August 29, 2009

A New Day

Last weekend I went to the Women of Faith Conference here in Dallas and it was amazing. I stood in the American Airlines Center singing praise to our God along with 16,000 other women and it was overwhelming. So many awesome speakers and concerts... it was a refreshing weekend.

The theme for the weekend was A Grand New Day

How appropriate for where I am right now...

I have been needing that refreshing moment from God and a new day and I feel as though I've gotten it. And newness is all around!

Just look around my apartment at the dining room full of boxes, the empty bookshleves, walls and cabinets. A new apartment is in the very near future... I'm moving in about 12 days!!

And a new school year... which usually doesn't effect me much... but I just feel as though it's a new start.

The fall also means a new year of BSF! In fact, I'm up so early today getting ready for our class workshop to get prepared for the new year!

A new month is about to start as well... the end of the month at work is always the craziest, but a new month brings a little bit of a slow down when things aren't quite so rushed.

And other new and exciting things are coming too!

August 17, 2009

Praise the One who gives and takes away

9 years ago today my dad passed away after a quick battle with a strong cancer.

There were moments in the last 9 years where I was't sure I would survive...or if I did I would merely live life at rock bottom. Moments where I could never forsee myself being rescued from the pit of my sorrow. That my life might never recover...

but at some point in the last 9 years I was rescued again by the One who turns my mourning into songs of praise.

In the last 9 years on this date I have: started my Senior year of High School, Moved into a dorm at Baylor, and moved into my first ever apartment

trading my sorrows for the joy of the Lord

A few weeks ago I was getting some paperwork done and I was looking over my caseload to see upcoming 3rd birthdays (when we dismiss a child and they transition to other services) and I realized I have 2 kids who turn 3 today. Not only that but I have another child who turns 2 today. So I have 3 kids...all unrelated... with birthdays today. May not seem like too big of a deal until I realized that with the exception of the twins on my caseload, I don't have a single repeated birthday other than today

Coincidence? Definitely not.... Just a reminder to me that God is faithful. That His promises are true. His mercies are new every morning. He makes beauty from the ashes. And when I need it most, He reminds me that He is still in control, joy remains, hope endures, and life goes on.

So today I am remembering. But moreso I am celebrating. Celebrating the life of my daddy and celebrating my Heavenly Father who knows exactly what I need and meets me exactly where I am, and in His time pulls me out of the muck and the mire, sets my feet on the rock, and puts a new song in my mouth.

August 8, 2009

The Packing Begins!


So I know I'm not moving until September... but I was looking at my calendar the other day and realized I have lots going on for the next 3 weekends, which means the next free weekend I have is the one right before I move. So I decided I'd start some of the packing process.

Unfortunately, I haven't gotten too much done. First off, because when I went to get my boxes out of my storage closets almost all of them have little wasp nests in them!! We had a huge wasp nest on our balcony until recently, and I guess some have transferred to the boxes. Luckily none of them actually had wasps in them, but I had to destroy a whole bunch before I could even begin packing.

Sadly, the only thing I've really packed are books and decorations, so my apartment just looks kind of sad. I wanted to pack more, but I just can't commit. I mean, what if I need my 8", 9" and 10" spring form pans in the next month? Or one of my 57 cookie cutters? Or all of my scrapbook paper?! How could I pack them and then have to dig for them? It's a little pathetic, I know.

But at least I started and am on my way. I'd much rather be making decorations (which is how I've spent the last month) than packing!

August 1, 2009

It's Official!

I am moving in September!!

It has been over a month since I went and put down a deposit for a brand new apartment and today I finally got the word that I am all set to move in (after a month of back and forth with the complex and them needing one more thing before my application was approved)

I am so excited about this move. It's only about 10 minutes from where I currently live... but it is closer to work and to my church. And it is still close to the highway, so it's easy to get out to Dallas for all of my things there!

And the best part? It includes a washer and dryer... and after 2 years of lugging my laundry around I am so excited to be able to do laundry while I stay at home!! And the apartment complex is brand new so I will be the first person to live in this apartment, which is so nice!!

Now I just need to get packing because my August weekends are pretty busy!