This is my take on Family Guy’s “What Really Grinds My Gears”

Instead of things that “grind my gears,” I have decided on things that make happy.
Why focus on the negative, right?!

Like a lot of things make me happy, but we all have those few things, that just make us ecstatic..
That’s what this is. So enjoy!

1) My friends..sounds cliche, I know. But seriously, if you had the friends I did, then you would understand. We may all be in Texas, Florida, and Arkansas now, but honestly, it’s strengthened us. We are still as close as we have ever been, and I know that it won’t go away anytime soon. Plus it’s just an excuse for a roadtrip!

^Brittni (with the basketball) moved back to Texas for the year, and Whitney is now in Sarasota, FL for 24/7. I know that the Lord has amazing plans for these two, and I am excited to see what the next year holds for them.

2) University of Michigan

^Student Union and Michigan Stadium…nothing better

3) East Coast

^Baltimore

There is just something about the East Coast that intrigues me. Something about major cities on the river or the harbor on the east coast, I just love! Especially from Washington D.C. all the way up north. Washington D.C. (where I always thought would be really cool to work), Baltimore (just a train ride from Washington), New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and of course, New England in the fall…what intrigues me so much about that area? I don’t know, but one day, I will go visit all of it. So far just Washington D.C. and New York City (twice, and maybe again next year!)

4) Birthday Parties

cake, candles, friends, and birthday gifts…enough said

5) Fingernail Polish

I love all colors. Another one of those things that I don’t know why but it makes me so happy. I love having my nails painted at all times, and there is nothing I enjoy more than changing the colors at least once, sometimes twice, a week…it’s like an addiction (kinda)

6) Kashi

I mean, really, Kashi can not go wrong. Strawberry Fields Cereal, Golden Brown Maple Heart to Heart Oatmeal, Pumpkin Spice Flax TLC cruncy granola bars, Cherry Dark Chocolate TLC chewy granola bars, and the Honey Sesame TLC Crackers. I haven’t tried the frozen meals or the waffles yet, but I will one day.
Kashi: 7 Whole Grains on a Mission

7) Traveling

Yeah it is absolutely insane to travel right now. But who cares. Isn’t that part of the fun? The business, the hustle, are you or are you not going to make your flight?, the people you meet, the experiences, the memories, the cultures, the different airports and cities. i LOVE airports. They each hold something different unique. Traveling is such a learning experience

That’s all I have for now.
This post made me extremely happy.
So I will leave you with an Olympic photo

Lining up for the Women’s Triathlon Final

This post won’t be about my life recently. That will have to come at a later date when I am able to write about it and not cry so much that I am able to water all the plants outside. It’s been a rough few weeks, but I know that the Lord has a plan for me, and that there is a reason for all this change.

Ok so thank you www.redbox.com and their text message/e-mail list, I get so many free rentals a week. as I was looking through the movies the other day, I noticed the movie ‘the bucket list’ I have yet to see it, and I really want too, but it made me want to make my own bucket list

1) Go to a football game at Michigan Stadium
2) Attend at least one class at University of Michigan
3) Finish at least my Associates Degree (I only have TWO basics left…)
4) Eventually work on my major (International Studies)
5) Go to London (when I was 12, I started planning the trip)
6) Experience an Olympic event
7) Travel anywhere and everywhere…preferably alone (if I conquered New York on my own, I am pretty sure I can tackle Baltimore, Cleveland, Seattle, etc.. on my own)
Move out of Arkansas into an actual major city (either in the States or overseas)

As of right now, that’s what I have. There will be much more added to this list as the years go on, but right now, I think this pretty much explains where my heart is

Olympic Photo of the Post:
Chinese Taipai Team huddles before game

So I am up here at work, alone, all week long. So what else is there to do but read random articles.
This one is quite interesting. It weirded me out, and my mind is still completely baffled by this. I don’t understand at all. Honestly, I believe that is a good thing.

Where do Scientologists go when they die?
http://www.slate.com/id/2197279/?GT1=38001

One of my personal favorites from the article
“Hubbard was quoted (apparently from a lecture given in the 1950s) describing how, after death, a thetan is carried to a “landing station” on Venus, where it is “programmed with lies,” put in a capsule, and then “dumped” back on Earth, where it wanders in search of a baby to inhabit. “

Why would anybody want to go to Venus and then come back to Earth when you die? I want to see God and Heaven when I die, not come back here. Don’t get me wrong, Earth is a pretty cool place, but Heaven is perfection.

But just in case you have always wondered, yes even you go to Venus, if you just believe….

So I read this article today, and I am sure that many of you have read it as well. I thought I would share anyways.

 

Swimming sensation Michael Phelps has an Olympic recipe for success – and it involves eating a staggering 12,000 calories a day.

“Eat, sleep and swim. That’s all I can do,” Phelps, who won two more gold medals today, told NBC when asked what he needs to win medals. “Get some calories into my system and try to recover the best I can.”

……

By comparison, the average man of the same age needs to ingest about 2,000 calories a day.

Phelps, 23, will swim 17 times over nine days of competition at the Beijing Games – meaning that he will need all the calories he can shovel in his mouth in order to keep his energy levels high.

Phelps’ diet – which involves ingesting 4,000 calories every time he sits down for a meal – resembles that of a reckless overeater rather than an Olympian….

