Deja vu

Well recently someone told me that I should be blogging…my response “I have a blog I just don’t use it.” Well I have decided to use it again. That being said here we go!

How many times have you found yourself in the same place you have been before? Doing the same thing you always do? Or making the same mistakes you swore you would never make? I think we have all been there…if you haven’t congratulations and can I please have your secret because you could totally market that junk!

Well I am here to say I have done this numerous times and I am at that point once again, but first a little back ground. I have struggled with weight my whole life….I wish had been one of those people who was a fit kid & it just got away from me but that wasn’t the case. As you can see I was always a cubby child. (Please note the denim on denim) Well cubby childhood morphed into overweight teenager. (Senior prom)

I wish I could tell you that there was some deep seeded reason I was so big, but after a lot of self-reflection I realized…I just really like food. I could never be bulimic or anorexic because I love food too much and please know I know those are serious struggles. Well my weight went up and down over the years and then three years ago I reached this point (second from left):

But the final year of seminary and trying to determine what God had next for me…I gained it all back and probably then some. And started a journey yet again and here I am again at a point I have been at many times before and hitting a plateu that I know all too well….

But this time I plan to look at this stage and punch it in the face! I am determined to look forward and see what I can accomplish with more hard work and dedication. I know it is going to be hard work and effort and I know I will stumble at times, but I have no doubt that with the Lord’s help I can press forward.

So this is a challenge to all you who have actually taken time to read this long blog. When you come to that point of giving up and throwing in the towel with whatever it is you are facing, don’t look back keep pressing forward chances are its much better then where you have been because when I look back I am amazed at the changes I have seen and it pushes me forward…toward better and greater things that God has planned for my future…cause I have no desire to go back...

                                                 December 2012-------August 2013

Fear Factor

I’m not sure if you have ever watched the show, if you have then you know what I am talking about. However, if you haven’t basically the idea is that people compete in these challenges and whoever makes it through wins money. Now these battles are not easy things, they generally involve eating bugs, sitting in snakes, diving into something gross or doing a stunt from a helicopter or a high building.

I MIGHT do well on most of these competitions…however, heights is where I would fail horribly. See I have a healthy fear of heights by that I mean they down right scare me to death! I have always had a small fear, however when I was in college, something happened that make this fear even stronger. It involved this roof…and a loose toe board. To make a long story short, I was on a mission trip repairing a roof and the toe board I was on slipped. Had it not been for a friend and my crew chief, I question where I would be today and also if I would be here today.

Fast forward to this week end where I had the joy of going on a trip with the youth group from my church, where we went to a Rangers game and set way, way high up and also Hurricane Harbor. It was at Hurricane Harbor that I got the “joy” one of these tackling slides. One of which was this giant thing, known as the Tornado:

While waiting in line tried to back out several times…in fact when the time came to get in the tube, I’m sure the guy thought I was crazy because  I kept asking if the ride was safe and if anyone had ever died on it. Now you may laugh...but that is the level of my fear both of heights and perhaps a little fear of the unknown.  Now once I got over the initial fear…the ride was absolutely amazing! I am so glad that I stuck with it, well was kind of forced to stick with it.

Fear can do many things to a person; it can keep them from accomplishing something amazing and wonderful. Fear can keep a person missing out something great in their life.  I want to challenge you don’t let fear keep  you from doing something that could be amazing or accomplishing something that could change your life…or who knows you overcoming your fears may have a life changing impact on someone else....

Time is tickin'

So I got this little guy as a graduation present from my best friend....

Now before you ask why on earth would someone get a person a egg timer, there is a story behind it. There was a year between the time I came to seminary and when I finished college that I cleaned houses. One of the houses I cleaned was my best friend's aunt's house and she had one of these timers. Well when I was cleaning one day, I picked up the little feet came off and I kinda panicked, I thought I had broken it. So I took it home and super glued the feet back on and then the next day took it back to her and told her what happened. She looked at me and started laughing...and I was so confused. She told me that the feet were suppose to come off so that it could be turned over so that you could time stuff. Well this is the story of my life...doing silly things, but that's just who I am...I do and say silly things. But while I do silly things...I still was able to get my masters, silly yes...stupid no. Its hard to believe that I am done with school and have no more papers left...woohoo! It still seems so surreal to me...I'm done...no more book reviews, no more research papers...

As the new year begins and things start I have realized that its the time to make resolution...I always have hated making these because I feel like a complete failure if I don't complete them. I heard on the radio today about someone calling them goals instead of resolution, so I have decided to do this. Since I am going to have a little more time and some new adventures I have decided to make one of my goals to blog at least once a week. Sometimes it might be insightful, other times about cooking, or just about a new adventure. I also think I am going to be more crafty making new thing. I am also going to memorize Scripture. Also, try new things maybe a cooking class..finish my cake decorating classes. 

I am excited to see what this new year is going to bring...and what God is going to do because let's be honest it has not been me these past three years, but the Lord guiding me and making everyone of my accomplishes possible!!! 

Oh here is how the egg timer looks when you flip it and don't glue the feet onto it...

That camp high...

It summer which means its time for camp!!! Took an awesome group of kids to camp this past week. Still trying to catch up on my sleep, not sure that catching up will ever happen. The camp theme-Shipwreck Island: Where God Provides. We looked at how God provides everything we need: God provides forgiveness, God provides a call, and God provides enough. The kids studied the life of Paul as they studies these things this week....I think we could all learn a thing or two from him about how God Provides. The week was great and I got to see kids witnessing to other kids and burdened by a friend's lostness and also just grow closer to God. Just a great week!

