Like a Baby Shower, and College is the Baby + Ethos Message

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After finally deciding that I was going to accept the offer to run in college at Lipscomb, I signed during the early period in the fall to make it official!

I also will use this post since it's all about Lipscomb, to go back to what I wanted to share from when I went to Ethos church on my visit!  It was the perfect message for me at the time, so I can't help but share.  

One of the greatest feelings in life is experiencing God at work.  It's one of those things that just blows your mind and leaves you in awe, yet longing for more.

After a tough race on Saturday and a long run the next day (an hour or so before church), I was feeling so tired, sore, weak, and just in pain from all the business life had thrown at me!  During the opening part of service, God brought the words of Matthew 26:41 to my mind, so I looked it up and wrote it down.  "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.  The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."  Not even five minutes later, the speaker started preaching on the exact same passage, just the version by Mark in chapter 14.  Now, if that wasn't God at work, I don't know what is.  That is no coincidence.  (Mark 14:38, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.  The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.")  Starting in verse 32, Jesus was praying in the garden of Gethsemane.  The sermon was focused on the model Jesus set here of how to approach The Father. 

1) His Preface-Though His circumstances were overwhelming--He was about to be killed!--Jesus still had unwavering faith.

2) His petition-Because He knew it would be such a terrible death, He asked God to let it pass if at all possible.  Even more than that, He asked that God's will be done in any way.

3) His posture-totally submitted, humble, and trusting

This was really motivating for me because I could feel God comforting me in my stress and uncertainty.  I was encouraged remembering all that my Savior has done for me.  I can't waiver when God's will conflicts with my ways.  Jesus didn't die the death of a martyr; He died the death of a Messiah!  Because he died in agony, we can live and die in joy!

Another thing that really stood out to me was a picture frame over my host Clare's bed.  It said Embrace the Journey, which combines two of my favorite sayings:  Joy in the Journey and Embrace the Race!  (That also goes with something else in my life that is a secret until May, but just know that it correlates!) 

These small signs from God are everywhere.  Pray for you eyes and heart to be opened to them in your own life!

One of my friends Will signed to play baseball at UT at the beginning of early signing period, and they almost like a party with cake and pictures and people got out of class and off work to come!  I talked to his mom, and that gave me encouragement to celebrate, too!  A couple friends and I got to talking about it, and we described it like a baby shower, a small party to celebrate something that isn't quite here yet.  It's like college was the baby!  We're celebrating it, but I'm just not there yet.

 

After state we went to Lipscomb to buy some shirts to wear until I actually got to college and they give me all kinds of gear.  This is the sweatshirt I got, so it's kinda dressy,too.

I was so excited once we got things planned, and I invited lots of people from inside and outside of school.  Even though some people had to work, a lot got off to come!  Mom and Dad both did, of course, and all my coaches came.

I wanted to have little snacks too, since it was around lunchtime, so we decided on some that would match the Lipscomb colors!  We ordered some dark chocolate truffles with a couple different fillings--peanut butter, hazelnut, or espresso--from Yummy Cakes in downtown.  The grapes and pineapple were my color coordinating colors, too!

Thanks for the sweet snapchat, Emily.

It was really last minute, but they pulled it off just in time!

I think truffles are some of the prettiest little treats.

They were a hit, too!  I barely got any myself!  We didn't have any left to take home.

I've always been a daddy's girl.  Only now I have more hair.

Thanks to Matt Daniels who came to do pictures and a fantastic interview for the newspaper!

I really mean it when I say that I wouldn't be where I am without the people around me.  All the prayers, support, laughter, encouragement, and bits of grace that I've been given so often mean so much to me, especially looking back.  I love these people so much!  God has worked wonders in my life, and I've changed so much, but I'm so thankful for it.

 

Freedom

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The 4th of July is a holiday where people sudden are so happy to be living in America, love their country, and celebrate being free mainly because of people who have fought or served in some sort of military.  Mom has become accustomed to my respone to a majority of issues we hear about as being "because we live in America" or something to that effect, but not in the #Merica attitude.  Is America really all that great?  Do we just "love" our country because we basically do whatever we want?  To be honest, other countries don't find us that respectable.  We do have so much to be thankful for, yet we take it for granted, being unappreciative and distructive, totally selfish and inconsiderate.  As I've gotten older and this world has gotten more messed up, it's made me disappointed.  The news is full of disappointment, terrible tragedies, and flat out stupidity!

