It's Sunday. I'm in Texas. Life is good.
A little over a week ago, I took my first solo flight to California. This was my first time to fly at all since 9/11. So TSA and that whole process with security really quite scared me...bad. So, I got to the airport at like 8 Saturday morning. I was exhausted from not sleeping the night before but I was stoked, nevertheless. Security was a breeze. I thought that the workers would be rude and stuck up - they were neither. I had a few conversations with the security guys and they were awesome. And super helpful. So I was stuck sitting at the airport till my flight took off.
I think that was honestly my favorite part of flying: people watching. I mean some of the things that people wear to the airport to sit on a plane. I mean, yeah, I was looking for a husband too. But I was definitely in a huge tshirt, shorts, tall socks and slides. And of course, I was rocking the visor.
I had prayed the day before that God would put a good looking, Jesus lover in the seat next to me. I want to say that I was joking but unfortunately, I wasn't. I was really hoping I'd have one of those awesomely romantic stories about meeting my husband on a plane.
It didn't happen. I got seated by a very quiet, elderly lady. I guess that was okay. :)
I landed in San Diego at 11. I had already gone through that hour in Texas so I was a little confused. San Diego was packed busy. That weekend they were hosting the ever famous Comic-Con. I was hoping to see Nathan Fillion but we all know how my luck works. But I did see a lot of veryyy interesting people. Many who were dressed in costumes and I found something very interesting...there were these "Christians" on the side of the road yelling at these people that they were going to Hell because of this whole Comic-Con thing.
Talk about dumb.
Anyway, so we didn't do anything that day. I was exhausted.
But on Sunday we went to SeaPort Village and that was sick. I loved it. But who would have thought that it would be so stinking cold in California? I had (okay, I didn't HAVE to) to buy a sweatshirt. Because, I of course, was wearing shorts and a light tshirt. I'm a Texan...we wear that every day!
My parents arrived later that day. And we didn't do too much after that.
As you can see, we are all about resting during vacation.
Monday, we went to my favorite place ever: TARGET.
I picked up some school supplies and spent way too much money. Typical.
Tuesday, we went to SeaWorld. I hadn't been to sea world in forever and it was so cool. I figured out my calling in life is to be a Shamu trainer. (This is real life)
It was beautiful to see those killer whales doing all those tricks. And it was a beautiful day outside. I also got sunburned while wearing sunscreen. White Girl Problems.
Wednesday we went to the beach. I love the beach. The second you get there and you smell the salt and fish smell - it just feels like home. Unfortunately, the water was freezing. I still got to boogie board (body surf) and regular surf as well. It was so good to be back on the water again. I got swallowed up by waves multiple times but it was so fun.
I also, once again, got super duper sunburned.
Thursday, we went to the zoo. I saw a baby giraffe nursing with it's mom. SO SO SO precious. God is so cool. I also got to see a panda, polar bear, and elephants. That was an awesome day. And yeah, I got sunburned.
Friday, we played skipbo and I got to meet up with one of my friends at Howard Payne! We had snowcones!! Rachael, if you read this, thanks! You rock! And then we went to my aunt and uncles where my uncle made steak that we put in burritos.
Yes, I broke my one rule about not eating steak. (That's a story for a different day...I'm definitely not a vegetarian though I that is what you are thinking. Although, I have thought about trying to be one. Then I remember I really really really like meat. :) )
Then Saturday morning, I flew home.
This trip to California really solidified something for me though. It solidified that I have a strong liking for the culture there. They need Jesus. I don't know where God will lead me to in life but I do know that there is a strong pull to go to California. The people are so awesome. Even those that don't know or love Jesus. I love conversing with them. (One conversation happened while waiting for my plane that was delayed)
It was a great vacation. I look forward to RA training coming up and meeting all of my girls. I'm ready to get back in the swing of school......I think. Although, I really am not looking forward to the whole "school" thing. I am ready to get back to my friends.
yooooo
map yo
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
My Life - In A Nut Shell - Starting Over.
I haven't blogged in a real real long time. So my apologies...I will try and do better with this one. Starting over. That's a good word for what has been going down in my life.
First off, God is really good.
My life has changed dramatically in the last year. The grace I have received is more than I could ever ask for. How God could take the person I was and totally transform my thoughts and heart - it's been a whirlwind of a ride. I am so thankful for the slight change of heart and the want to be a better follower of Christ. I fail. A lot. I suck at life. It isn't my strong point but what I don't suck at is having my future secured forever. I owe it all to Christ.
Second off, I've made some physical changes too.
Like in the last year, I've had a rib taken out. Awesome right? And it's so cool to see God use that to help other people with TOS. TOS is very close to my heart and I hope someday - it will not exist. So many people struggle with it and it is totally preventable if we just become educated.
That was rant of the day.
