New favorite thing!

                                                     I am now an official longboader! :)

got the new shoes for it

 got the pose

got the master teacher

And I love it!

Next thing to accomplish.....surfing!

falling into fall

As the long lingering daylight hours come to an end and as i pack my sundresses away for the year, i gladly say goodbye to summer and hello to rain, hot chocolate, and wrap-it-around-three times scarves. Fall has finally come and i welcome it immensely. So many memories are associated with this season. The start of school, the new routines. All of it is so....wonderful! So here is just a sampling of what i love most about Autumn:








Crisp Apple Pie(my Grandma's recipe)

Cold Crisp Mornings

Pumpkin Spice lattes-Starbucks is where its at!

carving pumpkins with my older brother, James.

crunchy apples

Starting to listen to Christmas music. (Yes, I do start in September)

candles

Tim Burton movies

change in leaves

rain

Wow! Jesus, you amaze me!

The more I get older, the more my faith becomes real to me. The Sunday school stories still stick in my head but what they mean to me has significantly changed. Have you ever thought real hard about what Jesus did for YOU? During my devotion today I was reading about what happened right before Jesus died. Not only was it unbearably painful to be beaten and tortured but it must have been so embarrassing, being mocked and criticized in front of everyone.


“Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking there head saying ‘ So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself.’ ” Mark 15:29-30

And yet Jesus didn’t say a word. He was truly the most innocent person who has ever existed and he didn’t try to defend himself or get the last word in. Instead he hung on a cross for MY sins. And while he was on the cross, he wasn’t thinking about the crown of thorns pressed upon his head, he didn’t think about how much blood he lost, or the excruciating pain he was in. He was thinking about me. And how, because of what he was doing, I get to go to heaven and be with him for eternity. ETERNITY!

That just amazes me. Although its good to hear and read about when Jesus healed the sick and lame and performed miracles, we need to be reminded of the not-so-sweet-part of Christs love story to us.

Thank you Jesus!

The Sky is the Limit!

I discovered that I hate routine. I thrive when I'm out of my comfort zone, being challenged.

   "Move out of your comfort zone. You can only

     grow if you are willing to feel awkward and

    uncomfortable when you try something new"

                                   ~ Brian Tracy~

So I  decided to write about my plans and goals for the future. A list of things I want and am going  to do before i die.


1. Lead someone to Christ


2. Learn how to rock climb

3. Ride an elephant

4. Give blood

5. Talk in an English accent for a week

6. Skydive

7. Vote for a president

8. Salsa dance

9. Read a classic book a year

10. Get a nose piercing

11. Send a message in a bottle

12. Drive a red convertible

13. Create a Blog

14. Sponsor a compassion kid

15. Have a spontaneous road trip

16. Graduate from college

17. See “The Phantom of the Opera” on the London stage

18. Take a horse drawn carriage in New York City

19. Become fluent in another language

20. Walk the Great Wall of China

21. Read the bible cover to cover

22. Make a garden

23. Learn how to surf

24. Visit someone in Prison

25. Learn how to play the guitar

26. Live in a place where they don’t speak English

27. Punch someone in the face

28. Host an 80’s party

29. Plan a wedding(preferably my own)

30. Swim with sharks

31. Run a marathon

32. Go to a Jack Johnson Concert

33. Visit all 6 Continents(I don’t count Antarctica)

34. Fire a gun

35. Climb a mountain

36. Go river rafting

37. Ride a horse in Ireland

As I sat in the chair, listening to the needles being sterolized, I reflected over the last couple of days. Well last couple of years. I have wanted this day to come for as long as i  can remember and finally, as scary as it might be, it was happening! I thought of all the negative sides to having this done. 1) Im the pastors daughter and who knows how many people will be offended or think i am a rebellious teen! 2) Its gonna hurt like CRAAAAAZY! 3) It cost $40 more than i thought it would totaling 70 big ones! And 4) once i was in the chair, there was no going back. But none of those things could ever stop me from fulfilling this life long dream of mine. I remembered how a few short days ago, my mom and dad wanted to have a serious talk, which ended up being the permission to get this done. Boy, did i start dancing with joy!

So there I was, holding my moms hand deep in thought. "Okay inhale and then exhale slowly" It was over in 21/2 seconds and i didn't even feel a thing. Now my nose isn't so naked and i have the cutest sparkle gleaming from it.  :) I still haven't gotten over this "Christmas Morning" feeling. Man i love life!

I decided to start a blog because it is on my "Bucket List" (list of things to do before i die) which ill probably be talking about alot because i really want to record them. :) we will see!