From the mountains...to the oceans..

Okay..so maybe reverse that..beach first and then the mountains!

Trips

I'm starting to get SUPER excited because the next two weekends are full of fun little trips and I love any excuse to get out of Raleigh! :)

This weekend I'm going to the beach with Laura, Friday evening through Sunday, and I can't wait! It's quite possibly my last chance to see the ocean this summer so I'm happy about getting to be there for the whole entire weekend! I'm certain, rain or shine, we will have tons of fun!

Next weekend, me and my fantastic K Cubed friends have a little trip planned to Boone. All the details are slowly but surely coming together, but I do know for sure that it will involve hiking, camping, and jumping off of waterfalls with 4 of my favorite people - how could I not be excited! Expect LOTS of pictures! :)

Things I'm learning

God has used this past year, to bring out so many things in my life that I really need to work on. One of them that He has brought to the forefront right now is my bitterness and bad attitude towards certain situations or people in my life.

I'm so selfish and self-centered sometimes...scratch that..A LOT of times, that I fail to show grace and mercy to people when they need it most. I get so irritated and frustrated whenever I feel like I've been mistreated or wronged by someone. Funny thing is, I can guarantee I have a horrible attitude towards those same people plenty of times so all the more reason, I should be loving on and forgiving them. And, I don't know about for you, but for me - it seems the better I know someone or the closer we are, the easier it is to hold on to things or treat those people unfairly. Wow - I've still got so much growing to do!

Fun Facts

Tomorrow is my official "New Every Two" date with Verizon! WHOO HOO! My little phone is just about as broke as it can be while still being able to work, so I can't wait to get a new phone! Surprising, since I don't even like to talk on the phone in the first place - ha.

Last night I got a paper cut...only it was on a cardboard box I think, so maybe it should be called a cardboard cut? Either way - I'm pretty sure the cut is deeper than some slices from kitchen knives that I've had. Who knew cardboard could be so dangerous?!

Shout Outs

#1) David Levin - Here's to you David! You get the first because you had shout outs on your page to begin with....I just stole your idea! :P

#2) Tonia Jackson -Kudos to you for finding that "super important" information on the internet for me yesterday! It took you no time at all! ;) And I thought I was good at searching things on the online!

#3) Shelley Levin - You're my very best friend and that right there is enough to earn you a shout out! BUT, you also brought me a HUGE cheerwine last night, which makes you even more deserving than you already were! I love you!

Summer fading to fall

Hard to believe that we are already more than half-way through August and summer will be over soon! This summer has been full of fantastic memories and I'll be sad to see it go; but, I'm also super excited about all that fall brings! Here are some favorite memories of summer and what I'm looking forward to most about fall. :)

Sweet summer favorites:

#1) NLC. I love love love getting to visit campfires and skit nights, and this year, pretty much every other thing that happened in the evenings out there. Working Kindercamp - also a BIG plus!

#2) BEACH. The ocean is my favorite place to be, and while I would visit there all year around, it's a lot harder to find friends to go with when it's cold so I usually only see it during the hot summer months.

#3) RASCAL FLATTS. It's possible you could confuse me for a giddy school girl when these guys come to town. You either love them or you hate them, and I'm on the far extreme side of loving them. They are the only concert I feel the need to attend every year and it always proves to be so worth it!

#4) TRIPLE K. (name changed to protect the innocent) Late night trips to Krispy Kreme when the hot light is on. Throw in some really good friends and is any more explanation really needed?

#5) PENNSYLVANIA. While my grandparents aren't doing great, it has been fantastic to see them and other family in Pennsylvania on more than one occasion this summer.

#6) WEDDINGS. I've always loved weddings, I'm just odd I think. But, I love them even more now because it means I get to see tons of good friends from college! :)

#7) ICED WHITE MOCHAS. Yummy, ice cold, coffee goodness! I'll continue to drink them all year long, but those 100 degree days make them even more enjoyable.

