the city makes me feel artsy.

I'm currently sitting in a starbucks right in the center of downtown salem, well part of it anyway. I parallel parked my car (might have hit the curb a wee bit...) and am watching the people and the traffic as I am enjoying some blessed coffee :)

The buildings are so neat. There's a shop on the corner called "The French Unicorn" I think it's like a boutique... but I'm not sure haha, and then in a building beside that theres a Book Bin, and the building looks so cool, old fashioned and pretty, with the theater style sign hanging out off the side with the letters single file down the side... it's awesome.

I wish I could capture the life accurately somehow, it's full of it! Just earlier there was a man with a large back-pack, like the kind you take on a hiking/camping trip. and he was stopping people as they came from across the street just to talk to them, telling them jokes or something, but he made them all laugh (except one businessman who didn't really stop. And there a ton of people just sitting outside, for only a few minutes before they get up and continue walking. There are couples, families, students, young people with iPods, and the sun is shining. I love the city.

As I've been sitting here, I just want to write a book! Or grab my guitar and stand on the street- playing poorly and still people would enjoy it. Or make a movie, I just want to do something creative and beautiful, just like this city full of beautiful people that God has created, each one of them different and special, each one of them beautiful in their wonderful uniqueness- and most of them unaware of just how special they are. OH how I wish I knew them all and could tell them, and they'd believe me, and see that there is a God who loves them, and wants them to know Him.

okay- it's cold in here, I think I'm done! Bye friends!

I miss people.

Yep, is okay, today I went to a movie by myself, and it was fun, and I enjoyed the movie, but I kinda realized when I left that there was no one to talk to about the movie, no one to quote it with and it just made me a little down-
I'm thinking, because I know who reads these blogs, that I shouldn't be writing a post right now because I am down and apparently I only write blogs when I am down haha, funny. Wellll so in that case, this is all for now :-p

It's real!

Hi friends,
so here I am, in Oregon! I'm really here, I really live here now
I make my own meals (for now)
I have to figure out what to do with myself (until work/school starts)
and I feel like a real adult! hehe (because my mom says I am) :)

Anyway- I'm sitting in a starbucks right now because I don't get blogger on the internet at my apartment- along with facebook and a few other sites... long story.
So yeah I guess I don't have as much to say as I originally thought-- but here I am! Safe and sound in my new home! yay! Thanks for your prayers friends!!

My new Adventure

So, as I was getting ready for bed tonight, many thoughts were running (and still are) though my mind. Thoughts from the Leadership Summit today, from conversations that took place tonight, and then fact that tomorrow (Friday) is my last full day in Indiana before I move to Oregon. These thoughts have caused me a lack of sleep recently- which is either to be expected or at least understood.

Something said today in the summit has stuck out- a little chunk, as some would say- "Do not run from the darkness, but instead penetrate it with the Light inside you." We have the SPIRIT of the LIVING GOD inside us... why are we afraid of the darkness!?? I just- well, lets just say I was renewed with strength today, knowing that the Lord has called me into the darkness so that HIS light can shine brighter than ever. And to never give up, to have the faith that whatever it is- I will make it through with the power of Christ, trusting to Him my fate and not trying to predict it myself- because who am I to know the ways and workings of the Lord my God?

Be strengthened today- do not fear, be courageous. 11 times in the Old Testament it says "Be strong and courageous." ELEVEN TIMES! Three in Deuteronomy, Five times in Joshua, and Three times in the Chronicles (first and second). That's amazing. BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS children of the Living God. Do not fear the darkness; instead fumigate it with the LIGHT inside of you today!



Amen.

focusing

yes this is my third blog in 24 hours, but I'm sitting at work and I'm having a hard time focusing on the work I need to get done. My mind is racing with thinking about I need to get done before I leave, like literally I'm just making list after list in my head or on paper of what I need to do before we leave, what there is left to pack, what we should do when we get out there, how we'll get there.... seriously a lot of lists. I'm considering leaving early so I can just do something and then work more from home where i can look at my room and remind myself that I'm actually doing good with getting things ready to go, like really, there's very little packing I can do until Saturday morning before we leave.. but I just keep thinking that I need to get it done, get it ready, so I can relax and enjoy these last few days.... wellll I'm not RELAXING.... silly girl. Soo yeah, I'm gonna do that- gonna go finish the stuff i NEED to be in the office for and then head home to do dual duties with work work and Oregon work. That's my plan.... I just needed to write stuff out. Ha.

amazing God

last night a thought hit me, and it's kind of silly that it felt new to me, but it was so good to realize and actually understand.

We are taught as Christians that we can do nothing without God- but that through Christ we can do all things- well, while I have believed this to be true, it was a rare thought to think what I couldn't do without God. Until last night, I realized that I needed to ask him for help in the mornings. I've been wanting to start getting up a little earlier for a couple reasons recently 1. so that I can be on time to work and such :) and 2. so that I can sit and read from the Word in the mornings. Well lets just say that generally I fail miserably and I rush to get out of the door on time. I don't want that to be the case, or the norm. I want to be someone who can rise early and use the morning to it's fullness. So last night I was praying about it- and it struck me: I can't even get out of bed without HIS help. I really can't do anything without Him if I can't get out of my bed in the morning without His help. It's as simple as that- nothing, I can do nothing without Him. and I am a very capable person, God has blessed me with Independence (at least most of the time i think it's a blessing) and so I know I can do things, but what I seem to forget is that the reason "I can" do them is because HE made me capable, and in the areas where my capability doesn't reach- HE is there, because His capability doesn't have boundaries.

Just some awesome thoughts for you today.

here we go again?

I hope not. This week I've been noticing an all too familiar pattern with my stomach, and I'm praying its just the reaction to this upcoming change in my life...
My stomach has apparently decided that when I feed it, it wants to respond with pain, the kind that hurts in so many different ways I can't really explain it. The blessing with this is that at this time, it is no where near what it used to be and so I know that it is more than manageable, it's just annoying. Thinking to myself- hmm what am I able to eat, what might not cause the pain today? The hardest thing about when this was going on before was that I soon discovered it really didn't matter what I ate, everything made it hurt in some way... well I'm praying that this time is different, if I can take out things that I know will make it worse (gluten / dairy) then maybe since this is on a lesser level as it is then it will actually make a difference!

Anyway, pray for me as I am making this transition. I'm moving on Saturday, my dad and I are driving out and hoping to arrive on Monday afternoon! I'm really excited about it and looking forward to the time with my dad. AND I'll definitely be video taping stuff and being silly while my dad is driving(because of course we're going to drive safely!!) So yeah, but pray that as I get settled in in Oregon I can find a community to get involved in and not be in isolation. I would also appreciate prayer over my stomach, as this is a sore spot in my relationship with Christ and I really want it to bring me closer to HIM this time rather than push me away. I know that He is good and is doing wonderful marvelous things, sometimes I just wonder why it has to be like this... (though don't we all at some point?) Anyway- that's all for now... peace!