New Car!

I have been waiting forever to get a new car; something to call my own. I was expecting to have to wait until the end of the summer, but sometimes you just can't pass up a good deal! This is my new 2002 Mercury Sable. She is a good little car- runs just like new. I don't know exactly what color she is, but because of her 2-tone inside and her starkly outside, I call her Tanner. She is bronceada I suppose. I'm very excited! :)

Docks and Ropes

I just thought I would share a bit of my devotional with ya'll. I read it last week and it has really spoken to me, so I have come back to it several times this week.
It is from "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers.

"Be determined to know more than others. If you yourself do not cut the lines that tie you to the dock, God will have to use a storm to sever them and to send you out to sea. Put everything in your life afloat upon God, going out to sea on the great swelling tide of His purpose, and your eyes will be opened. If you believe in Jesus, you are not to spend all your time in the calm waters just inside the harbor, full of joy, but always tied to the dock. You have to get out past the harbor into the great depths of God, and begin to know things for yourself--begin to have spiritual discernment..."

Lord, am I tied to a dock? What are the "docks" in my life? Is there something that I am holding onto (or that is holding onto me) that is hindering my relationship with you? I want so badly to break fee and depend only on you. Help me to trust you with every area of my life. Grant me the discernment that comes only from your throne. Help me, God, in this new chapter of my life, to grow in you and not to allow myself to run back to the familiar docks when the storms come.

A Time To Move On

The RAD Graduation is over. It seems like this year has flown by, but at the same time stretched out. All but one of the students have headed home and my roommates Katie and Kara have also gone their separate ways. By the time I leave, the Finneys (the Director and Family), my roommates, students, and some of my friends will all be gone either for good or on summer vacation. I think it is safe to say it is time to move on. I am not leaving because I don't love GA, RAD, or the friends and family I have here. It is simply time. Time to move on. Time to start new. I will surely be back to visit, but my life is turning in a new and exciting direction. Bon Voyage!

Ecclesiastes 3

A Time for Everything

1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

On the way to the airport....

So I thought I would tell about what happened when Ronnie and I were on the way to the airport the other day (Sunday). Ronnie had spent five or six days with me during the RAD Graduation. After a very fun last week with the students and tearful goodbyes after church, Ronnie and I hopped in the car and left for the airport. Along the way, we got stuck with our little old Honda in a major traffic jam. As time slowly inched by the temperature gage on the poor little car quickly climbed. Soon the smell of burning rubber began to fill the air and I was forced to take the next exit into unfamiliar Atlanta territory. There was no gas station in site and we finally settled for a small, run down mini-mart off a beaten down road. Ronnie ran inside as I [courageously] waited outside with the car and valuables. Soon after he went in, A tall black man in clothes 10 sizes too big approached the car. I slowly reached one hand over to the key and the other to my cell phone. The man mumbled too himself and walked away. I breathed a sigh of relief as Ronnie ran outside to my rescue. The man mumbled away to Ronnie and tried to help him. Ronnie kindly explained that we needed no assistance and that we could handle the problem ourselves. The man left on his cell phone and slipped around the store corner. I began to beg Ronnie to close the hood so we could leave. He said he just needed another minute. Within minutes a car pulled up and the man ran to greet them. Some chattering could be heard across the lot as another man, this one much more scroungy than the first stepped out of the car and approached our little Honda. I gave Ronnie a demanding look and told him to close the hood, but before anything could be done, the two men were next to us. The second man, reached in his pocket and pulled out a small baggy filled with white pills. "How many boys you want?" he asked my dumbfounded boyfriend. "Excuse me???" Ronnie asked [in a shocked tone]. I gave Ronnie one look that said it all, and said it angrily, "GET IN THE CAR NOW." The two men stood there arguing about "You said he wanted some" and "I thought he did." I quickly sped away. What you cant tell from this writing is how much emotion was all in this 10 minute ordeal. There are no words.

End of story. well.... not really. but it gets better from there. Long story short Ronnie didn't make his stand by flights. He called me on his nearly dead cell phone to tell me (who was sitting in the airport lobby) that he made the flight, had to go, and he would call me from Chicago. "okay," I managed to stammer before he hung up. I slowly gathered my things and headed to the parking garage. So now I'm starting to feel sorry for myself, I mean, my boyfriend just left, I just said bye to all the students, and my roommates are soon leaving too. A tear makes it to my eye, but hasn't yet slid down my cheek when an arm wraps around my shoulder. I spin around to see *ta-da* my boyfriend (who I nearly hit. hard.)! So yea. We had another day. He made his flight on Monday morning. I do however blame Ronnie for any emotional unstable-ness I am now experiencing. What with all the "hello-goodbye-goodbye-oh hello again-goodbye"s. But it is worth it. I had a great time and we certainly made some memories.

Stand in the Rain- Superchick

Do you ever just hear a song and think "That's it! THAT is what I'm feeling and cant put into words!" Well that is how this song has made me feel on several occasions so i thought i would share it with you.

STAND IN THE RAIN
Superchick


She never slows down.
She doesn't know why but she knows that when she's all alone, feels like its all coming down
She won't turn around
The shadows are long and she fears if she cries that first tear, the tears will not stop raining down

[CHORUS]
So stand in the rain
Stand your ground
Stand up when it's all crashing down
You stand through the pain
You won't drown
And one day, whats lost can be found
You stand in the rain

She won't make a sound
Alone in this fight with herself and the fears whispering if she stands she'll fall down
She wants to be found
The only way out is through everything she's running from wants to give up and lie down.

[CHORUS]
So stand in the rain
Stand your ground
Stand up when it's all crashing down
You stand through the pain
You won't drown
And one day, whats lost can be found
You stand in the rain

So stand in the rain
Stand your ground
Stand up when it's all crashing down
Stand through the pain
You won't drown
And one day, whats lost can be found

[CHORUS]
So stand in the rain
Stand your ground
Stand up when it's all crashing down
You stand through the pain
You won't drown
And one day, whats lost can be found
You stand in the rain

See it on YouTube