Breakfast: 3 fried egg sandwiches, 2 cups coffee, 5-egg omlette, bowl of grits, 3 pieces of french toast, 3 chocolate chip pancakes

Lunch: 1 pound pasta, 2 ham and cheese sandwiches, energy drink (1,000 calorie)

Dinner: 1 pound pasta, 1 large pizza, energy drink (1,000 calorie)

 

*this is my friend brittni, and she is on her way back in Texas. I feel a road trip happening soon so we can get sno cones and make black bean and cheese tortillas…

*Michael Phelps (I don’t think I need to say anything else).

*Joey and I celebrating his 23rd birthday. He has been my best friend since first grade.

* Should I give up on this one thing?
* I still don’t know why I am here in Conway. But I do know that there is a reason.
* I think my gas gauge is wrong
* Gas was $3.50 with a Wal Mart card here in Maumelle
* Today I went to the Courthouse and Supreme Court, (both in Little Rock) got back to work only to find out that I have to go back to the Courthouse and to a Prosecuting Attorney’s office in North Little Rock
* My boss is gone all week….Please come visit
* I need to workout and eat better…
* All of my girl friends are moving which leaves me here, alone…
* I really want to go see Bob Dylan in concert

warning: this will be a long post, but enjoy. please

this was my lunch today…
rainbow roll and philadelphia roll
then i had dippin stix which i normally enjoy but FYI, the yogurt fruit dip is more like cream cheese frosting. don’t get me wrong, i like cream cheese icing but i was wanting a yogurt fruit dip, and aren’t we giving this to our kids because it’s “nutritious?” well it’s not. here are the first five ingredients in the yogurt fruit dip: corn syrup, water, high fructose corn syrup, fructose, and hydrogenated coconut oil…and there are tons more ingredients

 

 

Money was due today for HPSM Internship….so I guess we all know what that means!!! Back track…i actually checked my voicemail right before I left, I got an answer from HPSM, and I knew they had been praying about it. It had been what I was feeling as well. It’s time for me to heal. No better place for me to heal in the place that has made me broken…God has amazing plans for me here, in Conway. As much as it pains me to say it, I am excited to see what He is going to do in my life while I am here. The other night, on my way to Elevation, I kept thinking about a certain song. I only knew one line, “greater things are yet to be done in this city.” I had only heard it once, and I did not know who sang it or anything else, and I was so desperately wanting to hear it. I could not for the life of me figure out why or how this line got stuck in my head or why my heart was burning to hear this song. During worship, He was there. For anybody that was at Elevation on Sunday, you know what I am talking about. His presence was definately there!!! I just kept asking for forgiveness and for answers. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, the worship band starts playing, and I just stood there, knowing that I had heard this song before, I hear,

You’re the God of this city
You’re the King of these people
You’re Lord Of this nation
You are

….this was the moment I knew that I was supposed to stay. It was the song I had been yearning to hear. The song that only a lyric was stuck in my head. A pivotal lyric, nonetheless.

Thank you to Ben Ghormley, i now know the name of the song and who sings it.
ENJOY! Chris Tomlin is on top and Blue Tree is on the bottom.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmC44K0xQLE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqQhZKpZVCo 

For once though, I am not terrified of this place. The place that has hurt me the most. The desire to just up and move is no longer there. I am finally not wanting to run away from it. I am now just wanting to heal myself and heal this place just by loving. The video from Christine Caine was shown at Elevation, and since I didn’t get to see her speak at any of the services, just the women’s event, I was excited to hear what she had to say. I love listening to her! So here are some key points that hit me:

*We are leaving a legacy of our faith.
*We are not a product of time but a product of eternity.
*I will not let my past define my future. I will lay it down at the foot of the Cross.
*It is a process, transformation, we must endure. Fix our eyes on Jesus. He is the starter AND the finisher.

 

sidenote: Kings of Leon’s new cd comes out Sep 23 which is 3 days after my birthday (Sep 20)…YAY!!!!! Anybody is more than welcome to get it for me…

i bought some new jeans today! my first pair of rock & republics. theyre amazing and absolutely comfortable. i have to go get them altered and when i go back, i am getting a pair of william rast jeans…another new fave!

other than that, not a whole lot is going on. tuition is due on tuesday, more than likely i won’t have it. Lord knows that i can NOT stay here much longer….but i know that the Lord has amazing plans for me wherever i end up

ok so now who knows whats going on with school…

i am in desperate need of a miracle and an answer.

do i go to baton rouge or stay here?
how will i afford it?

ok so I have made a decision. i am going full time
so for the next year, more than likely two years, i will not be in arkansas. i will not be dating, and if i can sell it, i will not have a car!

and there ya have it. but of course, God could change anything at anytime.

*Quick update. I sent off the rest of the application today. Looks like I am doing full time at least this coming up year. Now we pray for provision. But I am oh so ready!!! But I think we all know its time for me to do what I am called to do even if that means getting out of Arkansas
But here are a few pictures from New York. It was absolutely amazing, and I am so glad that I was able to go back, and this time hang out with my best friend Sara Beth especially since I won’t get to see her until November….

*World Trade Center

*Statue of Liberty

*For those of you who know how much I love The Doors and Jim Morrison, of course I had to get a picture of this! This was down in SoHo

*Sara Beth and I in Times Square

*Strawberry Fields in Central Park
A Tribute to John Lennon…such a legend

*Brooklyn Bridge

View of the City from the 86th Floor Observatory at Empire State Building

*View of the Financial District from Liberty Island
Too bad it was a cloudy day