(Ice cream) Sunday and Babysitting Goodbyes

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This was going to be a long day...I got to bed really late after work as usual on Saturday nights aka Sunday mornings, but at least it was before 1 am this time! But I'm dead. All day I could not stay awake; my eyes and head were dropping at everything. Church was really good, but I was struggling. All day I just tried to keep myself occupied to stay awake. I didn't have time to take a nap, but I would've given so much for one...

Pastor Dean's sermon was about how God is the giver of all things new. He forgives our sins, makes the sun rise each new day, changes hearts and lives in ways that we never could imagine. Passages of scripture about "new" have been great encouragement to me when I have struggled in the past and/or am trying to make a change in my life. He can take any bad situation, any sin, any sinner, and make them new. One of my favorite verses on this is Isaiah 43:19, "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." 
Ephesians 4:24 and Colossians 3:10 are about putting of the old self and on the new self that God made to be righteous. 
In the passage Pastor Dean used in Luke 5:36-39 and another I love in 2 Corinthians 5:17, old can't stay with the new. You must let go of what is holding you back and work in the life ahead!

This is a recurring theme in my life, especially lately with the studies I have been in! Personally (and usually with most people whether we admit it or not), I know the old that I need to get rid of. But we can't just get rid, we have to replace. New and good!

in Sunday School, our contemporary worship leader and his wife came as guest speakers. I have always loved them even before I really knew them. Last semester I got to work with Brooks in the media department as an internship in place of one of my classes. There are just some people that have that "something" about them that others admire. That's a gift from God. It is great to hear from people in all walks of life and how they have seen God at work and the advice they can give. Fellowship is one of the most powerful tools that we have!

My little kids are moving this week! I met the Mom and son on a dog walk in the old neighborhood the end of last summer, and I babysat them a time or two a month most of this year! It was really nice since they lived just down the road. I had never babysat before, but I apparently did well because they kept asking me to come back! Almost a year later, we have moved and now they are moving, too. The parents were taking an afternoon to get outside themselves, so I came and occupied the kids! David and Svea have grown up loving to be outdoors, which is something I admire about that family. It is hard to find people "not of this world" anymore. It was always good for me to get out and away from the rest of the world when I was with them, too. Today I took them some little things and some cake, then we went to the park to enjoy the beautiful day! We rode bikes, kind of (we walked a lot for the hills and roots), but David wanted to take his scooter. Svea and I didn't think that was a good idea, but he insisted and learned the hard way. Scooters are not made for trails.

Dad has been working almost nonstop on our dock for a week now. He is almost done, but it is another one of those projects that once he finally gets going, he doesn't stop. Bless his heart, he is such a hard worker, it just drags out. I am usually okay huger-wise eating dinner really late (a bad habit I've gotten into), but I have really felt the affects of this over time now. I eat later, have a really long day, do more stuff later, then get to bed later, and I just can't seem to get back on track. I have to.

**SOS my family needs sleep!

Today's holidays are National Give Something Away Day, National I Love Horses Day, and National Ice Cream Day! I didn't have anything to do with horses except drive past them on the road, but I did give my little babysitting kids a gift, card, and slice of cake! For the ice cream, here are just some pictures of the best ones...and some Breyer's that got me to win some for free from a Twitter contest!

Here we have Cold Stone Creamery (my mix from the beach with strawberry cake batter and triple berry yogurt with strawberry wafers, brownie, coconut), Breyer's, Kirk's (also from the beach, pistachio, coconut almond, blueberry pie, banana pudding), Halo Top (most of the flavors that I have tried are amazing), Bruster's (some of the best creative flavors and a good price!), Clumpies (local to Chattanooga, creative flavors!), Foote's Rest Sweet Shop (the one and only in downtown Frisco, Colorado, homemade daily!), and another not pictured is the Comfy Cow!

Life-Giving Energy

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Strava:

I started out this day drained even though there were good things ahead. I had a lot to do before a wedding, grocery shopping, and work, but I ended up having a lot more time than I expected, so I took a devotion that I had gotten in an email out on the back deck. It was such a beautiful day that really helped set my mind and heart on a better track. God's Word has an amazing way of doing that.

I get the emails and follow on social media The Daniel Plan, because it is just so encouraging to living a healthy life for the glory of the Lord. This week's email was titled "Life Giving Energy" and that devotion was just what I needed! I have also been wanting to get my own health habits better, especially now that school is out, it's summer, and I'll be going away for school again next year, and running collegiality! I've always gone up and down with my health with a huge issue this time last year, so right now is a perfect time for God to really help me get it together. It's one of those inner motivations that you know can't come from anywhere else!

The opening verse was Genesis 1:29, "God said to them, 'I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of the earth and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food." Since the very beginning of time, God created the world for us to live in and live off of. He gives us all that we need. You think nature is good now? Imagine when it was perfect, and we were in perfect peace with it and God. Because of our own sins, trying to take things into our own hands (life and food), we are never fully satisfied, and our relationship with God isn't perfect (but that's why we get grace). To enjoy nature is to enjoy the simplest form of God's blessings.

This is why when you eat healthy, real food, you start to crave it more and more. It's satisfying. You feel good and good about it. Same with God. The more time you spend with Him, the more you want to and the more you learn. Just like with sin or any bad habit, with food, you have to take out the bad and replace it with good. You can't just get rid of something. It's always a struggle, but struggle is necessary to change, and it's necessary to grow closer to God. If everything was easy, we wouldn't need Him.

