Right now I'm reading...

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

What are you reading?

I'm such a language nut.

Jwaye Noel - Haitian Creole
Buon Natale - Italian
Feliz Navidad - Spanish
Geseënde Kersfees - Afrikaans
Bon Nadal - Catalan
Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad - Farsi
Bo Nada - Galician
Merry Christmas!

Bonus points to whoever can name at least one country that speaks the above languages. Yea, some are easy, but can you name them all?

Merry Christmas Eve!

On this Christmas eve I want to share one of my favorite passages with you from Luke 1. This is Mary's response of praise to God for allowing her to birth the Messiah.

And Mary said,
"My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever."

May our souls magnify the Lord this Christmas and every day just as Mary's did!

Merry Christmas!

Today has been an ultimate day of relaxation. Actually, I've had several relaxing days in the past week. I LOVE being here at home again with my family instead of a 8x8 white wall dorm room writing papers. Can I say how wonderful it is here? I most certainly miss my friends and wonderful fiance, but I will see him tomorrow for Christmas!

Today consisted of sleeping late, wrapping the last of the Christmas gifts and a few birthday gifts, getting my car checked out (b/c it ends up in the shop EVERY time I come home, really...it does), some episodes of Clean House and Full House (no relation, maybe I have a thing for "house" titled shows) then finally dinner at the BBQ Place & More for my awesome cousin's birthday and dessert at his house where a little Wii cow racing and Wii pool took place. All in all, a relaxing day.

I also received a letter from Jhesica, my girl I sponsor through Compassion, today. Her letters always light up my day. I can't help but wonder why in God's sovereignty I am sitting here with my own laptop on a new, comfy couch with warm, clean pajamas and children like Jhesica and so many others have so little. I do know God is sovereign and does not make mistakes, I just wonder why. I also watched this video today. Check it out.



Join me in praying for the children of the world. Merry Christmas!

Feliz navidad

This is how I spent my Saturday afternoon.

 

Merry Christmas everyone!

Holiday goodness

If you know me, you know I love to cook just don't get to a lot. Hopefully that'll change since school is finished for now. I stumbled across this blog, The Pioneer Woman, and there is a recipe for homemade cinnamon rolls that looks absolutely AMAZING, because we all know the key to a good recipe is a good picture.


See, don't you agree? You should check out this site! The recipe makes 7 pans too!

I'm back

After almost a month, I'm returning to blog world...for who knows how long. I have a few blogs that I read daily and when they skip a day of posting I find myself wondering why in the world could they possibly skip a day of letting me know their daily thoughts? Then I realize no one probably reads my blog anymore because I've been SEVERAL days without posting anything. So here goes once more...

2 nights this week, yes, 2, have been spent wrapping gifts. I must say there are few things I enjoy more than sitting on my parent's bed with my mom, spreading out all of the paper, ribbon, nametags and making creative bows to cover the packages. I also enjoy the search of purchasing ALL of my wrapping supplies during the days after Christmas at Dollar General and Walmart. Yes, I'm a cheap wrapper. You can't beat $.50 rolls of wired ribbon! (Which has become my personal favorite ribbon of choice.)

I'm also the fan of cute, simple paper. Whoever thought that characters like tweety bird, micky mouse or even Hannah Montana (yes, it's at Walmart) should be on wrapping paper should seriously examine their style.

There are a couple of blogs I think you should definitely check out.
Haiti Rescue Center's
Two Haitian Princesses'
Big Mama's
These are 3 blogs that I read EVERY day, without fail. You should too.

Some engagement photos!

Here are some of our engagement photos! I LOVE them!!

Also, today's great song

Ok, well maybe more like this month's great song b/c I've listened to it all month.

J.J. Heller's "Love Me"

It's on my myspace so you can check it out there
OR
pay the $.99 on iTunes for it
OR
listen to it via youtube here.

great quotes #1 & #2

So I'm copying Heather's idea of randomly posting a list of my favorite quotes on here. Here are the first 2. Now quotes I like have the potential to be different from the ones you might just hang up on your wall. I sometimes like them (like this first Sproul quote) because they explain something simply or reiterate an important fact. So not all are feel-good stick on your fridge magnets, but some are!

