It's over!!

Well.. I made it.. by the skin of my teeth, but I made it. I survived my Chemistry class. I took the final today. I'll have to admit, I didn't give it my all and I regret that, but I took the class and learned just how difficult those sciences can be! The scary thing is... I have several more chemistry type classes to take!! Can someone invent that do hickie that they had on "The Matrix" where the humans (or whatever) were hooked to machines and all info. was downloaded? I'll take one of those please! It just comes down to me cuttin' out the stuff that i"ve always loved and indulged in and putting 100% into going back to school. It's really what this will take unfortunately. It's kidna like breaking a bad habit.. I've never had very good study skills and I almost feel that I have to learn to study on this level and do it the right way. School, aside from the Lord, needs to be my #1 priority. I like to think though, that I can find a balance.. between my classes and my social life etc. etc. I know this balance can be found.. I just need to learn to do it. I'm still considerably young and don't want to miss out. I know it will be all worth it in the long run. I know that occupational therapy is a profession that the Lord has put on my heart. I know he will give me the strength and the persistance and the discipline to get through, but I also need to do more of the work myself. Lesson learned. God will bless my efforts. For now though.. I'm done! Praise be to the Lord! Now I can focus on lovin' and livin' out the joys of Christmas.

Busy- Challenges- Fun!

My mind is so full of thoughts today that I don't even know where to begin. This is the week of our church Christmas production. I am a part of the "Show choir" and we have rehearsals every night. Tonight.. no rehearsal.. so glad for that. I'm using my free time to get my roots done.. and they are in desperate need of color!!!! It will definitely perk things up on my head. =)

I absolutely looove being a part of muscials. I love the singing.. the choreography.. even the stressful rehearsals.. it's all so fun! I just get so much energy from being a part of something like this. So many people complain about the long hours but it's just fun! It's a step out of the ordinary.. a chance to use the gifts that God has given us to entertain and hopefully minister to others. I pray for many diving moments as we share the story of "The Christmas Window."

I've had a few other challenges this week that take up my thoughts and energy. The first is ending my Chemistry class.. yikes! I'm just not talented in this area so that explains itself. The other.. well.. lets just say that I'm having trouble communicating with someone who doesn't know how to communicate. The Lord opened a door for me to kindly address the issues that needed to be addressed there. He is faithful! I know that God works all things for the good of those who love him. I can't wait to see what more he has in store and how he will work in these challenges I face. I have no doubt the outcome will be positive and bigger and better than I ever hoped for or imagined!

My theme song!!!

(chorus)I’m not going back, I’m moving aheadI’m here to declare to you, my past is over
In You, old things are made newSurrendered my life to ChristI’m moving.. moving forward
(verse)What a momentYou have brought me toSuch a freedomI have found in YouYou’re the Healer
Who makes all things newYeah! Yeah! Yeah!—–
(chorus)I’m not going back, I’m moving aheadI’m here to declare to you, my past is overIn You, old things are made newSurrendered my life to ChristI’m moving.. moving forward!—
(verse)You have risenWith all power in Your HandsYou have given meA second ChanceHallelujah, Hallelujah!
Yeah Yeah Yeah!Yeah Yeah Yeah!
(chorus)I’m not going back, I’m moving aheadI’m here to declare to you, my past is over
In You, old things are made newSurrendered my life to ChristI’m moving-
I’m not going back, I’m moving aheadI’m here to declare to you, my past is overIn You, old things are made newSurrendered my life to ChristI’m moving.. moving
FORWARD!!!(4x)You maka all things newYou make all things newI will follow YouFOWARD!!!(repeats)

'Nuff said! =)

My Thanksgiving without the Gobble Gobble..No Turkey!