 

I'm not making this post to have anything to do with the recent court cases or other related issues.  This is totally dedicated to embracing the fact that we can live a life of freedom in the world, America, our town, home, and personal life no matter what anyone is saying or doing.  I love freedom, but I'm not thinking of USA or #Merica freedom.  This weekend as I saw numerous posts about this holiday, I was filled with gratitute for the life that I have and my hope in Christ.

 

I started out this day having a celebratory run with one of my best friends Katlyn.  We dressed up all pariotic from our head to our socks!  Luckily, we barely even got rained on for about two minutes.  This is our statue of liberty pose.  After the run, we did some strength exercises together, because it's much more enjoyable that way.  Those burpees weren't as excruciating as when I do them on my own!  Then we continued the holiday spirit with some waffles!

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."  John 8:32

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."  2 Corinthians 3:17

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery."  Galatians 5:5

"Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a coverup for evil; live as God's slaves."  1 Peter 2:16

"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.  But do not use your freedom to indulge in the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love."  Galatians 5:13

My attempt at a flag featuring one of my ducks from elementary school fundraising.  Good memories...

Dad made some of his amazing spaghetti for dinner Saturday night, which was a nice fit, because his spaghetti is definitely not Italian.  We say that it's American spaghetti.  Kinda like how Taco Bell is American Mexican or Little Ceasars is American pizza--nothing like the real thing, but it's how we like it.  To give you a point of comparison, sometimes I eat just the "sauce" like it's chili.

What is the 4th of July without smores?  I love smores!  Marshmallows are best when they've been toasted to a golden brown over a campfire, but I improvised--no fire to toast the minis, but I used what I had.  The top and bottom are Cascadian Farms Graham Crunch Cereal.  The one on the left has a brown Resee's Piece (to make it look chocolate), and the one on the right has part of a bite-sized mint 3 musketeer.

The next morning, I hit the trails with two of my other best friends, who I haven't gotten to see as much this summer because they are getting ready for college next year!   However, it makes things so much more fun when we finally do get together.  We got to the park while it was still dark in order to get all the miles in and leave them with enough time to get to church!  (FBC didn't have Sunday School or early service for me this weekend, so my family took the day together at home.)  We were the only people there, no surprise, but none of the 3 entrances were open!  Because of campers, there is usually at least one gate open, but we couldn't get into any of them.  We ended up parking in front of the gates, then, which worked out.  When we left, we were still the lone rangers at the park.  I was extremely thankful for this run and these girls!  The miles and time flew by, and I felt fantastic!  You know it's a great run with great friends when you can be out there that long and talk the entire time without running out of topics of conversation!

Running is also a great way to feel free!

 

Yes, we live in "a free country," but what do you really think of when you hear freedom?

"Rule #1: Treat Every Day Like Christmas."

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"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."  Hebrews 13:8

Christmas was only about 5 months ago.  Not too long, right?

Buddy the Elf's quote that I used to title this post is silly, and anyone who watches Christmas movies has surely heard it, but it can really be applied to our lives.  Around Christmas time jingling bells and  twinkling lights along with so many other things we associate with the season (songs, decorations, parties, gifts, treats, etc) lift our spirits as we get together to spend time with family and friends.  Kids get even more excited with the anticipation of the surprises Santa will leave underneath the tree on Christmas morning.  Giving gifts to family and friends and receiving some, too, there are so many things that encourage joyful attitudes.  As I've said in my other Christmas posts, we are able to have this joy at Christmas because Christ gives us the opportunity!  We are actually celebrating Jesus birth at this time, and even greater reason to enjoy the holiday.  However, we don't have to be filled with the Christmas spirit only in December.

Seasons change, but Christ does not.

Another reason that I am excused for posting about Christmas in May :)

We don't have to stop celebrating!

The day after Christmas, Mom and I went up to our neighbor's house to visit and exchange gifts.  I always enjoy getting to see their spoiled little dog, Mac, who I joke is named after me.  He is so sweet and playful, always ready to meet anyone who comes near!  Don and Gail have their hands full with this energetic little dog, but I am so glad he is there to keep them on their toes.

Mac is a pekingese, the breed that I think is basically a pug with long fur.  That's another reason I love him!  I can't have a pug of my own, but my neighbors have a pekingese, and that's close enough.

"Family" Photo

They're not really my grandparents, but I feel like they could be.

