Abounding Apologies & Dramatic Developments

So, as I am certain anyone who reads this, if anyone does at all, can tell, I am fairly terrible at keeping up with this. I love the idea of it, but I just get busy and life gets crazy and other things get in the way and I lose track of it all. I apologize for that. I will do my very best to maintain some sense of order for as long as I am able, but will make no solid promises.

Now that my apology has been made, I wold like to share some exciting things that have been happening in my life lately. First, I think that God knew what he was doing when he had me title this thing "New Beginning" becuase my life seems to be inundated with just that, especially lately. I have done so much since my last update, including completing my sophomore year of college, changing my major TWICE (finally settled on Middle Grades Education. YAY!), accepting a scholarship position at a church near school (by which I also gained a second, precious, wonderful church family), and most recently (and most exciting) starting an internship with middle and high school students at a church.

Typically, me doing some sort of summer internship is NOT that exciting. I mean, this is the norm for me, right? I'm always working with students during the summer, so what? Well, this internship is exciting and new and scary and exhilirating and wonderful because......drum roll......I am in an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT STATE. That's right, I have relocated to Trussvile, Alabama for the summer. I am almost seven hours away from home and that is probably one of the scariest things that has ever happened to me. I am a home body. I love being with my family. I love spending time with the people I love, so what in the world would posses me to come all the way down to Trussville, Alabama for TEN WEEKS?! There is really only one answer I have for that. God. This was completely a God thing. It was totally chance that I happened upon this church, then one thing lead to another and God put me here. I've only been here for two days (today was my first official day) and I am already completely in love with it. The students I have met are wonderful, the staff is all nice and helpful, and the team I'm on is wonderful.

Let me take a minute to acclimate you with everything.

My Position:

I am officially a Student Ministry Summer Intern at First Baptist Church Trussville, Alabama. That means that I get to hang out with super awesome high school and middle school students all summer. There will be some office work and logistics in there too, but mostly it's pouring into students and loving on them. I get to go on trips with them (Atlanta, Georgia and Monroe, Louisiana), be with them sunday mornings, hang out sunday and tuesday nights at house church, and basically just get to know them and their awesome selves. It's going to be AMAZING!

My team:

Jeff: Jeff is the high school minister at FBCT and he is CRAZY! He is loads of fun, loves to hammock, has an awesome family, is a Braves fan, loves Auburn football, and (unfortunately) loves Duke basketball. The most important thing about Jeff is that he LOVES his students. He knows everyone by name and is genuinely interested in how their lives are going. It's heart-warming.

Tyler: Tyler is the middle school minister at FBCT and he is the first person I got in contact with. He is vacationing this week (lucky dog), so I have not had the chance to meet him yet. I have spoken to him on the phone and via e-mail and he seems great! I promise I'll update on him when he gets home.

Allie: Allie is the Student Ministry Assistant and I only met her today, but I already love her. She is crazy fun to be around and extremely laid back. From what I can tell, Allie is the one who keeps the office in check and she rocks at it.

Megan: Megan is one of the four interns I'm working with this summer. She is 22, studying social work, absolutely gorgeous, and one of the sweetest people you will ever have the privilege to meet. She was the first person, aside from staff, that came up and said hello to me on sunday when my parents and I got to church. It is already clear to me that she will be such a joy to work with and probably a dear, sweet friend before the summer ends.

Ryan: Ryan is another intern. He grew up in the area, so he sort of knows the ropes already. At least he knows them better then I do. He is sweet, and funny, and tall. He is very laid back, but not afraid to have a good time and goof off a little with the students. Also, from what I hear, he is a Ping-Pong CHAMPION.

Jesse: Jesse is the final intern (aside from me). He is a hilarious, crazy, bearded, hammocking, guitar player. He leads worship for the students and helps with the praise band on sunday mornings. He has been working at FBCT for about a year, so he's pretty comfortable with everything, which will be a HUGE lifesaver for me. Another fun fact, Jesse is getting married in a month! (cue the 'AWW').

That rounds out the team, expect for me, but you know me already. I will try my very best to update at least weekly, but no promises. I do ask that you all keep me in your prayers, this is going to be a busy and crazy summer. I could certainly use the extra support and encouragement!