#1
Paul told the Romans that God's judgement is based on truth - ultimate truth. Paul means that if God really is good, he has no option but wrath. A just, holy judge who winks at evil and refuses to punish it is not a just, holy judge. That sort of judge wouldn't be worth respecting. He wouldn't be consistent to the law or what he believed to be right." - R.C. Sproul, "A Graduate's Guide to Life"

#2
He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he can't lose. - Jim Elliott

Votas (You vote)

So, I need your vote. We are starting a "Change for Change" campaign at Jr. High Sublime (Crosspoint Student Ministry). During the month of December the students will bring in their change to contribute to changing the world. Our money will be donated to Real Hope for Haiti, the name of the fund raising campaign for the Haiti Rescue Center. You can read all about the center at my blog link to the right of this page or you can go to www.realhopeforhaiti.org
We will be announcing the campaign this Sunday so they can be ready with their change the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Here are 4 possible logos. Do you have a favorite? Which one should be the official logo?

1.

 

2.

 

3.

 

4.

 

Do your stains talk?

I'm sure you have all seen this commercial; but, it is absolutely one of my favorites and makes me smile EVERY time I see it.

Welcome to the Tide Talking Stain Commercial

Sólo cinco meses...

Also, this deserves a post of its own.

5 MONTHS FROM TODAY UNTIL OUR WEDDING!!

Isaiah and his prophetess...I mean, wife

So a few weeks ago I decided to begin reading through Isaiah. Before you breathe that gasp of shock, yes, I know it is 66 chapters long and at even a chapter a day it would take over 2 months to read, but...I plan to take it slow and try to learn. So..if it takes a year, it's ok. I am up to chapter 8 and I love it when I find phrases in the Bible that catch me off guard and make me smile. I didn't understand all of Isaiah 8:1 in my ESV Sproul study Bible so I called Dane to ask what his new ESV study Bible said; however, the infamous, long-awaited ESV study Bible is at his office at church and not with him at home. So I settled for his interpretation from the his closest Bible within reach, the trusty NASB. (Yes, I know now I can just go to biblegateway.com, but I like that I can ask my fiance for help and he can teach me.) Now in the ESV, the verse reads:

Take a large tablet and write on it in common characters, 'Belonging to Maher-shalal-hash-baz.'

Ok, see my confusion? Why would God tell Isaiah to take a large tablet and write his second son's name on it? (Maher-.... is the name of Isaiah's 2nd son.) So Dane reads this from his NASB:

"Take for yourself a large tablet and write on it in ordinary letters: Swift is the booty, speedy is the prey.

"Swift is the booty?" What in the world is that? Before you tell me to grab my dictionary, I know that the word "booty" can mean something to be gained/won, but the phrase just caught me off guard at the drastically different translations and made me smile. Picture this, your church youth group now has t-shirts that say "Swift is the booty..." Is. 8:1 NASB. Now what kind of people would that upset? :)

I still don't understand the text very well, but I'll have to wait until I can get to Dane's commentaries. O, I can't wait for us to be married so I can have full, easy access to his library of Bible reference books. He has so many that are so helpful!!

O, and in vs. 3, Isaiah refers to his wife as "the prophetess." I guess that's what you get when you marry a prophet...or maybe she was one too? Hmm...

I'll be 22!

I should have done this yesterday, but I was at home without my computer. I'm going to copy Jamey and publicly declare for all in blogworld that it is my BIRTHDAY WEEK. Yes, you heard me right, blow up the balloons, hang the streamers and get excited because it's a week-long celebration! Tomorrow (Monday) is my birthday!! Woohoo! The big 22!

A quilt like that

So have you noticed the link on the right to "Win this Quilt"? I entered to win it, although I never win any online contests, because it is definitely one of the coolest quilts I have ever seen. I want to make a quilt like that. Yea, I've never quilted anything before and I think I could sit down with LOTS of time and make one. Haha...o, I can dream. Maybe one day. For now, I'll settle on just wanting a cool quilt like that one.

What do you think?

Here are just a few statements I want to throw out there. Disagree if you like, but these are arguments that I really believe.

When have we as a nation become a people who want the government to provide for our every need? Food, health, college, jobs are all important things in our lives; however, do we really want the government providing all of these things for us? If so, we become dependent on the government because we no longer have to function on our own without government help. Is this not what has happened in welfare, social security? Look at what is happening with people on government programs. Are they the happiest people in the world because everything has been handed to them in organized, efficient envelopes and they automatically have the best of everything? No. Their lives often consist of frustration because they have to live below a certain income to maintain their government assistance, yet cannot live "successfully" off of this income. Their every decision depends on the check from the government. If some month that check quit coming, what would they do? This my friends, is what I see as a possible problem for the United States.