#8)BIG BROTHER. My mouth pretty much hangs open in shock every time I watch this show. I LOVE it; as much, and somedays, possibly more than I do the Bachelor/Bachelorette - and that is a big deal. :)

Fast forward to fall:

#1) STATE FAIR. The people, the food, the rides, all of it! I even get the email each year saying when advance tickets go on sale. Who wants to come with me one of the almost 5 or 6 guaranteed times that I'll go?! :P

#2) HOODIES. I pretty much love anything that has a hood, but especially sweatshirt hoodies. Fall is a fantastic time for sporting these comfortable things and I can not wait.

#3) FOOTBALL. Don't know when it happened, but at some point I decided that I just really love football. Most specifically, the Wolfpack - even when they are not so hot (I'm not a fair-weather fan!), followed closely by the Steelers. Now, this doesn't mean that I have to religiously watch every single game or that I understand all the rules, but I def. enjoy what I get to see on TV or am lucky enough to attend in person - A LOT.

#4) BIRTHDAY. What's not to love about having a birthday? :)

#5) NLC. Isn't it great that so much stuff goes on at camp it can be on my summer AND fall lists? :) Upward, Blast, and High School Hangout all start up soon!

#6) TV. I never used to watch much TV probably because I just didn't have time. Now for the most part I still don't have time, but I have discovered the beauty of watching shows online. New episodes of NCIS, Castle, The Mentalist, and CSI: Miami are what I'm really excited about!

#7) THANKSGIVING. Family and lots of good food!

God is so good

How many times have I spent planning out what is best for my life and making decisions completely without consulting what God wants or has for me? If I'm being honest, I'm pretty certain that this happens way more often than not. I know that God created everything and knows everything and wants nothing but the best for me, but it's as if my small human mind can't seem to comprehend that somehow I should also listen to Him when I know He's leading me - even if the decision He wants me to make doesn't seem like the easy or fun one. God has totally used this past year to remind me how much he does want the best and how faithful He is to provide, if nothing more, just a peace about exactly where He has me, when I am willing to obey Him.

Nearly a year ago, I was at the end of my longest and most complicated relationship and I had no idea what was coming next. Ending this relationship was something that I believe both of us knew was the right decision, but neither was willing to take the first step or to give up the comfort and security it offered, or sacrifice the friendship we knew we'd lose. But, finally, each of us made a move that lead to the end of what I know for me, was one of the biggest learning experiences of my life thus far. It was hard, really hard....but looking back, it's funny to see how God provided both of us, in very different ways, with a peace beyond understanding and huge blessings and far better things, than I know we would have ever gotten if we continued to follow the things we thought were best for our lives.

For me, those blessings came in the form of Godly, encouraging frienships. The end of this relationship meant losing my best friend for the past five years, and if you'd asked me what the next year looked like - I probably would have said I thought it'd be full of lots of quality alone time. How humbled and amazed am I at God's faithfulness when I reflect on this past year and realize that it has been anything but that!

I've spent the past year reconnecting with old friends and building relationships with new ones. God has given me one of the best girl friends I've ever had and someone I know I will be close with for the rest of my life. We've shared a ridiculous amount of laughs and tears this past year and I know there are so many more to come. Without hesitation, I can say that it is no coincidence that God put her in my life at this time because He knew how much I would need her.


For half of the year, He provided me the opportunity to serve in ministry with a team of people that literally became like family in not much more than one months time. From that group, I've been blessed with an amazing accountability group of girls that love me exactly as I am, but too much to let me stay that way! They encourage me and challenge me and I am so thankful for God putting them in my lives when He knew I would need them the most.


I've spent more time with my family, built and renewed friendships or grown closer with numerous individuals from camp, and gotten to spend time with lots of great friends from college! There hasn't been a minute I've had time to feel lonely!


To top it all off, the peace that God has provided, even in the hardest moments, has literally left me in shock at times. It's as if I can't even imagine how I could be as happy or as joyful as I've been, after losing such a big part of my life. I've literally experienced the peace that surpasses all understanding that the Bible talks about! Seriously, how cool is that?!

