Uh. Oh. Here's November.

Reading blogs is so refreshing and inspiring. My friends' blogs remind me of what to pray for and what to praise Father for. It's a good thing.

October was insane. It seems like a million things happened in October, including my getting a new car, my parents visiting, me visiting my parents, Jessie Holley & Rachel visiting from Nashville, endless shows in the area, road tripping across Texas, seeing Robin and her girls... October went too quickly. It's not so much that I wanted it to stay October (even though it was wonderful!), but I didn't want November to come this fast.

You have heard me rant in the past about how I don't want to grow old, and how much I enjoy being young. I am so grateful for this past year and all the amazing happenings! I have never had so much fun in my life, and I am progressing! I am almost done with school, and I have traveled so much at the same time. This year I went halfway around the world to Japan, and have trekked across America multiple times. I have learned SO MUCH about the things I can do, the world around me, and sociology! I have two jobs and I have not gone hungry! God has been so good. I have to realize that God's goodness doesn't slow or lessen or end with MY age. And for some reason, I still dread getting older.

I turn 23 soon. Must I grow up?

Eek.

I am going to try so hard not to get depressed over my age. However, it is scary to grow older. And the longer I live, the faster the years go.

I have been blessed with a WONDERFUL life!! It has been full of adventures and risks and a series of ridiculously hilarious events! For that, I am grateful. I suppose in order to stay young, I'll have to double the adventure. Why wouldn't I?

P.S. It's Circleslide season... Waco on Sunday.

love the rain <3

I'm drinking a warm cup a coffee on this rainy late summer morning. I am so excited about the change in weather that will lead to crisp sunny days and the crackling of golden leaves beneath my feet. I love the hot summer weather, and I enjoy a good sweat, but I believe my heart and soul are ready for fall.

Also, I just saw Circleslide's clip on San Antonio Living, and I suggest you readers to check it out. They perform a song named "Looking Up" and it is absolute amazing.. I only wish I could hear the whole thing and for the new album to be out now. I am so proud of them. :)

School this semester has started off with an intense bang, and I'm runnin' hard. It's all good, however, any spare hour I have is spent reading & writing. This means I have the perfect excuse to spend my days in Panera or Escape. I have constant homework and studying to do. I hope I only stay on top of it because I don't like to down in it. I can't wait to graduate like.. next fall.

I just want to also confess that I hadn't worked out in 4 days but this morning I got up and went to the fitness center to get back into my routine. Despite the rainy weather.

It's time to shower.

Oh, and I'm very excited about being in Lara's wedding. The bridesmaid dresses are beautiful and I know the wedding will be eminent! :)

It's a wonderful Life.. right NOW!

School has started and I love all of my classes. I think this is going to be a good semester as long as I do my homework! And that's a LOT! But I'm excited because my two main projects this semester are writing essays... One lit review that answers how modern music influences the life of young adults... Second is a comparison/contrast between Japan and the Dominican Republic. Topics I love!! :)

Last weekend, Lindsay, Noelle, & I went to San Antonio to see my most favorite people on earth.. Circleslide. They are beautiful beautiful people with beautiful hearts. Debbie, the behind-the-scenes mastermind is totally my hero! The show was wonderful, out in the middle of nowhere in Bandera, TX. Surprisingly, many people know where that is.

Then Sunday we had lunch in Austin with my beautiful friend Linda and her family. What great friends! It was delicious and delightful!

Here are the guys... check'm out.. www.myspace.com/circleslide ... www.circleslide.net

don't be a grouch

It's been a strange and different week with a series of obstacles and triumphs and learning experiences I hope will only bring me closer to Father.

The week started out with my first surgery ever, which involved the removal of cysts from my left breast. I'm not going to lie, this has been going on all summer... some moments were scarier than others. When you find lumps that should not be in your body IN your body.. it can cause your little heart to beat faster than normal. So I have been recovering from these things this week and I am grateful for my health.

This week also included tough heart lessons. I guess you could call this a form of spiritual surgery. Learning to see the pride and jealousy in myself and learning how to face those awful diseases. As a woman, it is easy to quickly become a monster, and that is that last thing I want to become since I am a Daughter of the Most High. How must I walk? How should I live? Teach me to serve and put others first before me, Father. This is Father disciplining me as the author of Hebrews writes in Ch. 12.

The God that I serve is an "all consuming fire"; He is a "tempest"; a "blazing fire that cannot be touched". I love all these descriptions of Father. I love that the kingdom that I have received, as an heir of Christ, "cannot be shaken". (hebrews 12)

Finally, school started again. I am very excited but I'm also so so ready to be done. I am feeling my age when I realize that this year I will be 23. Now.. if any older people read this, don't be grouchy at me. That's exactly what I'm trying to avoid. I want to stay young. SIGH

Not 23... please not 23. Can I stay 19 instead? Or 21?? 21 isn't too bad. Just not 23...