Whatever happened to empowering the people to use their money to invest into the market and the "invisible hand" (Adam Smith, founder of modern economics) guiding the economy? I know many will say "well, look at the market now. What about this? Looks like that invisible hand is truly invisible." I say this to that response, there are many factors that play into the market situation now. Most of which I do not even know the half of, but I do know about 10 years ago there was a large push by a government adminstration to lower mortgage costs so people with not so good credit scores could get good mortgages in order to increase home ownership. Well, this did increase home ownership, but now, look what it's done. Fannie Mae is now under a government bailout plan becaues these people with bad credit who got mortgages couldn't pay.

I in no way claim to be an economics expert and cannot give a response for every political debate argument, but I do believe that it is never a good thing for citizens to be dependent on their government for their basic needs.

"Hosanna" by Hillsong

Ihave pretty much become a great fan of Hillsong's song "Hosanna." You should go purchase it on itunes now. It's only $.99. Now who can't spare that? :) Check out these lyrics:

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you
Break my heart for what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdom's cause

What powerful lyrics!

I really do (like everyone else) love hearing feedback for anyone and everyone that reads my blogs so comment away!

So go now and buy the song!

Disturbing thought

Here's a little fact that I'm chewing on today:

There are 1,000,000,000 people in the world that have not heard the gospel.

How does that affect me?

How does that affect you?

It's long, just try to stick with it...

A pharisee asked Jesus "'Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?' And he said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" -Matthew 22:36-39

David (Platt) has just started a new series called "Radical" at church. I'm not going to summarize the series so far b/c that'd be one long post but I do want to share some of my confessions and struggles with this scripture. It's clear that Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to love God with ALL our heart, soul and mind; however, I have never thought of what that actually means. I've always heard "put God first" then family, friends, job, school, etc. NO. That's loving God with some of your heart, soul, mind. What does loving God with all of my heart, soul and mind look like? I've been guilty far too many times of fluffing up this verse to mean "ok, let's just love God," but no. Truly loving God with ALL of myself? How in the world do I do that? I know the answer is only through Christ because I alone have nothing, no love at all to offer God. I wonder what this looks like in my life everyday?

Well, even if I'm not sure what this tangibly looks like each day I do know that loving God means following him. Ok, well...still not any easier. Check out Luke 14: 25-33:

"Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 'If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, wil not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple."

Talk about some harsh words! Hate my father, mother, husband, children, brother and even myself?! These are Jesus' words in an evangelistic message, not some exclusive, only-for-the-educated theological discussion. That even more says that this needs to be taught as the basis of Christianity in how we are to follow Christ. That last verse scares me most I think: 'cannot' be my disciple. It doesn't say "it will be more difficult to be my disciple if you don't hate all else except me" or "I won't put you on the super Christian list if you don't hate all else." It says "any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. Now if there has been no verse to contradict American consumer-driven Christianity, now there it is. Luke 14:33. Right there and it's sooo hard to swallow.

What does this mean for me? Do I sell everything and buy a one-way ticket to a third-world country to do missions for the rest of my life? Maybe, but also maybe not. I see a trend of "living simply" developing in modern Christianity and I believe it is biblical to live simply and even to sell all and buy a 1-way ticket. Who knows? Dane and I may do that one day. I do know that this, just as everything, requires much prayer. We have to be careful once again to not get caught up in our actions, because our works get us nowhere. God doesn't approve anymore if we store up all our wealth and become greedy or if we sell all and move to Nigeria if we only do it for ourselves, for show, without pure hearts and the desire to see Christ glorified.

So my question is, how have I missed this for so long? People have been asking can you be a believer of Christ and not a disciple because there aren't many American christians who are disciples according to the passage in Luke. Does this mean there aren't many believers too? It's something that I wrestle with and only God will reveal. I pray that you stuck with this post and that God's word radically shakes you like it is doing me right now.

