Photo of the Day 7/14

This is Jasmine...better known as Jazz. If you can't already tell from this picture, this is a puppy with a LOT of personality.
Every time I go visit my parents in Ohio, I love chasing after this one with my camera...and she's very fast..

Photo of the Day 7/13

So I've been taking a lot of pictures of the sky lately...but at least I've posted a picture 2 days in a row!!

This may sound like a tiny accomplishment, but it's a great one...especially for me. =)

Photo of the Day 7/12

I took this one night last week. The sun was setting and it was such a vibrant color.

I'm going to try my hand at this again and post a picture every day (this week at least). With the exception of next week...because I will be in Puerto Rico for a Mission Trip with my church's youth group.

A Graduation Weekend.

I just realized that I never posted this blog...which I wrote over a month ago, go figure. So here's some info of the extended weekend I was above the Mason-Dixon Line.
My baby cousin (on my Dad's side) graduated this year from Washington Community High School (my dad's Alma Mater). I am so very proud of her! She's off to college in the Fall. She decided to start at ICC and then transfer to NIU after 2 years. Tear....these are the times when I feel old.
But it was a great weekend with family, and it's times like this that I also wish I was a lot closer to family all the time.
So I've put 2 collages together from the weekend. The first is from her graduation party on Saturday and the graduation cermony on Sunday afternoon.
Enjoy.

Reading.

Lately I've been really slack in my reading. Reading anything...books, articles, etc. So when a friend from work recommending a series to me, I was very excited.

I must say that the first chapter was slow starting and the second chapter kind of lost my interest a little, partially because I wasn't really sure what the book was all about.

You can image my excitement when I came across a blog that had a review on the book (semicolonblog.com). After I read the review this morning, I'm excited to dive back into the book again.

I've never been one to do book reviews, but this may start a trend. And maybe this will be something I actually stick with...we shall see.

Currently reading: A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers

Boone Hall Plantation

Monday the 21st, I got a phone call saying that my Great Uncle Allen (who lives in Texas) was in Charleston visiting his brother, my other Great Uncle Gary. I knew that I had to go and visit because he was so close. Now, I've never really met my Uncle Gary and his wife Aunt Gail. I honestly don't know why...but that's not really the point of this blog, now is it?
So Uncle Allen and his wife Aunt Donna were doing some site-seeing on Tuesday and my (awesome) boss was nice enough to let me take some last minute time off.
So I got off early on Tuesday and drove down to Charleston for the day.
I met them at a place called Boone Hall Plantation. I had never really heard of the place. It was so beautiful. Lovely gardens and grounds. Even saw some filming of Army Wives that was going on. Among other things, the plantation has also been the shooting grounds for the 2 mini-series' "North & South" (the version with Patrick Swayze) and "Queen" (with Halle Berry) and the movie, "The Notebook" (yes, the Nicholas Sparks book-turned movie).
Below are just a few pictures that I took (in collage form, of course).
If you ever get the chance, I definitely recommend it for a visit....even though it did cost $17.50 to get in.....

Negativity.

I've been thinking a lot about this lately too...and I have a friend, and former co-worker, who posted this today. I really could not have said it better myself. In fact, I have been trying to figure out how to put it into words for a couple of weeks now...

Hope everyone out in bloggerland is having a great month thus far. And I'll post something mind boggling soon.... ;P

Original post:

posted by Shannon at 8:11 PM on Jun 8, 2010

If there is one single thing I've learned through this recently process of changes in my work situation it's that I can't take the negativity anymore. I thought - really, truly thought - that things would have blown over by now or at least have started to. But I would be oh so wrong. It sometimes seems like I can just feel the hostility radiating off some people. And you know, I'm all for feeling whatever you are feeling whenever you are feeling it because it's good to acknowledge your feelings. BUT...at some point, you have to get over it. You. Just. DO.

