Take and Seal it

"Prone to wander Lord I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart, Lord, take and seal it, seal it for Thy courts above."

I love when lyrics seem to sum up your exact feelings.

Gosh, I'm so prone to wander. The thought of leaving the God I love.. hm, hurts my heart.

Sitting in the libe, as usual. Been sweet to see how priorities have fallen right into place when I leave it to the Lord and manage to seek him first. I willfully try to plan each day, hour by hour, and where do I end up? Frustrated and hating spontaneity more than I thought possible, haha, gosh.

When I just realize I have nothing, I've lost it all, things just ...well, work. It's the strangest thing. The lord is so deserving:) and sufficient.

Found this verse this morning, Psalm 51:12 "Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me."

He sustains our lives, so he IS sufficient; further proving our being a whole lotta' nothing. But then I'm reminded of my dad's love for us and his building us and growing us up in him, so we lack nothing when seeking him and his glory in all we do.

I love how faith all connects. Each aspect leads to another and clarifies many other aspects.

Wow, most random blog entry ever, huh? haha :)

ode to joy (revamped pieces of joy, haha:)

music

lyrics

mom sending texts where she writes in ALL CAPS

learning to love cold weather..(tough)

slumber parties with D group girls

laurie making breakfast for brittany and I :)

dropping my straightener and it clamping on my foot, typical

eating HOT soup every day (and tea)

making a linner with Alicia and discovering 4:30 to be much too late a time for linner

running in cold weather ( numb body= no pain)

the lord teaching me about priorities

focusing on strengths and weaknesses being perfected through them

restful weekends

going to an Army Ranger school graduation(awesome)

plans to go home this weekend to be with bay! and hopefully trick or treat, haha

sowing my moccasins after breaking (by sowing I mean hot glue..)

having a pet squirrel that hangs out on our AC window units all day and night

meeting 13 members of jake's family..all at once, ha. they're really great.

having aspirations to actually start cooking something besides my "dish" (rice,chicken, veggies, and sauce...it tastes much better than it sounds. I think.)

not wanting to go back to my freezing cold house.. and thinking of ways to campout in the libe

sitting on the roof:)

being asked "If I were a power ranger, which one would I be?" and "Why"?

....responding to the previous question, "the pink ranger, Kimberly"

discovering i like Grace Potter a lot...and discovering this after I had already NOT gone to the deep roots festival that night, haha, whoops

the temptation to buy TOMS..

that's all for now:) his love!

perspective.

Listening to Francis Chan and eating Cinnamon Toast Crunch on this Friday afternoon:)

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7815550195732165394&ei=LJDYSoGfMJC2rgKixbW0Dg&q=francis+chan+sermon&hl=en#

I love how the Lord provides exactly what I need (not necessarily want) to hear. The week had been interesting to say the least, got super caught up in school work, and almost even got mad at God for it. Wow.

So, in light of Francis' sermon 'Intimacy with God," What if I had just had an eternal perspective?

I acted like a...well, fool.. questioning my own father. And he still stands there, holding my hand; guiding my way. mm, mm.

Psa 73:23 Yet I still belong to you; you are holding my right hand.
	Psa 73:24	You will keep on guiding me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.
	Psa 73:25	Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth.
Fall break was a really sweet time. Got to spend some quality time with Bay. It's so neat watching her grow. I think that's something I love most. Watching people grow into the characteristics of Jesus. Really a beautiful thing. She's such an encouragement; the most chill fourteen- year old you will ever meet. But seriously, interesting to see how someone that young can teach me so much. ello, joy:) seeing family grow. seeing family, period. watching bay kick butt in soccer, and trip a girl.. having had this cough forrr.. 1 month and 1 week (record). SAVANNAH with elle, mary alice, and molls this saturday! Jenna winning homecoming last weekend. my Father and his crazy(awesome)plan. rain jackets. the sky looking like it should give us some snow:) learning patience with technology.. laughing with tae. photographs. watching the leaves change. whippin' out the sweats and hot tea to prepare for the freezing winter ahead. hugging friends. sleeping in until 7:15! boyfriend jeans. thinking my sis was having a sweet birthday bash last weekend, but finding out it wasn't until..well, today :( understanding. learning about a life devoted to prayer plenty plenty more joy, but my brain is quite honestly fried. haha, dang school. his love!		My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.

oh,hey

well. this is depressing.

