Jesus Branded!

OK so one of my favorite places to shop is at jesusbranded.com. They have christian t-shirts that help you creatively share your faith and help you stand up for Jesus in a silent, but bold way. I got both my friend and I an "Addicted To Purity" shirt last year. We love them 'cause it's a way we can share our convictions with out getting in someones face. You never know how it can touch someone, or it may even be a conversation starter and you could end up getting to witness to someone. I think they're awesome anyway, you check out their website!

Anne Frank...

My resent obsession is Anne Frank. She is such an inspiration, and it's amazing what she went through. Behind the scene of world war II you find very personal struggles and victories that you can relate to despite the serious situation engulfing Anne's life. I think what makes her story so wonderful is that it's true, and you can actually put yourself in her place because it really happened. It's like an drama/romance story. I keep thinking that if Peter and Anne made it thorough the holocaust that they would still be in love today. I've watched half of the movie so far and I was just pouring buckets of tears. I think the reality of it is apparent to me because my grandparents were Jewish which makes me Jewish (though not a practicing Jew). I keep thinking, wow, some of my family that didn't immigrate with my great grandparents probably went through some of that same stuff. You guys should really see the movie and read her diary, it's a piece of history and we're so blessed to have such an intimate part of her heart and life at our fingertips.

(As far as her diary is concerned, I will warn you that some of you will find certain things she wrote a little inappropriate...i haven't read it in a long time so i can't remember for sure. Draw your own conclusions though.)

Things I Like About Summer....

I love summer... i love waking up to the sound of lawn mowers and the smell of freshly cut grass. I love how you can be wearing short selves during the day and at night you have to put on jeans and a sweatshirt. I love bonfires and camp songs. Farmer tans, beat up pick-up trucks and dirt roads. i love laying in an open field and looking up at all the stars. I love eating ice cream, having water balloon fights, and going swimming. VBS, and youth rallies. I like sitting outside and reading books. Spending days with friends, laughing until i cry, and long walks into the sunset.... Call me weird but i love the feel of sweat on my skin, i love getting up early when the sun is just rising and going for a run. I love bike rides and hiking. I love catching lightning bugs in the dark. I love the Fourth of July, mostly because of the fire works. Oh and you can't forget the fair....all the rides and gross food. I love movies that make me cry, or movies that have sad endings. I love Reese's peanut butter cups because they combine two of my favorite things: peanut butter and chocolate. Oh and I like black coffee in the morning. These are the best things about summer. Well, some of them were about summer, some of them were just things i like....what do you like best about summer?

Playlist...

Hey, just wanted to let you all know that i have a playlist now. It's down at the bottom of my page. It doesn't come up on my page though, so if you have the same problem just click on the pop-out playlist button and then you can listen to all my music. :)

Update

Hey everyone, sorry it's been a while since I've typed last...I've been a little busy. :) First of all my page is like kind of messed up and i can't figure out why... This week we were up in Milwaukee Wisconsin (the place we're going to be missionaries). We were visiting some churches that would be possibility's to go to and anchor our ministry in when we move up here. The one church I REALLY liked, we got to spend a lot of time with the youth group and we had a lot of fun... but we'll see where God leads us. We are now heading down to IN to preach in a church tonight, and then tomorrow we are going down to TN for a missions conference. Oh, i really felt God speaking to me this week, it was really awesome. I always expect people to measure up to my expectations. I'm kind of an emotional person and when people don't deal with problems the way i think they should, or the way i want them to i get kind of mad. Anyway God just showed me I need to do the right thing by letting go of my anger and respond right to other people despite the way they deal with problems. Yeah so i just wanted to share that, it probably didn't make sense but oh well...

Purity Is Worth Fighting For....

