little red rose

A blog at last

Well it's been a long time since my last blog. School will do that to a person. I feel like I've been running in circles with hardly anytime to think or breath and then discovered midway through my 1 zillionth round that I was running the wrong way so I had to turn around, make up for lost time, and go farther. If all that makes sense then you're doing better than I am. But soon exams will be over and I can sit and actually relax again if I remember how. You know that feeling where your head feels so full of information that it seems it could explode. Well mine never has actually exploded but this semester I think it just might. Where was I . . . oh yes relaxing when school is out. I do have a job. An enjoyable job so I'm excited. I get to make picture frames. I couldn't love a job more. Well to catch everyone up on life, I get to graduate in May. I'll be working here in town at Alpine Frame Shop full time and be saving for whatever life may bring my way. Just one more semester of 16 credits and 22 load. If I make it through that, then it's just life that is left. I hear that life is harder than school but on this side of the fence it sure seems the other way around. I'm just thankful that second semester I won't have to look for a job for when I graduate. I don't think I could handle the stress. Oh and some other great news, I get to get my license. I don't know who knew and who didn't but for those who don't know I have seizures and because of that I had to wait 6 months till I was seizure free before I could drive. Well the 6 months came and went and I sent my paper work to the state who promptly lost it . . . twice. But three times the charm they say and on the third time I got a letter saying that I've been medically approved by all these highly intelligent doctors. So now I can get my license. Just a warning for those who don't want to be on the road when I am. I'll be a safe driver though. I promise! Well its back to the books and reality. I tell you what . . . it's a scary world out there! There's too much to study!

Newfoundland

I got back from Newfoundland and I jumped into a disaster zone. I decided that the wise thing to do would be to clean out my room. What ever possessed me? :) It's amazing how much we keep and we don't even realize we have. It feels so good to throw things away. It's almost like a new start to life.

I learned so much in Newfoundland. The people there are rather cold to the gospel but the Lord was still able to work. We held youth rallies and had a service Sunday night and the Lord really blessed. Sixty-three people came out to our service and we had over 100 kids come the total of the three nights for the youth rallies. It was such a blessing to see the Lord work. There were two teens in particular asking a lot of questions and one lady who Buzz and Judy have been witnessing to since they moved up there actually showed up to one of the youth rallies and heard the gospel. So many seeds have been planted. I can't wait to see how God works.

Hawaii

God gave me an opportunity to counsel at a camp in Hawaii called the Winds. I got back Tuesday, July 20. Counseling at the Winds taught me so much. My focus has changed in life. Even my viewpoint of serving God has changed from a willingness to a desire to serve, from "Lord I'm willing to go" to "Lord please place me anywhere as long as I can serve you." God has been so good. I watched Him work in lives. I realized how much I still needed to learn. Living in Greenville has gotten me used to being a Christian to the point of becoming comfortable where I am and not striving to grown. Going to Hawaii helped show me how much I still need to grow. So many of us become comfortable with our suroundings in Greenvile and we just assume that the majority of Greenville is saved which isn't true. I want to live in Greenville like I'm on a mission field not like I live in the Bible belt. I faced people in Hawaii that wanted answers for why I believed what I believed. That was so good for me because I had to know. I have grown so much closer to my Lord andI pray that I keep growing closer to Him.

Life

In life we tend to take advantage of the joy that is all around us. We just assume that things will stay how they are. We take our friends, our problem free days and in the long run our happiness all for granted. A comfort zone is found and we sit back to enjoy it. Then we realize that life is not that care free. That in just enjoying the happiness we lose focus of the one thing that is most important. We no longer are trusting in the one who controls everything. We are only trusting in the joy of the moment. And then we realize that something is missing. That we no longer have the peace that we used to have. Sometimes the Lord will take something away to help get our attention but however it happens our attention is sure to be gotten.