thought I was oh so computer/social networking savvy; i was oh so wrong.

so, hey blog:) nice to see you again after a month, or two.

haha, ohkay, wait..I actually feel bad. uh..sorry blogspot?..this is just weird.

back to being semi-normal, ha--naturally, lots and lots to update. plenty i could bore you with, i'm sure, but also plenty to be pumped about.

so far escuela es fantastico, pero (okay, i'm not actually even taking a spanish class..gotta let that one go) i'll repeat:) Classes are great. Friends are encouraging. God is rocking me. Schedule is nuts. Mass comm is awesome! My house is toasty as heck-- actually it's just humid after all the rain. And york peppermint patties are my new best friends. Pretty great, huh?

i'm sitting in my norm libe spot (libe=library for those of you who have forgotten my constant abbreviations..of every word. ever.).. supposed to be writing this Colonade article. It's actually a really sweet feature article, so I'm pumped to write it, buuut this is the part where I must go through all the interview recordings and type up their responses. Think it'd be possible to stream music in behind their talking? because i'm really wanting to listen to some Colbie Callait right about now.

Actually, I'm really wanting to procrastinate in any way possible.

aaand jacob just came into the libe so now getting work done is toast. no offense, jake.

i'll go ahead and list some joy, i'd say it's time:)

1. realizing I have every color in the rainbow in the form of nail polish this morning
2. waking up at 6 and the smell of coffee.
3. loving mornings
4. listening to miley's Party in the USA with tae atleast 4 times. A day.
5. colossians:)
6. watching friends get married and getting all teary-eye; Jules-i'm warning ya!
7. starting training(ish) for the half marathon
8. the font, Lucida Grande. Why have I never noticed you until now?
9. feeling grown-up
10. his love that I cannot earn and cannot lose:)
11. SKYPE with stephet!
12. alicia signing up to do the half, yeaaa!
13. becoming more and more scatterbrained with each passing day..er, hour at this rate.
14. a letter from my lauren:) miss you, elle
15. grass roots on wednesday nights, mm.
16. having to dress up every day. but then today deciding I would change into shorts and a daytay tee shirt. Hallelujah.
17. being challenged
18. watching the lord work through weakness
19. seeing jenna this past weekend and reminiscing on our favorite High School Musical songs
20. slowly but surely learning guitar, and really really loving it. hm.
21. support and understanding from friend, teammates, and family
22. my mom and her last birthday before 50
23. witnessing my parents growth:)
24. having to schedule a dinner with my own roomie, haha:)
25. putting a television in my room and being able to count the number of times i've actually turned it on (four).
26. cooking the same meal each week and thinking its a "signature piece"-- it's rice and chicken :/
27. sitting at chick fil a with alicia for 3 hours, hahah...whoops:)
28. okay,okay this one's old, but jacob thinks it's definitely 'piece of joy' worthy-- the chickfila worker (who was atleast 32) saying "My pledgssh" as opposed to "my pleasure" way to be awesome, chick.
29. SCOOPS last night with jules and alicia!!
30. being forced to have to start writing this article...

"Unlike humans, He does not lose heart."

his love.

take heart!

down time:) alas.

One week has come and gone sadly just as fast as I imagined it would. The roller coaster of a schedule has definitely taken its toll, but clas

ses are so great, people are wonderful, and the Lord remains faithful-- How often do I doubt that? And how silly of me to even question that my God will move. He's awesome, you know?

It's been a week filled with a fair share of convictions. After the summer my life certainly isn't the same, but coming back to this home and these surroundings, it's ridiculous how quick I am to fall back into old habits. Even with the downfalls, it's been a real sweet time to see how the Word comes into play when I begin to fall. Also really interesting to see how I've reacted. In some instances I've allowed the Lord to take control, in others, I've tried to manipulate the Word, somehow managing to make it seem okay since I'm giving him control of other aspects of my messy life. That, my friends, is not alright, and of that I am wellllllll aware. That's just sad. So, I woke up this morning, opened the sweet Bibe, and lone behold, Psalm 95:6-8

"Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord , our Maker!

