One More Day

Oh man, I absolutely cannot wait for tomorrow to be over. It's not that I am dreading what I have tomorrow, I am just too excited about what comes after. At the same time, I know that time is not going to stop moving when I decide I want it to. I can't keep wishing the time away while urging it to pass quickly. These past few weeks have been a whirlwind and I cannot imagine what the next(and last)two weeks of my Freshman year will be like. I do know they will be filled with exams, studying, exams, and more studying. It is going to be sad to say goodbye to everyone I have met here in Cornerstone, even though I know I will keep up with all the people that I am close to.

"Decide what to be, and go be it."

First of all, can I just say that this quote is so appropriate for my current situations. I have less than four weeks of school left and then my Freshman year is over. I absolutely cannot believe how quickly it has gone by, and yet I am so excited to see what the next three years will bring.

Second of all, the Avett Brothers are AMAZING. Even if you have never heard of them before, you should take the time to watch some of their live performances. I promise you won't regret it. My personal favorite is, Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise. After last night's concert, I have had their music playing non-stop and I love it.

"When nothing is owed or deserved or expected

And your life doesn’t change by the man that’s elected

If you’re loved by someone, you’re never rejected

Decide what to be and go be it"

So Long Insecurity

I have a new obsession. No, it is not online shopping (although that has been quite a hobby of mine lately). No, it's not shoes. It's becoming a young woman with as little insecurity as possible. I know, I know, this is definitely not the typical obsession you were expecting. Since reading Beth Moore's So Long Insecurity, I am inspired to throw off the insecurities of this world and fully embrace who I am in Christ.
Reading this book, I have realized that despite thinking of myself as a fairly secure person, I have so many insecurities. Parts of this book seem like somebody read my mind and dictated onto paper what I was feeling. The things I have done as a result of insecurity as absolutely ridiculous. Why do I strive to feel accepted by everyone and their brother? This book has really caused me to step back and see that I am loved by the only one who's opinion even matters.
Currently, my stress level is through the roof. With housing, Chemistry quizzes, exams, Spring Break, money issues, summer job applications, applications for next year, CNA junk, and all the other fun stuff going on, I have been overwhelmed to say the least. It all hit me tonight though, and I broke down as soon I heard my mom's comforting voice on the other line. Let me just pause right here and say that I am so incredibly thankful for a mom who encourages me constantly in the Lord. Her responses, though hard to hear at times, always have something to do with praying about it, trusting in Him for my needs, or just a few Bible verses. On days like today, I really appreciate this. So, as soon as I hung up the phone, I walked over to my desk and picked up good ol' Beth Moore's book. For days, I have been putting off reading it, claiming that I have better things to do. Not tonight. I absolutely drink in every word that flies off the page, and I love being able to see Beth Moore's humor coming through, a result of doing her Bible Study this summer. As soon as I started reading, I was instantly relieved and comforted in knowing that I am not the only person struggling with stress and insecurities. Everyone has their problems, and everyone is struggling with something or other. So how about I shift the focus from my problems to all the things I have to be thankful for. Let me start with Beth Moore. I am so thankful for her sweet Southern charm and her ability to so accurately share the Gospel and love of Christ. I cannot forget my sweet Mom, either, who quite ironically reminds me a lot of Beth Moore. Perhaps that is why I feel so connected to Beth Moore whether I am watching a video or reading her book.
Enough with my rambling though, until next time, I challenge everyone to examine their own hearts and start dealing with the insecurities that are creeping into our innermost beings, and swiftly show them the door.

Simply Captivating

"Man's love is of a man's life a thing apart

'Tis a woman's whole existence." -Byron

The more I read this quote, the stronger the truth rings out. What is it about women that make us long so dearly for love. Between having conversations with my sister and my friends I have had countless chats regarding boys, love, God's plan for love and our lives, and so much more. ALL ABOUT LOVE. To girls, we think of finding that perfect someone, our Mr. Right if you will, as being our "be all end all." This is not a biblical view, despite being one held by the majority of our culture today. Think about it, if you know someone who is over 25 and not married -or at least headed in the direction of marriage-perhaps uncontrollably, you think to yourself, "What's wrong with them?" How sad is that, we judge the person for something that is completely out of their reach. Throughout the Bible, celibacy is condoned and even held high in God's eyes.

Take a look at 1 Corinthians 7:8 which reads, "Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do." Paul was writing this concerning his vow to remain unmarried, a command he received from God. I know what some are thinking at the moment, Paul was a man and everyone obviously knows that boys are different from girls. This is true, but after starting to read the book Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge, I have realized how perfectly men and women and our desires fit together, something that only God could have designed.

One of my dear friends also brought this verse to my attention, 1 Corinthians 7:34 "His interests are divided. In the same way, a woman who is no longer married or has never been married can be devoted to the Lord and holy in body and in spirit. But a married woman has to think about her earthly responsibilities and how to please her husband. "

Have you ever thought of being single in such a way? That is is not a curse but a blessing? I know my view has changed every since reading this verse and realizing that I am able to focus fully on God. I do not have to fret about being a good wife, obeying my husband AND God, having children, balancing my children, husband AND God. For me, I can think only of GOD. What a blessing! I strive to eat up every day I have as a single woman who can focus fully on Him.

