Reflections

"As Jesus was walking by Lake Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and his brother Andrew.  They were throwing a net into the lake because they were fishermen.  Jesus said, ' come and follow me, and I will make you fish for people'.  So Simon and Andrew immediately left their nets and followed them. --Matthew 4: 18-20

 Simon and Andrew were simply just going fishing for fish, and instead where directed to gather their things and follow Jesus to be made into fisherman of people.  There are no qualifications to be a follower of Jesus.  Simon and Andrew were uneducated fishermen. They were simple men.  Jesus did also not ask them for their skill, for he was going to redefine the meaning of fishermen to them.  Though we think that asking someone to come to church, or sharing a bible story with a random person is what we must do because we are Christian.  It can be much simpler than that.  It can be a simple act as carrying someone's grocery's to the car, or sharing a high five with someone that passed a test.  Being a friend to someone that may not have many friends, or handing a homeless man a piece of bread.  The actions of a Christian are so broad and has many varieties that open doors so that anyone has the ability to show their Christian love.

Christian love is something that I feel moving around my church family.  I have a connection with each person and a home feeling is always there.  Today at church, it felt more like a family then it has in a while.  I love my church, and that is why I drive home every Sunday for church.  St. Stephens is a very loving church and it is always been my home, it is a family.  But for someone reason today, it was even more family like.  


Something that is not common at other churches (at least ones I have gone to).  When its time for the children's sermon all young disciples go up.  The Timothy's and Ruth's (the younger children) along with the Naomi's and Paul's (the youth group).  It is fantastic to see so many children of God.  I stopped going up last year, only because I decided that now in my 2nd year of college, it was time to let someone else be there.  Each time the youth, children gather they recite this bible verse.  It is a connection that has been made with the youth and the young people.  It is fantastic for everyone to come together to grow together in the name of the Lord Jesus  "For whatever you do in word or deed do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."  --Colossians 3:17

What is on your mind....

......snow is on mine :)

Back to Lenoir Rhyne and treated with the presence of snow :)

Growing up through elementary school and middle school, snow days were a day to play with the neighborhood friends.  Moving into high school it was a time to work ahead on homework.  In college the snow days are normally used to get ahead of homework and work assignments.. but for todays snow day..it is totally different :D

Moved back to campus yesterday and woke up this morning to a blanket of snow.  What a wonderful day it was.  Enjoyed spending time out and around campus with some good friends and took an adventure.  We enjoyed taking a walk from campus to Lowes Food to get brownie mix..hehe.

This was taken on the morning of Jan 10, on the Lenoir Rhyne campus. This is the standard walk path to the Rhyne building where a lot of the classes are located.  

I have been blessed with some friends that I am able to have fun with in the snow despite the fact that we have rain boots on and our feet felt like they were going to fall off!

Dressed....and ready to play!!

Despite the fact that we didn't have snow boots..or for some of us didn't have gloves/mittens we got dressed and took on the snow.  

And the countdown continues...

Well its just around the corner.. How are you counting down--according to the Advent calendar or the ABC family Christmas shows.. well whatever way you choose, theres only 2 more days.....till.....


Till what?  What is Christmas mean to you?  Is it all about Santa and what he is going to bring, or is it all about the birth of Jesus?  


Growing up I always believed in Santa and as a matter of fact, I believed in Santa much longer than my friends and much longer than many children today do.  But I always knew about the birth of Jesus, and I understood clearly that the Christmas Eve service at church was not for Santa matters, but rather Jesus matters.    

I enjoyed this telling of the story of the birth of Jesus.  Maybe I enjoyed it because I am technology savvy and like to see what people can come up with, but also because it was very descriptive and comments similar to those are made on other peoples pages everyday.  It would be a totally different world, if that is how people found out about the birth of Jesus, but what makes the birth of Jesus special is because simple things like the star shinned over him and let people know where he had been born.

So make sure this Christmas as everyone waits upon Santa'a arrival that the birth of Jesus is also celebrated.  The birth of Jesus is the reason of the season!

What is on the weather's mind?

According to kids, parents, teachers and most everyone around the weather forecast is predicting that it is going to snow tonight.  I love seeing the snow, but sadly being in Hickory I haven't seen much this year.  


This past Sunday night, I was spending one of my last nights in the dorm before Christmas vacation, and as most college kids, I spent my time on the computer.  On my facebook news feed, almost every other one was about snow.  
Either about snow in a good way or a bad.  Some (the mountains) were along the lines of "..sigh, another snow day.." or I even saw one that said, "..boone is where you stand still for only 5 mins and you turn into a snowman..".  But then there were others (most places that weren't in the mountains) that said, "..i wish it would snow a blizzard and school would be cancelled.."  or "..please snow, i don't want to go to school..".  As I continued to read, I also saw statuses from adults and parents not wanting snow, or some even wanting it.  Now while these seems weird that I am telling you about statuses that I read off of my facebook...there is more to it.  


