...Not just stories of what would be ideal, but testimonies of truth...

I hope you see the blessings in your life today.

I'm back!!! YAY!! So yeah, I'm pretty pumped!

I have tons to do this semester, so the whole idea of a social life has pretty much just been thrown out the window... yeah...

I'd been worrying about that lately... but that's stupid, cuz God always takes care of me. Duh! Jeepers. Sometimes I wonder how many times I have to come to the same conclusion before I'll actually know the answer to the same question I keep having. Did that make sense? Well I knew what I meant, so if you didn't.... uhh... ok...

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34

Cool beans. Praise God!

"We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me." - Colossians 1: 2-29

Wow. I don't do that. It reminds me of last night when I was talking to Gannon and the conversation turned to drum corps and DCI and just how incredible it all is - especially the drum lines. Anyway, so I know I'm pretty much in awe of the precision of each person and the way they come together to form one precise and fluid unit. But when I think of how much practice and work we put into whatever performance we have, I'm ashamed to see how much effort we don't put into becoming "perfect in Christ." It's just not a priority. We don't, overall, take pride in our Christian walk anymore - entirely too apologetic, and so we compromise. Not that we should be arrogantly proud, but we as Christians certainly have nothing to be ashamed of! We know, live with, and serve THE living God!! And after all He has done and is doing and has yet to do, the least we could do is present to Him our perfect lives and help others to do the same.

Yesterday I read in John that "if anyone loves me (Christ) he will obey my teaching." So because we love him, we will strive for His perfection. Paul says, "To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy which so powerfully works in me." Perfection, being pleasing to God, should be our constant goal, using up all of our energy. In fact, he says "his energy" - God's - because we ourselves will always run short.

"Apart from me (Christ) you can do nothing" (John 15:5). But "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13). This means that not only will he supply us with energy when we need it, but that we are no longer obligated to sin! That's an idea that I have not been able to let go of since I heard it at camp. Who cares if we're human!?! We don't have to sin!! Bottom line.

We can be perfect. Because God demands it, He made it possible. And because He made it possible, He demands our perfection.

How cool is that!?!

WOOT WOOT! I'm real excited! I'm heading to Brownwood this Saturday for a wedding extravaganza!!!

Starts off slow... but gets better...

So, it's really late and I'm pretty much exhausted, but I haven't posted anything in a while, so I figured I'd let you all in on the nothingness that has become my summer. Also, as it is getting later, so please excuse sentences that either don't make sense or ramble on... and tipe-ohs.... yeah...

Okie dokie, well I had a dollar store birthday party. That was fun.. hmmm... got a coloring book... my OWN set of crayons (which is exciting because now I don't have to use my sister's left-overs! which means they'll all be in one piece) and a neat little book from our youth minister and his wife. It's got a lot of God's love promises in it. It's based on the idea that I am God's princess... I've only read one entry in it, though, so we'll see how that goes.

I definately have a lot of catching up to do with my friends! I miss you all sooooo much! I really wish I were in Brownwood right now! As sad as that sounds! Or maybe I could just bring you all to Tolar... we could all go.... cow tippin'... or... something... maybe watch the flashing light blink... or watch the gas prices go up... your pick...

Well, at the moment, I am sitting in a hotel room in Houston. Tomorrow is my cousin's wedding. I can't wait to see this side of the family! It's been way too long! Too bad we're not in Corpus, though. That always makes it feel like... well, the way it's supposed to. That's where we all used to play guns in the back yard and get bored and ride our bikes to the beach... ahhh good times. I miss those days.. salty smell, palm trees, sreeching seagulls...

Yes, here I am with Joe, my brother that lives in Alabama, whom I haven't seen since Christmas (and then only for about 3 days). Here I am on his laptop and there he is on the bed... snoring... more good times. HOWEVER he did get a new job as an IS director over a couple of hospitals, a few clinics, and some private offices... so, he said he may try to take me up to New York on one of my breaks, but that all depends on if he rents or buys his house... if he buys a new car or keeps his old truck... if he can even get any days off for that matter...

Enough of that. Ok, well, as soon as I get back to Tolar Sunday night and repack, I'll head up to Oklahoma! I think I've already posted all of this, but I'm still real pumped about camp this year! I don't know why, but I always get more excited when I go as a counselor than I do when I go as a camper. Why is that? Do comment... hmmm.

Well, if any other nothingness comes up, I'll letcha know... I hope everyone of you has a wonderful day today. May God bless you immensely!!! And may you always have a smile on your face!!!

After all! "Jesus is Lord and I am saved so say 'hey! It's a good day'!" [that's a line from an FFH song for those of you uncool people who don't recognize it ;)]