For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.." Well, there it is; I've been straight up hardening my heart; being cold towards my Dad. It feels like it takes so much will power and makes living so much more difficult, and yet, I do it. Ridiculous. Ridiculously stubborn, haha. Just gotta keep praying the Lord will strip me of that dang stubbornness, that's not an attractive trait by any means. . BUT the fact that I know the Lord is changing and renewing my heart and spirit inwardly and outwardly(2 cr 4:16 ;) is enough to keep from being discouraged. Take heart! eh? (Reminder to self, quit saying 'eh'--not from Canada..) but seriously.. Proverbs 28:14 "Blessed is the one who fears the lord always, but whoever hardens his heart falls into calamity." So, so true. Learning that the hard way. Pieces of joy time, yay:) CLASSES!!! ...but seriously, i love them :) JULES GETTING ENGAGED!!!!!! She'll make such a beautiful bride. And Eric is so great, too. Gosh:) attempting to decorate my room feeling grown up volleyball in the rain! trying to rid my sweet watch tanline, leaving my wrist severely burnt seeing my housemates being reunited with old friends walks in the forest good conversation going through wedding mags with jules getting to know some seriously humble folks awkward moments buying a curtain that's atleast 2 feet shorter than the other my bed rolling around on the hardwood floor every second carrying Mason Mac to class:) being re-taught guitar, and discovering my complete lack of rhythm, but still loving it, and admiring those who can play my sweet new job in the University Television station, thank you Lord for that hearing about people's summers and being super encouraged seeing my beach projecters! new friends:) sorting through dozens of pictures still not having my television plugged in, and enjoying it running up the hills in Milledge, and feeling it. discovering that the Lord will provide energy to get through the day going to the laundry mat and running out of money, then running to cvs across the street to get more money, and the coin machine at the mat eating my 5 dolla bill...sweeeet loving Mass Communications, haha, nerd. being reunited with elle:) jules' "blingin' ring!" making pizza! and salad! and brownies with jake. AND it tasted great:) who would've thought. laughing to the point of tears while taking pictures on Mason-- ie: tae and i on a rollercoaster, obviously.hahah.. that's all for now:) hope you're amused his love.

do not fear.

What a great summer:)

Never thought I'd miss Daytona, Florida, and yet here I am, honestly wishing I could go back. I could go without a few of the Makai's "luxuries", but still, it was home.

The week back here in Fayetteville has been challenging to say the least, check-mark on the culture shock, but it's been so sweet to see how the Lord is using all the training in different aspects of life. He's revealing more and more how dependent I have to be on him. It's an odd feeling when you realize you have zero control over your own life. I'd say it's peace. Sad when I'd forgotten what that feels like. It came so naturally when you were surrounded by this community of love all summer. But it's an even greater peace when it's among all the ruckus surrounding me. hm, thank you Lord.

Was reminded today that being afraid, which is the opposite of trusting the lord, is a sin. Dang. My mind has been reeling with sin over fear of where the lord might lead me, or rather, where I know he's calling me for upcoming days.

I thought I'd be so eager to, i guess, indulge in all the material things I was without at beach project, but it was really sweet to see how none of those things are sufficient. Not my favorite television show, not my new mac ("Mason", though he works much better than Dellie), not my own bed, not the fully stocked fridge, and not even having free time. Reminds me of John 14:27-

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."

God is proving this truth to be, well, true, now more than ever. Ha, imagine that:)

All in all, Beach project was seriously life changing. As cliche as that might sound. It's just so neat to see how He honors our prayers to challenge our hearts and to really change us from the inside, out. He does it, that's for sure. And he'll teach you how insufficient you are and that he really has to be your strength through those times. Funny, he doesn't have to be here for me; he doesn't have to care and guide me through life, but he is:) Shew, thank you, Dad. That's some grace.

Pieces of joy!

1) friends from home; spending time with them and their genuine interest in my summer.

2) feeling ridiculous while attempting to ichat

3) my mom talking in this squeaky voice 24/7, where did this come from?...hahah..gosh.

4) laser show! and wet bottoms after sitting on the previously rained-on grass

5) having ADD and not watching a single pitch or hit of the Braves game

6) going to a braves game and laser show all in a 5 hour span; hooray, atl!

7) wandering aimlessly around the house the first day home, in complete culture shock

8) seeing summer and mike outside of the Makai- weird, but great:)

9) RITAS lives on-- meeting with SBP friends and eating italian ice. Swedish fish flavored italian ice, to be exact. (not recommended)

10) laughing out loud at text messages

11) not being able to break the Barnes and Nobel habit; I'm here at this very moment.

12) not having unpacked from beach project, ahah..