That morning I took a day-after-Christmas run, rather spur-of-the-moment, as I decided that I wanted to try a new pancake:  peppermint and York.  To add extra peppermint flavor, I wanted to add some extract, but we didn't have any.  So my run turned into a destination run, and I threw on my new running shirt Mom and Dad got me the day before, grabbed an Ingles card and a couple dollars, and ran to the store!  I made a quick stop, put the bottle in my tights' pocket, and came back home to whip up my new creation.

I downloaded a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree decorating app during the holidays, which brought back memories of my childhood when I played little online Christmas games all the time!

More holiday season creations:

Pumpkin Ice Cream:

pumpkin

spices

Yoplait pumpkin pie yogurt

milk and almond milk

pumpkin butter

Apple Almond Butter Quinoa

Maple Flavored Coffee

Mutts comics are sentimental, simple, and sweet.

There are few things better than a great night's sleep.

Time is constantly flying by faster than I can comprehend, but over the past month, I've been making sure I take the time to pause and look back on the days and the things I've learned.  As cliché as it may be, count your blessings.  You'll come to find that there was probably more to be thankful for than you even realized at the time.  I know I've seen it!  Looking at the big picture of things really helps me shape my attitude in a better way.

"Stop and consider God's wonders"  Job 37:14

School-Starting Scriptures

Yes, I know school started months ago...I just realized that this was still saved, with no words, in my drafts.  I have wanted to share these things for so long!  At the end of summer, I did some redecorating and designing and Bible Studying to get me off to a positive start when I went back to school.

My dry erase board in my room got redrawn on.

No boundaries was my summer and season-starting motto, expressing that I didn't want to set any limits on what I could do this year. 

I love Colossians 4:5-6, because people are always watching. Life is short. I want to use every moment to the max!

I am third means the same thing as JOY and the other Bible verse: Jesus first, then serving others, myself last. 

Every time the month changes and I flip my calendar, I post a picture of the page and find a corresponding verse.

"Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near."

Reading my Bible before bed always helps me go to sleep more at peace.  At any time of day, it will give me a boost!

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I have no picture to go with this part, but I believe that it is my favorite part of this whole post.  Some days my devotion just hits me right on the money.  August 2nd was one of those days.
It started out with one of my favorite verses: John 16:33, "In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world." 
Being a Christian doesn't mean that we will get deliverance from trouble.  Trouble comes to everyone quite often!  Being a Christian means that we can find deliverance in trouble.
God also doesn't give us overcoming life.  He gives us life as we overcome.  We gain strength in the struggles!
When we spend ourselves physically, we become exhausted, but by spending ourselves spiritually, we gain more and more strength.
I love the comparisons used in that day's devotion!  I am all the way through November 14th now, and that is still the best day I have come across.
(Oswald Chamber's My Utmost for His Highest daily devotion, August 2nd)

I don't like cherries, so I used them to represent the bad fruits that we may produce in life, such as jealousy, slander, and disrespect.  Pineapple is probably the best fruit out there, so I used it to represent the good things we can produce to feed others, like the fruits of the spirit!

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control

What kind of fruit is your life producing?  Will it nourish your own life and the lives of others, or will it make you and others sick?

This is very challenging to me. I often fall prey to the comparison trap. I want to be the best!  Always!  That's what I tend to set my focus on, and it hurts me sometimes, especially when I'm not number one. This is at anything really, not just sports. To keep my head on straight, I must remember that God did not create me to be the best all the time, just my best, and His plan will make me who in supposed to be. 

These next few pictures are many verses and such that I had kept up with for a while and then put them all together to have in my binders to read through during school. We went over this above in Sunday school one weekend. 

My friend Abby, who I greatly admire her spirit for The Lord, made this sketch!

One of God's greatest commands is to love. It is the #1 way to share Him with others!

TimeHop showed me another not-coincidence:  one day this was on my TimeHop, then I went to biblegateway app for the verse of the day, and they were the same!

I need this verse as a reminder daily!  I try to make my own plans and follow through with them, but that is not a wise idea!  No matter how hard I try, God's plans will not be overtaken.  This can give me peace if I allow it. 

I love how Peanuts is so gospel-centered.  This is another day off of my flip-calendar.

Whoo is this a good one or what!  Although life is insane right now, with so much going on in every aspect of it, I can cling to my God and know that He will never let His children be defeated!

It is so nice to be able to have alone time to dig into God's Word.  This is one morning after our team Bible Study and before I ran.  It is a blessing to have the class schedule that I have.  Not only are verses an encouraging way to get motivation for serving the Lord, but so is music!  I have many songs that I have been looking through the lyrics to and digging into the Biblical backgrounds...more to come as I learn from songs, I will share!