My Thanksgiving holiday was a different sort of holiday than normal. My brother had to be on call from 5 pm to 5 am on Thanksgiving day, so we headed to Nashville to make sure he wasn't left out of the celebrating. We spent most of the morning traveling. On the trip over I indulged on Sarah Palin's new book "Going Rogue." I fascinated by this amazing woman who had a very ordinary life yet took what God gave her and created a very successful political career. She didn't let anything or anyone get in her way. She used her common sense to get things done and did a lot to help the people around her. So inspiring. I was totally motivated to shake things up a little in my own life. I even stuck with it during the political sections that I know very little about.. all things Sarah.. that's what I"m all about. We arrived in Nashville around noon and went to the restaurant we had planned on.. only to find there was a 2 HOUR WAIT!! We were all shocked over the gobs of people who were eating out on Thanksgiving. Kinda sad actually. Anyway.. we settled on Cracker Barrell.. even though that too, was an hour long wait. It was a fun memory.. something different. I had a homestyly sampler with ham, meatloaf, chicken and dumplings and three kinds of veggies.. including turnip greens of course. =) After the traditional stuffing of our bellies.. we headed over to the Opryland hotel where we had reservations for that night. ONce we checked in and figured out the labrynth of halls and dead ends.. we settled into our room briefly then trecked to find a parking spot on the opposite side of the hotel. We spent the evening walking around the beautifully decorated hotel. It's a wonder at Christmas.. One of the prettier parts was the life-sized manger scene outside. The figures looked like they were carved out of marble. It was good to see the birth of Christ honored despite the society around us continually getting further and further away from christianity. Jonathan got a call to go into work and dad went along with him, so mom and I settled into the room and watched a tear jerker of a movie. The next morning we set on our 7 hour journey to Chicago. Most of the trip was through the heartland of Kentucky and Indiana. I always love to people watch in those tiny little towns on the route.. It is truely a cultural experience to experience all the mulletts and poorly put together outfits. I even encountered a camo-clad gentleman staggering down the sidewalk drunk. I didn't know whether to help him or run away. ( it was around 1:00 pm- sad) After reading more about Sarah P. and a laptop movie or two later.. we arrived at Grandpa's. He just broke all of our hearts this trip. He keeps getting smaller and smaller and his quality of life is so poor. He even got confused several times, forgetting that we were visiting. He woke up one night thinging we were burglers. He really needs to be in a home, but his stubborn nature keeps him in the state he's in. I just hope he doesn't hurt himself.

Friday we celebrated Christmas early after a heart-attack causing brunch. My uncle Mark and dad did a lot of the prepping in the kitchen. It was cute! The two men of the family making breakfast for all. After our bellies were bloated from Mark's special "hash cookies", sausage and eggs made in ziploc bags (that's right- a little creepy) we sat around Grandpa's tiny living room and shared what we are thankful for then bridged the gap between Thanksgiving and Christmas by sharing our favorite Christmas memory. This was a wonderful new tradition started by none other than my mother. Grandpa.. bless his heart.. just didn't get the gist of it and started sharing a word from the Lord. We were, of course, blessed by it, but when we asked him for his favorite memory.. he just went right back into preacher mode. While it was typical Grandpa, it was also sad that he didn't understand what we were asking him to do.

After laying around lazily, I just had to move.. mom and I went to the mall for a few Christmas gifts. It was good to get out. After church with grandpa and our traditional Pepe's for lunch, we packed our too small for 4 adult Toyota camry and headed back to Memphis. The normally 7.5 hour trip to Nashville turned into about 12 because people in Kentucky and Indiana seem not to know how to drive on slick roads. We got stopped by several wrecks. I tried to finish Sarah's book, but was cut short by and early darkness. I totally forgot my book light. So I settled for watching "The Holiday" and then one of my favorites: "Madea Goes to Jail" I just can't get enough Madea. A great trip. We got home around 2:30 am and I was more than happy to slide into my own larger and cleaner bed. Thank goodness for cleanliness. (Grandpa's house just isn't the standard of clean we are used to). I am thankful for my family with our many differences.. we are still close to them and always enjoy getting together. I am truely blessed.