Snow is annoying for those that deal with so much, that it messes up school breaks and plans, but snow is also the best thing ever when you don't normally have snow days.  So like I said according to the weather man, there is bad weather coming in tonight, I hope that it is not so bad that school is cancelled, because I think everyone needs to have Friday as their last day before Christmas...but some weather would be nice, because then (Caldwell Schools) get a three hour delay..(theres not many of those).

Now moving away from the grade school mode, into the college world..

LET IT SNOW!

My Christmas break has already started, so the weather can't mess me up.. but even if it was during the school year it wouldn't matter..because LR likes to have school no matter what.  Last year we only had one snow day and that was amazing.. because all the other colleges around us were out. 

I am for sure a snow babe.  I love the snow, and still love to play in it. I may be 20 years old, but still love getting bundled up and going sledding or having a snow ball fight!  And making snow angles is a blast!  I have so many memories growing up in the snow, but those will have to wait until a snow day..so if you want to hear those..you have to want snow :D .  

As I started out this blog according to kids, another thing is it is nearing time for Santa Claus to come to town.  I volunteered my time today up at West Lenoir Elementary School working with the distribution of angel tree gifts, and you will never guess who came to visit.  Santa was in the house, bringing some goodies to the students, and then later after school my church shared some goodies with the faculty and staff.  

During this time of the year, I think about all those that are with out heat, without a bed to sleep on, without a shelter over there head...and just to think we are hoping for it to snow.

Dear Lord, You are amazing, and who knows what are forecasting for us.  I would pray that everyone think about those that are less fortunate then yourself.  I would pray that maybe you lead a hand to someone else, or share a warm cup of coffee.  Lord, you are amazing in everything you do.  Please keep everyone safe and remind us to be smart when it comes to traveling during bad weather.  Lord, I would pray that you watch over all that are freezing because of temperature, but also because you are absent from their lives.  In your holy name, I pray,  Amen.

Burlesque :D

Wow, it has been a LONG while since my last post.  But there is a good reason.  I have just my 3rd semester of college.  For all college kids, its one crazy time of the year.  But now exams are over (for me at least).  So for celebration I went last night with my friends to see a fantastic movie.  Have you heard of the movie Burlesque?


Well I went to see it last night, and I just never wanted the movie to end, but here is the trailer..hope you enjoy.

I will get back into Blogging my regular soon!

Lifted up on eagles wings

Well the year 2010 is coming to and end.  We are a year older than we were last year.   Business and schools work loads have doubled.  Some students have finals nearing.  Some businesses are requiring more hours.  Christmas is just around the corner. For me I am trying to figure out what I want to do with my life.  And there i so much that needs to be done.  There some seems to be a lot of stress during this time of the year.  So I would like to share my wealth with you (no, not money) but rather some uplifting videos, stories, pictures, and other things.

This is a song that I sing at church, I love this song. I think that it is so uplifting.  Make sure that when you listen to it, you listen to what it is saying.  All the words are important.  

I think that thinking positive is not something that you can do alone.  You have to talk to the one man, that knows everything about you.  He knows what is going on in your life, even before you know its coming.  He is waiting to hear from you.  I found these following rules, and I instantly thought about sharing them with everyone that reads my blogs.  The pictures that are with them, did not come with them, 
I added them because I thought it fit.  I hope you enjoy.

The Rules for being Human.

When you were born, you didn't come with an owner's manual; 

these guidelines make life work better.

1. You received a body.  You may like it or hate it, but it is the only thing that you are sure to keep for the rest of your life.

2. You will learn lessons.  You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called, "Life on Planet Earth".  Every person or incident is the Universal Teacher.

3. There are no mistakes, only lessons.  Growth is a process of experimentation.  "Failures" are as much a part of the process as "success."

4.  A lesson is repeated until learned. It is presented to you in various forms until you learn it -- then you go on to the next lesson 

5. If you don't learn easy lessons, they get harder.  External problems are a precise reflection of your internal state.  When you clear inner obstructions, your outside world changes.  Pain is how the universe gets your attention.

6.  You will know you've learned a lesson when your actions change.  Wisdom is practice.  A little of something is better than a lot of nothing.