People just don't do it anymore, our here-and-now, laid-back, unmotivated culture has invaded our minds and is trying to destroy even the most precious things that are left of us. What's worse, is that many Christians don't see it as a severe threat. Everything around us these days is anything but pure: TV, Magazines, books, clothes.... Sadly, many of us are allowing ourselves to become a product of our environment. Sometimes we use that as an excuse, that because our culture is so full of sin we can't help but be tainted. Yet, even in such a culture God's word never changes and He still calls us to be above the influence. He says to set an example in purity. This is one of the biggest battles teens face, i think it's because it is one of the hardest and no one thinks it can be done. It is really hard, at times it can be a very intense, exhausting, never-ending battle against your flesh. You wrestle with your thoughts and wish you could physically take them and turn them to God. I want to encourage you, it may be hard but it is also the most God honoring, worthwhile, and rewarding battle ever. there are times when you are really happy you put up the fight, and then other times your surprised at how difficult it is and feel like giving up altogether. I want to say something even though it's really cheesy... I want to thank all the guys out there that really try to fight for their purity as well as us girl's. I think it's so cool when guys are excited about keeping themselves pure mentally and physically. I know it can be a really huge battle for you, it's a lot harder for you than it is for us girls. So, thanks for all your efforts. Oh, and we do notice when guys respect us, and we respect you more when we know that. Your wife will really appreciate your efforts as well. so yeah, it was cheesy....keep up the good work!

Last day at work....

Java Jones from the back....Kind of a bad picture.

The counter

When you first walk in...

Outside Java Jones

This is Leann Herman, my boss. She is so nice and sweet. I think she was the best first boss anyone could have. You have more of a friendship with her than a business relationship with her. It's very cool. She's really funny and motherly....So yeah she's cool. Sydney's her daughter. I think it's really cool that she opened Java Jones. Oh, and I have to tell you, Starbucks is a cool place but Java Jones is the best. Why? Starbucks are all the same, their colors are green and white, with a star and that little person in the middle of it. Java Jones on the other hand has individuality, and it's own spacial character. There's not another place like it. I've learned so much there: for one, coffee is an art, not a job. Second, do the best you can; and third, it's all about team work, you cannot accomplish anything at work without it. Don't think that your part is anymore important than the others, because if you didn't have the other person doing the insignificant stuff everything would fall apart. Yeah, so I've had fun, and i wish i could go back. :) I'll work at the coffee shop at college or something, it's all good. :)

Sydney.....

Well this was my last day at work....it was so sad. :( I was crying and we were hugging each other....I'm going to miss them so much! I've been working there my whole sophomore year and a little bit before that so we've become really good friends. Sometimes i wish life would never change... the cool thing about life though is that endings always means something else is beginning. I look really bad in this picture, it was AFTER I'd been crying... Isn't Sydney so pretty? i think she's so cute! she's like the best co-worker ever, i love talking to her about everything. I usually worked Saturdays so it usually pretty dead in Java, so we had LOTS of talk time. The main subject, of course, was guys, they are thee most interesting thing in God's creation. lol Then we talked about school, people, God, drama, coffee, shopping, food....oh yeah the thing we did most was talk about how much we needed to loose weight. :) We have some very spacial traditions at Java Jones, one being eating....a lot. hey, you can't blame us it's free food, and when things are slow you tend to eat. there's Cinnamon rolls, scones, bear claws, sandwiches, peanut butter, chips, salad, pop, and LOTS of coffee... you can combine pretty much anything to make something new..it's so much fun! Syd and i had so many laughs together, and when all the hot guys parents came in for lunch we'd hide in the back and discuss how amazing and cute their sons were. Ah, good times... of course it's even better when the guys come in. ;)(just for the record, sydney's WAY worse when it comes to guys than i am):)

Internet Quiz...

42% Average@Internet-User.com (41% - 60%) You seem to have a healthy balance in your life when it comes to the internet and life away from the computer. You know enough to do what you want online without looking like an idiot (most of the time). You even have your own Yahoo club or online journal! But you enjoy seeing your friends and going out to enjoy life away from your computer. The Quiz at Quiz Meme!

Random...