SPA 416

What a busy week. It seems as if the homework and studying will never end, although I know that all too soon December will be here and I will be graduating. So far today has consisted of working out at the rec center, SI staff meeting at 9 and now I'm home watching the movie "Ay, Carmela" for class tomorrow. I much prefer listening to texts, watching movies and listening to music to prepare for a class instead of reading 3 chapters. This is all for my History of Spain in the 20th Century through Film & Cinema class (SPA 416)...what a title for a class. Last week we watched "La lengua de las mariposas" and I HIGHLY recommend it, It is such a great movie and shows the effects of the nationalists when they began to take over Spain. I know, I sound real cool but it is interesting to me. :)

The wedding is now officially in March and I wish I had 2 hours a day to devote to planning! I continue to think of ideas but just have to add them to a list instead of tackling them head on. But, I have my dress and I'm super excited about that!

As for now, I'm off to finish this movie then hopefully begin my research for my term paper for the same class. We'll see if a nap gets thrown into the mix as well. Who knows? I'm sad to see this lovely "college student schedule" go away in a few months. It really is quite nice!

Haiti

Check out these missionaries' blog about the storm in Haiti:

godsplumblineministries.blogspot.com

haitirescuecenter.wordpress.com

Pepper Place

Last Saturday, Dane and I went to this outdoor market downtown at the old Dr. Pepper bottling factory. It's mostly made up of local farmers and their produce, homemade jellies and relishes and fresh flowers. There are some baked goods, t-shirts, purses and jewelry tables scattered throughout too. On the old porch of the factory was live jazz music while chefs demonstrated new recipes and gave out samples galore nearby. It's every Saturday from 7am-noon and I highly recommend it! It's great fun and not expensive! Here's a photo of Dane and I after we got back to my place. In case you can't tell by the expression on his face, he wasn't too excited about holding the fruits and veggies just so I can take a picture...

Hoy (Today)

I realize I go about 2 weeks without posting then will post several days in a row, but hey...that's just how I work sometimes.

It has definitely hit me that I have LOTS of wedding planning to do and want to finish all of the big things before January b/c the spring is "super wedding craziness" time for every bride-to-be. I have no class tomorrow so hopefully I can get a lot of things done then.

Several events that shook my outlook on the day yesterday: my car windshield is cracked, my car battery was dead and I seriously stubbed my toes on the concrete curb in the parking lot (complete with bruise and scratched off nail polish and everything). God showed me though that those are soooo not major events and I really should be grateful that I have a car and that I have money to buy nail polish with...and for that matter, that I can even walk. So, I am very grateful for God allowing what can seem like "mishaps" in our mind to happen because he teaches through them as well.

I'm out for the night. Buenas noches!

Preach it sista!

As I sit here on my bed and watch Sarah Palin's acceptance speech, I cannot help but regain the hope that I had lost in our political candidates. I will admit that I have not been the biggest McCain fan, but am DEFINITELY more of a fan for him than I will ever be for Obama. I would vote for McCain any day over Obama...o, I won't go on about that. Sarah Palin is the conservative, down to earth candidate that McCain needs. I'll just sum it up with go McCain/Palin!!

Sorry it's been so long...

but classes are now underway and that has taken precedence over blogging.

So there is a full-time missionary in Capetown, South Africa that traveled with us to Zambia and her name is Anna. Here she is in the middle (Meghan is on the left and Lacey on the right).


This girl has one amazing testimony of God bringing her to South Africa and God has truly used her to draw my heart closer to his global mission. Right now she has been visiting family and friends in various countries and is waiting sponsor money to come in for her plane ticket back to South Africa. I want to encourage everyone to pray for her as she serves in South Africa. I also pray that God draws each person's heart who reads this blog to become 100% in sink with his global purpose: to make his name known to ALL nations in a way that only He gets the glory!

I cannot wait to return to the foreign mission field for a longer period of time! Until then, I pray that God continues to unite my heart daily with his. How can you not love these people?

Marcel Proust

An author of whom I have never heard...until this semester. He holds the title of writing the longest book ever written: In Search of Lost Time - 4000 pages - 6 volumes. Yes, I think you might know where I'm going with this. I, the student that I am, am going to read it this semester. NOTE: THIS IS NOT A "JUST FOR FUN" READING, IT IS MANDATORY FOR A CLASS. I just felt I needed to clarify that I don't enjoy 4000 page novels all the time. So it works out to 42 pages a day...I guess I should get started on my 42 for today since it's already 9PM.

En la biblioteca por toda la mañana

Today...I am sitting here in the Mervyn Sterne Library at UAB until I go to meet Dane for lunch in about an hour and a half. I came this morning to check out a book that is EXTREMELY helpful for my research project I'm doing this fall but...of course, since it is the ONE book I need, the library has lost it. O well...I actually have the book at home, I just left it yesterday and wanted to read some today while I'm out and about. I guess that's what I get for packing up in 20 mintues.