7. "There" is no better than "here".  When your "there" becomes a "here" you simply obtain another "there" that again looks better than "here"






8.  Others are only mirrors of you.  You cannot love or hate something about another unless it reflects something you love or hate in yourself.

9. Your life is up to you. Life provides the canvas; you do the painting. Take charge of your life -- or someone else will.

10. You always get what you want. Your subconscious rightfully determines what energies, experiences, and people you attract -- therefore, the only foolproof way to know what you want is to see what you have. There are no victims, only students.

11. There is no right or wrong, but there are consequences. Moralizing doesn't help. Judgments only hold the patterns in place. Just do your best.





12. Your answers lie inside you. Children need guidance from others; as we mature, we trust our hearts, where the Laws of Spirit are written. You know more than you have heard or read or been told. All you need to do is to look, listen, and trust.






13. You will forget all this.

14. You can remember any time you wish.

I hope you enjoyed these rules to life, I think they are very important and many are often over looked.  No one is born with an owner manual, so this is the best we can do.

And now in case you haven't smiled, watch this video

Dear heavenly father, you are amazing.  You knew each and everyone of us, before we were even thought of.  Us as humans, sometimes struggle to remember that you gave your life for us.  I would pray that you would help us to remember that we are your children of God.  These inspirations that I shared are just a few of the things that inspire me, of course you inspire me, and I would hope that you inspire many other people.  I would also pray Lord, that you please watch over all that are in pain emotionally and physically.  I would pray that you let the homeless, unloved, cold, hungry know that you love them.  You are amazing, Lord, I love you!

We remember.

We remember.  I remember.  Memories are shared.  Tears are shed.  

November 24,1932--May 10,2003

Papa was a loving son, who was a brother to 4 girls.  On July 10, 1956 he became a loving husband to Mum.  And then was a loving father to 4 girls.  He was blessed with 8 grandchildren, with the first one being a little boy.  Papa never met a stranger and always had something nice to say to everyone.  

This is a picture from Sunset beach.  Mum and Papa loved that beach and we all still do, our family has gone to Sunset beach since 1984.  So many memories were made with Papa at the beach, and many continue to be made. I love this picture.  It is a beautiful sunset and a picture of Mum and Papa.

Papa was a strong man, he fought cancer.  But something about Papa, even when he was sick he always made sure that his grandchildren were happy.  I remember going for ice cream, and of course to the the grocery store.  My uncle Mike shared a story about Papa.  Papa had a love for grocery stores.  "Sometimes we even went 2 or 3 times a day, and got a shopping cart every time," son-in-law Mike.    Another memory that was shared on facebook was from Matthew.  Matthew was sharing,"I remember when he would leave change in his chair and then when he got up, we would race to see who would get the most of it."  Papa was a joyful individual.  "Daddy had enough kid in him that he always made things fun and he made things exciting to look forward to, his daughter Carol Ann.

I was looking through pictures on my computer and found these.  James and I were the 3rd and 4th grandchildren born.  When we were young Mum and Papa lived in Macon, GA, while Kelly, Mike and James were in Boone and then moved to Raleigh.  And Carol Ann, Jeff and Elizabeth lived in Lenoir.  I am not sure where this picture was taken, but it looks like it was chilly.  I wish I had the time to go look for other pictures of Papa with his daughters and his grandchildren, but I don't.  Papa loved each one of us, and we all have special memories.  James shared, "I remember sitting on his lap and we would play solitaire.  And I would saw, 'Papa there are no more moves we lost they are no more moves' and he would calmly reply 'just simmer down now'.  

Papa, I love you.  I have so many memories.  I remember playing card games with you, and going to the grocery stores.  I have funny memories of playing mariocart and you always running into the walls, and then when out driving normally to the store you joking that you could run into the stone walls.  I remember going out and getting fresh baked donuts and not wanting them to get cold so turning the heat all the way up in the car and then leaning on the windows to cool down.  I remember your love for cooking.  I remember you teaching me how to roll coins.  I remember the morning of your 70th birthday birthday and putting 70 balloons in your front yard.  I remember the days when I would sit with you while you were filling up your weekly medicine containers.  I remember giving me the grape juice + pineapple juice + ginger ale when I was sick.  I remember the days of going to see you at dialysis.  I remember your love of your green chair.  I remember going to Disney. I remember so much about you.  I remember you.  

This final photo fits this day well.  Happy Birthday Papa, today is your day!  You are missed, but we love you dearly and you are with the heavenly Lord Jesus now.  Heres to you, do you remember this, receiving your birthday spankings.   Papa you made such an impact in so many peoples lives.  You were an amazing man, and I love you.