Learnings & Opportunities.

Rundown:

Last night my plans were to go and hang out with my beautiful mommy-to-be friend and be totally girly and then go help out my beautiful Bride-to-be friend with last minute Wedding things.

I have just enough time to get home and change into something much more comfortable(uuggghh heels - I will never walk well in them and they will never be comfortable). I get home change and am headed out the door and Hallie(my car) will not start.

*Frustration is conceived.

I pop the hood and trunk...grab my trusty miniature Louiville Slugger from the trunk to begin venting my mounting frustration on the battery connectors...that always works right...NOT SO MUCH.

*Frustration rising.

I call Mr. Wonderful who thankfuly lives right around the corner(I AM on a time schedule here, I have a plan and must stick to the plan and a non-starting car was not in the plan - I am to meet my preggo friend who needs her beauty rest so needs to be in bed early and my time is running out - my plan is slipping - THIS IS NOT COOL)so I call Mr. Wonderful who rushes over to look at Hallie - and diaganosis her with a dead battery.

*Frustration screaming upward.

I call my Dad cause I need a plan and my frustration has ripped my planning skills right out from under me - he suggests we take the car to the parts store and let them hook up a machine to confirm the diagnosis - and buy a new battery if needed.

*Frustration lowering(I have a plan - sometimes that's all it takes for me)

I call mommy-to-be and let her know - SADLY - I may not make it tonight - Sheesh It's only been months since I have seen her - TEAR SNIFF SNIFF - then Mr. Wonderful and I head to the parts store.

*Attitude sets in.(My plan has be ruined - I HATE THAT)

Now we all have had those times right before payday when you know the funds are not in the bank but you know you can PROBABLY write a check and be safe right. Well Not when the parts store runs your check for you new battery costing $98.98(because YES I did give a dollar to support research for Juvenile Diabetes and thought about Alan - I LOVE YOU ALAN and believe for your HEALING God IS Faithful) through like a debit and it gets DENIED.

*Attitude, Frustration, EMBARASSMENT set in hard.

Praise Jesus for a Dad who really is a good Dad and bails his favorite(only) daughter out with the trusty Credit Card over the phone. (Wiping brow here)

*Embarassment level falls and Grateful level RISES. Attitude still there STRONG. Frustration better(once again a plan is in play).

On the road back home it is now after 7:00 and I am wrestling with what my new plan should be. My attitude is so bad I simply want to go home and go to bed. And I have gone back and forth out loud. Mr. Wonderful sweetly kisses the top of my hand. (Why are you loving me when I am being so difficult, indecisive, and so darn Unlovable?????)

*Guilt Builds. (I'd rather at this point be in bed that be social with those I had plans with & I am being Ridiculous). Motivation GONE.

Neesie & Mr. Wonderful encourage me to go ahead with original plan. I call mommy-to-be she's game for a later but shorter visit. I decide to beat beat beat beat the attitude (Thanks for the further encouragement Neesie while your hands are elbow deep in chicken)...push through and go ahead with the origianl plan only later.

*Attitude Defeated!

I am so glad I went. I had the best time with mommy-to-be, we talked babies, weddings, Jesus, chruch, football, family. It was great. I got to see baby boy on video - I already love him. Made my heart flutter to watch him moving and showing off in mommy-to-be's belly.

I got to go and spend all night(10:30pm-2:30am) helping Bride-to-be with wedding stuff as she was completely overwhelmed. I was so blessed by that and I think she was too. SO AWESOME!! I loved hanging with Bride-to-be, whom I hadn't seen in years and be able to be there for her!!! AWESOME!!

Learnings:
Attitude tries to beat me when my plans fall through
I can beat Attitude
I don't think I should be loved when I have attitude like that
I love my Neesie, Mr. Wonderful & my old friends(we have history and I love that)
I know what I dont want the days before my wedding to be like

Opportunities:
Beating Attitude
Hanging with friends
Meeting baby boy
Blessing Bride-to-be

Sadly - NO pictures for any of this.

God is GOOD!!! I am not even that tired right now!!

Rolling River God

...and the waters keep rolling on...

Waters of life...ever changing...ever rolling on...

More change...good change...

It will be so cool to see what the rest of this year and this next year brings...

Exciting things are on the horizon...

...and the waters always keep rolling on...

Jump in the River...God's River...it's overflowing with blessings...jump in and roll on with it...

I am excited and humbled and I just can't wait to see how God moves!

