Question of the Summer: "...so what is your major?"

Actually, it has been the question of the year. When I graduated from highschool, my plan was to "go to UT and major in Agricultural Education, marry a farmer, and live happily ever after." I used this in my senior video that was played during graduation, and I was serious! When I found out I would be attending Pellissippi instead of UT, I dropped the idea of agriculture about the same time my farmer boyfriend and I stopped dating. He is actually engaged to someone else now, but at the time of graduation this was my plan and thought it made a cute concluding line for my video. Ha!

Anyway, since then I have considered a math major(who am I kidding?), English, a culinary arts program, thought about a chemistry major for all of two days, and am now exploring Journalism. Pellissippi offers two journalism classes, and I am registered to take the first one this fall. I have always enjoyed writing despite my limited experience. I will be taking about 19 hours of general classes this fall to get back on schedule for my sophomore year.

Now, if I really felt that God was leading me to major in Journalism and I had some money, I would go to a private school in VA where I hear they have a wonderful program that emphasizes a Biblical worldview. After being in a secular school and writing various papers for English and Sociology class, I was saddened at the professors perspective--though I shouldn't have been surprised. So, I think this next year will be an exploration time for me as I seek the Lord's will for my major. I am also aware that as the Lord directs He will provide, so I need to pray for the faith to believe in Him. Lord, give me the grace to do this! I forget so easily who He is and what He has done...if He crushed His own Son to provide the most important thing for me, deliverance from His wrath, will He not also provide something as minor as the funds for an education?

Well, this kid is finally tired...the coffee from Panera has done its job in that it kept me awake (and jittery) all day. Reminded me of how I feel during the end of the school year. Night!

My Computer is Taking a Trip

Hey folks, just wanted to let ya'll know that my laptop is taking a trip with my brother Luke to Ohio so I won't be blogging for a while. Didn't mean to not continue on with my last blog, but after a friend told me that my chicken story was disgusting I am having second thoughts about continuing on with the post. I guess it isn't for the faint at heart.

Mom and Dad, Luke, and a new guy Mark Livesay are heading out this afternoon for a business conference. They won't be back until Saturday. I'm dropping the kids off at the farm for the rest of the week since Reuben and I have to work and there will be no one to watch them. Then on Saturday, I am heading out for Six Flags over Georgia with a bunch of VFC folks. We're looking at a busy rest of the week. Until next time....

To Be Continued

Luke and I got another cleaning job in the evenings at a Lawyer "Haven." It is in the 7th floor of a bank in downtown Knoxville and we have to walk through Market Square to get there, which I love doing especially since it seems that there is something always going on like a concert or a dance.

The building is really nice and easy to clean...all I have to do is vacuum while Luke pulls trash. No bathrooms, ooorrrraaa!!! We got to meet one of the lawyers that happened to stay in the suite on our first night. He looked like Ebeneezer Scrooge with his squinty, suspicious eyes and stiff suit. He wasn't very nice with only a "well, get on with it" after Luke told him what we were there to do. I was tempted to take that experience and think the worst of all lawyers, but know that my friend Mark, who is in law school, could never be that way...so I dropped the matter and had a good laugh with my dad when we got home that night.

Well, I know this blog is short, but Luke is set in getting up early in the morning to get to the railroad before it gets too hot. Hopefully tomorrow will be our last day until Dad gets someone else to clean it. Next time I will write about our chicken killing experience yesterday...oh boy. Fifty chickens in 3 hours...and Reuben accidently boiled one alive while dipping it to release the feathers. Poor thang. Anyway....more next time. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Weekend

Oh man! We had a good time hiking in the mountains! We woke up to a perfect day for hiking...cool, crisp air, sunny skies...I mean perfecto! Mom decided to join Luke, Reuben and I for the 5 mile trek through the woods to Abram Falls. Abram Falls is one of my favorite hikes because after getting all hot and sweaty from the hike, there is a freezing pool of water to swim in below the falls. And yes, the water is f-r-e-e-z-i-n-g.