I can't help but think when I come back home after a great week at camp about that camp high you get. You know, where you are on fire for God and ready to do anything for him. I remember getting it after camp in high school. I don't think much has changed when you are an adult coming home from taking kids to camp. Well, except for the need for more sleep. 

As adults I think sometimes we go thinking that camp is going to be for the kids, we are just going to make sure they are safe and taken care of, minister to them and guide them. However, a lot of the time I think that adults can get just as much out of it as the kids can. Sometimes adults have to be reminded of the "basic" thing about of God. Being reminded that he gives us a forgiveness that allows for eternal life, but also a daily forgiveness for we inevitably mess up. What about a calling...I think sometimes adult and parents get so wrapped up in being a parent that they may forget their calling, what special gift or ability they have been given. I told the kids that God puts a calling on all of us, who have chosen to trust and believe in Him, that is to tell others about him. The last God provides enough...this I think is the hardest to remember. When times are tough and your not sure what is going to happen next...remembering that God provides enough is so important. I know that these are things I had to be reminded of....

God will provide...it may not be what we want and it may be how we want it..but I'll take my chances trusting the Lord, his plans always seem better and turn out better than mine in the end. 

Thought I would leave you with a two pictures of the week:

The crew pre-OMC.

My awesome adult crew....after some OMC fun!!

 

(mis)Adventures in Cooking…

So I tried something tonight that I don’t normally do…I cooked. Now if you give me a cake recipe, a cookie recipe, or some type of baking I love it!!! But I have decided to start cooking more in the hopes of saving money and also because I have access to tons of recipes but just never cooked them. Also because when cooking for one you end up with a lot of leftovers and it’s just not as much fun not getting to share.  Anyway so I searched for a recipe last night and found a couple that looked good.

Then off to the store I went this in and of itself was interesting…well after roaming the store to find everything and having to do a Google search on my Phone to learn what a certain ingredient was I headed home.

So tonight I decided to cook one of my new recipes…Baked Ziti with Turkey Sausage! As I started to gather my ingredients and realized I was short one...so then after a quick trip to WinnDixie I was set.

After chopping and mixing and getting things ready to cook...I put all the required ingredients into the pot…and quickly realized that the pot was a little too small….the recipe told me to stir often…..that was a problem.

Anywhoo…once I got everything mixed together and into the pan it went and into the oven……and 20 minutes later….

I started the cooking at 6:30 and finished cooking at 8:30…it tasted really good J Hopefully I can cut my cooking time in half next time…next recipe Mexican Style Brown Rice…stay tuned for the results…

I have a secret...

Ok…so I have a secret…I am a big history nerd. Now when I say this I don’t mean I like little pieces of history here and there no I really enjoy the stuff. I love it when I randomly come upon the history documentaries. I live in New Orleans and the one thing I want to do before I leave is go to the WWII museum. I love visiting plantation homes, for Halloween one year I so want to dress like a Southern Belle from Plantation days.  I also love to read but even the trend of history even extends to the book I read, most of the books I have are historical fiction.  I would love to live in a really old house one day….squeaking boards, claw-foot tub, wrap-around porch…all that stuff. So needless to say...I am a nerd and I love history…but it is something that not many people know.

Having shared the above info it should be as no surprise that in I am really enjoying my Baptist Heritage class this semester,   learning about our origins and the stories behind the different churches and beliefs that helped to start the Southern Baptist.  Well, today in our class we were discussing “Baptist Expansion” our professor pulls out a book that was the Philadelphia Confession of Faith from 1742, which was like so cool to me to see this book from so long ago. However, it got me thinking…my mind tends to wonder. What legacy are we leaving behind? How are people going to view us 100,200,300, 400 years from now? What books are professors going to be pulling out and show students during class?

My hope for those of us who are believers we have left a legacy. A legacy that says we were passionate follower of Christ and that when people looked at our lives they can say that was someone who lived a life dedicated to Christ and how he called believers to live. Not only that we lived a life that honored Christ, but that we shared Christ whenever we had the chance. So what legacy are you leaving? 

Cha-cha-cha-changes

Sorry for such the long time between post, my summer has been really busy. I have enjoyed spending time with the kids in my ministry and also getting to hang out with the parents and build some great relationships. It’s kind of hard to believe that it is time for school to start again, seems like we just ended. I am ready to start though because I only have a year and a half left of school. It’s hard to believe because to be honest getting my Masters was never really a plan of mine. But as I have learned what we plan is not what the Lord may have planned. But I digress…the reason I am posting is because something I did today made me think about the changes I have gone through over the years. I am getting started with making a T-Shirt quilt, with the help of my Hammond mom, Mrs. Rhonda Smith. So I am beginning to cut all my shirts and as I am going through the different shirts I am thinking back to when I was in high school. If you look below, there are two pictures. One of me at my senior year prom and the other as a dinner with friends this summer:

That’s me on the far right.

Again me on the far right.

As I was going through my shirts today and thinking about all the different ways that I have changed in the past 8 years, it really amazed me.  For the many of you who did not know me in high school and back in the day, I am not sure you would think it was the same me. I look at how I have changed physically and thank God that he has given me to strength to lose the 27 lbs I have lost recently. But I am also so thankful for the strength He has given me through the years. I think that if it were up to me I might not have ever left Benton and then I would have missed out on all that God had in store for my life. I also know that He has placed people in my life to help me through tough times in my life and showed me that it is ok to go and try new things and step out on faith. I think it is amazing how God will use situations and people in your life to mold you and shape you into someone that you might not have expected for his glory. To all those people who have helped me through the year and encouraged me thank you. But most of all thank the Lord for being willing to take someone who is a jumbled messed and using me in ways that I ever imagined.