Nichole Nordeman \ River God

Rolling River God Little Stones are smooth

Only once the water passes through

So I am a stone rough and grainy still

Trying to reconcile this river's chill

CHORUS:

But when I close my eyes and feel you rushing by

I know that time brings change and change takes time

And when the sunset comes my prayer would be just this one

that you might pick me up

and notice that I am just a little smoother in your hand
Sometimes raging wild

sometimes swollen high never have

I known this river dry

The deepest part of you

is where I want to stay

and feel the sharpest edges wash away

CHORUS

Scream.

So much swirling around in me today...

My enemy is trying to plague me with fear, self destructive thoughts, hopelessness...the list may be longer but that is all I can pinpoint at the moment.

My insides literally are in knots...

I need time with my Father...NOW...maybe a trip to my "special place" is necessary...

ARG! I hate this feeling...feeling like I am just messing EVERYTHING up...

Ok...headed down the wrong thinking path so I am going to spend a little time with my FATHER!!

I will never forget.

I will never forget this weekend.

Slack Attack was amazing: Pheonix Rising
It was the most incredible weekend ever. Everytime I think about it I cry from God's goodness.

I am BEYOND proud of the incredible girls in my group. Beyond in love with ministry. Beyond in love with Jesus. Beyond blessed and humbled to have been apart of something so wonderful. I am amazed at God's Heart.

I am so thankful and humbled to have gotten to love on these kids this weekend and share the things God has done in me so that these Beautiful ladies can know God's heart for them. What an honor. What a privilege.

Children's church:
I got to do registration, oh my gosh. I had the most fun. I loved it with all my heart. I got to greet the kids and see them first thing as they came into Children's church and hug them and smile at them and tell them how glad I was to see them. It was the best thing EVER!!!!!! I got to sit with my nephew during the action songs - he really does not do well with the loud music it scares him so much. I know it is becuase of his home life. But I was so glad I got to sit with him and hold him on my lap and reassure him that it was okay and tell him I love him and miss him. Man I love Children's Church and I am so honored to get to be in there with those precious kids ever Sunday and love them and show and teach them about how much they are loved by God!!! Wow!!

Then we had a great lunch with the family and the Jones' at Shogun. So yummy and I just love watching them cook in front of us. Too fun!!

Then Neesie and I finally got some time to go shopping together. Really one of the reasons God put us together was for shopping. Yep, it's true. We shop SO good together!! We got some Birthday shopping done and found some good sales!! Then of course a stop by Starbucks was a necessity on the way home even though I didn't get anything.

You know it was the best weekend EVER!!! I will never forget this weekend and all that God did and the ways He raised us from the ashes!!

Thank you Father!! Help me to be set apart today. I love you Lord. In Jesus name. Amen.

I did not do a very good job of getting pictures this weekend but here are three for you to enjoy...

My wonderful Group for the weekend...These are the most incredible girls EVER...I am so proud of them all!! I love you girls!!!My two favorite guys and me...Red Rover in the rain...compliments of Tropical Storm Fay...

Slack Attack Weekend.

This is Slack Attack Weekend. I cannot wait!

This is a weekend we do with the youth, a back to school event. It's a weekend of pouring into them and I am so excited. It starts tonight and I am pumped up and ready to go.

We have been reading a book called burn this book. This weekend we will burn the books and burn the impurities from our lives!!!

I have been praying that this weekend would be really deep and really spiritual and really fun. I love the small group sessions and really digging deep with the kids.

I am ready!! I am ready to have some junk burned from my life!!!

I am ready to love on these kids and for them to have some junk burned from their lives!!!

God is going to show up and I can't wait to see what He has in store!!! I am ready.

Father, this weekend belongs to you. I belong to you. I pray that you would burn impurities from my life. I ask that you would use me to love these students and minister to them this weekend. I pray that you would use all the adults and college students to minister to the youth this weekend. We are your willing vessels. I pray for good sportsmanship, and acceptance, and that all would be included this weekend. I pray that all the kids would be encouraged and uplifted and built up all weekend. I Thank You for what you are going to do this weekend. Lord I surrender to You, use me. I love you Father. Thank You for this opportunity to minister and love these students. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Change.