Mocha's are the best! If you like coffee and chocolate, get a Mocha. Double shots are the best with not to much chocolate, then if you have a scone and a good book you've got it made! For those that are on diets, you can get an Americano with some sugar free flavoring. That's what i do and then i ice it. yum....... Or a Greg Tortsen. That's kinda like a frapp only my co-worker and i named it after this guy that came in. He wanted chocolate drizzled over the top of his mocha Big Train, so i did it for him but Syd and I were both like, "Wow who does he think he his." JK Anyway, i like spider man he's the coolest out of all the super hero's... Batman doesn't actually have powers so that's uncool, and Clark Kent is from a different planet so he's really not human. Spider man on the other hand is total human and he stumbles upon these great powers. I think his most awesome power is that he can like scale walls, he's got that weird texture stuff on his hands, i wish i could do that....Anyway, He's like this geek and then he gets bit by this awesome spider and all the sudden he's like this ripped superhero....anyway, I'm tiered and i have to work tomorrow. Lets see, oh i did get into my piano GUILD contest, i watched Ann of Green Gables(luv that movie) and i had ice cream so I'm ready to have sweet dreams....

Orange Belt Test!!!!!!

I had my orange belt test at Tae Kwan Do tonight, it went well and I passed. Monday I have to do a board break (because I forgot my boards 2 night) then I'll officially pass and get my orange belt. I'll put up a movie or pic of my board break and then pics of the belt advancement when it happens... After the test we went to the Cone Shoppe across the street from the new gym and got ice cream. I look horrible in this picture, i was all gross after the test. If you notice in the pics we're still in the process of finishing the gym. We've moved like 2 times in the past couple of months...hopefully we don't move again, i really like this place.

Caleb and I sparring

Mandy, Cassie and I doing Dan-gun our yellow belt form

(oh, and Staci our instructor)

That's all 4 2night. I'm really tiered and I have 2 work tomorrow morning....I keep typing everything wrong so i think it's time 4 bed. :) ttyl

The Heart....

No matter how good looking, confident, or self assured someone is there's always been a time in there life when they've been hurt. Some use confidence as a shield to disguise how inadequate they feel. Which, by the way, everyone feels inadequate it's not abnormal. I like to observe people, the way they act or react to things, the way they say things...one word, one face can betray their real feelings. Humans are notorious for masquerades. In fact we do it so often we've become quite well at it and it's almost hard to detect; but you can if you look really hard. I know a lot of seemingly care-free individuals that, at first glance, seem to have their life together, but when you look again, and maybe, put yourself in their place you uncover a part of them you didn't think existed. Spiritual struggles, broken hearts, depression, uncertainty, fear... Anyway, everyone has problems. You know how it is in movies and stuff...the hot, popular football player stereo type turns out to be an insecure, quiet, poet at heart. I've found that A LOT of people are that way. Don't judge people for face value, they always go deeper.

More pics of Zach Svoboda....

The Porch...

Once a month at Java Jones(my workplace) there's this thing called The Porch. Phil, the music leader from the Nazarene church came up with it....each month he finds someone new who plays acoustic guitar and sings, to come preform. We have an hour of music and you can get coffee and food...whatever. It's all laid back, so it's really fun. This month they had a guy named Zach Svoboda come. He's 20, and omw he was AMAZING!!!! He had a great voice and he could really play guitar, he wrote some of his songs too which is really cool. Very talented. He's got a lot ahead of him, he's planning on being a music leader and i think he's really got a heart for God. He is Soooooo awesome, Phil said we're definitely going to have him back again...Can't wait! So anyway, I had a great time. Here's some pics of him......

Sunsets...

I love sitting outside on summer evenings watching while the sun bursts into exotic shades of purple, orange and gold. It looks as if God painted a mural in the sky, a materpiece of glorious detail. While I sit there I think of all the fun times I've had...all the memories of childhood. Then, deep down in the depths of my being, that melancholy feeling begins...that weird longing. You want it to stay, yet sometimes it aches so bad you wish it would leave. I can't explain it, it's like the depression and restlessness of your soul. You sit there for hours after the sun has disappeared willing it to come back, but it doesn't, and it never will. It's just one more sunset that will never return, it's passed forever into the endless expanse of time.