This summer has been so super challenging for me. I've had to deal with a lot more than I ever expected. This summer, I was on Summer Staff at Howard Payne University. Basically, we help facilitate all the camps that come to campus during the summer. It's been an awesome job and probably the best part was watching a lot of campers come to know Christ. And although I wasn't directly or even at all involved with their salvations...it's been awesome to see salvations. It's been awesome to pray for the high schoolers, middle schoolers, and elementary students who came to know Jesus.
The camps have not only been good for the campers but good for me as well. I've learned a lot about myself through the different worship services and different speakers that come through. I think one of the most sentimental things I have heard came from this week. The speaker said, "God and Satan have one thing in common..." and at first, I was really skeptical. I was like... "look, bro. I know you are from DBU and think that it's okay to say something like that - but it's not ok." For those of you who know me in real life - you can actually probably see me get my sassy pants on...but he continued. "God and Satan have one thing in common...they are both ferociously passionate for your heart."
And man, how true that is. God has already won the battle. Jesus said, "It is finished" and it was finished. But how true it is that the devil is still after our hearts. The devil is a tool. And he has used my weaknesses this summer to get me. He is such a tool. He makes me doubt my faith. He makes me doubt my God. He makes me angry, sad, and depressed. BUT GOD IS SO MUCH BIGGER. I've watched Him work His magic each and every day I have been in this town this summer. I've seen myself molded into the person I have wanted to be for a long time...I have seen Him work in the lives of my coworkers. I have seen Him work in the lives of my friends. It's just been awesome.
Another thing that I did this summer was get another tattoo. *Pauses for the gasps from readers*
Let's go over the thoughts you may be thinking...
1) Since when does Katie have more than ONE tattoo?
2) Her family will kill her.
And you are right on both accounts.
My parents are not thrilled. Especially my father...so that's fun. Sometimes I wish so hard that I wasn't an only child so I wasn't the ONLY one screwing up the "perfect" family portrait we have standardized in our household. That's a blog for a different day, though.
SO...now let's discuss the tattoos.
I have one of my right shoulder that says: "Believe" in cursive. I think it has changed meanings since I got it. I got this tattoo my freshman year of college. I was just coming out of an amazing softball program where that was the entire saying for the season. I ended up giving up softball once I got into college - so I knew I wanted something on my body forever that reminded me of softball. So believe it was. I think now it means so much more. Believing for me is hard. It's hard to believe. It's hard to believe (although I do believe it with all my heart) that Jesus would die for my sins. It's hard to believe that someday I am going to be an adult (when that moment will come - I am not sure) and will have to get a real "adult" job. It's hard to believe that God has my entire future planned and I'm just trying to figure out what the heck is even going on. And I believe that I am okay with that. Believe, that's what it means to me.
The newest tattoo is on my right wrist. Contrary to popular belief, it is the perfect placement for me because I wear my watch on my right wrist. Maybe that's what has been wrong with me this whole time...I am not sure. I am right handed and I wear my watch on my right hand - let's get that out of the way. Anyway, the tattoo on my wrist says, "HE > i" and yes, the i is lowercased. It is supposed to be. You grammar Nazi's need to get over it. I wanted HE to be all caps because it literally means He is greater than I. And I think it's such a great reminder for me. He is greater than I. He will always be greater than me. Always. I tend to forget that He has the PERFECT plan for my life. I tend to forget that He is Almighty and amazing. I tend to forget that His grace is sufficient. SO - long story short - I decided on HE > i.
Thursday is my last day on the job and that practically means summer is coming to an end. I will be traveling to California for a week to spend time with my family. It's going to rock and then as soon as we get back, I am packing all over again and moving back on campus for my new job.
New jobs are crazy. Especially when it caught my COMPLETELY by surprise....
I am going to be a Resident Assistant.
HOLY MOLY.
There are not enough words in the dictionary to describe the feelings I have for the anticipation of this job. I am scared to death. I don't want my residents to hate me. I do not want to fail at this job. I suck at opening up to people and now I will have to (maybe) be the slightest bit vulnerable to them. WHY DID I GET CHOSEN? I ask myself that a lot. But I think and believe that God is going to work through these girls and work through me as well. At least...that's what I have prayed.
It's going to be a whirlwind of a year. I am only taking 13 hours but my days will be long. I will be going to class, going to observe classes at a local high school, I am involved in SAC, I will be assisting at every football game (if I told you with what - that would give the whole secret away...*hint hint*), Gamma Beta Phi Meetings, Interning at Coggin, Love Brownwood and having a social life on top of all of that. Some people (my mother) have expressed how hard this load will be but I am so excited.
This has been my life in a nutshell. Thanks for reading. Will update after California.
First off, God is really good.
My life has changed dramatically in the last year. The grace I have received is more than I could ever ask for. How God could take the person I was and totally transform my thoughts and heart - it's been a whirlwind of a ride. I am so thankful for the slight change of heart and the want to be a better follower of Christ. I fail. A lot. I suck at life. It isn't my strong point but what I don't suck at is having my future secured forever. I owe it all to Christ.
Second off, I've made some physical changes too.
