Magical Moments

This time last year, Allison and I went to Disney on Ice right after we moved in with each other and that was the beginning of many "Roomie Nights" - we decided this is going to forever be a tradition we share every year, whether roommates or not, we will without a doubt be enjoying this production together.

So, as I'm sure you've figured out Disney on Ice came through town, and I am so excited to say that it never fails to entertain me and my roomie, Allie. It was BRILLIANT.

We giggled, danced, clapped and smiled like we were the little girls dressed up as Cinderella. How superb :)

Have I mentioned I love my roommate?

She's such a blessing, can't imagine living without her - I thank God for her, and I thank God she loves Disney more than I do. I am so pumped to go with her to functions like this! Who cares if we're in our 20's without children going with us?

Do what you love :)

Everyone needs to embraced this, I think. It's time to stop worrying  what everyone else thinks. Maybe next year we'll dress up as Disney princesses - go big or go home, right?

Here are some shots from the show - I unfortunately was really distracted with the songs and fun-ness that I didn't get nearly as many good shots as I could have, but here are a few:

 And last, me with my fantabulously gorgeous roomie, Allison :)

R&R

That stands for rest and relaxation, sometime college students, and I'm sure just the American population in general completely forgets about. Individually and as a whole, that's just... bad.

But if you are a follower of Christ, forgetting about this step in our life is a sin.

I mean, do you follow me? Not taking the time to take care of our health is a sin.

I'm not telling you that you just need to eat healthy, or that you need to exercise regularly, because that is an obvious step in the way to maintain "your body is a temple," what I'm saying is something that seems to be blatantly forgotten.

It's like in our culture it's a goal to be the most busy people, or to strive to run off the smallest amount of sleep. What's up with that?! How are you going to glorify God if you're running low on energy? How are you supposed to give it your all when you're not taking care of yourself?

What I'm saying here isn't just for you, but for me too. It's almost 11 pm, I still need to study for a quiz in the morning, and I need to be awake by 6 am. Why do we do this to ourselves?

I think tomorrow everyone needs to make it a point to savor the day; I'm not saying play hookie and forget about your obligations - instead make it an effort to make time to take care of yourself. Plan somewhere in your schedule to rest this week.

And always remember, Sunday afternoon naps are always the best :)

Take rest and know the Lord is good.

god lives and loves

Beam with the light of God always and forever

Small Town Escapes

This weekend was our much belated fall break, and let me tell you if it wasn't this weekend I'm not sure I'd still be alive. I know for a fact I was suffering from an overload of due dates, midterms, and examinations that fall break couldn't come soon enough.

But instead of spending my break tucked in bed and eating nothing but brownie batter, I drove four hours with my fantabulous roomie, Allie, to visit my old suitemate from my Knoxville dwelling days.

Cara is the girl who lead me to Christ. She is a true woman of God who changed my lifestyle for the better, she's always challenged me, and I appreciate her wisdom and honesty. Despite her intimidating good-looks, she is one of the most down to earth people  I know.

Cara lives in a small town outside Greenville, SC - and since there's nothing to do where she lives, we spent the entire Saturday roaming the streets of the incredible downtown of Greenville.

Oh. MY. I want so badly to buy an overpriced flat and live here for the rest of my life. Here's some moments I capture from this sunshiny visit.

God spelled backwards

While I've yet to blog about him, I have a dog. He's a 74 pound heathen that's on a diet, and is consistently eating things he shouldn't - like my bible[s]. However, despite his mass of destruction to my prized possessions, I am convinced this creature I adopted from a shelter a year and some months ago was born just for me.

Meet Gibson.

Or as I often call him, Gibbs. Dillon sometime calls him Gibanthony, and others call him Gibbers, Gibby or just fat.

Although this picture could be in better focus, I adore everything about what's captured here. This was right before we got into the car for him to undergo some surgery, and he was being ever-so patient, and grinning :) despite the fact he was fixing to go under the knife.

I love how dogs can be so naive... I mean, I love how dogs just live in the moment.