Change.
It's happening all around.
Apathy is change...a change that creeps up on you and has consumed you before you know it. Apathy steals Holiness. Holiness is to be Set Apart.
Romans 12:2
2 Do not be shaped by this world; instead be changed within by a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to decide what God wants for you; you will know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect.
Be Changed. Apathy brings you back to the things of this world. But we are...I am...to BE CHANGED by God's Word.

Change.
It's a natural part of life...Change hit me hard last night. I closed my eyes and when I opened them I saw things that are changing...people leaving for college...my brother...MY BROTHER...planning to go way off for college...I can't imagine MY BROTHER not being here everyday...whew...that made me CRY...other change was illuminated before me...like the fact that at some point I will have to leave New Life Church...think about it...God has called me into Full-time Ministry...New Life already has incredible full time Children's Pastors...so at some point I will have to leave my church...the only church I have ever know like this...I will have to leave my town, my family, my friends, my securities and safeties...Whoa...Change.

Change.
It's part of life...I believe if you are not changing you are not growing...we cannot stand still...we cannot avoid change or hold change back...change is what is supposed to always be happening...I want to Change...I want to Change forwardly though...we cannot become Apathetic either...that is Change backward.

Change.
Change is not easy. But God never promised things would always be easy, He did promise that He would never leave us or forsake us. He does not change. He is always good, faithful, forgiving, strong, wise, loving, saving, mighty, all-knowing, all-powerful, all-seeing, He is the same yesterday, today and FOREVER.

Change.
Change comes in all forms. Seasons. Life. Good. Bad. Easy. Hard. Apathetic. Holiness.
Change.

Tagged

The rules:
Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog
Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.

7 random facts about myself:

1. I love to hear the words Miss Tabbie!!!!
2. I love to be surrounded by pictures of me with those I love in happy moments, it reminds me how blessed I am and makes me happy in the moments that I am not with them.
3. I love object lessons - LOVE THEM!
4. I have texture issues much to the annoyance of those around me I am sure.
5. I like data entry work.
6. I LOVE Fall.
7. Jesus is my LIFE for the rest of my LIFE.


I don't really have 7 specific people to tag SO I tag you all!

Fall Fever.

Yep it's official - I have Fall Fever.

I am ready for falling leaves, cool air, gorgeous scenery, and the feeling that comes with Fall.

This year fall will be best one yet because I have that special someone to share it with. I am so excited. This is such an exciting time in life.

I am beyond excited about the new journey I am on. I cannot wait to see the doors that God will open and how His story will unfold. This is HIS story not mine. I am simply blissfully loving the journey. It's not always bells and whistles but I am enjoying it still. There is a great joy in all of it, even in the hard, and that Joy is the LORD. I love that this is God's story and that I am not the writer.

Thank You Father for the strength to stand - Past, Present, & Future.

Thank You Father for the direction - Past, Present, & Future.

Thank You Father for the Promise that is now unfolding.

Thank You Father for being there always - In the Good, Hard, Easy, & Bad.

You are a good Father, a Faithful Father, You are my Heavenly Father and I surrender all to You. I love you my Father! I am still..

I FOUND MY CAMERA.

Yes my camera was lost but now it is found...and it was found at CHURCH!! The Lord really is

good!! He can even find and save cameras!! WOW!!!

So in honor of finding the lost camera I thought I would post some pictures!!!

Mr. Wonderful & Me after dinner at the Country Club for work...

The New KOR logo we put on the wall last night...I had on the matching shirt...

After all the hard work on the wall I was treated to a Large Cherry LimeAide from Sonic... A Sonic Drive-In picture with Mr. Wonderful...Some more fun shots...

This is Outside Kitty...She's so sweet...
The Great Armadillo Chase...Dun Dun Dun...

Mr. Wonderful chaising the armadillo...

Mr. Wonderful creeping up on the Armadillo...

Bye Bye Tank(that's his new name) we'll see you later...

Hope you enjoyed!! I am so thankful I found my camera!! Makes posts so much more fun!!!

ONE OF THESE.