And personally, I'm happy to have a job. One that I actually enjoy. It's never going to make me rich, but I feel like I'm doing a good job. So when I get all this negativity radiating at me it's annoying. Today someone just pushed every last button I had and I managed not to fly off the handle, but I did stew about it the rest of the day. I'm over it now, but sheesh. Lighten up folks!! If you choose to be miserable, then you will be. But if you at least attempt to make the best of things, you might be surprised that it turns out better than you ever imagined.

Just a tiny rant from the peanut gallery

I understand that God has me where I am for a reason...and, as I have told many people, I actually DO enjoy being single...

But, here's the thing: It is a very hard thing to keep in my head that this is what God has for me right now when (it seems) everyone around me has someone. And the people who have someone are married, married and having kids, engaged and planning a wedding, or just have someone to date and hang out with.

While I am happy for these people and glad that God has blessed them, it is very hard not to be a little jealous.

I put on a tough face and act like I'm 100% cool with it 100% of the time, but it is just that....a face.

It seems like this feeling flares up everyone once in a while...today was because one of my co-workers is planning her wedding. While I am very very excited for her, it just comes as a constant reminder that I do not have anyone. And, again, while I know that this is not a bad thing and God has intended for me to be single right now for a purpose, it is still kind of difficult.

It is also due to something else that happened today. There was a ladies conference today going on in Cola, so a bunch of us from work went...one of the speakers mentioned something about the days of going to college for a "MRS" degree. I guess that is always kind of what I had planned for my life. Go to college, get married, have kids. Again, while that is what happens for some people and is all well and good, that is not what God had planned for me.

I guess sometimes it's hard to just accept that what God has for us is different (and better) than what we had planned for ourselves. Even though we do not always see the BETTER part.

The other day I took a couple of my youth girls (who are seniors in high school) to visit a college. On the way back, one of the girls said to me, "Alicia, sometimes I wish I just knew which college God wanted me to go to." My reply was, "Well, He already knows which one you are going to pick, even if you don't. If He always just told us what He wanted, we wouldn't ever grow to trust Him and seek Him."

I guess as I am writing I realize that I was saying that to myself. Plus, if we always knew just what God had in store for us, life would be pretty dull and uninteresting.

He just keeps bringing up several passages of scripture that I have blogged about the past month or so...maybe one day I will actually get them...

Philippians 4:4-13
Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. I rejoice greatly in the lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Acts 17:26-27
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each of us.

Hindarance

Defined by Dictionary.com as:
1. an impeding, stopping, preventing, or the like.
2. the state of being hindered.
3. a person or thing that hinders.

Ever believe something so much that you always thought it was what God had for you and not really realized it was your plan the WHOLE time? And been so convinced it was what God had in store for you??
For example, you thought you were only going to be in one place for a period of time and, therefore, did not bother to try to see what God had in store for you?

"From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each of us."
Acts 17:26-27

By my [unqualified] interpretation: Where we are is the best chance we have to seek him. And know him.

Growing up, I never stayed in one place for very long by nature of my Dad's job in the military. And I always swore that I would never do that to my children (when I had some).
I then decided it was a great thing: experiencing different cultures, meeting new people, just an overall wonderful experience I had.
In my mind I had already put off anything that would cause me to make permanent ties to Sumter (not like friendships, but, well I'll just say it, dating) (*side-note: there are not currently any prospects, I am just blogging).

I think that my desire to leave Sumter was clouding my vision so much that I have not been living to my full potential. I was taking the desires that God gave me (like starting a coffee shop) and saying that they could not happen right now because I was not going to stay in Sumter my whole life.
Because I knew starting a business would keep me here. I was putting limits on my God and, essentially, locking Him up in a convenient little box...all without REALLY realizing it.

I always here people complain "There's nothing to do in Sumter"...and that is true to an extent, just like it is true in about any other town of its size. And regardless of that being a true statement, or not, it shouldn't be hindering me from enjoying it while I'm here and living up to what God has in store for me here.

The hindrance was my own doing. And I have let it consume my outlook so much that I think I am missing out. (On what, I may not fully realize.)


"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."
Proverbs 19:21


Lord, remind me over and over you are in control. Even when I want the control, and in my ignorant, human mind think I can handle anything without you.