-C

5-11-12

     This has been a LONG time coming, but I am very happy to announce that I am HOME FOR SUMMER! That is such a great feeling! I am so looking forward to really getting my summer under way. Gracious.
     This year has certainly been a crazy one. I started college. I made new friends. I lost old friends. I realized precisely why my best friends mean so much to me. I had fights. I thought I was going to lose my mind (several times). I liked a boy (ok, a few boys). I worked my tail off in school. I had days when I didn't work as hard as I should have. I had fabulous successes. I had magnificent failures. I gained some amazing sisters. I found parts of myself. I lost parts of myself. I learned that I'm ok on my own. I grew up, but learned the importance of being silly. I made it. I'm now officially a sophomore in college. That's crazy, isn't it? Can you imagine that I'm going to begin my second year of college soon? I can't. Some days I still feel like I belong in elementary school, but other days I feel like I'm on top of the world. I'm exactly where I need to be. THAT is a good feeling.
     Speaking of great things, I start my Big Kid job in a few weeks!! I absolutely cannot wait to be a part of the church staff, even if it is temporary. The nerves haven't hit me yet, but I know they're coming. The day before I start working I'm probably going to freak out. I have to admit, this is the first job I've had, and I want it to be perfect. I don't want to mess anything up. I want to be good at this. Of course, there is the part of me that knows that it's God's will for me, but there is the other part of me that can't help but be scared of messing it up. I mean, I know that there will be small problems that arise, but overall I'm hoping it will be amazing. Who knows, maybe this summer is going to change my life :)

Taking Back Forever

     I have begun to notice more and more that girls seem to be consumed by the prospect of a relationship. Especially girls in high school. It seems that every time I turn around there is another girl telling the world how happy she is and how she finally has the guy of her dreams, then the next thing I know her heart is broken because he WASN'T perfect like she thought. So many teenage girls are obsessed with forever. They know without a shadow of a doubt that THIS GUY is the one that will be forever. They just know that THIS GUY will stay around. They put everything they have into believing in their most recent forever and then their world is shattered when that forever only lasts a few months.
     Please don't think that I am condemning these girls or making fun of them. That is the furthest thing from the truth. In all honesty, I was that girl in high school. I had the boy that I honesty thought was going to be my forever. I just knew he was the one. I just knew that he would be beside me through everything. I just knew...until I had to end it. Granted, my 'forever' did last longer than most, but I'm still not sure that I would classify that as a good thing. My forever did last almost two years, but that was almost two years that I could have done so much more than worry about my relationship. That was two years that I was mainly focused on him. Yes, school was important and I loved my family more than anything, but he was the main part of my life. We told each other everything. We were always talking. We were in constant contact. We knew every movement of the other person. Looking back on that now, it seems that I should have known better. Right?
     Wrong. I am a firm believer that girls these days get their ideas for 'perfect relationships' from the movies. If I asked most girls what their favorite movies were I can almost guarantee that most responses would include at least one magnificent love story. You know the one I'm talking about. Girl meets boy, Girl likes boy, Girl doesn't want to tell boy, Girl and boy become friends, Girl and boy fight, Girl and boy ALWAYS END UP TOGETHER IN THE END. These movies make for wonderful entertainment and are always a nice pick-me-up when you've had a bad day, but far too many girls have convinced themselves that these movies show exactly how their relationships will turn out. It's supposed to work out, the girl is always supposed to end up with the boy she likes. The girl is always supposed to end up happy. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but these movies are not always true. The boy you like doesn't always like you back. You may end up with your heart broken. You may have to start back at square one when that 'Prince Charming' turns out to not be who you think he is. You just might have to learn how to be happy by yourself before you can even think about your forever.
     I had to do just that and it has been the most amazing and freeing thing I have ever done. I have had to learn to be happy with my God and my family and, most importantly, myself. I have had to learn daily that I DO NOT have to have a boy to be complete. I still struggle with it, but overall I am so much happier. I can see now that, although not all of them are bad, many relationships can be a huge distractions. Girls need to learn first and foremost to be contented with the God who loves them more than the sun, moon, and stars. Every girl needs to take back her forever. After all, it was never hers to give.
    