I am... GONNA LOVE DOING THIS SURVEY :)

I think... MY FAITH IS BEING RENEWED
I know... MY GOD CAN DO ALL THINGS
I want... GOD’S PERFECT WILL
I have... SO MUCH HOPE AND EXCITEMENT FOR THE FUTURE
I wish... I WERE SKINNIER
I hate... MY WEIGHT AND HOW MUCH IT FLUCTUATES
I miss... CHURCH
I fear...
BEING OUTSIDE OF GOD’S WILL
I feel... A LITTLE EXASPERATED
I hear... TAPPING OF KEYES
I smell... MY HEATER
I search... FOR GOD’S VOICE
I wonder... HOW GOD WILL OPEN UP DOORS FOR FULL TIME MINISTRY
I regret... NOTHING – I LEARN FROM THINGS INSTEAD
I love... MY LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST
I care...
ABOUT PEOPLE
I always... LIKE THINGS SYMETRICAL
I am not...
PERFECT
I believe... IN A MIGHTY AND FAITHFUL HEAVENLY FATHER
I dance... LIKE AN IDIOT BUT I LOVE IT
I sing...
FOR MY LORD
I don't always... DO THINGS RIGHT
I write... DEEP MOSTLY
I win... YEP I SURE DO WIN!
I lose... MY PATIENCE QUICKLY
I never... MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY AT THE SAME TIME
I listen... LESS THAN I REALLY NEED TO
I can usually be found... BEING BUSY
I'm scared of... BEING OUTSIDE OF GOD’S WILL
I read...
GIRLY CHRISTIAN FICTION FOR FUN
I forget... EVERYTHING
I just... WANT TO LOVE LIKE JESUS, SHINE HIS LIGHT & MINISTER TO HIS PEOPLE
I am happy about... TODAY BEING FRIDAY & GETTING TO GO TO A SERVICE TONIGHT

Update.

So I guess yall have noticed how horrible I have been at posting lately...

Writer's block.

We had another busy weekend but it was a good one. Friday we headed to Mobile for Marshall's brother's wedding. I love the drive down to Mobile I have always loved the drive south. I pretty much have fallen in love with Mobile too and Marshall's family. We always have the best time. His Dad makes me laugh alot and I love to see the two of them together, it's a hoot. And the bed I sleep in is just incredible, there must be a spell on it or something becuase once I crawl into it I don't even think I get to lay down before I am passed out. It's great except the fact that the entire room is filled with Alabama Football stuff...eeeewwww...gag...spit...but oh the bed is nice so I guess I can over look the rest. We had a great time hanging out with his families and we ate really good while we were there.

A quick recap...Wedding, pictures, Longhorn, headache, BED, tour of downtown, Starbucks, Semmes visit, golf cart ride, red beans and rice, Tommy Boy, cheerleading tryouts, yummy burgers, neighbors, BABIES, BED, wake up, say goodbyes, ticket :(, all day boring meeting, crappy dinner, BED!

I did say ticket. So I get pulled over (we had just swapped drivers Mr. Wonderful needed a morning nap) so I get pulled over for 1)Speeding 77 in a 70 2)Riding in the left lane (aparently that lane is ONLY for passing - nope I did not know) 3)Illegal tint (just bought the car in June - nope I didn't know) so after what seemed like Forever the State Trooper comes back to the window with a ticket for illegal tint worth $163.00. Fabulous!

Last night we had a women's meeting and had a great time haning around the pool eating wonderful food and chatting!!

Well shockingly I still do not have a ton to write but there's an update anyway.

Weekend

Weekend full of Family Fun!!!
Had a GREAT weekend spent alot of time with the family and had alot of fun!!



Friday night we hung out with Jared in his new trailer. It is REALLY nice!!! Neesie made the best potato soup



Saturday we were at the lake for Daniel's Birthday. I got to drive the boat and eat a burger at the best burger joint on the lake! Daniel had a good birthday and I got to spend some time just chatting and hanging out with him too and that was nice.



Sunday church was great, Sunday School was really good and we learned about Fiji for BGMC in Children's Church and then we watched some human video practices and ten we played cards with Neesie and mammaw. I love Phase Ten and Mammaw is too funny playing cards!!!


Sunday evening my sweetie took me out for chicken...he is so sweet...I was coming off a 10 day fast and I had so been craving chicken fingers so he took me to Zaxby's and then on to our favorite ice cream place!! Oh how wonderful it is to have such a sweet man in my life.

You know I am just blessed:
I have a Heavenly Father that I live my life for. I am called into Children's Ministry and get to live my life to tell kids how much God loves them and that He is ALWAYS there for them. I truly have the most amazing family and we love each other and support each other and have fun together. My mom just recently got saved which is so awesome and my grandmother is moving to Alabama. And God has brought a wonderful man in my life and I am dating for the first time in 7.5 years and on an amazing new journey. You know things are not always easy but God is good and I am blessed.

It was a great weekend!