I'd like to say that after all of God's amazing provisions this year that I'll never again try to do things on my own, or follow after what I think is right for my life. Unfortunately, being the sinful person I am, I don't think I'll always be successful at that. Thankfully, however, I know I'll be able to look around at the amazing friends He's blessed me with and see and be reminded of just how faithful He is when I'm willing to surrender it all to Him.

my week of vacation

I spent last week working at NLC as a Kindercamp counselor for the Lightning Bugs!!! It was def. nice to have a week off from my full-time job and get to spend the days playing with 5 year olds! :) Our huddle was full of super-cute kids and we had very well behaved kids so that was definitely a blessing! I've been a Kindercamp counselor many times before but for some reason last week, at the beginning I was really struggling. Monday especially, I felt like I didn't know what to do next, where to go, or if I was even doing anything right! I don't usually lack so much self-confidence at things that I've done hundreds of time before and love doing, but Monday was def. an emotional battle! Thankfully, by the end of the day Tuesday I was having fun and felt a lot more comfortable and confident!

Ashton, my nephew, was also at day camp this past week, so we had a week long sleepover at my house. Can I just say that spending entire days with fifteen 5 and 6 year olds non-stop and then taking one home with you is VERY tiring! I mean, I pretty much didn't want to do anything once I got home in the evenings and was in bed by 930 nearly every night!

Friday night was supposed to be a sleepover with Daryl and Shelley but we got home from 2nd supper around 12am and by 1205am I was literally passed out SNORING on the floor! Ha! Every once in a while I'd wake up and add some random insight to whatever conversation was going on, and then immediately put my head down and fall right back asleep! Thank goodness for the rest of the weekend when I was able to get lots of rest!


Saturday night we had a goodbye cookout for John B. who's leaving Wednesday for Korea! What a fun time hanging out with friends! One of our plans was to walk to the trail in the dark, but somehow it turned into a secret plan to split off into small groups and try and ambush and scare myself and Shelley on the dark camp road. Thankfully, with help from a couple of other girls, we made it safely back to the house! :) However, that only happened, after we discovered the fact that Dwight has a ridiculously large barbed-wire fence behind his house! It's possible I might have almost wet my pants in shock and amusement when I saw that! True story.

Easily the highlight of the night was playing extreme spoons! I've seen it played before but never actually been apart of the action. WOW is all I can say. I was bleeding and slightly bruised after Saturday nights games, but after an even bigger battle when playing Sunday night, my arms and legs now look like I'm possibly in an abusive relationship. The fun had playing the game was so completely worth it! :)


Sunday night I also got to hear Daryl, Rebecca, Anna, Josh, John, Caleb, and David J. talk about their trip to Cambodia! It was awesome to hear about the things that God used them to do while they were there and how they were taught and humbled by God and learned so many things from the people in Cambodia that God is using still in their lives since they've been back!

100% God has given me a heart to travel the globe and tell others about Him and the way that He has changed my life and how He loves them and wants to be apart of theirs. I've been on a few short term mission trips ranging from a month to a month and a half and I've loved every minute of each and wished for more time in each country! I'd say when I've planned out my future I've always known that missions is something that will be apart of it, but more in the short term sense, like the trips I've been on before. However, last night, listening to some of the people speak and seeing the pictures and hearing about the joy of these Cambodian people, really reminded me even more about how much I want to GO! To add to it, continuously in my head and heart was this feeling that I shouldn't just be praying about short-term missions but what if God is calling me to be praying about something bigger than that?! Like long-term...be it a couple of years or the rest of my life? Now, I don't know that this is what He does or doesn't want at all. Maybe He just wants my willingness to say that I would give up all my comforts here for more than just a couple of months to follow Him at any cost. But it was def. scary and exciting, and a lot to think about how this could be something He has in store for me. Definitely something to be praying about! I'm excited no matter what to see what God has planned next!

That's enough for now. :)