1 month til Christmas!

Well, Turkey Day is over...now we start Christmas. My favorite holiday ever. I really love this season between and including Thanksgiving and Christmas. I love Christmas trees and Christmas Carols. I love all the lights, the cold weather, the snow. I love the egg nog and pumpkin pie. I mostly love the thought of sharing the holidays with my family. This year is kinda slim, but I know I will love every second of it. I spent Thanksgiving with my mom and my brother, and I will spend Christmas with my dad and my brother. Thanksgiving was great. I am glad my mom was able to KY and see where I live, and work, and meet the many people that I spend my life with. This Christmas will be a little harder though. We normally spend Christmas in Colorado with the rest of my family, but we are unable to go this year. We'll have fun, just the 3 of us, but I will miss seeing my family.

Family is one thing that is most important to me. The longer I am in the state of Ky by myself the harder it gets. I have been blessed however by the Watts' and the Neals' who have greatly made me feel apart of their family. Even though in Christ we truly are family, they also temporarly fill that void, and emptiness I feel being away from my real family. Diana always gives me that tough love that I need, she is honest and sincere and always tells me what I need to hear. Kyle, who is almost exactly like my own father, never fails to make me feel just as loved as his own 2 daughters whether it's a great big hug at church first thing, or by picking on me until I can't stand it anymore. Kristin is my close in age sister I have always wanted. I love our times of staying up late and talking. I love that she encourages me and looks out for me. I absolutly adore her enthusiam that she has for Christ, and her passion for what she wants to do in the future. Kasie...well...she and I don't see each other very much, but I still love her very much. Kasie and I tend to give each other a hard time about things. She's always on the run, and maybe one day she and I will both slow down long enough to get to know each other like I would like. Ty seems more like the big brother I've always wanted. He looks out for me and always seems to know what kind of mood I am in. He always knows what to say and when to say it. Angie, like Diana, continues to teach me about life. She is kind and gentle, and takes every advantage to teach me another one of life's lessons. Tatum, Kenzie, and Ian are like the baby sisters and brother that I've always wanted. I have always wanted really little brothers and sisters to look out for and spoil and have fun with. I love being around Tatum and Kenzie, and looking intheir eyes and seeing that I have made at least some sort of impact on their life. I love how Kenzie gets so excited to tell me funny stories, and I love watching her laugh as she is telling me. I love when Tatum just loves on me. I could just love on her all day. She is only 7, but she has said things to encourage me that have blown me away coming from a 7 year old. I admire also her love for her family. Ian isn't that old, but my heart fills with joy every time he smiles at me. He reminds me in his own little way of how precious life is.

I am so thankful for these people and I praise the Lord that He has placed them in my life. I know he will bless them for all that they do!

Almost Turkey Day!

Well, it's almost Thanksgiving. My mom will be here tomorrow, and my brother will be here on Wednesday. This is my first hosted Turkey Day and I am super excited! I have so much to do before my family gets here. I still have to clean and go grocery shopping, and on top of all that I am sick! Kinda stinks.

Well, not to much to write today! Just Happy Turkey Day!

Butterfly Response

I have had many people ask me this week about who the lucky guy was that was causing the fluttering in my stomach. I still have yet to cave and I will not cave. I have been tempted to cave, however, when I think about what might possibly happen if I caved...it helps me to be strong!

The next reponse was "you haven't met him yet?!" Due to the last statement in that entry. I think I was just typing there. I definitly know who this person is. I have talked with him and I have spent time with him in many different situations. He is amazing to his family and friends. He is very active in his church and takes as many evangelistic opportunitiesas he can. He has a heart of gold. I think what I struggle with most is that I want someone exactly like my dad. He is very close, closer than any guy I have ever met. He is encouraging, faithful, loyal, loving, supportive, strong, helpful, kind, caring, generous, attractive, and the list goes on. Anyway, all that to say this: Disregaurd that last stament about me meeting him one day. I already know him. I might have been thinking if it wasn't who I want it to be, then maybe one day I will meet someone exactly like him.

Anyway, I am glad that my friends are interested in who I am inquiring about, however, I am still going to keep my lips zipped. I have a time limit on it. If nothing becomes of it by March then I am officially going to let it go. I am praying about this and praying that God would guard my heart and his. I am praying that God would continue to use him and guide him. I pray that we would be praying about our futures and bring us together if that be the case.

Please keep praying for me, and asking about this. It will help me to continue to keep my heart guarded.

