JULY 1 it's a good day! And Dad's birthday!

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Not only is it July first, the start of a new month, a new section of summer, and a new week since it's Sunday, but it is my Dad's birthday! I was house and dog sitting all week, so I didn't get to see Dad but for a few minutes when he and mom came by on their way home from dinner out one night. I had to work really late both Friday and Saturday, so when I got home Sunday morning after work (around 12:30 am), Dad came to get a drink and gave me a hug! It felt so good; I just love my dad! Since it was so late/early, I got to be the first one to tell him happy birthday! No one can ever guess how old he is; he seems so much younger in both looks and how he lives.

Since I've been staying up so late all the time, and it was a holiday weekend that our church doesn't have normal services, I got to sleep in (relatively). Mom and Dad were up earlier and ate breakfast casserole and orange juice, one of Dad's favorites. After I got up and halfway awake, I took a bike ride around the neighborhood and up the big hill out. Biking is so refreshing! I was surprised that I was able to make it much farther up the hill this time than I did before! Almost all the way! It's so much easier to run up hills.

Even though it was a Sunday and his birthday, Dad had to go into work for a while to finish stuff for closing weekend. We had planned to take the boat out for a ride to relax and celebrate, but he decided not to jar Mom around with her arm, and we could just sit on the deck. It turned out to be cloudy and stormy all around us, and the water would've been rough. It was a good and relaxing family day, though! I finally got all my calendars for my phone and the wall all caught up with the things that I know of so far for everything from birthdays to holidays, to work and cross country meets. It's strange to see so few; in high school we raced multiple times every week.

I got to sit out in the sun and do a really good section of my Daniel Plan Bible Study! This chapter is on focus: your attitude, thoughts, mind. In Philippians 4:8, we are told to think about all sorts of good things, whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy. Thoughts release chemicals from our brains to our bodies. Imagine how we would feel if we didn't have so many negative thoughts floating around all the time! Thoughts have such an impact on how we feel and live our lives. I can be one of the first to tell how our minds can be our own worst enemy. It is another scientific fact that in workouts or running, you can always physically go farther; your mind is what stops you. So in a race of two physically equally talented and trained runners, the one with the stronger mind and willingness to push through will win. Not only do we have to train our bodies for success in both life and sport, but we also have to train our minds. Thoughts just happen, and we can't help what comes sometimes. However, we have to stop and ask ourselves if that thought is really true. This reminded me of the song "Fear is a Liar." If you Google the lyrics, you may find that you have been filled with many of those same thoughts that you are not good or strong enough, troubled, alone, ashamed, and can never change. Then you lose sleep and happiness (and health). There are so many lies and ways that our thoughts flip things around that really throw us off even though they don't have much validity. It is so important to take time to pause, breathe, and think--no not that same bad thought, but think about that thought and get some truth!

"What truth?" you ask. God is the truth (John 1:14), and we were given truth through His Son Jesus (John 14:6). This truth can set us free from whatever lies and chains hold us back (John 8:32). All the Word is truth (John 17:17), and it says so many things we ought to believe! He loves us, forgives us, has a plan for us, wants us to live a full and joyful life (John 3:16, Colossians 3:13, Jeremiah 29:11, John 10:10, John 15:11). Let your mind be filled with the good things of the Lord, and your life will take a great turn.

For dinner, Dad decided that he wanted Texas Roadhouse steak (I like his kind of birthday dinner better than mom's...sorry mom.) They aren't near as expensive as so many other places, but I think they have some of the best steaks I have ever had! Their service and atmosphere is great, too. If I have to look for another part-time job, that's an option I think I would enjoy. I would even get to dance! I also think it was too perfect that the name of the sirloin on the kid's menu is "Andy's Steak." It's the same as a 6 ounce on the regular menu, so I said I was eating an Andy's Steak for Andy's birthday.

