Lazy Sunday afternoon

Well, after a few weeks of non stop activity, I finally have some time to get back on here.

Right now I'm at my nana and grandaddy's house using their wireless internet. Lord bless them, they just got it and are trying to figure it out. I've found out that it's very hard to explain how to use over the phone. But they're doing great with it.

Right now I'm propped up beside a fire and it's raining outside. I just love these kinds of days. If I hadn't slept so much last night, I would definitely be taking a nap right now. But if I do, I'll never sleep tonight. I am definitely taking advantage of having tomorrow off from school. Holidays are glorious!

This past week was my first week student teaching. I absolutely love the school, teacher and class, but hate all the college work I have to do for it. Lesson plans galore that I will never use again. Let me tell you, by the time Friday rolled around, this sister was so tired she went to bed at 10:30 and slept 'til...well I won't admit that. :D More about this as the time goes on.

So excited about the second half of the month having rolled round. Which means I'm working on my second scripture. Love my choice. I'm actually breaking down the 6 verses dealing with the armor of God into 3 sections. The rest of this month is Eph. 6:13-14, next month will be 15-18. I've been real excited to learn this scripture ever since I heard a pastor talking about how his wife recites these verses each morning when she puts on her makeup. Not only is she getting herself physically dressed for the day, but also spiritually.

Love,

Sarah

A Very Special Day

Today was an ordinary day...exceptI got to spend it with my grandmama. It will definitely be a day that I will always remember and treasure. See, my dad's mom had him veeeery late in life, so she is the age of my great-grandparents on the other side. She is by far probably the most nice person I have ever met. These past few years have been hard, especially for my dad because her memory is going. Some days are better than the others.

Last time she got a perm it didn't hold so she's been scared to go back. Well, Sunday I mentioned to her that we were going to have a Girls Day and get her hair done at my hair place. We went and boy it took long, but it turned out great. I've been going over to her house every week or so and washing and pinning up her hair, so it was fun to go together and get her hair done.

Afterwards we went and ate with my dad. Did I mention I love Chinese food? Well, I do and apparently she does too. After that I went back and hung out with her at her house, which she absolutely loved because she lives there alone and gets lonely. We joked and she acted years younger than I've seen her act in awhile. She gets hung up on her age (90) and how she is one of the oldest people on the earth, which I always correct her about.

It's hard to exactly put into words how special today was to me. It just reminded me that life is short and that we all need to make the best of it. Don't take advantage of your family...they might not be here tomorrow. And love them like there's no tomorrow!!


~Sarah

Ringing in the New Year

Wow, can you believe 2009 is actually here? It just seems like it turned 2008. IT wasa great year, but I am totally stoked about 2009! A few days ago, I was so just nonchalant about it. Yeah, 2009, whatever, a new year. But now...SO EXCITED about it.

It all started with the question "Who wants a Jesus year?" And I realized, well, yep that's something I'm totally down with. A year with my Savior and me would be great. Not just another average year. This one has so many opportunities for me, all because I've decided to live it with my Savior in mind. Yes, this is something that a person can decide at any time of the year, but with my obsessive complulsiveness about things like this, trust me, this is a great time.

It so excites and dumbfounds me that God is thrilled about my decision. Yes, a year with Him, getting closer to Him for me is nothing less than thrilling. But for Him to be thrilled to spend time with little 'ole me? Blows my mind. This is a year I don't want to lose track of our relationship. I know He doesn't go anywhere, but trust me sometime my mind does.

I want so many things out of this year. I want to seek Him more in my decisions. I want Him to be intimately involved in every aspect of my life. I want to stop being so daggum indecisive about things and live my life fully relying on knowing that He is with me no matter what. I want others to see Him more in me. I want to memorize His Word so that it is pasted in my heart. I want to know Him intimately and have my prayer life just grow leaps and bounds. I just want Him and my relationship to be the main focus of my life this year before anything else.

Of course there are numerous other things that aren't nearly as important that I also want out of this year. Did I mention that I long to write books? Lol. As much as I love to read, and I do mean LOVE, I've always wanted to be on the other end of the rope. As for if that will actually happen, we'll see. Perhaps I'm just meant to be a reader of other's books. But I really would love to write books for God's glory.

God, please just take this year and mold me into the person that you want me to be. I'm all yours.

I hope God sends blessings to you this year, Siestas.

~Sarah

Home for the Holidays

Don't you like the title? Very original. Not that I've actually traveled home for the holidays. I've just pretty much stayed here and we don't go anywhere special. But it does mean that I get to stay here a lot more than when I have school. Pretty much this is the time of year when we have healthy doses of family time. By the time spring semestr starts, we'll all be tired of one another. Just kidding. I hope.

Speaking of which, I went yesterday to meet the teacher I will be doing my student teaching with. Y'all, she is just precious to me already! She had never met me and wasn't expecting me, but before I could get my full name out of my mouth, she grabbed me up into the biggest hug. They were finishing up their Christmas party and I got to go around and play and talk with the kids. It was great. I cannot wait to start. More on this as it pans out.

