young. 

If you haven't read Jesus Calling by Sarah Young you need to. Today's devotion was exactly what I needed to hear. So here's some honesty for you. Lately it has been a struggle to spend time in prayer, to study the Bible and to simply be still before the Lord. I have fallen into a "plateau of pride and self-will." But the most reassuring thing is is that God is ever present. Even when I have reached a plateau in my walk. Even when I have allowed myself to fall to the temptations of self-sufficiency and serving myself. He is here in the midst, holding me close and never ever letting go. As I make myself more aware of his ever presence, my focus will turn less on me and become more on him.

Lord, break my selfish hard heart. I ask that you will remind me of your presence through out my day, and the rest of this week. Let me set my heart and mind on things above. Teach me to be still and covet my time with you above all else.

Thank you for your ever presence and your tender kindness.

Amen.

Throwback Thursday!

Since I have a little spare time today between classes I've decided to do a Throwback Thursday. I have realized there is a HUGE gap in my blog from like Spring Break until just recently when I got back to blogging. So in order to fill in the gap I think I'll write some posts about the big things that happened from March til September. Cause there were some pretty fun and exciting things that happened. So I'll start back in April.

In this post I talked about the possibility of my sister coming to spend her two week spring break with me here in the States. Well SHE DID! And it was such a sweet time. We spent three out of the three weekends she was in the States in Atlanta. And since Atlanta is basically one of my favorite places in the world and I was with one of my favorite people in the world, it was fabulous. 

The first weekend (March 31) I got up super early on Saturday and drove to Atlanta to pick Stephanie up at the airport. We got to have lunch with Rachel, Mrs. O'Meara, Nathan and Hye Zhin before we headed home to Savannah. 

That week we just hung out around Savannah. I skipped class one day to have a beach day!

Thursday night, we drove up to Atlanta to spend Easter weekend with the O'Meara's. 

We spent Good Friday at Passion City's Good Friday service. It was such a wonderful worship experience. The Passion band (Chris Tomlin, Kristian Stanfell, Christy Nockels, and David Crowder) and Louie Giglio did such an amazing job of leading 20,000 people in worshiping the RISEN KING!

The next day we spent shopping, trying on hats, getting ears pierced and catching up with Rachel! We have too much fun together...

Easter Sunday we went back to the Verizon Amphitheater with Rachel and Nathan to celebrate the resurrection of our Jesus with the Passion City crew. It was just as overwhelming as Good Friday. Such an awesome time of worship! 

After a lovely afternoon with friends, we headed back to Savannah for the rest of the week, only to return to Atlanta for another fun/friend filled weekend! 

I was able to switch my days at work so we left for the weekend a little bit early and went to visit Bethany in Pine Mountain on our way to Atlanta. We spent the afternoon with Bethany in Columbus and convinced her to come stay with us Friday night in Atlanta! 

Friday night was opening night of was opening weekend at Turner Field! So Hye Zhin, Nathan, Patrick, Stephanie and I all piled in Nathan's car to go to the game.

AND the Civil Wars were there for a pre and post game show. They are basically just as AH-MAZING live as they are on their cd. 

After an fantastic season opener, we made the trek back to the car. As we were driving out of the parking lot, we hit a bump that made the muffler fall down. The parking lot we were in was sketchy to say the least...so we found a better lit one to wait in while we figured out what to do. Bethany our knight (or knightess) in shining armor came to the rescue! She decided to come and stay the night with Stephanie and I, so she navigated the streets of downtown Atlanta to find and rescue us all.

The next day we took Stephanie to the airport and said goodbye after fantastic two weeks!

I ended up making a whole weekend of it and went home with Bethany to Pine Mountain for the night. I got to meet all her Impact friends and then come back to Atlanta for another Braves game on Sunday! and THEY WON AGAIN! :) 

All in all it was a sweet two weeks with my sister, who is one of my very best friends! I love her so very much and am so thankful to God for what he has given me in her! <3 

We made four days into five!

Hello, hello!! It's finally Thursday and I am one class away from my three day weekend! This has been one long, hard week...I had lots and lots of assignments due, several papers, lots of reading as usual and a french oral. That coupled with the fact that I got very very little sleep last weekend and no homework done due to a fantastic weekend filled with friends made my week seem a little longer and harder than usual. But I'd say the memories made and the fun times had were well worth the longs nights, tired morning and sleep deprived headaches this week has brought!

Some of the fun memories we made last weekend:

Thursday afternoon I went to the airport to pick up Tricia, while an unsuspecting Bethany decided to skip class and come down a day early. Little did she know, she was in for a big surprise when I got home with her little sister in the car. Her reaction was priceless! Unfortunately due to my phone's stupidity and possibly my own ineptness I missed recording the whole thing.

Anyhow a little back story, Tricia flew in from Texas to surprise Bethany and Stephanie. This was the weekend we were celebrating both of their birthday's so Tricia's presence only added to the celebratory festivities of the weekend.