I am trying to not eat much high-sugar, processed, "junky" foods with a lot of fake ingredients and all that jazz, but I am still going to eat the things I have already bought and enjoy new things when I want to try them. At the beach I found the Hershey's crunchers smores, and I LOVE smores, so I am trying it. It's so good! So, it is both good that it's tasty and worth it, but also bad that I want more. But there are also Luna smores bars and so many other things with a greater health punch for me!

Today is a pretty good and tasty holiday in my opinion! And one of my little fun project things.

1. National Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day: you know I love my creative ice creams! I don't do plain Janes. No chocolate, vanilla, Neapolitan. You gotta have some mix-ins. These are some of the best places that I have been for kinds like this! Sugar Life and Kirk's at Myrtle Beach, The Fudgery, The Pied Piper in Nashville, The Comfy Cow, Bruster's, and Clumpies in Chattanooga.

2. National Gingersnap Day: not a snap, but these seasonal bars from Quaker made me so happy Mom bought me two big boxes at Target back then. Other brands have great protein bars in gingerbread, too! Like Clif and Fitjoy.

3. National Postage Stamp Day: I am sad that these are almost gone. Another thing Mom got for me that I love to use to personalize my cards and express myself!

The Light at the Lookout

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I wanted to "do something" this summer, so at the end of July I got a group of people together to invite any and everyone in the community to come out to Panther Creek Park one morning for a devotion time and bringing items for Food on Foot, a great organization here in East Tennessee that collects and distributes care packages and items to needy kids in the area.  This was the choice for where I wanted to focus some help going into this school year because as my mom works in an elementary school, she knows some home stories and kids who will just melt your heart.  There is such great need for food, faith, love, and simple care right here in Morristown.  Food on Foot is always welcoming donations and volunteers.

This is the logo for the flyer that I got my friend Abby Mitchell to draw!

This was a post from my instagram, showing some of the items that were ideas to donate and the verse that is like a theme verse, Matthew 5:14-16, "You are the light of the world...let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

The goal:  Let God's light shine through us into our community

 

Below is the beautiful view for where we met!

Now I'll go through some points and scriptures from my "message" if you want to hear what it was all about!

 

This world is full of darkness...sickness, hurting, sadness, murder, stealing, lying, cheating, disrespect, etc, and it makes me so disappointed to see so many lost and struggling people out there, so I want to do something about it!  I know it can be difficult and scary, but together we have others to back each other up.  We can not only keep each other going, but hopefully encourage others by example to get going, too.  I think that John 3:19-21 kind of sum this up.  "This is the verdict:  Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.  But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."  In general, the world has turned from the light and doesn't want to admit doing wrong.  God's children are to live full of Christ so that the world sees how great He is through what we do and how we live.

 

Analogy of God's light to actual light:  sunlight makes things grow, is warm, healthy and refreshing to our bodies.  Same with God!  He helps us grow in faith and character, warms our hearts, and can heal and refresh our body and soul.  Lights are also usually focal points of something, and God should also be the focus of a Christian's life.  Light helps us see things just like God's light helps us ee things like sin, hope, opportunities, reasons that things happen, and purpose for life.

 

Light overpowers darkness.  Consider a dark room, any size, even an entire gym or stadium.  Not matter how much darkness fills that room, if you light a single candle, it will be seen.  Not amount of darkness can put out a light.

 

In the world but not of the world is a simple, yet accurate saying about how Christians are called to live.  In John 8:12 Jesus said, "I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."  Later in 1 John 1:5, John writes along the same lines, "This is the message we have heard and declare to you:  God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all."  Yes, we physically live in a dark world, but spiritually we can always have an eternal glow.

 

Be bold in actions!  You have God to protect you.  "The Lord is my light and my salvation--whom shall I fear?"  Psalm 27:1

He will give us anything we need to serve Him.  "Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord."  Psalm 89:15

 

We all screw up sometimes.  No matter how bad or how many times someone goes astray, God has the power to bring them back.  We're all sinners, but there's always the invitation to turn to Christ.  "But you are a chosen people, a holy priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness and into His wonderful light."   (1 Peter 2:9)  Once we realize this salvation, we can tell others about how they can posses it, too!  You don't have to be anything special.  "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned (Isaiah 9:2)."