After sitting on a warm rock with my legs dangling in the water, I decided it was time to take the plunge and swim across the deep part to the other bank where Reuben and Luke were wading. I was really cold once I got there and was starting to cramp up from the cold water, so I swam back to the rock where mom was sunning. Apparently humans are not the only ones that like to lie in the sun. After comfortably stretching back out on my rock I felt something tickling me on the leg. I sat up casually to move a drifting branch or whatever it was that was tickling me. Instead of finding a branch on my leg, I found a slithering water moccasin! "YIPES!!!!" I screamed with less grace than an elephant on a high wire. Mom and I were off that rock in less than two seconds. I know it is your time to go when its your time to go, but I didn't really want to "go" right then. We were at least 7 miles from the highway and had no phone signal. Oh well, made for an exciting trip anyway!

Looks like my summer will be pretty busy. Luke and I have the railroad account back on schedule where we can arrive around 8 a.m. and be done about noon. After that I am going to be in the office working for dad answering the telephone and other little jobs that he can't get to. Hopefully I will be able to pick up a few more cleaning jobs in the evenings.

Deanna took me to Cozymel's for my birthday! She is such a dear friend. We laughed all the way home as she played me a song that she claims reminded her of me. What a blast.

Tonight mom and dad are taking us to swing dance. Caleb, Andrea, Daniel, Elizabeth, and some others will be joining us too! Special times. Can't wait!

New Attitude

The New Attitude conference in Kentucky was so good, I want my older brothers and their wives, my cousins, my mom, and several more of my friends to take the trip up with us next year! Seriously, I was thinking Luke and I could have some car washes this summer to raise enough money for the hotel and food so that no one would be financially burdened. The rooms at the Hyatt were really nice and surprisingly about $27 a night with a room of 4. We shall see what happens.

The conference was mainly about the Gospel and how to apply it to our everyday lives. Initially I thought that Na was only about relationships since Joshua Harris, known for his books "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" and "Boy Meets Girl," was helping Eric Simmons head up the conference. Last fall I went to a retreat in the Smoky Mountains with VFC and it was there that the Lord revealed to me about the truth of the Gospel. I had never really understood the seriousness of my sin against a holy God and that He sent His Son to die in my place so that I could be clothed in His righteousness and live eternally with Him. I was so overwhelmed! In the VFC meetings that followed, Mike Plewniak kept speaking about applying the Gospel to our everyday lives. The Lord has done a work in my heart these past six months to put a desire to learn more about the Gospel and the Holy Spirit's role in our life. The conference was all about this! It was really cool to see how the Lord put the desire to know more about the applications of the Gospel and then for Him to provide.

Mike Bullmore led a breakout session about the importance of studying God's word and gave some practical suggestions about how to do so. I was already convicted about not studying God's word faithfully and was so blessed to sit in his session because he did not make guilt the motivation for studying, but instead led in such a way that encouraged me to seek to know who God is. And God, who is so faithful and gracious to us, has again kindled my passion for Him.

Today while I was at work at the railroad yard cleaning with Luke, I was struck with the thought, I desire Him today, but what about tomorrow? Immediately I started worrying about all of the what ifs: what if I got lazy again this summer in my quiet times or let my devotions slide when the rigors of school life started up again or this passion and direction that I thought God so clearly showed me at the conference was only something I made up? Then I thought of a paragraph I read from E.M. Bounds book on prayer:

True prayers are born of present trials and needs. Bread, for today, is bread enough. Bread given today is the strongest sort of pledge that there will be bread tomorrow. Victory today, is the assurance of victory tomorrow. Our prayers need to be focused upon the present. We must trust God today, and leave the morrow entirely with Him.

All I could remember about this paragraph was that faith for today, is faith enough. If I can just pray every day that God will give me the grace to desire Him and live for Him that day, I can trust Him for all of the future days. I know I will stumble and continually sin, but I trust in His mercy!

In closing, it was a very, very good trip. We got to spend time with part of the Wohlschlegel family, which was a real treat since we don't get to see them often. The schedule was pretty packed, so the last evening we hung out with them almost all night! Poor Mandy, I felt bad that she was so tired and got drug up to the spiral in the top of the hotel to view the city lights at 2:30 am when she really would have liked to go to bed instead. What a trooper! I am sad that the conference is over, and that our visit was again all too short. Next year will be here before we can blink though, and perhaps we will be able to bring a bigger crowd to the city.

Well, it is sleepy time. Tomorrow I'm getting up early to go with Luke, Reuben, and maybe mom and Deanna for a hike in the Smokies. 'Bout that time of year. Tootles!