Cotton Patch

So...it was the middle of the night. I had just signed off aol instant messenger. I finished up a paper I was typing, grabbed my cat and my phone that I use for an alarm clock and we headed to bed. Right as I got tucked in, warm, and closed my eyes, my phone rang. It was my good friend Michael. So we talked for a little bit, helped him with a paper...Then all of a sudden...He read me the worst translation of the Bible EVER! However, at 2:30 AM anything is funny! This was RIDICULOUS. Michael and I have the privilege of attending Bible College so we get to take fun courses like HERMENEUTICS, that teaches you how to accurately interpret the Bible. For this particular version, you definitely don't have to go to Bible College, nor do you have to be a Bible Scholar to find out quickly that this version of the Bible is more than imperfect. I wonder sometimes as people translate the Bible if they are ever nervous that they are going to translate something wrong, or interpret something wrong that might influence someone eternally. I can say with confidence the author and version that I am going to share with you probably didn't even think about it. It's just too ridiculous.

If you have grown up in America, you know the Christmas Story whether you are a Christian and go to church or not. The Nativity scene is in every Wal-Mart, smart, and department store across the nation. We all know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, he grew up in Nazareth, and was born to save us from our sins. He was King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Let me shake your foundation for a second!


Matthew Chapter 1

1.
[The first seventeen verses of Matthew consists of Jesus' family tree. Since this purely historical material has already been well translated, and because nothing would be gained by merely modernizing the names, we are omitting it.] - cj
18. The beginning of Jesus the Leader was like this: While his mama, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, but before they had relations, she was made pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Since Joseph, her fiance´, was a considerate man and didn't want to make a public scandal, he decided to quietly break up with her. As he was wondering about the whole situation, a messenger from the Lord came to him in a dream and said, "Joe Davidson, don't be ashamed to marry Mary, because the Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. Now she'll give birth to a boy, who you'll name Jesus,1 because he will deliver his nation from their errors."
22. This whole event was the completion of what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Listen, a young lady will get pregnant and give birth to a boy, and they'll name him 'God-is-with-us.' "
24. Then Joseph woke up and did as the Lord's messenger had directed–he married the girl. But he didn't sleep with her until she had her baby. And he did name it Jesus.

Matthew 2.
1. When Jesus was born in Gainesville, Georgia during the time thaheardod was governor, some scholars from the Orient came to Atlanta and inquired, "Where is the one who was born to be governor of Georgia? We saw his star in the Orient, and we came to honor him." This news put Governor Herod and all his cronies in a tizzy. So he called a meeting of the big time preachers and politicians, and asked if they had any idea where the Leader was to be born. In Gainesville, Georgia," the replied, "because there's a bible prophecy which says:
'And you Gainesville, in the state of Georgia, Are by no means the least in the Georgia delegation; From you will come a governor, Who will wisely guide my chosen people.' "

So...Who is the person that did this? His name is Clarence Jordan...here is a brief history...

Both a Biblical scholar and a prophetic man of action,
Clarence Jordan lived out the New Testament in the soil of rural Georgia. A
visionary during the struggle for the civil rights of all God's children, he
founded an inter-racial community called Koinonia. On this farm, folks worked
side-by-side to make a living, following Jesus - a radical concept fifty years
ago. They experienced a great deal of opposition, even from those who followed
the same Lord. This community still exists, Koinonia Partners,
even though the visionary who started it died unexpectedly on October 29, 1969,
at the age of
fifty-seven.

Clarence was a powerful preacher - "direct, Bible-centered, and sternly
contemporary," as Edward A. Mcdowell, Jr. put it. "He spoke with the
earthiness of Amos of Tekoa, the boldness of Jeremiah, but often with the
tenderness of Hosea. There was something in Clarence of the asceticism and
gentleness of Saint Francis of Assisi but he never deserted the contemporary
scene and spoke and wrote with the dogged determination of Martin Luther." When
he preached, Clarence would write his own translation of a scripture he wanted
to use. "Only gradually did he realize he had hit upon a style of translation
that brought the Word to the reader with a new contemporary power," McDowell wrote. "As time went by, he completed individual
books of the New Testament which were widely circulated in pamphlet form. But
eventually he had done enough to be able to publish The Cotton Patch Version of
Paul' s Epistles.

So that's a wrap folks. There you have it...for more visit...

http://rockhay.tripod.com/cottonpatch/

keep in mind...this is not a real translation...

ps...please do not preach from, study from, or have a quiet time with this translation. :) :) :)

The Wonderful Word!

I was reading my wonderful Bible last night in Jeremiah, and read this passage on repentance. I came to the conclusion that there was a lot of sin in my life that I needed to repent of. I am so eager to pray for other people and their needs, which I think is good, however, I have to be concerned about the sin in my own life. I was so thankful for what I learned from Jeremiah last night. The Lord says that he will not stay angry forever as long as we admit our transgressions. When we admit those things we will be forgiven.