Some of my favs.

A friend of mine (Kendra) did a favorites blog a while back, and I thought it was a fun idea and wanted to copy it =)

1. Hanging out in coffee shops

2. Wearing skirts/dresses and rain boots

3. Old Navy PJ pants

4. Sleeping in

5. A good cup of hot tea

6. Long Summer dresses

7. Acoustic music

8. Walking in the rain

Debating.

Should I bite the bullet and be a greeter at church even though I'm not as outgoing as everyone thinks I am?

Should I volunteer to work in the nursery even though I really don't want to?

Would this be considered one of those "fake it 'til you make it" kind of things?

Or would this be considered phariseeish?

Is there a happy medium, or am I allowing the devil to create doubt about this matter?

I don't want to feel like I was guilted into doing either of these and feel resentment.

If I join the greeting team, I would be able to get to know more people's names.

I guess that would be a good thing.

But, again, I don't want to feel like I was pressured into doing it and not liking the people that asked me.

Gah...I don't know. I guess I could try the greeting thing and see what happens.

The same can't really be said about the nursery.

Kids are great and all, but once I get on the rotation, it'll be harder and harder to stop helping out.

I guess I really just need to figure out what my intentions are.

I've been reading a lot lately about being intentional.

One of my new favorite blogs are the ones from Relevant Magazine.

One in particular titled "Being Single with Intentionality".

It's more than just the intentionality of being single, but just the intentionality of, well, being.

Living life to the fullest.

I'm also reading Francis Chan's "Crazy Love" book.

A particular section of on of the chapters really caught may attention:

"You could be the next person in your family to die. I could be the next person at my church to die. We have to realize it. We have to believe it enough that it changes how we live. A friend of mine has a particularly wise perspective on this subject. He was asked if he weren't spending too much of his time serving and giving too much away. His gentle but honest response was, "I wonder if you'll say that after we're dead." Friends, we need to stop living selfish lives, forgetful of our God. Our lives here are short, often unexpectedly so, and we can all stand to be reminded of it from time to time. ... in the movie of life, nothing matters except our King and God. Don't let yourself forget. Soak it in and keep remembering that it is true. He is everything."

At a memorial service for Robbie Martin on Saturday afternoon, I was again reminded of this.

Robbie was an amazing man of God.

I first met Robbie when I was in college at a Thursday Night BCM service.

He loved.

He always asked to pray with and for you.

He wanted everyone to know about the amazing God he served.

He was a very dear person to many people, myself included.

We laughed and cried when we heard all the "Robbie stories".

He lived. Man, did he live.

This reminded of part of a sermon that I heard at least 4 or 5 years ago:

"Live. And Live Well.

BREATHE. Breathe in and Breathe deeply.

Be PRESENT. Do not be past. Do not be future. Be now.

On a crystal clear, breezy 70 degree day, roll down the windows and FEEL the wind against your skin. Feel the warmth of the sun.

If you run, then allow those first few breaths on a cool Autumn day to FREEZE your lungs and do not just be alarmed, be ALIVE.

Get knee-deep in a novel and LOSE track of time.

If you bike, pedal HARD...and if you crash, then crash well.

Feel the SATISFACTION of a job well done--a paper well-written, a project throughly completed, a play well-performed.

If you must wipe the snot from your 3-year old's nose, don't be disgusted if the Kleenex didn't catch it all...because soon he'll be wiping his own.

If you've recently experienced loss, then GRIEVE. And Grieve well.

At the table with friends and family, LAUGH. If you're eating and laughing at the same time, then might as well laugh until you puke. And if you eat, then SMELL. The aromas are not impediments to your day. Steak on the grill, coffee beans freshly ground, cookies in the oven.

And TASTE. Taste every ounce of flavor. Taste every ounce of friendship. Taste every ounce of Life.

Because-it-is-most-definitely-a-Gift."

All that to say that I want to start being more intentional.

And living life to the fullest.

And helping out where I can

And always seeing God's love and grace in every situation.

Debate over, decision made.

Dang it, what am I getting myself into.