Valentine's Day!

So, this was probably one of the best Valentine's Days I've ever had! Earlier in the week, I recieved my first Valentine...in the mail from my Grandpa and MaMaw H. Then on Saturday morning after Friday night's work, I had Valentines from my other set of grandparents and one from my Mom and Dad (in my Mom's handwriting). They were all great and sweet and wonderful, but still the usual Valentine. So I went to sleep, (remember, being on third shift, Saturday morning is like Friday night for me still, since I sleep during the day.). When I woke up later that day, I had another card waiting for me...one from my father. This card in and of itself made my day! I won't go into what it said on here... that's for me and my Daddy! But I can tell you that it was the sweetest Daddy Letter I've ever gotten and was worded perfectly and was just what I needed to hear from my Daddy! (esp. with some of the things I've been dealing with lately.)

Then the night continued on the path of 'great'. On most weekends lately, the college kids have been hanging out. Well this weekend we decided that the single girls would hang out and the single guys would hang out together. Well there ended up being 5 ladies that hung out. I had the privelage of cooking them a nice sit down dinner...then we all sat around the tv ate cookie dough for dessert and watched...300! Yep... that's right, the girls watched a definate guy movie for Valentine's Day. And what made it all the more better... on the way home we called the guys to see what they did...they ate and watched Juno... a girl movie. So we kinda switched places for Valentine's Day. Half the fun was knowing we weren't doing the 'normal' Valentine's Day thing. Me and one other girl then ended the night at my house at about 4:30 am after watching Pride & Prejudice... had to get a little 'chick-flick'ness in there somewhere!

STRESSS...and release!

WOW!! I have been on a massive roller coaster over the past week. Last Thursday, I woke up in Thailand not feeling well ... at ALL! I had a major case of the stomach bug that was going around! Well I was finally able to start keeping my food in my tummy and we arrived home safely... only for me to realize how much school work I had left undone due to ice storm's power outages before we left. I had major catching up to do...and major jet lag!
Needless to say, it took me a few days to get back on my feet. However while still feeling like I was drowning in school work, monday night I had to return to work to find that my leave of absence request had been denied and later that night I also had the privelage to get a piece of metal rammed UNDER my thumbnail, a good 1/4 inch deep! OUCH!! But back to the leave of absence... For those that don't know, I've requested a 2-month leave of absence to go on a mission trip to the Philippines for two months, where I'll be working in an orphanage. This was a huge blow that I didn't see coming. I knew that God wanted me to go on this trip.
After praying that if God wanted me to go that He would revel that to me, He definately did. With the help of a Godly woman by the name of Heather W., I prayed that God would revel my strengths to me, so I could narrow the search of IMB projects He wanted me on. I 'realized' that I loved working in the nursery at church and working with kids. So with that, I went back over the projects and this one jumped off the screen, and I knew this was where the Lord wanted me. So I continued to pray and asked the Lord to close doors if He didn't want me to go. However a month or so after I completed my application, I got the phone call saying that I had been approved. But that wasn't the only thing I recieved; I also recieved a peace, I knew this was what the Lord wanted at this point in my life. So in full faith, I requested the leave of absence...knowing that it would be granted.
Needless to say, monday night hit me like a ton of bricks. I was confused, but oddly enough I still had that peace. I knew that the Lord was in control of everything, so I immediately went to Him in prayer, confessing my fears and worries and concerns. That's when I remembered the words of my best friend, Emily B. A few months ago when talking about the leave of absence (LOA), she asked me what I would do if it got denied. I told her I really didn't think I needed to worry about that...but still what if??? she asked. She looked at me and simply said.. "You'll have to quit. If the Lord is leading you on this trip, you HAVE to go." How little did I expect her to hit so close to what would happen!
So as I thought of my possible options, I thought about some other aspects of the equation:
1) My next semester I have to take Anatomy... which is an 8 am class. 2) My family and I knew that when the 8 am mandatory classes began, I would probably have to quit UPS and 3) I have a few science classes (Anatomy being 1) that I have to take and then I'll be ready to apply for Upper Division Nursing (the intense part!) and I knew I would have to quit UPS at that point.
So if you see... I was getting close to the point of needing a job change anyway. I'm now realizing that this declined LOA was the Lord's way of telling me it might be time to move on from UPS.
Going back to that roller coaster I was on...
Today (well yesterday.. Thursday) I was completing a resume, a requirement for me to sign my contract so that UPS will pay for this semester of school, when I was shown to a website, a job search website for Louisville. As part of the requirements I have to register and put my resume up ( I got to choose whether it was public or private) and I noticed that I could chose to have hours around school hours. I looked at the lady, amazed, and said, "Can I use this.. like.. now?? I don't have to wait till I graduate college???" She simply responded, "um.. yea. That's what it's here for. Are you thinking about a job change?" I replied, "It's looking that way."
So at this point I've not found any one job in particular, but there are a ton of options and I'm sure the Lord will point one out before long.
So, this morning (which is still like Thursday night for me) I have finally gotten all caught up and ahead of school work and may be looking for another job come June!
In this week I have been... sick, knocked out on a plane, jet lagged, swamped, pained, blind sided, confused, stressed, hurt, misguided, lost, found, rescued, relieved, and guieded. . . I think I got it all.. I may have left something out... but you get the idea!