As for everything else, school came to a close for me last Friday. All A's. It was nothign short of a miracle from God. That last month or so got to me. I don't know if I've ever been so stressed and anxious in my life. Honestly, as a result of all of that, I'm sad to say it cut into my spiritual life. I still love church and my Lord most of all, but I was pretty much burnt out and still sort of am. Not to sound like I'm griping, but it's been hard because all the other adults helping me with the youth have pretty much quit. Not to say that some others haven't stepped up, but no one that is quite there as much as the ones were before. And something else that has gotten me down is that there are no other young adults that come consistently. Literally, I'm the only one. My other two best friends ( a guy and a girl) literally haven't been in over a month. One is a recluse (literally) who can't see why she has to come to church to worship God. She needs prayer because she doesn't get out of her house for a week at a time and has no social interaction with anybody. My other friend is getting married in March, and quite frankly it scaes me that he can't commit to come to church while he single. What's going to happen when he gets married?

Hopefully I can spend this time getting closer to Him. I know that I am always happier whenever we have a great relationship, but I'm not goign to lie on here and say that we're doing great. We've been better, and I know it's my fault. It's so easy to act like you've got it all together spiritually on a blog when in real life it is in shambles, and when I started this I told myself that I wouldn't do that. Honesty hurts sometimes, but cn also be very freeing. :)

Hope y'all are doing great!

~Sarah

Exausted

Guys, life is exausting. It seems as much as I want to get on here and as much as it uplifts me, life just gets in the way. I hate it. Satan's definitely been around. I know things could be a lot worse than they are and my problems are very minute, but goodness life just seems chaotic right now. Deadlines, full time practicum, teaching youth is just all wearing me out. I need a break. Not from church or teaching the youth, which I love, but goodness it's just one thing after the other lately.

God has definitely been giving me a very good lesson to learn about gossiping. Ladies, it is not a good thing. The way I've seen it used these past few weeks make it seem like an addiction, which partly is true. I've seen people use it and be demeaning or just out of pure fun. Not to say that I'm perfect in this category, but it is not right to talk about a student and their actions or lack of intelligence in front of them. That is just wrong. Let me get off my soapbox.

It's easy sometimes when life gets in the way to overlook the blessings God has given you. My cousin that broke her ankle went back to the doctor today. He said the surgery and healign has gone GREAT and much better than expected. The bone is still alive, which is a miracle! SHe sent me picture messages on my phone of pics of her foot, and y'all, you can't even tell the difference between her foot and leg. It's that swollen. Please contine to keep her in yor prayers because she is still in a lot of pain.

How are you doing? :)

~Sarah

To Do or..Wait to Do

Hi guys. It's been a busy, long , hectic week. I could go on with the adjectives on this one. I won't bore you however.

First off, I have a big prayer request. My cousin, 17 years old, had broke her ankle. Now, this might not seem big, but she's a gymnast. And not just a gymnast, but one who is currently the level 10 National YMCA gymnast. So yes, it is a big deal, especially when her doctor told her she might not be able to do gymnastics again. Please keep her in your prayers. She truly loves the Lord, so pray that this doesn't hinder her walk with Him.

Ok, on to my decision I have to make. As you know, I will be graduating in May (*woopwoop!*). By the way, I just got my student teaching placement. 1st grade. I'm sooo happy. Anywho, I am not sure where the Lord is really leading me. I know I want to start off teaching. That is a definite. It's just, I don't know what to do afterwards. Does God want me to do this for the rest of my life? I haven't received a clear answer on this yet. Something I've been looking in to is a Masters in Religion with the concentration on Biblical studies from Liberty University. Y'all, I am so stinkin' excited about the prospect of actually getting a Bible degree. I would love to jump right in after I graduate with my bachelors. However, I know the practical thing to do is to go ahead and get my degree in education. I mean, if I stay in it, I do need it. But I hate the thought of more education classes. I do not like them and am not learning anything from them. Any comments on this type of thing are welcome. :)

So...I guess what I am saying is that right now I am really not sure where the Lord is leading me. I know what my heart wants, I know what my head is telling me, but I don't know the most impotant thing...where does He want and need me to be?

~Sarah

Christian T-Shirt...Misunderstood and Offended

3So, I have a question for you. What do you think about wearing Christain t-shirts? I, for one, and all for it. However, as I was wearing one today, many things I haven't thought of came to my mind. Many people think the are doing people a favor and telling others about Jesus by wearing a t-shirt that professes the Christian faith. And, yes, it does sometimes. However, I realized, how would it look to an unbeliever if a person that was wearing a Christian shirt was gossping about things, or talking about how hey partied all weekend, or any other kind of thing like that? Yes,I know how no one is perfect, not even Christians. But this just struck me today. When I'm wearing a t-shirt that professes Jesus being my Savior, I sure as better be acting like I should. He is not one to offend or fool around with. So...what's your opinion or thoughts on this?

On the the story. Well, I wore my "Relationship Not Religion" shirt today. Now, I bought this shirt at a conference that basically changed my life this past summer. Needless to say, it sums me up and is very special to me. Yet, someone totally offended me today about it.ight in the middle of math, when we were working in partners, my math teacher came over and said he liked it and asked where I got it from. I told him a yout hevangelism conference, and that threw him off and turned him off at the same time. Ya'll he totally took one of my favorite t-shirts and twisted around the meaning. I don't know how to say this, and I hope I don't offend anyone because I don't mean to, but this is a man who professes to be agnostic and ...well...has a boyfriend. Now do you get what he thought it meant? Basically that relationships (ANY kind I guess he was meaning if you get my point) is more important that religion. And that religion shouldn't govern your lives. I think. I could be wrong. But this offended me. I DO NOT want anyone to think of me that way. I do not defend or support that belief at all. I was thinking about wearing a blatant Chrisitan t-shirt to his next class to show my belief, but what do you think?

~Sarah