They don't care about what might happen next, instead they just choose to indulge all they have into the exact moment they're living.

I think that's a lesson we all need to learn, live in the present.

The bible tells us not to worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. All I can say to that is "amen."

Like I said earlier about Gibson being a heathen, I can honestly say he is such a delight. He is what keeps me sane sometimes, and while the rest of the world stresses me out, a disgusting, wet, slobbery kiss from him brings me back down to the level of living in the moment.

Live like a dog today, and I don't mean that as giving you an excuse to smell your friend's butts - instead live in the present, seize each moment and cherish all you have.

Let God's light in you beam.

Be transformed

Life has been such and interesting thing I'm swept up in recently. It's been a couple of days since I have posted in this, and in the midst of it all I've been a little bit overwhelmed. Between all my school work, work-work, and life there's just been a lot going on.

I think that the Lord has plans, and I am convinced he has something delightful ahead. That the struggles I will face are not just trials to show I trust God, but they are opportunities which are programed to set me off track. But, I am so lucky at how big God is because he is stronger than anything else.

On Sunday I had to open the sermon at church, and it was interesting to go up in front of the congregation after my printer refused to print my "script" and the internet wouldn't let it email it to myself. I really had to let the Lord lead, trust is vital to our relationship with Him.

We had a guest speaker who preached about witnessing, he was so good! He was funny, and you could tell he cherished every moment of life. He seized every moment with the world.

He talked about living for Christ while riding the elevator. His thought process is being stuck with them for a few floors could be enough to change lives. Beautiful.

Being in Christ means you can't be of this world, so what if we look weird? Do not conform to this world any longer, but be transformed.

Today's post is looking back at my visit to the farmers market with Dillon, and my best friend, Ashley and her hilarious boyfriend, Harrison. I might add how perfect they are for each other! It makes me so happy to see them happy.

Love is lovely. And so is fall, it's my favorite time of year. Yeah!

Shine throughout the world this week, share your light and don't let anything get away from you loving the Lord.

alarms and blessings

this morning it was hard to wake up - i've determined there is something so much more delightful about sleeping in when you have somewhere to be or something to do. for instance, do you ever think that sleeping in just can't truly be appreciated if you're not sleeping in past something important? 

maybe that's just me, but i'm convinced it's the truth. 

this weekend i went to birmingham, al for a concert. my boyfriend, dillon, and myself went down earlier than the rest of our friends and spent the day cruising the streets of downtown birmingham. we had a delicious breakfast, played around in a festive park and then quickly learned downtown b-ham isn't really a place for "hanging out." regardless, it was such a delight to escape.

well, as you can see from what i captured, even in the midst of an insecure environment we had a blast (and by insecure i mean, while sitting downtown chatting with locals, 3 cop cars zoomed by... immediately we were told "it was probably a shootin' somewhere.") 

real comforting, no? 

i'm sure you can see from this weekend escape that i am so very happy. 

i've really been taught lately that i am incredibly blessed, and while many people stop there and thank God for what he's bestowed on them, it has become equally apparent to me that you can't just take all the goodness and not share it with others. it is essential that i be a blessing. and you too.

if you know the good news don't keep it to yourself. if you have been blessed you have an obligation to bless others, it doesn't matter how you do it, but just do it. talk to a stranger, share some change, better yet be a change.

so i'll leave with this: what are you doing in your life to be a blessing?

i can't wait to hear, and in turn share my experiences.

never seize to shine

vamanos

let's go. 

this morning i woke up at 7:56 a.m., with my class beginning at 8:00 a.m. needless to say, i was late, and of course it was day where we had an oral exam. 

have you ever been late? especially at the beginning of the day, being late just throws off your entire day. it's as if you feel like you're in a frantic mess for the rest of your day.

i guess that makes it relevant to begin something of leisure like a blog today. this thing that i'm starting is going to be a way for me to share my life, my passions. 

expect recipes, pictures and rants.

expect laughs, challenges and discoveries.

vamanos, let's go.