Sweet Summertime

First of all, I know I've been AWOL lately, and I'm so sorry. I have no life because my schedule stays so busy all the time, but I just wanted to give a little update on my crazy beautiful life. I am almost done with my freshman year of college, which blows my mind on a daily basis. It seems like just yesterday that I was moving all of my things into my tiny room and trying not to cry as my parents left, but at the same time it feels like it's always been this way. I never thought I would be that kid who loved being way from home. I've always been a homebody, so loving college this much surprised me, I won't lie. Anyhow, school and everything is going wonderfully :)

Now, onto what I REALLY wanted to tell you about. This summer will be the first summer that I will be officially employed. I have applies to two different positions and I am so excited to see where God will lead me this summer!

One job I have considered is working as a counselor at the summer camp that I attended as a child. This is a very small camp so I would get to know the children really well, and it would just be a wonderful work environment. The director of the camp, whom I have known for many years, is a wonderful woman and it would be an honor to work under her. She is very strict with her workers, but I prefer work envionments like that, especially when children are involved. I love working with children and being able to mentor and lead them all summer would be such a blessing!

The second job I'm considering is still with children, but more involved. There is a possibility that I will be a summer intern with my children's minister, which would be ideal for me. I have worked with the children at my church ever since I have been able to and I honestly can't imagine spending an entire summer without them. If I were to get the internship I would not only have an incoming salary, which would be nice, but I would also get to see the inner workings of our children's ministry. Not only would I be working all the events and camps that we do for the children, but I would be involved with the plannig and set up of everything. I ADORE working with my kids, but I also love being able to plan things. I've always thrived in a position like that and being able to have a summer filled with it would be fantastic :)

Interview Weekend

I am about to complete one of the single most amazing things that I have ever been a part of. I applied for two positions with the Baptist Student Summer Missions organization and last night and today have consisted of interviews, worship time, and simply getting to know everyone else that is interviewing. I won't lie to you all, because you deserve better, so in the spirit of honesty, I was terrified to come to this weekend. I only knew one person that was coming and, although she is a beautiful, wonderful girl, I was scared silly. I've never been good with getting to know new people and auditions scare the bajeebees out of me. I was certain that I would just be one big bundle of nerves and wouldn't be able to do anything correctly. That is the farthest thing from the truth! Everyone here is very welcoming and the atmosphere is just very calm. I wasn't nervous at all once I got here, got registered, and got settled in. Not only am I not nervous, but I have been extremely outgoing this weekend. I don't know if it's the fact that I know I am exactly where God wants me to be or if college has just changed me that much, but I like it. Last night I was in the activities hall and I started playing a game of Apples to Apples with a group of people there and instead of not talking and staying to myself I was talking to everyone and making jokes just like everyone else. It's the exact same way with the time I've had with the people interested in the DOXA team, like myself. Usually I am very self-concious and do not like hanging out with new people, but the people that I met today were wonderful! I would be truly blessed anywhere God chooses to place me this summer. I pinky that I will let everyone know as soon as I find something out, but until then keep praying!

Pinning

It's official. I am completely addicted to Pinterest. I know everyone says that, but no joke, I can't stop. specifically I have started looking for simple, cute, do-it-yourself(DIY, obviously) jewelry and crafts to make. I had NO IDEA that there were so many gifted women who knew how to make some of the most adorable things, and I also had NO IDEA that they all converged on one website. It truly is mindblowing how many different things you can find on Pinterest. The newest thing that has caught my fancy has been t-shirt crafts. I mean, they are just so simple, and so quick that I can't help but try them out. I have made everything from cute headbands to tote bags. it is insane the adorable things you can produce from an old t-shirt that you have laying around the house. I have wanted an infinity scarf for a while now, but I have never had the money to just go out and buy one(poor college kid, I am), so I was browsing for my next project on Pinterest tonight and I found instructions to make an infinity scarf from an old t-shirt! I WAS THRILLED! it was amazingly simple, and believe it or not, the scarf looks wonderful!  I am so excited to wear it out somewhere I can hardly contain it.

Disney Princess Survey- Megara

This looked like fun :) Every girl is a princess, right?