So now, I'm sitting in the library working on my IRB training. It is a time consuming process that is less than exciting so I decide to treat myself with random breaks for blogging and facebook. Yes, I know, if I work continuously it'll get done quicker, but you know...staring at a computer screen of words can only be done for so long.

I really have nothing too eventful to say today, other than that I found a super cute blog called Silly Beanz that sells adorable homemade hairbows for $.75 and $.99! Of course, I have no need for this, I just like to keep a database of cute girly things... :)

Nos sonreimos

It means "we smile."

Meghan (Harris), a girl on our Zambia team, just added more Africa photos on facebook and she had this one of me playing around with Peter. I absolutely love it because this child won my heart, just like he also did with everyone else. (The pic is the main one at the top of the page if you still haven't noticed.) Peter is around 3 or 4 and is absolutely a monkey at heart. He LOVES to be picked up, swung around, do flips...anything that involves human contact. As Meghan took this picture, he is climbing up my stomach to do a flip or at least to try.

One thing concerned me about Peter though. He never said a word, nor did he make a sound. I asked another girl if he spoke and she said "yes" but even speaking to him in his native language, he never made a sound - no laughs, cries, grunts, acknowledgement of sound or anything. I wonder if he might be deaf. He had no shoes on so when we were playing he stepped on some prickly things that stuck into his foot. Instead of crying out, he just stopped and squeezed my hand and looked up with eyes of pain. I picked him up and removed the pricklies and he was fine, but I thought it odd that even in pain, he made no sound.

I long for the day when Dane and I adopt children. I absolutely cannot wait to take a child like this and call them mine and love them with the love of Christ every day. What better way is there to be the hands and feet Christ to one child.

Real Hope for Haiti

This blog has made a giant impact on my life. It is one of the few that I read daily and each picture and update truly shakes my heart at its core. I invite each of you to check out this blog and begin to pray for the people and children of Haiti. Also, how can you help? There are various ways from financial donations to donating supplies to adoption to prayer.

http://www.realhopeforhaiti.org/
http://haitirescuecenter.wordpress.com/

I leave you with a quote from their website:

"Let us all hope and pray that with our time and resources, coupled with hard work and a dependence on God's soveriegn power and love, we will see God heal their land and that Haitian believers may become a light to the nations."

I've returned once again to the USA!

I don't even know how to begin this post. All I can say is that Zambia is an amazing country with some of the friendliest, most loving and hard-working people that I have ever met. The women there put me to shame! Any women that can carry pounds of things on her head while walking miles (or kilometers in this case) or repair their homes on their knees all day while carrying a child on their back are MUCH stronger than I can ever imagine to be. To read an actual "play by play" I'm just going to direct you to David's blog here or you can also click on "David's in Zambia" on the side bar under "Blogs I Like" if the link doesn't work. (I'm not too tech saavy so I'm still trying to figure out how to link things.)

Here are some pictures from my time in Zambia.
Here I am holding Carrie sitting by her older sister and another young girl.


I found it very funny that whenever the children are happily playing and you hold up your camera to take a "candid" photo, the kids instantly stop and form a group pose and have serious, sad faces. No wonder there are so many pictures of sad children in Africa!


One Saturday afternoon we got to see Victoria Falls! It is truly breathtaking!



Most of our Zambia group after we'd arrived back at Alabanza, the mission base in Pretoria, South Africa.


These are two of my most favorite faces in the entire world!
I present to you Jane and Joan.

ZAMBIA!

If you are reading this around Monday, July 21 or after, I am in Zambia! I will be in Zambia until August 2 helping in a school for HIV/AIDS orphans and children with HIV/AIDS. Please join me in praying specifically for the following:

-that our team would be the hands and feet of Christ

-that the gospel will be taught clearly to the Zambian people

-that the Zambian believers would be encouraged and become disciple-makers

-that groups of believers would then take the gospel to others and God would be glorified in ALL that is done.

The area we will be in is supposed to be a high tourist area. People come from around the world to go on safaris and to see Victoria Falls here. I'm so excited to be taking the gospel to the people who live in this beautiful place while seeing all of God's creation there!

This waterfall is Victoria Falls...judging by maps, I think it's approximately 20 mi from where we are staying. I REALLY hope we get to see it!