Change is a big fear of mine, and I have so many little habits. I like routine and comfort. But to better myself physically and mentally, I have to try new things. To be of better use to God, I have to go outside of my comfort zone, go new places, do new things, talk to new people, do things that I don't really want to but know that He is telling me to. One of the best things to keep me going is to remember that God has been faithful to give me success, safety, and joy in the past, and He will surely do it again.

I also have a hard time doing things just for me; I always want others to benefit too, so if I was going to do something to help myself just for me, I would usually put it off. To counter this, I remember that God knows our hearts and rewards accordingly. I need to take care of myself in order to take care of others. He wants me to be my best so that He can use me more and more.

"How abundant are the good things that You have stored up for those who fear You!" Psalm 31:19
He always provides! We don't have to worry. As long as we put in the effort to follow God's plans, He will fill in the blanks (or change things when we mess up because He's in charge anyways).

So now I am even more motivated to get and keep myself healthier! For myself, for God, for my family, for Chattanooga, to be a positive influence on all those that see me. I can't pour from an empty cup.
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So about this day ahead that I mentioned earlier! Turns out it could've been way different, but work is disorganized, so I never totally know until it happens.
I went to a friend's wedding at 2, and it was so great! I don't know how I am going to make it through my own wedding. The past few I've been to I almost cry thinking of walking down the isle with my dad. He has my heart already. I didn't get to go to the reception later that day, but I ran in the store real quick, grabbed something to eat at home, and went right back out the door to work. It was supposed to be at Mayo Garden Center in Knoxville. Long story short, the schedule got changed, no one told me, I was totally unprepared to take everything down there by myself, a relatively new employee was by herself in the shop on a hot Saturday night...you see many things wrong here?? So I stayed and worked the night shift with her. That was another little way God was at work. I got to help someone out, and we had a great time. That's one of the best things about my job; I get to connect with people.

Finally, there were some holidays today! National dog mom's day and national babysitter's day, and I am both! Two more things that give me joy, those kiddos and my doggo.

A Day Between Two Busy Weeks

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Since I haven't had much time to do anything "extra" this whole semester because of work and school, I haven't posted many blogs. There are so many great things from life that I would love to share (That's what God does; when you are full of Him, He makes you want to pour it out!), so hopefully over time I'll get some more opportunities. For now, I do it in person whenever I can! I do a little recap of my day along with my runs on my Strava page, and today was full of good things from the weekend! I just want to share a little of God's simple goodness on this Monday.
Mondays can be good. It's just a day like any other!

The Only Time I'm Leaving the House Today PTL

(Home and study day, work, answered prayers, babysitting, family dinner, holidays, shoes)

I can't tell you the last time that I had an entire day that I was home all day. I also can't tell you how happy this made me. I have been on the go for so long, that I was looking forward to this day all week last week! My internship is over,  I have finals the rest of the week, and yesterday was packed with things to do, so today is the perfect day to regroup after last week and get ready for this week. (By the way PTL is praise the Lord in case you were wondering; I've literally been praising Him for this beautiful day!)

Today I sat outside for a while to do my Bible study and some Spanish studying, and may have started on my tan! I am really white, and one month from today I will be at the beach. I have to get some tan before I go or I'll get fried. It's happened. On the first day. I blistered. It scarred.

Saturday night was a very long, busy, and late night at work, but it was an answer to some prayers and fell right along with my Bible study. I have been praying for opportunities to be a light for Christ wherever I am, and He always responds! I know that I have this leadership position at work to be able to impact people and be encouraging to take positive steps in their lives, so that motivates me when I am frustrated and worn out. I got to work training one of the new employees, and we had some good time to chat, too! It also made my day when President Miksa from Walters State came in! He is the coolest man, and I am really going to miss him next year when I go to Chatt, but I will keep in touch. 

Yesterday, I ended up having to work most of the opening shift again, but it was okay with me so that I could sleep in a little more than usual Sundays. I also got to talk with one of my newer best friends whose shifts changed, so she did extra baking. Another answered prayer! This job has also helped me keep myself from isolation, one of the biggest weapons Satan uses against me. 

However, right after work I barely had time to change and blend up a shake before heading to my old neighborhood to babysit! This was also a blessing. The whole time we were outside. We rode bikes down the road, and I got to stop by and see my favorite neighbors! Then I got to talk to the other neighbor, too. While the kids played with their new friends down the road, I got to sit. Just sit. Peace in the sun. That was so nice.

A wonderful way to end the weekend was with a family dinner at our favorite restaurant, El Sazon. Dad suggested it since we have all been crazy all over the place and never really home at the same times. I felt like I talked nonstop all day, but it was good! We got to share so many good and even funny stories. It's been months since we've eaten out at all since we have been so busy with moving, working, and house projects. It was a lot of fun even if just for an hour and was great foreshadowing the summer to come.

Even when life is trying to run me over, there is still so much joy in it. 

"Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for great is your reward in heaven." Luke 6:23

PS-today is also National Raisin Day, National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day, and National Oatmeal Cookie Day, so here are my celebrations!

And the Dunkin Donuts emoji is on their most recent update featuring the shoes they have partnered with Saucony. They have donuts on them. And they're such pretty colors! I want them so bad!!