Like in the last year, I've had a rib taken out. Awesome right? And it's so cool to see God use that to help other people with TOS. TOS is very close to my heart and I hope someday - it will not exist. So many people struggle with it and it is totally preventable if we just become educated.
That was rant of the day.
This summer has been so super challenging for me. I've had to deal with a lot more than I ever expected. This summer, I was on Summer Staff at Howard Payne University. Basically, we help facilitate all the camps that come to campus during the summer. It's been an awesome job and probably the best part was watching a lot of campers come to know Christ. And although I wasn't directly or even at all involved with their salvations...it's been awesome to see salvations. It's been awesome to pray for the high schoolers, middle schoolers, and elementary students who came to know Jesus.
The camps have not only been good for the campers but good for me as well. I've learned a lot about myself through the different worship services and different speakers that come through. I think one of the most sentimental things I have heard came from this week. The speaker said, "God and Satan have one thing in common..." and at first, I was really skeptical. I was like... "look, bro. I know you are from DBU and think that it's okay to say something like that - but it's not ok." For those of you who know me in real life - you can actually probably see me get my sassy pants on...but he continued. "God and Satan have one thing in common...they are both ferociously passionate for your heart."
And man, how true that is. God has already won the battle. Jesus said, "It is finished" and it was finished. But how true it is that the devil is still after our hearts. The devil is a tool. And he has used my weaknesses this summer to get me. He is such a tool. He makes me doubt my faith. He makes me doubt my God. He makes me angry, sad, and depressed. BUT GOD IS SO MUCH BIGGER. I've watched Him work His magic each and every day I have been in this town this summer. I've seen myself molded into the person I have wanted to be for a long time...I have seen Him work in the lives of my coworkers. I have seen Him work in the lives of my friends. It's just been awesome.
Another thing that I did this summer was get another tattoo. *Pauses for the gasps from readers*
Let's go over the thoughts you may be thinking...
1) Since when does Katie have more than ONE tattoo?
2) Her family will kill her.
And you are right on both accounts.
My parents are not thrilled. Especially my father...so that's fun. Sometimes I wish so hard that I wasn't an only child so I wasn't the ONLY one screwing up the "perfect" family portrait we have standardized in our household. That's a blog for a different day, though.
SO...now let's discuss the tattoos.
I have one of my right shoulder that says: "Believe" in cursive. I think it has changed meanings since I got it. I got this tattoo my freshman year of college. I was just coming out of an amazing softball program where that was the entire saying for the season. I ended up giving up softball once I got into college - so I knew I wanted something on my body forever that reminded me of softball. So believe it was. I think now it means so much more. Believing for me is hard. It's hard to believe. It's hard to believe (although I do believe it with all my heart) that Jesus would die for my sins. It's hard to believe that someday I am going to be an adult (when that moment will come - I am not sure) and will have to get a real "adult" job. It's hard to believe that God has my entire future planned and I'm just trying to figure out what the heck is even going on. And I believe that I am okay with that. Believe, that's what it means to me.
The newest tattoo is on my right wrist. Contrary to popular belief, it is the perfect placement for me because I wear my watch on my right wrist. Maybe that's what has been wrong with me this whole time...I am not sure. I am right handed and I wear my watch on my right hand - let's get that out of the way. Anyway, the tattoo on my wrist says, "HE > i" and yes, the i is lowercased. It is supposed to be. You grammar Nazi's need to get over it. I wanted HE to be all caps because it literally means He is greater than I. And I think it's such a great reminder for me. He is greater than I. He will always be greater than me. Always. I tend to forget that He has the PERFECT plan for my life. I tend to forget that He is Almighty and amazing. I tend to forget that His grace is sufficient. SO - long story short - I decided on HE > i.
Thursday is my last day on the job and that practically means summer is coming to an end. I will be traveling to California for a week to spend time with my family. It's going to rock and then as soon as we get back, I am packing all over again and moving back on campus for my new job.
New jobs are crazy. Especially when it caught my COMPLETELY by surprise....
I am going to be a Resident Assistant.
HOLY MOLY.
There are not enough words in the dictionary to describe the feelings I have for the anticipation of this job. I am scared to death. I don't want my residents to hate me. I do not want to fail at this job. I suck at opening up to people and now I will have to (maybe) be the slightest bit vulnerable to them. WHY DID I GET CHOSEN? I ask myself that a lot. But I think and believe that God is going to work through these girls and work through me as well. At least...that's what I have prayed.
It's going to be a whirlwind of a year. I am only taking 13 hours but my days will be long. I will be going to class, going to observe classes at a local high school, I am involved in SAC, I will be assisting at every football game (if I told you with what - that would give the whole secret away...*hint hint*), Gamma Beta Phi Meetings, Interning at Coggin, Love Brownwood and having a social life on top of all of that. Some people (my mother) have expressed how hard this load will be but I am so excited.
This has been my life in a nutshell. Thanks for reading. Will update after California.
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