Starting Thanksgiving Off early with a little Thanks

Thanksgiving is tomorrow...I can not believe it has been another year. I really feel like this year just flashed before my eyes. It brought forth a lot of blessings. I don't think it should take a Holiday for us all to realize what we are thankful for, but in the feel of the Holiday I want to make a list of the things I am thankful for...and I encourage others to do the same

1. The never-ending Grace that my Heavenly Father has given me
2. Two parents who take care of me when I do not deserve half of what they give me sometimes
3. My brothers and their wives...for putting up with me even though I am unbearable at times
4. My nieces and nephew...need I say more?
5. The few great friends I have that I feel like are more than just my friends...but they are family
6. My Grandparents...who raised me to know God...and who love me with a great amount of love.
7. An education, and the opportunity to further my education that I take advantage of most of the time

This list could go on and on...there's so much I have been blessed with in my life...and without God none of it would be possible. I know Thanksgiving is traditionally a North American Holiday or an American Holiday...but it's more than that...To me it's about taking time and realizing what I've been given in my lifetime as a child of God...not just a Citizen.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Snow?!? In NOVEMBER!??

So if you're from Eastern N.C. you know it does not snow here very often. It especially does not snow here in November. Tuesday we got a few snow flurries which I thought was really crazy--just last week it was like 80 degrees here and all of a sudden we're getting snow flurries...This morning I woke up and was getting ready and I heard the sound of "rain" outside--For a second I was like "Grr! I don't want to walk in the rain to class!" but then I looked out and I did not see rain...I saw SNOW. Lots of snow! I still didn't really think anything of it because I figured it was just going to last for a few minutes and turn into rain or whatever else...as I walked outside to get in my car I saw a storm of snow going on. I was thinking to myself "this is insane!"
If you know me you know that I have never really been a fan of snow. I am definitely a warm weather person. To me snow has never been pretty--it's honestly just frozen precipitation that causes a lot of issues.
Today however, my attitude of the change was a little different. This week has been really overwhelming for me...It's just been very stressful and a lot has been going on. Today I view the snow as almost like God cleaning up this week. Even though I've never enjoyed snow I look at it as a refreshing, clean look at the world...and it's almost like God said "Hey look it's the end of the week and your work is done, I'm washing away the stress and everything else that has overwhelmed you this week"
I'm at peace today--and it's fantastic. So today--I do not despise the snow--I love it...I'm thankful for it...I'm thankful for my Heavenly father who washes me clean just as I'm viewing the snow washing everything clean.

It took time, but...

One name under heaven whereby we must be saved
Forgiven of my sins, baptized in the water
Filled with the Holy Ghost, and
Washed in the blood of the Lamb
Free really free my friend
Freed by the blood of the Lamb
God's gonna move this place
God's gonna move this place
God's gonna turn this whole world upside down

The past two days this song has been stuck in my head. It's one that I learned last summer (2007) and for some reason it's been in my head the past two days. I've been singing it to myself and realizing how true it's words are. I'm free. I'm forgiven. I've been baptized and I am forgiven of any sin that could have ever taken over me. I've known this all along...but I guess knowing and believing are two totally different things. I have a hard time accepting the fact that I'm loved by God and I'm forgiven of anything. A lot of the time I let these lies fill my head that I'm not good enough...but, I know the truth. The truth is, I've been saved. I've been washed in the blood of the lamb. I am forgiven. It's a pretty awesome feeling.

Also, a friend of mine sent me this link to this video a few days ago...and I find it to be so awesome. Yay Michael Tait.

A strange...maybe even Geeky revelation

Does anyone else remember this game?
Tetris...I used to play it all the time when I was younger. Being an A.D.D kid it was probably the one thing I could focus on for more than a few minutes....I used to play this game for hours on end. Lately while I've been at work I have been playing it just because I've been bored...and I came across this strange revelation.
Call me a geek for connecting Christianity with a video game but I think it's actually a pretty cool revelation.
When you start off playing tetris you might start off doing really well. All the blocks will fit perfectly together...the lines are breaking down...things are going smoothly...then all of a sudden you get this block that does not fit. You start to get a cap between your blocks, and before you know it your tower is reaching the ceiling, thus causing you to almost lose the game...but WAIT. You get another block that breaks down like 10 of your lines. You're once again going smoothly.
I relate this to Christianity in the sense that a lot of the time in our Christian walk that's how it goes. Especially if we're new Christians. Things are looking up. Life's going smoothly. You and Jesus are tight...then all of a sudden things come a long that really start to hinder your relationship with God. Things don't quite fit into place...and you feel like you're defeated and losing...and then all of a sudden God reaches down and makes everything okay again. It might take a while. We might start to sweat and think we're really about to lose--but then it all becomes okay once again.
I guess I realized this when I was playing today and I was getting frustrated because I had all my blocks in place and then one came along that didn't quite fit...and so I started to do badly...
I think it's a cool revelation and I just thought I'd share it.

My God IS enough

i've had enough of living life for only me
and reaching just for the things
that keep destroying me
so sick of envying the lives of so many i see
somehow believing that they have what i need
my God's enough for me
this world has nothing i need
in this whole life i've seen
my God's enough, enough for me
i can't explain why i suffer though i live for You
those who deny You, they have it better than i do
cover my eyes now so that my heart can finally see
that in the end only You mean anything
who have i but You
who have i but You
who have i but You~ Barlow Girl "My God's Enough"

This weekend...for the first time in a long time...I had a conversation with God. I realized...if no one else was listening to me...He would. And He has. This world sucks. People fail. It feels like the world is against us...but then I remember...if my God is for me...WHO can be against me? No one.
I have one of the greatest friends in the world who has really been trying to get me to understand this. She's been trying to get me to be comfortable enough to talk to God. To express how I feel to God, even if it feels like He's not listening. Even if I get angry with God. Even if I feel like walking away from God. When it feels like God is against me...because life get's hard. God's never against me. He has different answers to problems than I want sometimes. He knows what I can handle...and he rescues me sometimes at what feels like the very last second of rescue.
We serve an amazing God who loves us. Me and God got pretty tight this weekend. I know He loves me. I know He wants to rescue me. I know He knows what's going on in my heart and in my life, even when no one else can understand. When I'm having issues that only I can understand...I realize there's one other person who Does...and that's God. When no one else understands what's going on in my head...God always will.

Man what a breakthrough.

The things that make me smile

I've had a hard week...but this weekend I am home and I am with the 3 cutest kids in my life. I have realized that I can have the hardest week in the world, the suckiest day on earth, and see my nieces and nephew and all that is wiped away. I have the most awesome nephew ever. I love him so much, He stole my heart the day he was born.
I love hanging out with Him and my nieces...Kids are so innocent...so honest...so pure...and I love it.
Today we went to the pumpkin festival in Spring Hope. It wasn't great, but it was awesome to hang out with my nephew. I took him to get his face painted after the parade was over...and we hung out and talked and sang the alphabet and counted to ten...(mind you He is 3)--I dunno...I just think it's awesome
So I leave you with some pretty sweet pictures

Ethan and I before we left to go to the pumpkin Festival...I love his facial expression in this picture
Her eyes are closed in this picture but it's still cute to me.

Miss. Sarah =)

I pretty much love these kids

The most beautiful song I've heard lately...

No words are needed by me...just watch the video