Coffee

I simply want everyone to know how happy and carefree I am. My life is peaceful. I thought of this as I floated in the silent dark pool last night. I love it. :)

School starts in two weeks. Looking forward to it. I'll be sailing through as usual.

I am happy. :)

And drinking coffee is wonderful!

My Simple Pleasures

Over the last ten years I have discovered that one of the things I find the most fascinating in creation is the art of Language. Screw all the people that got pissed at the collapse of the Tower of Babel. Language is one of my favorite things in the world.

I am very excited (and cross-eyed) at the fact that I have taken it upon myself to actually LEARN Japanese. I was going to settle for taking a class at UTD, but to my dismay, UTD is not offering BEGINNER'S Japanese I. It is only offering INTERMEDIATE Japanese I this semester. Well, friends, I don't know ANY Japanese, but where there's a will, there's a way, right?

Indeed, Damaris.

Well, there's a will right here that isn't giving up. I've found me a good book and a good iPhone App that have turned out to be very helpful in pronounciation and memorization. I am very excited that I'm actually LEARNING the language on my own. Really excited.

Well, maybe that is all for today. I am a happy person. :)

Girls

This week has been different than other weeks because of my "new adventure". Definitely something I haven't done in the past. Nannying. I'm not new to childcare. Let's say I have more experience running a class of nine 2-yr-olds or fourteen 3-yr-olds. It's a little different when it's 2-on-1. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to learning as I go.

This second job is definitely an answered prayer. I find it quite amazing, yet not surprising, how God always comes through just at the right times, and many times, in different very creative ways. :) Indeed I am amazed.

Also this week, a beautiful friend of mine visited with me for two days and a half days. I absolutely adore this girl. We met briefly in Germany 3 years ago and have become good friends over the course of time. Of course, because we live far from each other, most of our conversations have been either on-line or via phone. However infrequent our talks were, they were always deep and rich, encouraging words and shared burdens. I have loved each of these chats and after two years of not seeing each other, we finally met again! :) It brought me so much JOY to see this Micah Mathis. God blessed me with her company!

I'm thankful that I was able to share some of the unspoken of parts of my heart, insecurities we all share as girls, but we never show. Do you ever wonder what we are so afraid of? We fear our closest friends and even ourselves, our own minds and our own hearts? We build shells so thick we can't even get in! I've been thinking about these things recently, and I only pray that Father shows me how to love girls the way He loves them, and to love MYSELF the way He loves ME! Isn't it strange... Instead of princesses dancing with delight, we have become crazies twirling with confusion! I twitch at the thought.

"trips"

I've been back in the U.S. for a week today. The problem with coming back from these "trips" is that one must act as normal as possible so as to not freak people out or annoy the crap out of them, in particular our closest friends. It's a difficult trick I've had to learn the hard way. The extreme was people actually hating me for who I became following one of these adventures.

As I expected, I fell in love with another country and another culture and all 33 Million people of Tokyo, and only wish I could see the faces of the rest. Of course, I am not the person I was when I left America July 2nd. God opened my eyes to a new spiritual horizon..

Now I have to figure out what to do with it...

Sunday Ends.

Today was a good day! Some parts were slow but we got to share the Gospel in spite of language barriers. Who knew that God could use tattoos to share Jesus!? I thank God that he showed himself to more people today! God has just been showing his face to his people in such unique and creative ways. I am learning about His Character in so many ways- through the kids I am serving with, the M's here, the culture, his word, and even the people here. Everything! Even the merchandise has "engrish" statements that express the desperate cry for Jesus! "Open your heart to me", "I have many dreams, so many we cannot speak", "I am so lonely, keep me company".

God is here. It's like a huge elephant in a room nobody has wanted to look at for so long that they have forgotten it is there. When they see a hint of it, they are surprised and delighted and shocked!

Pray that God will saturate this land with his glory and that we may get to taste that!

This is a picture of girls on another team and us. :-)

And another beautiful day in Japan...

From The Tokyo Government Tower on the 45th floor, from the North, East, South, & West windows, the view is nothing but city as far as the eye can see. City, city, city, so much that it hurts your eyes. Over 33 million people live in the areas that the missionaries here are seeking to share with. The need is obviously great when you speak of the Bible and get blank stares because they haven't heard of it.

The people are beautiful, their faces scream innocence because they aren't at all aware of their hostage situation. As Grasshopper said, they are prisoners and don't even know it. People here are so kind, it is so overwhelming! Everyone smiles and their eyes seek to please. They are expected to work such long hours. Yesterday we met a man who works 11am-1am. And countless others do similarly. Their identity lies in what they do. In their eyes, that is their worth.

If only they knew, if only they all heard-Worth is in Christ Jesus, He is all they need.

Pray for these people, for salvation and great joy to come to this city. What a global awakening that would cause!