 

God can change anyone.  Consider David.  God called him "a man after My own heart."  David, such an influential man in the Bible, committed adultry with a woman named Bathsheba adn had her husband sent to battle to be killed!  Yet, God still still loved him and chose his family to be Jesus's family years later.  In thanking God for His mercy, Dad said "You are my lamp, O Lord; the Lord turns my darkness into light (2 Samuel 22:29)."

 

Though we can't actually see and converse with God, His Word is the guide and light for our lives.  "The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.  the commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes."  Psalm 19:8

"The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple."  Psalm 119:130

"For these commands are a lamp, this teaching a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life."  Proverbs 6:23

 

There can always be more to life.  There is always more that we can learn.  God is willing and wanting to show us these things if we are willing to listen.  "For God who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ."  2 Corinthians 4:6  By gaining more of said knowledge of Christ, anybody can change his or her life.  "For You have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life."  Psalm 56:13

 

Summing up 3 great things that come with life in the light:  "If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin."  1 John 1:7  We get to have a relationship with God, fellowship with other believers, and salvation from our sins.

 

It doesn't stop there!  It doesn't end when we get it in our own hearts.  Each of us had to hear about it some way or another, whether at church, school, home, a friend, cookout, the radio...somewhere!  We have to follow the words of the little kid song, "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine!"  It may keep our souls content, but there are countless people out there looking for something to satisfy them, but they just can't find it.

 

When good things happen, we love to share about it, right?  Like when you have a good hair day, it must go on your snapchat story.  Or you have this amazing boyfriend, so you have to post a picture of him on Instagram every Monday.  (I'm not insulting you if you have done this; those were just the first examples that came to mind!)  But really, your hair is going to get messed up, and your boyfriend will make you mad, and in most cases, you won't end up marrying him anyways.  That's life, but you're still going to talk about it.  Well guess what.  God is good, and He will never let you down, so why not share that with others, too?  When we're filled with the Lord, it makes the good times that much better.  And for someone who crosses your path who may not have anything going for them, the smallest word or action could make his or her day.  Sometimes we don't even have to say anything.  When we let Christ's light shine through our lives, people will see it.  There are opportunities to shine wherever we go.  "You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden...In the same way, let your light shine before men so that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."  Matthew 5:14, 16  We don't have to do something big, give a lot of money, or go far away to make a difference.  Right where we are is a great place to start.

 

This is why I chose Food on Foot as a little project to get myself and those around me involved in.  I want to start this year off service-oriented.  This is also close to my heart, as my mom works in the school system and sees these kids and hears their stories daily.  If you only knew some of their backgrounds, it would break your heart.  Just some things to think about:  We may complain about school food, but some kids live for lunchtime because that's the only meal they'll get for the day.  We may get mad if we have to walk through the grass across the school yard and our shoes get wet or dirty, but at least that's not the only pair we own.  We might have homework some or even every night, but some kids wish they only had pencils and paper at home so they could at least try to do it.  You never know what someone else may be going home to.  Or not going home at all.  We all have opportunities to be a bright spot in someone's day, whether by words, actions, or just the way we live in general.  One final, simple thing we can all do anytime and anyplace is pray.

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?

Motown Madness

 Motown Madness is an area-wide discipleship weekend that my chuch, First Baptist, and another large church in town, Manley Baptist, take turns hosting each year.  This year, Manley was the host church, where we had our worship services in their brand new sanctuary!

 

Friday night, February 28th, we started out the weekend with an awesome service before heading to our host homes.  (Unless there is too few people in an age group and they have to combine) each gender of each grade, 7th through 12th, is assigned a host home where they sleep, eat some meals and snacks, and have small group.  My group, the sophomore girls, stayed at Cassie's house.  We have a large Sunday school group, and most of us got to come along with some that we invited from other churches.