All I have to say now is Praise the Lord!! I'm soo soo soo grateful He is in charge of my life and not me... whew, I don't think I could handle running this life of mine!

Back home!

So we are finally back home. A group from our church had the opportunity to go to Thailand and it was amazing and very eye opening. The Lord has called me to missions, of that I have been sure of for years, but on this trip He has really given me a heart for children and women, especially for the women on the streets. Prostitution run rampid where we were at and the Lord has really given me a heart for the women and especially the girls that are involved. I want to be able to reach them. I want to know them and to share the saving grace of Christ with them.
The Lord has also been teaching me over the past 2 months or so to trust Him and to really have Faith. Not just to know what faith is, but to believe it and practice it in my heart. It has been a slow process but I'm grateful for it as I know the Lord is shaping me and molding me through it and will continue to grow me into who He wants me to be.

One Week!!!

ONE WEEK!!!

I'm in love with my Savior!!

In my last post I told you of how the Lord is working in my life... well this is simply a continuance of that! I've been blown away by our Savior!! He was wonderfully and ever graciously allowed me to fall in love with Him! He is moving in amazing ways in me and all around me!
Recently the Lord has started a work within our Sunday School class and as just worked wonders through everyone in the class, each according to the Lord's great and perfect plan!
What a great God we serve!! All praise and glory and honor to Him alone!

2009 - The Year of Faith!

So 2009 has been a whirlwind and were not even three weeks in yet! I like to be in control of my life, and I have come to realize that I have no control. The Lord has all the control, as He should, and I realize that this is a big thing for me to grasp. To an extent, I have 'known' this and been told this all my life, however it is something totally different to 'know' something in your heart and believe it. This takes faith. And that's what I want to focus on this upcoming year. I don't do 'New Year's Resolutions', but I do want to be intentional about some things in this year. I want to check myself and constantly remind myself that I'm not in control; to fully give God all of my struggles, even when that means I have to give my heart and all of its struggles over to God every minute (which will likely be the case). The Lord is teaching me to have faith and to trust. Trust is something that I have a really hard time with, but slowly the Lord is teaching me to trust in Him, that He has a plan for me. And that no matter what I do, and how many times I fall and mess up, that I can't 'mess up' His plan. The Lord has no 'plan B'. He knows my many faults and has still chosen me as His child. Remembering these promises and standing firm on the love and faithfulness of Jesus Christ is how I want to go throughout this year. To live my life to glorify Christ to the best of my abilities, and that requires me putting all that I have, my faith, my trust, my life, my securities, my insecurities, my controls, my emotions, and my heart, before Him and giving all that I am to Him. For me, this seems so risky, giving it all up, but at the same time I have peace and comfort knowing that I am safe in the Lord. That He will watch over me and protect me as He sees fit.
For years, I've said this, but lately the Lord has worked in my life and has revealed Himself to me in a way like never before! I have fallen in love with my Savior!
I have joy, and even in the times such as this, when trials in my life abound, I still have joy. I know that this joy is only from the Lord and I'm so thankful for it! I'm grateful to no end that the Lord has promised to get me through the valleys that He brings me to. And I have to constantly remind myself that He intentionally brings me to valleys, I don't 'accidentally stumble' upon them, He brings them to me and He will never leave me as He gets me through them.

Christmas Pictures!

Ok, so I know this post is a tad late.. but I just got around to and just remembered to put these up. Many weeks ago, my family had the great pleasure to have Christmas pictures taken for the first time by Kyle C.! We had a wonderful time and just wanted to share some of my favorites!