Belle

[x] You’ve kissed someone your friends didn’t like.
[] You’ve been lost in the forest.
[x] You love to read.
[] You are not shy at all.
[x] One of your family members is a bit weird.
[x] You have done volunteer work.
[x] You have a wild imagination.
[x] You love to take care of people in need.
[] You’ve had guys like you only because they think you’re pretty.
[x] You’ve rejected at least one person when they’ve asked you out.
Total: 7

Rapunzel

[] You’re an orphaned child or have an evil mother.
[x] You have many different hobbies to keep you busy.
[x] You can get really bored.
[] You have very long hair.
[x] Your hair is/was bright blonde.
[x] You’re an artsy person.
[x] You’re childish.
[] You can’t wait to stop the same routine each day and start living.
[x] You care about others and their feelings.
[x] You like to follow the rules.
Total: 7

Alice

[] You have/had a pet rabbit.
[x] You love to play cards.
[x] You constantly know the time.
[x] You get yourself in sticky situations.
[] You have been to a court.
[x] You have fallen asleep while doing your homework.
[] You have had a tea party.
[x] You like hats.
[x] You’re late.
[] You know how to play croquet.
Total: 6

Jasmine

[] Your dad is rich.
[x] You are very clever.
[x] You’ve been with someone way different from you.
[x] You’d never marry someone just because they were rich.
[x] You have set a lot of goals for yourself.
[x] You don’t have a lot of (good) friends.
[] You’re independent.
[] You are wealthy.
[] Your parents try to control your life.
Total: 5

Megara

[x] Your boyfriend/crush is strong.
[] You have gotten involved with the wrong people before.
[x] You are very convincing.
[x] You have fallen in love before.
[x] You have had your heart broken.
[] You find an interest in Greek mythology.
[x] You lie sometimes.
[x] You pretend to be someone you’re not.
[x] You have been used.
[x] Purple is one of your favorite colors.
Total: 8

Ariel

[x] Your parents expect a lot from you.
[] You really try to follow the rules, but it’s hard for you.
[] You’re a bit of a trouble maker.
[x] You love to swim.
[] Your favorite animal is some sort of sea creature.
[] You collect something.
[] You have/had long red hair.
[] You are adventurous.
[x] You’re extremely curious.
[] You believe everything people tell you/you’re a bit gullible.
Total: 3

Aurora

[] You live/have lived with someone other than your parents.
[x] You almost died at a very young age.
[x] You are gentle, loving, and/or thoughtful.
[x] You have a decent singing voice.
[x] You like to sleep in late on the weekend.
[] You spend most of your time outside.
[] You’re adopted.
[x] You’re very romantic.
[] Pink is one of your favorite colors.
Total: 5

Cinderella

[] One of your parents is dead.
[x] You are expected to do a lot of chores.
[x] You love to dress up.
[x] You love animals.
[x] You are waiting patiently for your Prince Charming.
[] Your mom is really strict.
[] You have sisters who seem kind of jealous of you.
[x] You’re afraid to speak your mind sometimes.
[x] You have left your shoes at a friend’s house before.
[x] You have/had blonde hair.
Total: 7

Snow White

[] Sometimes it seems like your mom is jealous of you.
[x] You’ve almost been killed.
[x] You have at least seven good friends.
[] You’ve had food poisoning.
[x] You have/had short hair.
[x] You get along with almost everyone.
[x] All of your friends are different.
[x] You love to have a good time.
[] You’re happier when you’re out of the house than in.
Total: 6

Tinkerbell

[x] You get jealous easily.
[x] You loved your childhood.
[x] You like to fly.
[x] You believe in magic.
[] You’re 5’2” or under.
[] You hate pirates.
[x] You love sparkles.
[] People underestimate you.
[] You get angry easily.
[x] You have/had a treehouse.
Total: 6

Pocahontas

[x] You love to walk around and explore big cities.
[] You are more spiritual than religious.
[] You’ve been in an interracial relationship.
[x] One of your family members is dead.
[x] Your parents are very protective of you.
[] Someone you know has been in the war.
[x] You love nature.
[] You have/had black hair.
[] You would love to move somewhere exotic and beautiful.
[] You’re very adventurous.
Total: 4

Mulan

[x] You can be a tomboy sometimes.
[] People wish you could be a bit more girly.
[x] You’ve pretended to be someone you’re not.
[] You’ve had a physical fight with someone.
[] You have/had considered running away from home.
[] Your parents try to plan your life out.
[x] A lot of your friends are boys.
[x] You sometimes find yourself in bad situations.
[x] You love your family so much that you’d do anything to protect them
Total: 5