 

Here's some pictures and things we learned and shared over the weekend.  You can find more from anything that anyone posted at Twitter #Motown2014 and Instagram #Motown2014.

Jenna inspired me to draw this picture.  Being rooted in faith, you grow, and when you grow, people can see it and you can give off seeds to make others grow, too!
"So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."
Colossians 2:6

Along with being firmly planted in the faith, I gotta stay firm!  I know through lots of experience lately that there is nothing in this world that I can put my trust and hope in.  The only One who can always satisfy my soul is Christ.  I often get distracted then disappointed by things that I want to do, but I know that my efforts are pointless if they are not backed by Christ.
"The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God is my Rock in whom I take refuge.  He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."  Psalm 18:2

More roots...
"I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power to grasp how long and high and wide and deep is the love of Christ."  Ephesians 3:17-18

This is a collage posted by the girl in the bottom picture wearing the purpleish scarf.  Her name is Katie, and she was one of our college leaders with our group for the weekend.

Up top left is Bella, who like me, loves to sleep.  And she loves cats.  How convenient we got a picture of Bella sleeping next to a cat. 

On Saturday, everyone gets free time between lunch and dinner, and since the weather was gorgeous, Panther Creek Park was a the hotspot!  In the top right, Bella, Katy, and Maddie set up their Enos and "hung out" for the afternoon.The bottom picture was Saturday night after small group.  From left to right is me, Abby, Katie, Patty (our amazing Sunday School teacher), Sara, and Olivia.

Here again is Olivia, who used to be one of my absolute best friends when we were in elementary school.  We had the craziest sleepovers and laughing fits, and of course I had to have a crush on her brother at one point.  Seems like everyone had that friend when they were young.  It has been great getting to see her at church again lately; we were all thrilled she got to come.
Abby has also been a great friend of mine for a long time!  We went to preschool together, but then went a long time without getting to see each other.  Now, we are both at the same church and are growing together all the time.  We even have the same birthday!

Katie is a new friend, but we're all glad she joined us!  She has a home church and church she sings at on Sundays, but she gets to come to FBC on Wednesdays.  She is one of the many college leaders we are blessed to have with us!  It is so important to have older, yet still young, people in our lives to share with us and encourage us in what they have learned.  Something that she said that I really liked was, "It's just as much of a sin to think that you aren't good enough," because God has made each of us to be used for His purposes.

This was while we were waiting around before worship on Friday night.  In the back is one of my best friends since preschool, Parker, and his friend who moved to the other side of town for high school, Ed.  They're such fun and goofy guys, but they're also sweet, too.

This was also at the park during free time.  Cassie and I tried to get a picture swinging, but those swings were hard to get high on!

Everyone always love the food at Motown.  It's a lot of people's favorite part!  Around here when kids her Motown Madness, they think of the awesome worship services and food.  We had all kinds of yummy stuff Saturday morning like muffins, coffee of course, fruit, sausage balls, ham rolls, and any snacks and sweets people brought to share.

I took a group of girls on a hike up to the highest point at the park, on a trail called "Point Lookout" where you can look over the lake from wayyyyy high up, and it is gorgeous.  We had a ton of fun!  One of the things we talked about in worship was being rooted in our faith in the Lord, so we had to get a picture with some major roots!

We also went to Sonic during free time, and Patty thought it was hilarious that the cat loved to lick milkshake off of a spoon.

 

I don't have any pictures to go with this, but the speaker/preacher who does Motown Madness is the one and only Chad Poe!  If you ever hear that he is near your area, you should really go listen to him speak.  He is not here to tip toe and make you love yourself, but to be honest and really share what life with Christ is all about.  He always says things that push me to be a stronger Christian.  He is also hilarious, so I promise no matter how long he talks, you will not get bored.He really hit me head on that weekend with plans, the way for my life.  I have plans.  I have a ton of plans and my own ways that I want my life to go.  But ya know what Jesus says? 
"I am The Way, The Truth, and The Life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me."  John:14:6.
Christ is not a suggested route of travel to eternity or a rest stop along the way, He is The Way.

