Summer Life

Ah summer. I love summer! Lazy days in the sunshine with Blacksmith and Skunk Monkey, long walks at the park in the evenings with Dearest Carl, spontaneous sleepovers with Jess, late night movies, riding off into the rising sun every weekday morning, sleeping in till lunch on Saturdays, plans for picnics, reading good books, eating ice cream and watermelon, quiet morning hours doing devotions, this is the life. 


What I've mentioned above, well that's what I've been up to! I'm still not over this silly cold but I'm getting there slowly. Last week, I had to make four cheesecakes for Matt's open house Saturday and Friday I felt so horrible, Dearest Carl came and made one for me! He did wonderfully too. :) I guess they were all a big hit and I had several people say they would keep me in mind for so and so's birthday or some special occasion. Booyah! :D Ahem.... anyway, Jess came over yesterday night and spent the night with me. We went to see the new Pirates movie (which was debateably good) and spent a few hours giggling and talking and dreaming before we fell asleep. Then she came to babysit with me yesterday and we had much fun! So yeah, today I'm back here at my second home, trying to entertain the boys for the day. They were excited to play video games this morning so I could get some homework done and now we're all waiting for lunch to be done. After that? Who knows what adventures may await us! 


Here's your song! 

I hope you are having a lovely summer so far, my dear reader! Keep your smiles on! Until next time!


"The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing." - Zeph. 3:17 (NIV)

Summer Updates

I only have a minute but I thought I'd update you really quick. First, I started babysitting Blacksmith and Skunk Monkey for the summer yesterday! We had a great day playing around and coming up with some summer plans. Of course today.... I'd come down with a horrid cold and be not up for anything. So what have we been doing? We've been enthralled in The Chronicles of Narnia movies all day! Good stuff. They're so sweet too! They've been continually asking me if I'm feeling better and if they can get me anything. Best kids ever! (and no I'm not taking advantage of that mind you.)


Oh! Also, my cousin's wedding was this past Saturday and it was just lovely! Here is the site with some of her pictures that I wanted to share:

http://marahgrantblog.com/2011/05/kenny-katie-married/

Just beautiful huh! Ah, I love love. :) 


Well now it's pizza time. Keep your smiles on! Until next time!

Life: The Never Ending Lesson

Yes, I learned something new yet again this weekend. So since it's rather deep and thoughtful, I thought I would share it.


What did I learn? I learned that I hold on to people too tightly. Yup. Friends, family, people I hold dear and hold tightly. I've discovered that this causes me to worry. I worry about them! And much of this is needless worry. Why? Because they aren't mine! The people in my life were put there by God and I am blessed to have them there! However, I need to not depend on them to make me happy. That's God's job. So, to solve this problem, all I need to do is open my hands! I need to give these people to God and if it's His will, He'll give them back. Therefore, I need not worry about them because they're in His hands! And being is His hands is so much better than being in mine. 


Now for a song that applies:

As for other matters, after a busy weekend full of random sleepovers and parties and too much sugar and little actual sleep, I have a free and easy day today! And Dearest Carl is home! :D So now this week is going to be spent helping get ready for Katie's wedding on Saturday and probably spending time with Dearest Carl. It's going to be a good week! And here is a song that a friend showed me this weekend and I absolutely love! Enjoy!!

Keep your smiles on! Until next time!

Saturday Adventures

Last Saturday, Dearest Carl and I went hiking at Turkey Run State Park! We took a picnic lunch and stayed and hiked all day. It was great fun! Here are a few pictures of the day. :)


First, our firework flower:

 Here is the covered bridge we found on one of the trails:

And here is the Lusk home (which looked really cool and old and awesome!):

And of course, my favorite of the day :D :

So there you have it! Our Saturday adventure. And I think we both agreed that we'll be going back again. :)


Keep your smiles on! Until next time!

Trusting

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. - 1 Peter 5:7

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. - Psa. 55:22

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. - Phil. 4:6

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. - Jer. 29:11

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. - Rom. 8:28

I have a prayer request, dear reader. Dearest Carl and a few other guys are going to Alabama to help clean up for a few days and I would ask that you pray for their safety and productivity while they're gone. Also, if you would pray that God would give me peace and a quiet spirit, I would appreciate it. Thank you!


Until next time. 

Parks, Old Friends, New Friends and Dearest Carl

Goodness! It's really been a week since my last post! My apologies! In my defense, I've been quite busy with lots of.... well stuff. 


Ok, I'll breeze over the best parts so I don't bore you. Highlights of last week:


- Spending time with Dearest Carl.
- Walking around Holiday Park and hanging out with Dearest Carl and his friends and brothers.
- Spending time with Dearest Carl.
- Babysitting the Maple's kids.
- Spending time with Dearest Carl.
- Hanging out with Joe and Carl and Frosty Boy.
- Spending time with Dearest Carl. 
- Hiking at Turkey Run all day Saturday with Dearest Carl. 
- Going to Carl's church on Sunday and meeting a bunch of people. 
- Watching movies and playing cards with Dearest Carl. 


