Thankful for TODAY 6.13.11

1) Ibuprofen! I woke up this morning and my lower back was killing me! Every little movement I made sent a sharp pain throughout my back. My range of motion was not very good. But I took 4 amazing little gel capsules and started to feel much better!

2) A flex schedule at work, now that I am the supervisor I am working a lot more but I am able to make my own schedule. I rarely get there on-time because I know I'll be leaving hours past my end time. Today I didn't roll in until about 10, it gave me two extra hours to lay in bed!

3) Today I wore a skirt that has not fit since I've lived in Texas! I'm thankful that in losing weight, my old clothes are starting to fit again! And thankful I've held onto them!

4) My CHI straightener! I went to bed with wet hair last night and woke up this morning with a monster on my head! It looked as though Daisy had made a nest in my hair! Thankfully with the power of the CHI no one will ever see that!

5) An e-mail with the confirmation that my application was accepted and I should hear from someone within the next couple of weeks! Hint: This would allow me to not work during the months of June, July and August! (Again more to come in a later post!)

Thankful for TODAY 6.12.11

1) Church at the lake... my dear friend Kati and I decided to do church at the lake this morning. We went and each shared a passage that has been speaking to us and talked about why, and then we prayed. It was such a sweet time! We were able to really talk about what God is doing in our lives and what we believe He is calling us to in this moment. It was a precious time! We then spent the next few hours on our rafts in the water... I have the sunburn to prove it!

2) Raspberry Race nail polish and being able to "tramp it up" with painted finger nails! It's been awhile since I've had painted finger nails, but I think I'm liking the trend!

3) The combo of Roots Coffee Shop, my journal, the work of Kelly Minter: The fitting room and Jesus. Actually I was thankful for this yesterday as I spent about 4 hours at said location with said things. It was a sweet sweet time as I just sat and had a date with Jesus. I was able to really process all that has been going on and get refocused. And I was able to read Kelly Minter 's chapter for my weekly study with Kati and Erin (I am very proud of myself for not waiting till the last minute to read this week!)

4) A good cheeseburger! Nothing says summer like a burger and fries by the lake! Thank you Big Daddy's Cafe for such an amazing lunch

5) Theresa (Butler) Mellard! I love how she and I can walk though life together! I am so thankful for how God has weaved our lives together and allowed us to live life with one another. I am thankful that she loves me for who I am and trusts me to see who she is! I was reminded today of how thankful I am to be KNOWN by her!

Thankful for TODAY 6.11.11

I have loved going back and reading some of my Thankful for TODAY blogs. I thought I would reintroduce the idea. I have been reminded so much lately of how precious TODAY is and how I need to live in that, so welcome back Thankful for TODAY!

1) Live music... last night I went with a coworker to Music Under the Stars and listened to Carrie Rodriguez play. It was a beautiful night and fun to just sit and listen to live music.

2) Redbox! I love movies and I love that Redbox lets me swing by and pick up a movie for $1.08 (as long as I don't forget to return it...). Today's movie of choice Just go with it

3) Saturdays, and not having to work on said day!

4) Sseko sandals! If you have not heard of these sandals, you must go to their website and find out all about them. The are amazingly comfortable sandals

in which you kinda design. You buy the base and can buy multiple straps in all kinds of colors. Each time you wear them, they can be a new sandal! And best of all they are made in Uganda by women who are trying to earn money to go to college. Please go to the website and read the story. I love these things! I have ordered straps in black, marigold, teal and red!

5) Daisy! She has been so sweet lately as she cuddles up with me and I love that she is always at the door to welcome me home. As much as she can drive me crazy at times I love that little girl!

7 1/2 months later...

I was reading a friends blog the other day and I realized how much I miss writing on my blog. So I've decided to try this again! So here goes the reader's digest condesnsed version of the last 7 1/2 months....

I graduated in December with my Master's of Social Work degree, in February I passed my licensure test and offically am a Licensed Master of Social Worker. Somewhere in there I got promoted to Team Lead at work and have been enjoying the new responsibility of work.

