I want the world to know

That this morning, I got up BEFORE 7 am. Technically it was 6:59 when I looked at my clock. I am dressed and ready for my 8am class. I have even eaten breakfast! All my stuff is together. I even have on a little bit of make up!

It should still count. I've just decided that there's really no point in going to this 8 o'clock economics class and I would just surf the internet and update my blog anyways in there so I've decided to stay home, sit near the window, enjoy this hot mango tea, and enjoy this time with out the sweaty, long, uphill hike to brooks hall.

But I wanted to share...that I had good intentions and almost made it.

In fact, I could still change my mind and bolt out the door.

Highly highly unlikely. But it could happen!

marketing

Studying has been moved upstairs to my bed and under the covers.... productivity levels are about to rapidly decline.

every morning

williamsburg, virginia

Now, don't get me wrong....I love the beach as much as the next girl but when I stumbled across this picture today I couldn't help but think of how exciting and cool a spring break trip to Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown would be.

I think it's part uncanny love for taking tours and pleasure reading Rick Steves before bed. I swear it makes my dreams more interesting and intriguing.

I visited here with my 8th grade enrichment class. We were required to write aproximately 8,657 pages about American history and the significance of the places we were going prior to leaving. Just kidding about that actual number. It was more like 10...but to an 8th grade that's much closer to feeling ridiculous than 10 papers would now.
I made a scrapbook after the trip. I still have it. You'll laugh because I look the exact same as I did in eight grade.

all over now

cowboy take me away

A little list of songs I collected on a sticky note. I liked these. 

Let me Down Easy- Billy Currington 

you send me- aretha franklin

cowboy take me away- dixie chicks

Adele- Make you feel my love

Amos Lee- Arms of a Woman

You are the Best Thing- Ray Lamontange

Dreamin' Amos Lee

Gone- Jack Johnson

Let him Fly - Patty Griffin

Fireflies- Mofro 

World of Trouble- Norah JOnes 

Baby I want You= Amos Lee

Healing Hands Citizen Cope 

Closer to Love- Mat Kearney

Fast Car- Tracey Chapman

Shelter- Ray

Two- Ryan Adams 

thought i knew you- martin sexton

No regrets- forest sun

Lover be strong gavin degraw

A fool for you- otis redding 

Within You Ray LaMontagne

Hey, Soul Sister- Train

Free Me- Otis Redding 

Sho Baraka- Liars Anthem 

Take Me As I Am- Lecrae 

Woman Go- Joe Purdy 

Dreamin' - Amos Lee 

You Could be Happy- Snow Patrol 

Narrow Escape- Ray 

Twilight Serenade- Jason Myles 

Better Man- James Morris 

Black River- Amos Lee 

All we are- Matth Nathanson

babylon- David Gray 

Ole Man Trouble 

meteor City- Joe Purdy

I want you back- Colbie Caillat 

These arms of mine- james carr 

Can't get it right today- Joe Purdy 

Marianne- Matt Wertz

Over You- Matt Wertz

You are Everything- Matthew West 

Magic- Colbie Calliat 

Sleep Tonight- Stars 

Grace Potter

The House of God forever- Jon Foreman 

A little more you- Little Big Town

That for you- Matt Wertz

Where we gonna go from here- mat kearney 

Carry Me Through- Dave Barnes 

Bare- Matt Nathanson 

darlin' do not fear

#fail

No. Today was not the day. Better luck on Wednesday morning.

Could tomorrow be the day?

Seriously.

Could tomorrow be the day that I finally wake up and commit to "living the life I've always imagined"?

Could it?!!?

My alarm is set. 8am. That's not even early! But to go running out in that cold weather....

But I must! I have to study every day all day until Thursday at 9pm. Then I'm done. Kidding. I have another exam on Monday....but I'll out of town all weekend so I must do that now as well.

I might need to have my facebook password changed.

Tomorrow HAS to be the day.

Never love anyone who treats you like you're ordinary.
-Oscar Wilde

A clever, imaginative, humorous request can open closed doors and closed minds- Percy Ross

Ain't No Reason

too cute for words

I'm just going to vent and whine for a few seconds.
I want a puppy. So badly.

This was all stirred up this past Tuesday night. See, I saw on facebook a while ago pictures of a baby golden retriever posted by Mrs. Leslie's daughter.  I was so in love with this little guy that I made him my background on my computer. I thought he belonged to Laura.....but he's actually Mrs. Leslie's....and while I absolutely adore her bible study and listening and learning from her...Tuesday nights are long nights for me and it's so easy to miss it.....so I take it as a complete blessing from the Lord...because I cannot stay from puppies.

I'm already counting down the days until I can pick up this little bundle of joy. I was even touched when he chomped down my scarf and attempted to run.

Anyone with a puppy or kitten- I would love to keep them while you're out of town.

morning person?

I wish wish wish wish wish that I could be a morning person. I'm in love with the idea of being a morning person. I've tried scheduling 8am classes every day of the week....but that just makes me miserable and I miss out on the whole reason I want to be a morning person.

I've had a few mornings where I WAS a morning person. They are rare but so coveted.

When I wake up naturally it's one of the most wonderful feelings in the world. I seriously cannot explain how much I love it. It just makes me smile because I know that I can take my time and just drift in and out consciousness. I'm half awake and half still dreaming. Imagine getting to experience your dreams vividly. I'm able to sort of watch them like one would watch a movie but it's so interesting because the awake part of my brain is seeing myself from an outsider's point of view and the part of the me that's still dreaming is experiencing it. 