It is so encouraging to read about how God planned every detail, so why on earth should I worry about who I will marry, or even who I will date. My life is in HIS hands, and I am so relieved that I do not have make my own destiny. Aren't you?

[Insert Cliché New Year's Title Here]

I have decided that I am officially the worst at keeping up with this thing! My posts are so few and far apart, but I just am still not sure how I feel about the whole blogging thing. I have been so crazy lately, as has everyone else, and that just adds to it. Obviously there are a few things I should cover since a lot has happened since I last wrote.

First of all, exams went really well. All the hours spent pouring over books-and not the enjoyable novel type...think hundreds of pages of straight up information- and I feel my efforts were not futile (thank goodness)! I was able to be home for over a month, which was a nice break from school, but I am ready to go back. Secondly, I ended the year 2010 with some great friends at Bald Head Island, which is one of my most favorite places in North Carolina by far. We spent the weekend staying up late and sleeping in, and of course we took time out of our short days by walking on the beach or riding in the golf cart.

I must say, a month off may or may not have been a little bit too much for me. I struggled to find something to fill the gaps in my day (hence jumping back on the blogging bandwagon). I absolutely loved being home, and being with my best friend and sister, along with the rest of my family. One of the most memorable events over break was going to see The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in 3D, which turned into a whole affair to remember. I think the last movie my family saw together in theaters was Finding Nemo-"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming..." Just picture my Dad and his fascination with the 3D glasses, and my family may or may not have snapped a few photos of us all sporting them.

Another obsession of mine is currently looking at wedding photography blogs, don't ask me why. I honestly get such a feeling of excitement just scrolling through the endless pages of wedding after wedding and engagement pictures after engagement pictures. I LOVE IT! I'm sure if some onlooker glanced at my bookmarks they would naturally assume that I was engaged and trying to collect ideas, but alas, I am not. I am just a hopeless romantic who loves to ogle over the obvious happiness that is attached to engagements and marriages. Call me silly, but I'll continue to do this as long as I am bored.

Take a look at these, but be careful because you may get hooked like I did!

• Southern Weddings Magazine
• Caroline Joy Photography
• Nancy Ray Photography

I simply cannot wait to have the opportunity to put some of these creative ideas to use, but don't you worry-I am completely content to be single and have no intentions of rushing when I do find Mr. Right.

The other blog I absolutely adore is College Fashion, a website that focuses all of its posts and attention to college students-and yes, this includes ideas on a {college student budget}. The ideas are very helpful and provide much insight into topics that range from laundry tips to hairstyles to the latest fashion trends. My favorite posts are the ones that give complete outfit ideas, which are helpful to someone like myself who is not great at putting together cute, stylish outfits(see here for an outfit inspired by the popular film Inception.)

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season!

Cram Time

One of the things I have realized about myself while in college is that I have a lot less motivation than I imagined. Friday marks the beginning of what is sure to be a stressful week for all students on this campus. It is the week that everyone dreads from the beginning of the year, and that is exam week. Honestly, I do not feel stressed or overwhelmed at the moment, but that is not exactly moving me into action (aka studying). I find myself clicking on Facebook, Youtube, or honestly anything BUT the study sites I know I should be on. Each day, I keep saying that I will get on task, and do what needs to be done. Yet I still struggle in even getting some of the most menial tasks done. One thing that I am very proud of myself for is that I successfully completed and submitted my application, resume, and cover letter for the Student Ambassador Program along with the Involvement Specialist job opening on campus. Let me just reiterate that I will be much more surprised if I do get accepted into the SA program or get the on campus job then if I don't. I have heard so much about the difficulty and unlikeliness that an underclassmen would get such coveted positions. Nonetheless, I submitted my resume and am hoping for the best.

These pictures are just a few I took one night while eating dinner downtown a few weeks ago. I still cannot believe that I am living in such a beautiful area.

The Battleship at Sunset

A verse I am completely in love with right now is;
Romans 8:31-"If God is for us, who can ever be against us?"
It reminds me of the song "Our God" by Chris Tomlin, which brings me near tears every time I hear it due to the great reminder it serves of how awesome and powerful our God really is. I pray that I will never forget this, and that I will serve as a constant reminder to others.

Oh, Memories

So this weekend I made the three hour trek up to Boone with Lauren, knowing full and well that we were going there to help her move into and possibly clean her apartment. I didn't realize until she started packing all of her things and moving them out of my room just how much I loved having her with me this summer. Things were different this summer than last for several reasons, the main one being that her room was stolen by Martin before Lauren could say "Appalachian State University". At the beginning of the summer I was honestly dreading having to share a room with her since we had such a rocky summer last summer that carried over into the remainder of the year. However, when we started locking up to head to Boone with all of Lauren's stuff in tow, it hit me. I have ABSOLUTELY loved being closer to her and having her as my best friend, co-worker, and sister (of course). I promise I wasn't trying to get all mushy and I even kept from crying the WHOLE time! Props to me, this has got to be a first!

My lovely Mother.

The views were breathtaking as usual!

Side note: Move in is only thirteen days away! AHH this is so crazy and I know these next two weeks are going to fly by!