The last 7 1/2 months have been filled with weddings, trips, laughter, tears, amazing moments and some of the hardest days I've endured in a long time. I've been stretched and challeneged and have learned so much. The last two weeks have been very sweet for me! I've been able to look back over the past few months and truly see God working in some pretty amazing ways. I have seen how God has protected me and how He truly is soverign! Last week I started Women in the Word at my church. For 6 weeks we will be diving into the book of James! What a sweet book to go through coming out of a time in life that was possibly one of the hardest trials I've experienced in a long time. I'm so excited about all that God is teaching me right now!

I really thought that once I was done with school I would have so much more time.... but it has not worked out that way! I still feel as I am as busy as ever! But I do love summer in Texas! I'm excited about the days by the pool, the annual trip to Sugarland with Kati, Erin and Batey, watching the fireworks in Grapevine sitting by the lake, Rangers games, and just time with friends! I do pray that this is the last summer that I will have to work during the months of June, July and August (more on that in a future post!). But I will enjoy all that I can during this summer!

It's good to be back in the blogging world and I'm sure you will hear more from me soon!

Here and Now...

It's been awhile since I've written anything on here, things have just been so hectic in my life. I have had little to no free time and have not been able to get on here. While things have been crazy here, it has been such a sweet time in my life. I am currently working about 65 hours a week. I spend 40-45 hours a week at my job (which I still love) and 20ish hours at my internship. I have changed internships since I wrote here last and am now at a clinic at my university doing counseling. I mostly see children and adolescents but I do see one couple for marriage counseling and a 24 year old woman. I went in thinking I would only like working with adolescents and my favorite two clients are my couple and the 24 year old! It has been an amazing experience and has just confirmed that this is in fact what I want to do with my life. I have loved being able to walk with people as they struggle through life.

Along with work and my internship, I am currently working on my final paper. It has been a challenge (to say the least), due to many frustrations my classmates and I have had with our professor. But I am almost done and it feels great. I will graduate on December 17th at 1:00pm and cannot wait!

I am learning so much in this time, it has been challenging on so many levels. I am so thankful for the people who encourage me each and every day (especially when I just want to throw in the towel and be done!). I feel honored to have people who love me and urge me on! I am looking forward to this season of my life being over but want to continue to live in the here and now, and truly be thankful for where I am at.

Thankful for TODAY 7.26.10

1) Being able to get into the doctor and get the medications that I need! (I hope that tomorrow I can be thankful for the fact that the medications are working).

2) Sonic Diet Coke with white coconut

3) Amazing friends that I can spend the weekend with as together we grow closer to the Lord!

4) Mirage Paper Co. and their jumbo journals, so much of my life is written in the pages of these journals

5) Emily Waterston Heinis! Today my best friend whom I have known since the 1st grade turns 29. I can not even begin to express how thankful I am for her friendship! She is my family and I love her dearly! Happy Birthday Em!

Undivided Devotion

So I have been praying for somewhat of a "jump start" with my walk with the Lord, and tonight I got just that. I just got home from day one of "Desperate for Jesus", a two day women's retreat at a local church. I have been looking forward to this for some time now because Beth Moore, a woman who has spoken so much truth into my life through her books and Bible studies, was one of two main speakers. Before Beth Moore they had breakout sessions and I went to the one for single women. All I can say is that God was moving in that room and really spoke to my heart! I wanted to share a little about what was shared tonight!

Jada Edwards, a women I had never heard of, was the speaker for the session. Let me tell you this woman was made for this! The seminar was called Undivided Devotion and she began by saying that if we give God our undivided devotion, He will move within us! She said that there are three things we need to do to get to this point.

1) Decide that we are exactly where God wants us to be! She used the term intentional contentment, CHOOSING to be ok right in this place God has us- I loved that!

2) Detach from the things of this world! During this point she talked about how we should not let things of this world control us when we have a God who is bigger than everything on this earth. When we detach from the things of this world we are making ourselves available to God and for Him to be the "I Am" in our lives! She made it clear that we are not to shut down the desires of our heart but to let God mold those desires.

3) Devotion- as a single woman our devotion should be undivided and God has us in this season for a reason. As a single woman this is the only time when God will be the only devotion. What is keeping us from giving God our undivided devotion.

She asked a question towards the end of the session that was so sweet, because it is the current theme of this blog. She asked "are you too consumed about what the future holds that you are missing what God has for you RIGHT NOW?

I think God is trying to tell me something!