Next, there's the slowly getting out of bed. The putting of the slippers on. The morning smoothie or coffee.

The reading. That's my favorite. Where it's quiet time with Jesus or the next chapter of book. I love it. My mind is still experiencing that dream-like haze where my imagination is in overdrive. Books are just better in the morning. 

and I must confess. I dream about how special mornings will be one day. Mornings are when my dreams are bigger and my hopes are higher. They have some sort of whimsical quality. 

A silly criteria...but my future husband absolutely have to be a morning person. and somehow that will also make me into a morning person. You know, the type that just wakes up with a mentality that's ready to seize the day and take on the world. and somehow he'll have to make that rub off on me.  and one day! I will have these mornings that I dream of....even if only on Saturdays. 

Goodness gracious. I wish I was the type that woke up and literally couldn't wait to throw my running shoes on. I'm convinced having a dog to go running with would also aid in the conversion. 

But no, my subconsciousness will do ANYTHING to talk my responsibly half into staying in bed and skipping whatever morning commitments I have. Absolutely cannot stand this part of my brain. I might name it.

It needs a name. Here are it's characteristics.

 Selfish. Sleepy. Grouchy. Irritable. Conniving. Manipulative. 

Frankly, me and the rest of me are sick and tired of this one ridiculous portion of my mind that is so ridiculously controlling at 7:30 in the morning. 

hollywood

Tonight we had a "hollywood" themed club.  Needless to say, it looked nothing like the cover above.

But isn't it gorgeous?

Wouldn't these be cute?

Someone stole it.

Someone stole it. My clicker, that is. I've come to this conclusion after searching through almost everything I own and discovering....

I own

4 TI 30 Calculators
2 TI Graphing Calculators
5 Pairs of Lab Goggles
2 Cell Phone Chargers for my old Verizon phone
2 Canon Battery Chargers
1 Remote that does not go to my TV or anything else in the house
2 Chemistry Outline Books


So, this leads me to the only logical conclusion...If I somehow have, seemingly a lot, of other people's vital possessions.....someone out there must have accidently picked up my clicker.

challenge

This blog may end up being some sort of a cyber accountability partner for me....and for that...I apologize. Maybe one day I'll make a new blog but promise to make it interesting. In the meantime.....

Tomorrow I challenge myself to wake up early....eat breakfast (and more than a handful of rice chex).....go for a slow run....30 minutes is absolutely enough for me....shower and head to my first class. AND make certain I do a quiet time in the afternoon.

These are lofty goals for me.....Not because they are difficult...but because I love sleeping.....and I love talking to people instead of studying or doing quiet time....so this my attempt to slow down and take a few time outs during the day.

No one may ever read this blog....but incase they do...I feel tied to reporting back tomorrow evening and reporting my progress. Hopefully that will motivate me.

Maybe.

to be joyful always

I'm sitting here, feet dangling in front of my space heater, eating a coconut popsicle for dinner, and pondering the meaning of true joy and happiness. I tend to think of myself as being easily pleased and happy. I believe that because the smallest things in life can make me extraordinarily happy. But I'm debating the difference between happiness and joy. I've always defined happiness as being influenced by sources outside of one's self. Some sort of stimulus that evokes happiness. It can be something as simple as seeing a mother pushing her newborn in a stroller, laughing with your girlfriends, or even a vibrant new fingernail polish color. 

I like to take great delight in the simpler things in life. I like feeling overwhelmed with happiness when I hear 5 year olds laugh. But what I'm seeking is that deep down in your toes, all the way through your bones, and radiating through out your entire being sense of joy. Something that could withstand loss, suffering, pain, and the absence of my favorite things. 

Now, I'm certainly not desiring the removal of all that makes me happy. Absolutely not. But what I'm seeking is to find such affirmation in the Lord that I KNOW that whatever happens I'll remain joyful. Not happy. But joyful. 

I do not think sorrow or pain should be feared. I think a constant fixation upon our Lord and Savior is what is to be desired.

But....I always break my New Year's resolutions....I do not spend enough time thinking about them. This year it was to make my bed everyday. For a number of reasons I choose this. I thought it'd make my entire day better and that I'd sleep better in my bed at night. It's scientifically proven.

I'd like to change my New Year's resolution. 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 

 ¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.


That's my new resolution. To be joyful always. That spills over into a lot of other areas of my life. This is going to be a commitment to living the sort of life that enables me to be joyful always, pray continually, and to give thanks in all circumstances.


I have not quite figured out what this is going to look like.


I know a few things....It must consist of....
1) Quiet time spent with Jesus daily. 
2) Running. Ehhh. Nothing makes me feel better than running. But it's always quite the struggle. I usually wind up 30 minutes later face down on my floor praying for my calves to stop cramping up while sounding like I'm having an asthma attack. ( I do not have asthma)  Which leads me to #3
3) Eating healthy. 90% of the time. and Wendy's is considered "healthy"
4) Sleeping. Doing my school work during the day so that I'm not up past midnight on a regular basis.
5) Reminding myself daily that it's not about me. I'm only here on this Earth to serve a purpose. 
6) Holding my tongue. This should probably be Number One. In fact, It's going to be number one. Just mentally switch the numbers in your head. Thank you. I'm going to stop thinking I can solve my problems and disagreements with my own words. If it takes writing letters that I'll never send or talking to a wall....I'm doing to do it! (James 3:1-11) 
7) and while I'm at it....Not going to class looking like I'm homeless.... It's not frequent...but it does happen....