Yeah, I spent a whole lot of time with Carl this past week if you couldn't tell. :) But it was fun! 


Now for your song. 

I hope your week has been as good as mine! Probably not though. :) Today I'm going to read the day away and probably do some laundry and then tonight, it's Co-op's See What I've Done Night so I'll be going to see all the great acts and lots of old friends! And of course Dearest Carl is coming. :) 


Ok ok ok, I'll be done. Keep your smiles on! Until next time!

Judging, Weddings, Stargazing and Daisies

Phew! What a weekend! I feel like I've been gone from home for a week but really, it was only two days. Yeah, THAT'S how much has happened! 




Ok, Friday. Friday I woke up entirely too early to go judge with Dearest Carl at the Speech And Debate Tournament. We judged all day (that makes three speech rounds and one debate round) and then spent a few hours sitting and talking with Joe! Ah, two of my favorite guys in all the world makes for some pretty fantastic conversation. After that, we headed back to Carl's house for some pizza and to help people start preparing for his sister's wedding. However.... after retrieving the chairs and tables from my church, we ended up sitting outside, watching the few stars we could see through the trees in his driveway. Needless to say, I got home late. 


Saturday! Saturday I woke up later than I meant to (10:30 to be precise...) and rushed around to get ready to leave. Dearest Carl picked me up about an hour later and we went to his house to help with the final preparations. There was computer stuff to be put away, food to be made, chairs and tables to be set up and the decorating to do. And we did it! Their living room looked lovely as his sister Emily walked down the isle. The vows were said, the pictures snapped, the food eaten, and then the cleanup began. Everyone was soooo tired at the end and I got home late again. 


I did manage to make it to second service on time on Sunday! It was a great service too by the way! After church, we went to my grandma's for lunch! The occasion: Mother's Day! :D I love my mommy. So after lots of fried chicken and mashed potatoes and salad and ice cream and cake, we all came home and I took a 2 hour nap. Yes, 2 full hours of sleep during the day. And it was WONDERFUL!!! Well when I woke up, I was planning on watching a movie. However, Dearest Carl needed a place to hideout from his uncle (who wanted help fixing a truck) so of course, he came here. :) It was such a beautiful evening, we spent like three hours outside stargazing in my backyard! Again, I got to bed late. 

Today has been absolutely loverly as well! I slept in until 8 and being a Monday, I've been watching Lucy while my mom and kids are at Co-op and my dad is busy with projects around the house. So she and I had our devotions out on the porch this morning, planted my daisies in my new garden, cleaned up the house, went on a picnic at the park, ran to the grocery for some odds and ends and now she's taking a quiet time and I'm going to bake some cookies! I've decided on chicken quesadillas for dinner and Dearest Carl will be over tonight as usual (yes, I have seen a lot of him lately in case you were wondering). 


So, since I've now babbled on and you're caught up on my life, here is your song for the day!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_af7JEDAbHA

Keep your smiles on! Until next time!

Who Is God?

My dad said something in his sermon on Sunday about how, for a lot of people, God becomes a Heavenly Father with the characteristics that the earthly father didn't possess. With that on my mind, I've been thinking "Who is God to me?" How do I see Him? 


I find it kinda hard actually because He's so many things! He is the all powerful, all knowing, all merciful, all loving, all over. So how do I perceive this great and mighty God? Well, I think I know Him as a gentle Father. Often, I find myself calling Him "Daddy" just because I think it makes Him more personal and intimate to me. When I do something I shouldn't have, He doesn't yell at me or shake His finger at me. He just looks at me with sad and disappointed eyes, enough to have me begging for forgiveness. He wraps His loving arms around me and cries with me when I'm sad. He listens to everything I have to say, even though He already knows it. He wrote me a whole book of love letters (and words being my love language, that's big!)!! He made the stars and the sun and the moon and the whole world and everything in it and He comes to sit on the end of my bed with me and smile His grace on me. Don't we have a great God?!


So now I think that I've figured out who God is for me, I have a question for you. Who is God to you?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQlQheE5Yc4

Keep your smiles on! Until next time!

Greater Things

First things first. It's raining again today (always on Mondays!) and this song is totally appropriate! 

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

Here I sit in the cafeteria, three classes behind me and Bio to go. And after today, I will be done with my second semester of college! Feel free to dance in celebration. Dearest Carl and I will be going to The Cheesecake Factory tonight to celebrate! :) Yeah, he's a wonderful boyfriend. <3


So, in accordance with tradition (or what I will make tradition), enjoy the following song in honor of another semester put behind me!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usfiAsWR4qU

After a pretty terrible week last week, I'm ready to move forward and on to greater things! Date with Dearest Carl, girlie date with my cousin, babysitting, helping with wedding preparations, Dearest Carl's sister's wedding, spending time with the most wonderful Watkins family and probably some other great things! Who knows! My God is as great today as He was yesterday and the day before and tomorrow and the next day! As Psalm 27:13 says "I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living." 


Now for one of my favorite worship songs!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxSRka5IHJE

Keep your smiles on! Until next time!