Friday we ate lunch at the Pirates House, which is always delicious then spent a wonderful lazy afternoon in Forsyth Park. We went home and freshened up and continued our night downtown, we went to see Gone with the Wind in the Lucas Theater. Don't get me wrong, Gone with the Wind is a great movie, definitely one to see in your lifetime, but it's one that you can only watch like once every five to ten years, because it's just too long!

Saturday morning we got up after only a few short hours of sleep at 5:30 to go watch the sunrise at the beach. But just as our luck would have it, it was cloudy so we could only see splices of the sky as it changed colors. Nonetheless it was a beautiful reminder that man is without excuse, God has revealed himself through many means!

So just to be ironic, we went and ate breakfast at Sunrise before we came home and crashed for another several hours. And this is how we made four days into five. Because when we all woke up we felt like we had another whole day ahead of us.

Saturday afternoon (Saturday #2) we psyched our selves up to go see "The House at the End of the Street." Just a little bit about me. I don't like scary movies, I only watch them if and when we're holed up at home, snuggled down in a big blanket with my best friends. So I was not for going to see this movie. AT.ALL. While it was scary at parts, I thought it was a good psychological thriller. There were several twists and some good ole make you jump out of your skin parts, but it was worth seeing. 

Sunday was a sad day, because it was the beginning of the end. After a morning/afternoon of church, Olive Garden and Downton Abbey it was time for it all to end. Bethany back to Columbiaand Tricia back to Texas and us all  back to the daily grind.

I am beyond blessed to have some great friends in my life like Bethany, Patricia and Stephanie. We have lived near, and then far and now we're near together again and through it all our friendship has remained. GOD IS SO GOOD!!

Now for that last class and on to another fantastic weekend celebrating Stephanie's birthday again...this time in Atlanta!!! Hooray!

September is Here!

We are well on our way into September and I am just giddy about the fall and all it has to bring! This month started out fabulously and the rest of the month is shaping up to be just as fabulous! 

My long weekend started Thursday night, since I had Friday off work, so not only did I have a normal long weekend. I had a LONG long weekend. 

The weekend was filled with...

...best friends that you can do silly things like this with in public...

...pinterest crafts that worked like bubble art...

 ...and pinterest crafts that took a couple of tries to get right...

 ...picnics, sunsets, and long talks on the beach... 

...breath taking moon rises, stargazing and fireworks at the beach.... 

...scary movies that are not so scary, yummy pinterest recipes, downton abbey, and sweet time with family. Basically it was a fantastic weekend. I am so thankful for my best friends. God has blessed me more than I deserve and I am so happy that both of them are so very close by now!! 

I can't wait for so many more lovely weekends with these beautiful girls! <3

Quick Summer Recap!

Well....it's been quite a while since I've written anything. But it has been quite a busy busy summer.

A quick recap...

May: Finished school; Visited Pine Mountain and saw Bethany graduate Impact; Threw my best friend, Laura a baby shower; visited Alabama and saw Rachel graduate high school; traveled to Israel with Rachel; detoured in NYC, spent a day exploring the city; then finally made my last trip to the Holy Land!

June: Saw my little sister graduate high school; cooked lots of food for graduation parties; did some last minute traveling around Israel; played lots of Dutch Blitz; made some new friends; went star gazing at the beach; played on the playground at night; played countless rounds of cards; had late night pancakes at Benedicts; built a blanket fort and spent the night in it; missed Rachel's flight home; packed and sorted the house; had a garage sale.

July: Movers came to pack up our stuff; lived with bare essentials in the house for two weeks; said goodbye to an experience of a lifetime and moved back to the USA; drove from NYC to Savannah; Stopped in Philadelphia and DC on the way home; moved back into our house in Savannah; unpacked and got set up in the house;

August: Shipment from Israel arrived; Visited Rachel and Amy in Alabama; Day tripped to Six Flags; spent a weekend with the Stewarts before Bethany started college; Started my senior year of college!

Wow...well that just about sums it up in short. I had a sweet sweet summer. Spent mostly with friends and family making unforgettable memories!


Hopefully soon I can write some more and put some pictures up of all our adventures in Israel, moving back and memories from this summer.

Gonna get back to it!

Gracious goodness it's been a long while since I've posted anything on here. I was just going through my old posts though and it was fun to see the past two years documented! So as soon as I get back home and have my computer I'm gonna get back to it. It's been busy busy busy and I'm in Israel and only have my iPad so it makes posting difficult. I'll post some pictures soon of all the fun and exciting things that have been going on this summer!

Always

I have been listening non stop to the Passion 2011 and Passion 2012 albums for the past month...maybe even longer than that. Anyhoo that's beside the point of this post. This is one of my favorite songs on the two albums, called Always by Kristian Stanfell. 