13) getting to share my summer with the youth group's bible study:)

14) watching Sneaker Night Extreme on youtube for the first time in moooonths

15) Going to mom's new school and seeing all my old teachers from kindergarten, and my telling them I am a Junior in College, then their reaction.

16) buying school supplies. and my notebooks matching. Good news, I'm still lame:)

17) my sister

18) seeing my dad's heart change:) the lord is good.

19) laughing at how sore I am from running in Georgia. Hills are no fun.

20) browsing through pictures from beach project:)

21) going back to Milledgeville in the am!

22) cheerleading starting up tomorrow. we'll be practicing in the suuunshine for four hours. Coach texted "bring sunscreen" haha, sweet.

23) feeling like I'm 80 and not being able to remember what all has gone on this past week.

24) jboi cutting his locks!

25)learning (the hard way) what it looks like to live a life compelled by His love.

the end for now:)

hislove.

just came across this:)mm.

(Psalm 34:9-14)

Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

renewal

Sad story, I was writing this entry, and it just up and dissapeared; yes, completely gone, haha. I have no earthly idea where on the desktop it might be, but maybe someone will get to post a little somethin' somethin' on my blog as well. I think you'll notice the difference:)haha. Or atleast I hope.

This past week was really great. Felt for a bit like time was slipping away from me, and I was losing sight of why I was here in the first place, but after continual prayer, God's renewing my heart and spirit for sure. Purpose training last night was really sweet, we talked about being intentional with our time and how we spend it, and about what a difference it makes when we really plan our time like when we'll do quiet times, one on ones, journal, memorize scripture, prayer, make encouragements, do physical exercise, etc, etc. Crazy what a difference it made in the past week.

Ephesians 5:15-16 (New International Version)

¹⁵Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

And there it is, folks.

It's that time again, pieces of joy:)

1) our sadie hawkins group date; we had bought tie dye and water guns and splash balls for a tie dye fight, and put everything in the bathroom at the park. Who knew the doors automatically lock at 7:30, haha, daaanget. And so, we played keep away, and ate. A lot. The lord was just showing us how we didn't need earthly things to enjoy our time together, haha :)

2) running on the beach at night with lauren, john david, and victor

3) taking the lasagna out of the oven, and dropping it. Hm, I always knew there was a reason I didn't cook anything besides cereal.

4) praying with vacationing people on the beach, and being really encouraged:)

5) new friends at work; my Muslim friend is coming to a training next week:)

6) the skits performed by the boys, ahaha...I can only hope someone got them on video

7) talking to Jenna on the phone; HAPPY BIRTHDAAAAAY!!!! :))

8) passing out on the beach Sunday

9) GOING TO TARGET TODAY FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS SUMMER!!!! AND GOING TO CHICK FIL A FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS SUMMER, hahah..

10) running out of time to blog, once again, whoops.

his love:)

de⋅vot⋅ed

Happy Fourth. We are freeee. I might be taking that out of context, but atleast the color scheme is right on.

quick update with pieces of joy. I don't want to forget:)

1) my 3 quiet, sweet, and most chill roomies ever dressing as emo for our social
2) black fingernail polish that actually turned out grey, whoops.
3) going to 7 eleven for slurpies in our emo gear, and receiving some awesome looks. Quite frankly, I'd say we blended rather nicely with the Daytona community, haha.
4) making frienship bracelets and working on them for hours..but not even being halfway done with my bracelet. Oie veh.
5) receving a shipment of, no lie, 300 baby turtles. In a Fed Ex box. Kinda gross.
6) new friendships
7) having to actually think of something to do with my free time for the first time, ever.
8) mike millikan + straight legged jeans= hahaha
9) purple hair paint spray
10) reminiscing on previous fourth of Julys:)
11) planning encouragement for the upcoming week: Jonah 2:8
12) letters from friends:)
13) writing/sending out cheesy post cards
14) just now realizing I still have a purple streak in my hair from last night. I went to publix this morning..
15) foreshadowing joy: watching fireworks with friends:)
16) molls' witty comments this entire week.. my room is coming out of its' shell. I love it:)
17) Jess Sethman

that's all for now:) Going to read on the beach.
:) his love.


ps. word of the week :

de⋅vot⋅ed /dɪˈvoʊtɪd/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [di-voh-tid]–adjective zealous or ardent in attachment, loyalty, or affection

Synonyms:faithful, constant, loyal, devout.