Can you rebuild a watermelon?

I can! And I did!

Thursday evening, after swimming and grilling out, my family decided to cut a watermelon to eat. Afterwards my aunt said, "let's put it back together!" Now if you know me, you know that immediately I would say "yes, let's do it!" My cousins and brother laughed and thought we were crazy and decided the pool was much more fun than reassembling a watermelon rind. After about 20-30 minutes and about 50 toothpicks, we did it! Here are some photos just in case you don't believe me. Toothpicks work wonders!

Sorry for the blurry photos. My camera and the humidity didn't work too well together.





My cousin Preston and I are so proud of our reconstructed watermelon! Yes, apparently we need some excitement in our lives...haha.

The missing piece is the one that got thrown in the woods. Who throws away their rind after eating? Really now, don't we all rebuild our watermelons?

la boda...

The wedding...

Cakes, tuxes, dresses, shoes, veil, venues, decorations, flowers, favors, colors, time...so many things that are running through my head concerning the wedding which "ourweddingday.com" informed me is still 10 months 2 weeks and 6 days away - for those of you that don't count that up, that's May 23. We are shooting for that day but at this point it is still subject to change. As for the wedding web site, who knows how they got my date because I've never heard of that site...must be linked to David's Bridal because they partner with everyone. The company reminds me a lot of Walmart: large selection, cheap prices, hugely commercialized. All of those 3 things are things which I have a love/hate relationship with, just as I do with Walmart.

In keeping with my goal of becoming the "early riser girl" I am off to bed now. I eventually want to be the girl that does the coffee, exercise and prayer all before 7am. Tomorrow won't be too hard because my family including aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents (only minus my dad because he must work) are going to the Atlanta Zoo tomorrow to see the new pandas!

So while you are at work, home or cutting the grass tomorrow, I will be taking in the animals at the zoo! I'm super pumped about it!

Feliz Cumpleaños

Today is my fiance's birthday and I am so excited! I'm making him a homemade caramel cake and cannot wait for him to see his gift. He is 23 years of age today and is definitely the greatest guy I have ever met. He makes me smile every day and I cannot wait to see him tonight to wish him a "Happy Birthday" in person!

Off to cake baking! I LOVE that too!

T-shirts

I have had a couple of people tell me they were sad they missed out on buying t-shirts that I was selling to raise money for the Zambia trip I am going on in a few weeks. Anyone and everyone can purchase shirts from other people raising money to go on mission trips on the company's web site, www.fundthenations.com.
Fund the Nations also has some shirts they are selling as well as the shirts individuals are selling to raise money. They are from various countries, with quotes/verses in various languages with various designs so you should definitely check them out!

"...and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation." Revelation 5:9

Viernes...Friday

As you can see, I have just spent about 15 minutes deciding on how to "revamp" my blog. Does anyone know how to change the font on my header? I'm very blog illiterate and just recently discovered how to add a photo to the header.

Today is another free day and I LOVE it! I'm going to run a bit, pack/unpack/organize some dorm room boxes (it is a never-ending process), pick up some wedding invitations for my future brother-in-law (yes, Dane's brother is getting married in a few weeks), and then get some craft supplies for camp (Camp Piney) on Tuesday. I'm teaching a Spanish craft class so we're going to make paper bag piñata and I'm pretty excited about it!

I love kids and I love Spanish so put the two together and you have one happy girl.

I want to brag on my fiance just a bit. Last night, we talked about how it's hard for me to advance in my Spanish when I'm out of class because I have nowhere to use/practive it. So he then let me tell him about my day in Spanish and let me translate a Piper devotion into Spanish even though he has no idea what I am saying. I did miss some words but I was surprised at how easy it is to just talk once you get started. My days of talking to my family in Spain truly helped A LOT!! I have the best fiance ever!

A little politics and life

Today was the first day of Camp Piney. This is a camp that the church I grew up at has on Tuesdays and Thursdays for 4 weeks during the summer. I am working there this summer and the first day went quite well! I absolutely adore the opportunity to love on kids that don't get loved on daily! I want to show them the love of Christ and let them know that they are so special and unique to God!

I've also been sitting here tonight reading several blogs of couples who have adopted internationally. I know I am ahead of the game since Dane and I aren't getting married until the Spring, but I can't wait to adopt! This is something Dane and I have talked about and is still a few years in the future but it is something that is near to our hearts and we pray that God continues to prepare the way for it.