My foes are many, they rise against me
But I will hold my ground
I will not fear the war, I will not fear the storm
My help is on the way, my help is on the way

Oh, my God, He will not delay
My refuge and strength always
I will not fear, His promise is true
My God will come through always, always

Troubles surround me, chaos abounding
My soul will rest in You
I will not fear the war, I will not fear the storm
My help is on the way, my help is on the way

I lift my eyes up, my help comes from the Lord
From You Lord, from You Lord

This anthem is a declaration of God's promise to me. That He will not delay, He is God, He knows when things should happened, He is in control, He never leaves me side, He is my refuge and strength, His promise is true and I can take him at his word, He will always always always come through. So I can just rest in his strong arms, I don't have to fear. I can simply rest in his security and let him be God. And he does all of this because he loves me. What a wonderful great God I have the opportunity to know and live for! 

They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn, They will hear the good news: 

That God does what he says, the Lord saved his people. 

Psalm 22:31 

(NIV, the Message and Good News Translation)  

He Chose Art!

 Jon Acuff's instagram 

"The world didn't have to be beautiful. God could have opted for utilitarian. Instead he chose art!"

 - Jon Acuff

As I was scrolling through Facebook today I saw the above post from Jon Acuff, author of Stuff Christians Like Blog. And all I could think is WOW, my God is awesome! 

Not only is His masterful art work on display declaring His glory, it is a marvelous expression of his deep love for you and me! He could have left us in a cold, colorless world, instead he gave us dazzling sunsets. He also could have left us dead in sin with out hope, but he sent Jesus who stretched out his arms on the cross to bring us life, hope and a future! 

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." 

--Psalm 19:1

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities- his eternal power and divine nature- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." 

-- Romans 1:20

We took a right turn down the road of life...

You know what the worst part of vacation is... it ending! I had Spring Break this past week and boy let me tell you, it was wonderful not to think about anything school related for a whole ten days. Tomorrow it's back to the daily grind of life...YAY! I had such a great time spending the better part of a week with these lovely people...

I spent the first half of the week in Montgomery, Alabama before we ventured back to Savannah for the St. Patrick's Day festivities. 

Spring Break Happenings

1. Met Doppler, the chillest (is that even a word?) dog ever. He is on the opposite end of the spectrum from our Suki.

2. Went bowling for the first time in years. I broke one hundred. AND I won. Can you believe it!? 

3. Turned a five hour car trip into a significantly longer one.

4. Tried to teach Rachel accents...emphasis on the tried. 

5. Got pulled over for the first time. Luckily the police officer was gracious and let me go without a ticket. 

6. Witnessed a waterbottle/sword fight.

7. Spent the day before St. Patty's downtown walking around like tourists. Savannah is like a whole different town on St. Patty's day!

8. Met an A.I.P. (Actual Irish Person) - she wasn't very nice though :-/

9. Was introduced to the game of LIFE.  

10. Had my first Melting Pot dessert experience. "Can we have some more strawberries please!?"

11. "Hey look, she's eating a canoli" - Rachel

12. Started a Bucket List.

13. Went to the St. Patrick's Day Parade for the first time.

Lots of fun was had and memories were made.

Thank you Lord for the blessing of great friends!

Hello March!

http://pinterest.com/pin/84231455500159327/

Why hello March, it's nice to see you too! 

If today is an indicator of how the rest of March is going to go, I'm pretty sure it's going to be a pretty fantastic month.

What's in store you might ask...

1. I finished the Hunger Games series as of about thirty minutes ago. And yes, I am planning on re-reading them. 

2. I get to see my Daddy in just ONE week. Not only do I get to spend the weekend with him, I get to see my family up in Charlotte too! 

3. Spring Break. Need I say more?...oh wait, I do. If Spring Break wasn't enough to be excited about, I get to spend it with some of my favorite friends! 

4. St. Patrick's Day in Savannah. This will be the first year in which I take part in the festivities! Of course accompanied by some of those same favorites that I'm spending spring break with! 

5. The Hungers Games - Midnight Premiere. Can I just say that I don't think I've ever been more excited for a movie to come out. Ever. 

6. My best friend find out if she's having a little boy or a little girl. And I'm pretty sure I'm just as anxious as she is to know if it's a he or a she! 

7. No more French class, for the rest of the semester. I did my five days a week for seven weeks and I am DONE! Just three more French classes and I'll have a minor.

8. After March, comes April...which has some pretty fantastic plans shaping up!!

 (including the Braves season opener with a pre game Civil Wars show AND my sister might be coming to spend her Spring Break with me)

That's just the fun stuff, not to mention all the school work and papers I've got to squeeze in there too.

But here's to a marvelous March!

Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renews like the eagle's. The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed...The Lord iss compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. 

Psalm 103:1-6, 8

French Film Festival

The Armstrong French Film Festival is this weekend!! It begins on Thursday night and goes through Saturday. 

 These are the movies I'm hoping to see...

Farewell:

Hideaway

The Beautiful Person

The Illusionist

And best part of the whole festival, is that it is free. For more information about when and where click here! So come and enjoy!!