Another tree analogy:  "Without roots, it is no longer a tree, it is an obstacle."Remember that the service, the music, the people, the clothes, the weather, the day, the circumstances won't always be the same, but the God we worship will always be the same.This is something that he said that I remember to stay humble:  "Until I realize that I deserve the wrath of the Lion, I will never get the mercy of the Lamb.

This is a picture I took a screenshot of on Instagram.  This is the man and his band who have been leading the worship at Motown for the past few years.  He is Chuck Hooten!  Not only does he have a great name, he has a fantastic voice and opportunity to use it to glorify the Lord.  I also just now found his blog!Having a strong worship leader is very important because music is a sermon in itself.  It is beautiful, teaches and inspires us, and gives us opportunities to worship our Savior!  Chuck did a great job of getting us fired up to learn and grow.

Here is a picture I took of Chuck up there doin' his thing!  He was a little panicked at one point, because the batteries in his earpiece died, and he had never sang without his music.  We encouraged him to wing it, and he did, with great success!  Now hopefully he will be more confident to burst out anywhere sharing his love for the Lord!

This poetic picture as she called it was taken by my friend Morgan, who I think is just super cool!  Today is her birthday as well!  She takes very pretty pictures when she goes places, like here at the park, the beach, and even overseas and on mission trips.  She also loves sports and is always up for something fun and challenging.  Her hair is also really long and silky, and she almost always has a smile on her face.  Her Biblical knowledge is amazing; we always go to her when we have questions!  I love her spirit for the Lord!

This beautiful girl has a terrific future ahead of her; she has an amazing voice and can play the piano and sing like a pro!  Her name is Hope, and you better just watch out because she will be out there singing and performing one day like those on KLove, like Laura Story and Mandisa!

 

Here's a final picture I threw together to sum up our adventures.
Small group, worship, happy hour at Sonic, and a walk in the park.

We are Never Alone

During different holiday seasons, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas, I love to look at the comics.  During these times, there seems to be more funny, cute, and meaningful ones.  This morning, I really liked the simple and true fact behind today's Mutts. 

We really are never alone.  We would not even have this holiday to celebrate if God never sent us His son to live and die for us.  Ya know, we wouldn't even be celebrating "mas" because nothing even would have started a holiday.  Even when we feel completely deserted by family, friends, teachers, coworkers, and more, God is always there.  He promises us that many times in His word.  This verse in Hebrews says it plain and simple:  "...God has said, 'Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.'"  (Hebrews 13:5)

Never forget that, not only during Christmas, but every moment of every day.

Joy to the World

Joy to the World is one of my all time favorite Christmas songs because I love the word joy.  It is probably my favorite word.  I believe there is a difference between being happy and being joyful.  Things and people can make you happy, but usually those things don't last.

Joy comes from the "things" that never end.  I experience true joy from Jesus Christ.  Everything He gives fills me with joy.  I can be confident that by trusting in Him, I can always have a positive outlook.  Because I have received the ultimate gift from God (His son Jesus Christ), I don't need earthly, material possesions.  All I need is always in my heart.

My favorite version of this song as of right now is by Jeremy Camp.  I just love his voice; it is so unique and beautiful.

 

"Joy to the World , the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing."

Everyone is welcome to have the gift of Christmas and praise His holy name!

 

"He rules the world with truth and grace,

and makes the nations prove

the glories of His righteousness

and wonders of His love,

and wonders of His love,

and wonders, wonders, of His love."

How great it is to know that we have a ruler and king who gives us what we don't deserve and always has our true best interest at heart.  His love is so extravagant, we need nothing else.