In the sermon yesterday, the pastor talked about the anger of God, and the fear of God. In an instant the holy Spirit has illumined me that unrepentant sin and the anger and fear of God all ties in together. Sin makes God angry, and we should fear him, respectfully, knowing that it is by his grace that we are saved and can be forgiven.

After repenting of sin we can bask in the mercy and forgiveness of God. Not forgetting, however, that there are consequences for sin and God is just. He does forgive, and we can be thankful for that.

Butterflies!

Oh man...remember in high school when you would pass by that really cute guy and he'd actually say hello? Your heart would melt and you couldn't speak? So, that's how I feel right now...you know how just the thought of that person makes you melt? Your face gets all red, you get those little butterflies in your stomach. Your palms get all sweaty, and you just don't know what to do with yourself...hmmm....don't know what to do with that situation. It's kinda silly actually...I shouldn't even be bothering with it, however there is something intriguing about this person that makes me want to know more about him. I feel like I know him a little bit, but I want to know him more. Amazing man of God he is. Maybe I'll meet him someday soon!

I want flowers!

What the heck is my problem? I think I am going trough a stinkin I want a boyfriend phase. It's kinda fun though. I have gone a little while now without having a crush on anyone, and I forget how fun it was. I have always been one to tell when I am crushin on someone...this time...shhhhh not telling. I think its even more fun not to tell anyone.

Outside of having a crush on someone, I am realizing more and more that there are several things that I have not considered when getting into a relationship that I want to end in marriage. MONEY! I am so stinkin' financially irresponsible its not even funny. I am getting better, but I need to work a little harder. I can't be in a relationship with someone...especially a marriage relationship, when money is already a big issue. Money is one of the biggest issues that arises when marriages go sour and then end in divorce. I DO NOT WANT TO BE PART OF THAT STATISTIC!

So, I guess I am more optimistic about relationships, someone that I love and respect write me an email the other day concerning what I said in my blog about me not getting married for different reasons. She helped me to understand and remember that God is in control! He is amazing and I know whoever he has for me will be AMAZING! I think for right now my only thought is...I WANT FLOWERS!!! Pretty flowers! I have a lot to learn that's for sure.

When will I fall in love?

I just wonder what he will be like? Christ-like FOR SURE! And exactly like my dad! Sure my dad isn't perfect, but he's the best dad in the world! I don't know why I am in such a hurry to fall in love and get married. I could be taking advantage of so many things in my singleness! Hmmm...things I can't do if I were married...

Have slumber parties...
Have my own bed... (I like my space)
Worry about interfering with his sceduale
just pick up and go whenever I want to
cook when I want to, not when commanded too (LOL)
make decisions on my own
can hang out with other guys whenever I want to


so thats a little encouraging...I also like to think that there are things that God wants me to accomplish in my singleness that I would not be able to accomplish if I were married. I know those things will come. Well...maybe someday I will fall on love, but for now I am going to focus on falling more in love with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is what sustains me. He fills the void and will never fail me unlike man. (mankind) Jesus will never fail me or break my heart. He is amazing and the standard by which I should comapre any and all potential guys that I would date or more importantly marry. I am going to keep my chin up, and focus on my relationship with God and making myself attractive from the insideout!

"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. Not to hurt you, not to hard you, but to give you hope and a future." Jer. 29:11

Waiting patiently with doubts

So I began thinking a lot this weekend, about what the Lord might have for me. We had a young adult retreat this weekenf and our speakers spoke a lot about dating and marriage. I thought long and hard about what they talked about. I realized that I know and understad all that. I just can't apply it all until I start dating someone and get married. Then the thought crossed my mind, what if I never get married?Do I feel called to celibacy? No. Do I feel like I will have a choice? No. and again, I don't think I understand why God made guys so visual, and myself so unpleasent to look at. I know what the Bible says about the way we see ourselves, and how we should be more concerned about winning them over by our humbleness and sweeet spirit. However, I feel like they won't look past the physical. You have to look at the outside first to see the inside. Anyway, I guess it's just a matter of me getting used to being single, and continuing to be contenet with that. I am ok if God calls me to singleness bu t I only feel like I am going to be single because of my looks. AH, I guess I really shouldn't be posting this on here. Someone might read think I am absolutley pitiful. I am just so sick of being the girl that guys talk to relationships with other girls instead of a relationship with me. I am always that girl who gives the guys all the advice in the world, however, none of them actually want to pursue me. Maybe one day...as for right now...I will continue to do what I am doing, Pursuing my God and my King, and maybe one day he will provide a husband for me.