Grrrrr....i have a piano contest coming up here soon, and i don't feel prepared at all. i wish my piano teacher would tell me about stuff sooner than six weeks b4 the contest. He's kind of the last minute type, where he's like 'oh by the way we have Nationals tomorrow and i would like you to play a memorized piece by Beethoven.... Anyway, i guess if i lose i lose, which i will. I'm not expecting to win, i mean some of those kids that r in this stuff r crazy. I mean they practice like 4 hours a day, n i don't have that kind of time...i wish i did.

The Dream

Deep in sleep i dreamed this dream... 'It was her wedding day, she was so happy. Jim was the guy for her and standing by him at the alter she was more sure than ever. She smiled up at him as they prepared to take there vows. Then suddenly a girl in the audience quietly came up and stood next to Jim. he tried to ignore her. The bride thought it was a little odd but the pastor continued with the service, and he started the vows. Before he could get a word out though another girl came out of the audience and stood next to the first girl...another followed the second girl it continued until a string of about 8 girls were lined up at the alter with them. the bride looked up at Jim with tear filled eyes, "Who are all these girls?" His face was pained as he replied, "They're girls from my past, i gave each one some of my heart." She let go of Jim's hand confused. He turned to her with pleading eyes,"but you can have whatever is left...." And then i woke up...i thought, what would it be like if that actually happened at my wedding? what if it was the other way around and a bunch of guys lined up beside me at the alter claiming a piece of my heart? What kind of baggage will i carry into my marriage? ~From:'I Kissed Dating Goodbye'

Dots...

I'm obsessed with dots...i mean, like the etc... etc.... etc...dots. when in doubt use dots at the end of your sentence...it's fun and cool. people will like u better if u use dots...

The Eyes...

There once was a girl that was blind from birth. She was so angry about it that she hated everyone and everything, except her boyfriend. She felt he was the only one that understood her. He loved her so much and spent a lot of his time with her, bought her things, took her places.... One day he took her on a walk and told her he wanted to marry her. She hesitated after he asked...then said, " I will marry you if i can can see." They immediately started looking for a Donner. In less than a week there was a pair of eyes for her. She was very excited. After the surgery she was sitting on the bed as the doctor took the bandages off. For the first time she saw light and all the beautiful colors around her. It was then that she noticed that her boyfriend was blind, she was confused that he never told her, and she decided that she didn't want to marry a blind man. a week later they found him in his apartment with a gun to his head, dead. Next to him was a note with her name on it... "Take good care of your eyes...before they were yours they were mine." ~Anonymous

omw i'm sooooo tierd....we have been in the prosses of moving and 2day we did most of it. We have moved in with my grandma until we have enough support 2 move to milwaukee. I'm really tiered so i think i'lll call it a night, just wanted 2 update u on stuff...

ok, here's a video of MTS that i made. I'm not completely happy with the music, but i guess it's ok... anyway, you'll c a little bit more of what MTS was all about. Basically, it prepares u for deputation. Deputation is where we travel around the country to visit churches and tell them about our call 2 missions, then they can chose 2 support us or not. It's kinda like being a pastor only u don't have a church body to support u completely; so, many Churches that believe in ur call 2 missions, support u. It may take 2 yrs. or more 4 us, i hope not. :) I think it'll b fun though....Hope u enjoy the movie!!!!

This is all us girls at MTS on the last day. we all look pretty bad in this picture, because we were so tiered from staying up to 2:30 the night before. From left to right: Cassie, Rachel, me and Sarah. I miss them so much!!! We had so much fun together...

Hey everyone! Thanks for visiting my blog. This is my first post...don't really know what 2 say. i will eventually get some pictures on here once i get home. Oh, i went to missions training school this past week. It's kinda supposed 2 get you ready for deputation. Anyway, I had a BLAST!!!!! I met so many cool people. I'll put up as many pics as i can, if i can figure it out. :)