This is such a random blog, but I've been listening to Fox News while blog surfing. Hannity and Colmes are discussing the Dobson/Obama issue. I need to research it because at the moment, I hear Obama's comments about the Bible and think his theology is not up-to-par but Dobson only seemed to say the same thing I do - that his Obama's theology isn't accurate and that he doesn't support him. Not sure that those quotes are a reason to be fired up against Dobson but who knows. There is probably more to the story that I haven't read yet. I need to call Adrian and do some coffee with her. She is a friend of mine and Dane's that knows her politics, theology and economics. So far I haven't disagreed with her yet and I absolutely LOVE discussing it all with her. I'm a little discouraged with the Obama/McCain nominations. Not that I think Clinton would have been any better, but I don't like any of them.

Last week, a guy met me as I was coming out of the HUC at UAB and asked me to sign a petition to allow third party candidates to be on the ballot because "Lincoln was a third party candidate." So I took the clipboard and read the form (something many people probably don't do) to see that the petition is ACTUALLY one to add Ralph Nader's name to the ballot. Seriously Nader, give up already. You've tried for years and got nothing.

One thing

I just want to say that I LOVE the show Jon & Kate + 8! Everyone should tune into TLC and watch!

Let the wedding planning begin!

So I have officially begun to plan. Not much has been accomplished yet except making various files on my Favorites tab and saving pages I like. Dane and I are still working on the place and that will determine the date as well. Hopefully we can nail this down soon! Then it's off to set colors and dresses! I must be honest, I'm most excited about finding my dress! The bridesmaids dresses are very important, but I can't wait to begin trying on wedding dresses! Yay!!

Early Saturday morning Dane and I are traveling with my family, my aunt/uncle and cousins, and my grandparents to Memphis for the weekend in celebration of my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary. I'm pretty excited! I, unlike many, love family vacations!

I really want to begin reading the book "The Shack" by William Young. I've heard many different critiques (both good and bad) about it from people I respect and really want to see for myself what it says. I think I will try the Centre Library although I am not sure how many books they have that have been printed in the past 5-10 years...we'll see.

I'm also reading John Piper's "What Jesus Demands of the World" and it's really good! I've only read chapter 1 so far.

For now, I think I'll read Fox News for a bit, unpack a box or so then get to bed.

I'm ENGAGED!!

The date begins as we pack a picnic of cheez-its, turkey and cheese sandwiches and cheese and crackers. He told me he wanted to take me to various spots around town that had been significant to our relationship. At each spot he read me special passages about love, family and marriage from the Bible and from other authors we like.

First stop: picnic in Homewood Park...my favorite place in Birmingham.


Next we went for dessert at Chili's where we had our first date.


I know you must think I had an idea by now, but no way! This is not out of the ordinary for him. He does great dates like this for no reason at all. Next we drove to the Trussville park (another place I love) as it began to rain. We found a dry spot under a tree and Dane brought out his guitar and sang Brown-Eyed Girl to me. (These are the chord sheets he had printed off.) We still managed to get a little wet from the downpour.


We then stopped by Lifeway (he works there) because he had to "check some e-mails." When we came back to the car these GORGEOUS flowers were waiting in my seat! I LOVE them!!


He then drove me downtown then blindfolded me. He says you get some strange looks when driving in downtown Birmingham with a blindfolded girl in your front seat.


He took me to the BCM and read something he wrote to me while we were seated on the same couch that we met on in August of 2006. He then reached in his pocket and got down on one knee and asked me to marry him!! Of course, I SAID YES!!


This is "THE COUCH."


We then went to Dane's house where his family, my family and Sybil and Meghan were there to celebrate! Sybil, Meghan and I admire the ring!


The ring and the BEAUTIFUL daisy!


My ring from the MOST AMAZING guy!

One great song

I have no idea how to even begin to post a song on my blog so I am just going to write the artist and title and TRUST that you will seriously check it out.

Todd Agnew

"Martyr's Song"

Below are some of the lyrics of the song. I absolutely love the image that's portrayed of my God, my Father anxiously waiting to show me, his bride, what his place is like, to show me his glory! How beautiful that we have a Father who loves us like that!

I've been waiting to see you tremble as you're embraced.

By a world saturated with my love

I've been waiting to watch you realize

What all your longing was for

I've been waiting to show you the thread of grace

That ran through all your pain

Saw this on another blog. You should definitely check it out. It brought tears to my eyes.

