I 40-East

The occurrences of the last 3/ 4 weeks:

I finished up my last week as an intern with event coordinators in Louisville. The thing I will miss the most is being able to talk about colors and floor plans in the office. Ryan and Adam will have none of that. It was an incredible opportunity and looking back I am amazed at how smoothly it all went.

Leaving of course meant saying goodbye to Ben and Christy. The summer definitely has it's highlights... of which they are a big part.

The next week back in Knoxville went by extremely quick! It made me really appreciate all the work that had been done while I was gone so that everything could go smoothly for high school summer camp.

Then there was the week of camp- Peel the Orange. Such an incredible way to kick-off the start of being back in Knoxville!

This past week I was able to go home and rest up. It was also my daddy's birthday so being able to be there for that as well as seeing Ben and Christy again was much needed!

Now, I am sitting in my kitchen on a rainy Saturday in Knoxville eating lima beans and rice... maybe one of these days I will start putting meals together... maybe.

My plan for today is to limit my naps (yes, plural. it's not uncommon for me to take more than one a day) and to stay on task- with whatever I can find to do. And in just a few days it's moving day! Fortunately, I thought I was moving earlier this summer so everything is packed up, which makes my week a lot easier!

So here's to being back in Knoxville and the start of the fall semester, football season, and a lot of fun! = )

true that

although the will of God may not be directly linked with happiness/ easiness, it is most assuredly marked by His presence and that is more reassuring/ comforting than things going according to plan

Habakkuk is an incredible encouragement- makes me wonder what other books I have looked over because they're unfamiliar

I spent over 6 hours at Starbucks today... not sure how I feel about that

sometimes doing redneck things can be fun- like laying out in the driveway with a kiddy pool... even when the sun isn't shining; calling someone on speaker phone while skyping to make up for the fact that the sound isn't working; getting out the extension cord to charge your phone while laying out so that you can listen to pandora (in the driveway, with the kiddy pool); even listening to the tv in your room like it's a radio because you (I) can't figure out how to turn the picture on...

God knows what will get my attention: be it arriving at SH from the Lou at the exact time my friend does (when I was so concerned about being late), or meeting my sister on the interstate the first day I got to Louisville (when I was worried about getting lost on my way to her house), or by waking up one minute before my alarm is set so that I don't have to hear it go off (I don't like waking up to an alarm-at all), or randomly running into my cousin twice in one week at various locations in Louisville (that doesn't just happen)

my grandparents have been married for 61 years today, it's strange to think of my friends that are getting married now and ff that 60 years...crazy!!

I think I have so much power because of the things that I am able to accomplish because of my sight. Yet, would I be 'unproductive' if I couldn't see, if I stopped using my hands, if I was unable to move? All these 'external abilities' what do they add up to? Am I defined/ accomplished by what my eyes see, what my hands do, or where my feet move? If productivity isn't a check list than what is it? Prayer can be done with my eyes closed, hands tied, and feet still. Prayer works, prayer moves, and prayer results in action. Prayer is moving when I am not. Prayer is from me, initiated by God, and yet beyond me. Prayer is working when and where I am not. Colossians 4:2

God has a way of making His thoughts seem like my thoughts to me-then He divinely touches that moment and I realize that He intervened at the beginning and initiated that work before it was even a thought to me

in His hands

I catch myself trying to hold onto things. Wanting moments to last and fearful of undesired change.

What I forget is that my life is held in more powerful Hands than mine. He knows what is best- in every season and what He hold does not accidentally 'fall out'. What He holds is protected and watched over. He holds what is needed -for as long as it is needed. He does not 'phase out' blessings simply because there is not enough room for them all- His hands have more than I could hold on my own (Malachi 3:10).

I don't have to worry in not knowing. (His faithfulness in reminding me of this is astounding.) Perhaps that is vulnerability, sharing my most desired plans, and trusting that if it is needed, truly, it will be.

I am not the one that gives the okay. Our Father doesn't check with me to make sure that I am emotionally alright with it first. He already knows, He has a way designed already for me to grow from whatever is about to come next.

So many times I am scared of the next event in my life. Even the bad ones God has brought about for good. I have NO reason not to trust Him to care for me.

My life, my hopes, my fears, my family, my career.... ALL in His hands.

That will be enough for me.

You have my attention

Well... life in Louisville. And what a life it is.

I haven't blogged in a while because I haven't felt that my thoughts would be much better to read than anything else that's out there. But I have missed it. I just kinda wanted to break my silence from blogging tonight. you know, to remind you that I'm still out here.

This 4th of July weekend my family is up to celebrate. I can't help but to think back to the Philippines and where I was 365 days ago. I think it would be safe to say that I have thought about that place all 365 days. What a blessing it is to be with my family when last year it was such a big deal to be on the phone with them. I think about all the people I know that are all around the world this summer sharing the glorious hope of salvation! What an experience.

A verse that has been on my mind today is Luke 12:48 " To the one who has been given much, much will be demanded; and to who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." I remember as a kid my dad would start off by saying 'to whom much has been given...' and leave the rest for me to fill in. For some reason I never could get it right- among my wrong answers I remember sometimes saying 'much will be received' (ha I really hope I knew that was wrong... how true that is though that sometimes we receive blessings and hang on to them with closed hands). Yet as a country have we not been entrusted with much? And will much not be demanded? My heart is being pulled to the Philippines, it's so hard for me to genuinely be okay with being in America. Who knows what that will mean for my life, I just can't get over Luke 12:48. For some people Matthew 28:19-20 is the verse that calls them to a life of missions but for me I think that it is Luke 12:48.

What an incredible God and what incredible & immeasurable blessings!

How has God gotten your attention lately?

and if you haven't listened to 'you have my attention' by copeland recently- please do so now.