Cardboard Testimonies

Hillside Community Church, Amarillo, TX

Just another Monday in Centre

So...it seems I start off most posts with the word, "so." I am back in Centre from my weekend + 2 days in Birmingham and am loving the laid back time I have this summer. So far I've slept late, watched Whose Wedding Is It Anyway and What Not to Wear - 2 of my favorite shows. I think I'll go run now (part of my exercise-this-summer plan), shower, then begin what I think will be the week-long process of unpacking/organizing/purging (got this word from Jessica) everything I own. Since I moved out of my dorm and left for Spain in all of 4-5 days, my bedroom and the downstairs garage are filled with my boxes. I am sure that I will post again today because I'm in a blogging mood; but, for now, it's off to the treadmill!

Shall return later!

P.S. I really want to post a picture of my "bedroom o'boxes" but I don't know where my laptop bag with my camera cable is to download the picture to my laptop. What has happened to the OCD-organized Amanda? She must return...ASAP!

Part 2 of Today

So...it turns out the baseball game was at 5 instead of 7 so I missed it...at least he plays again tomorrow night.

I want to share a few quotes with you that I read and provoked many thoughts for me while in Spain. Dane and I have been going through "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers so I will begin with that book.

May 14: "We have to form habits to express what God's grace has done in us. It is not a question of being saved from hell, but of being saved in order to manifest the life of the Son of God in our mortal flesh..." Now I know you may think the word "habit" doesn't necessarily fit into a relationship with God, but the devotion and surrounding days in the book explain that part and it's too long to type here. I just want to share with you the part about God's grace coming to us in order to manifest Christ in our flesh, our lives. I actually heard a preacher say once "I hope hell scares you into getting saved." Quotes like this present a false gospel and relay unbiblical teaching.

May 24: THE DELIGHT OF DESPAIR
"There are times when God cannot reveal Himself in any other way than in His majesty, and it is the awfulness of the vision which brings you to the delight of despair..." It is oddly comforting to know that the glory of God is so powerful, so magnificent that it can be seen as awful, as uncomfortable to us as humans. I think the word 'awful' does not mean 'terrible' or 'bad' here in the sense of defining God's glory; but, the knowledge that when bad things come, God is sovereign and has carried out his plan since before time. It reminds me of when Moses was on the mountain and God passed by. Moses wasn't even humanly able to see God's glory face to face!

May 26: "The danger with us [humans] is that we want to water down the things that Jesus says and make them mean something in accordance with common sense; if it were only common sense, it was not worthwhile for Him to say it. The things Jesus says about prayer are supernatural revelations." I realize only giving you these tidbits can be quite confusing without the whole devotion, but you need to read this book anyway. It's a great devotional! I have had countless discussions with people I love and respect about human logic and responsibility vs. God's purpose and plan. Many say 'God wouldn't have given us logic if he didn't want us to use it.' This is true, we are not told to follow Christ without intelligence; HOWEVER, we are told to follow. Following means doing whatever he says, whatever the cost. This is hard to swallow and brings about great conviction because I don't live this out. But just imagine what the church will look like once it truly forsakes all and follows Christ! Follows him by taking his glory to the nations!

Lastly, I want to ask you to join me in praying for the people of Afghanistan. Please pray for...
-Relationships that allow a clear and open witnessing of the gospel by foreign relief workers (medicine, education, business, agriculture, etc.).
-Protection of the workers from kidnapping and murder.
-Continued development of the small house churches scattered across the country.
-God's blessings on Afghanistan's secret believers so the Afghan Church may live and grow to be an instrument of blessing (salt), transformation (yeast), and truth-giving (light) for the nation.
-The government of Afghanistan lead by presidnet Hamid Karzai.

Back in the USA!

So I now have internet whenever I want and I am embracing it. I have spent an insanely abnormal amount of time on the internet today just reading the latest news, updating myself on everyone's facebook changes, seeing the new summer fashions, etc. It's been glorious celebration of the use of internet!

I have an exciting summer ahead of me: family vacation to Memphis, Camp Piney, and Zambia! I plan to fill the in-between time with a yard sale, making a few mosaics, sewing, reading lots of books and organizing. What fun!

For your summer, I recommend you read "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini. It's about a girl's life growing up in Afghanistan and is such an amazing book!



I'm off to watch my little cousin's baseball game! I love baseball!