Provisions and Christmas

Welp...another Christmas has come and gone. It went too fast!
I was in Maryland the past couple days with my family and loving life. I don't know why, maybe being older, but I appreciated everything about it so much more than I usually do this year.

-Opening presents with the rents as our cat explored through the mountains (okay maybe not mountains) of paper.

-Going to MD Christmas eve and having our traditional oyster stew and crab soup dinner.

-Watching a Christmas Story with everyone.

-Christmas day with grandparents.

-Yummy big breakfast!

-Stockings and presents with cousins, aunts, uncles and everyone.

-Dutch blitz playing.

-Christmas dinner.

It was just SO great!! And I'm so thankful.

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures to share.

Before I move on, let me just tell you...it is a STRANGE thing to hear your grandparents explaining facebook... hahah just...weird. annnd moving on...


I got the apartment!!!!!! WOOHOOO!!! I waited more than a week for that news and was getting very impatient.
It was by far the nicest one and the one I can most afford. It's on the main street in a little town, walking distance from the library, the post office, subway, and chinese food ;)

I'll most likely post pictures when I can. I haven't moved in yet, and still don't know my move in date because there is a girl living there now who needs to get out.

This is my first time, really ever, to have to pay for most of my expenses and I'm really learning so much and seeing awesome ways of God providing!

God's provisions are the best EVER.

I looked at 3 apartments and it's just amazing that the nicest one was the cheapest!
Right after I found out that I would need to be looking for apartments (and thinking about my income) I got contacted by someone for a babysitting job. Whoa God, SO AWESOME how your timing is perfect.
This month as far as my job job goes, I'm not making much because of the week off..and no sadly I don't get paid for that. So I'm missing a weeks worth of pay...BUT I'm also second shooting at a wedding on New Years eve and making almost (not quite) what I would make for that week!! Whoa God. Provisions. Blowing my mind.

The other thing is...I have close to no furniture for my new apartment. ha. I'm so excited to add my personal touch, but I've been thinking about all the stuff I need.
Well it just so happens that some family of my family is moving permanently to their second house and they are getting rid of things.
So, I'll be getting pots and pans, a toaster oven and maybe even plates and silverware!! How awesome?!

Provisions!!

It also puts me wayy more at ease because I feel like this is really the road I'm in fact supposed to be going down. I wasn't sure if I should really move out of where I'm at just yet, but now I know it's right. BECAUSE of the fact that everything seems to be falling into place. (and of course I have been praying all along about where I would be)

ALSO- the lanlord is a woman who is 1) a christian 2) knows one of my friends' family 3) Is probably distant cousins with the women I live with now.

Whaaat?!

There are just so many comforting signs that God has placed in my path that have me feeling so grateful.

My dad is even saying "don't worry about it, if you need help (money wise) we'll help you"

Whoaa folks...my mom would say that in a heart beat, but my dad is another story, so even that was a HUGE comfort.

So yes.

Provisions.

God. your. awesome.

Sorry for the jumble of thoughts! But I've been so excited about it all!!

:)

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas!

WOO Jesus!

Do you ever realize that you're holding your breath?

I've been realizing myself doing it a lot lately...and then I have to remember to breathe. literally and figuratively..

This week went super fast. Today didn't really feel like Friday at all... BUT I'm so glad it is! I love the weekend.

Do you know what else I seriously LOVE?!?!

.....CHRISTMAS TIME!!!!!! :D

I. love. Christmas.

and all that goes with it.

I loveee the music.

The lights.

The decorations.

The busy malls.

Wrapping paper.

Candy canes.

Warm feeling of togetherness.

Presents.

Family.

Stockings.

Traditions.

Food.

And best of ALL, although I have to admit guiltily that I tend to push this to the back burner... JESUS' BIRTHDAY!! :D

I LOVE CHRISTMAS!! WOO!

Speaking of Jesus and His B-day, I heard this song on the radio this morning for the first time and really loved it. Take a listen, I'm positive you'll be glad you did.

Peace, love an hugs to you today. :)

Blessings!

Gobble gobble gobble

I'm hooomee. :)

Currently sitting on my bed and listening to the new Justin Bieber Christmas cd. It's rather good.

I don't know about you, but I am SO excited that it's time for Thanksgiving!!! It's one of my favorite Holidays. I love the chance to come home, and to have off for a few days from school.

This morning Amanda and I went and got massages at a place in Millersville because we had coupons. It was glorious. It felt amazing, but it also kind of hurt... I have a bunch of knots and I guess I'm really sore in some spots... but..it was great, none the less. :)

This is a picture of me as a turkey...:) haha. At school yesterday I was helping out, sort of,...in a 3rd grade classroom, and they were making these turkeys in disguise, so I made one too...I made it look like myself. HA. I'm aware that it is pretty ridiculous, but the kids said it was REALLY good. Gotta love 3rd grade ;)

I've been a little more occupied at school... I helped some teachers grade some papers on Monday, and then Tues morning I walked around a little bit. People didn't really need help though since it was such a low-key morning. (I had a couple kinder classes in the PM)

Thanks for saying prayers about the job, I feel better when I keep God at the forefront. (duh...probably because that's the way God intended it..;)

some randoms..

-I'm addicted to words with friends again...(thank you Amanda.)

-Every time I see someone who's hair is even remotely long, I find myself judging whether or not it is long enough to donate. haa And if it is, I think to myself, they could donate that... yeah. weird.

-I'm trying to turn myself into a runner. I want to stay fit...and I think I could stand to lose a few pounds..

-I have SUCH a longing for my own classroom...!! ahhh I cant. wait.

-The whole concept of a library just makes me feel so happy inside. Does that make me a nerd?..ha. I love to read! Yeah...I'm a nerd.

I'm so thankful for my God who has saved me and calls me His own.

Thankful for my friends and family.

A place to call home. (more than one place I can call home, at that)

A job. with benefits.

Warmth.

soo...much to be thankful for. I'm still writing out my 1000 thankfuls in a journal. I think I'm up to about 70 something... but I know it goes way beyond that even!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

On Christ the solid Rock I stand

HAPPY EASTER!! He is risen! Hallelujah :))))

It may seem kind of weird that I am in fact blogging on Easter, but today in my mind will be a day to relax, soak in Jesus and "veg".

Lately, I haven't been spending as much devotion time with God as I would like to be. I haven't been getting up on time to read in the morning, and I've been pretty busy. I'm starting to get the feeling that God is mad or disappointed but this morning I was thinking about a sermon that I heard and wrote about one time. God isn't mad when we feel like WE are doing "bad"...and He isn't happy when we feel like we are doing "good". He loves us no matter what and He sees our hearts. I'm so thankful today for God's grace and His relationship that He freely offers to His children. Every one.

Last night a really scary thing happened.

A couple of friends and I went to Rita's water ice at around 9:20 ish. We were standing in line there while one of us was ordering and this man walked really fast up to the counter and he was wearing a mask. He shouted at us to "get the **** out of here!" and we ran to the car. He was trying to rob the Rita's! It was the scariest thing ever. The Rita's employees huddled together in the back of the store and they called the police. The guy ran away and the police came pretty quickly. We had to talk to them because we were the main witnesses who saw the man. We described to the police what he was wearing and they thought they might have had him at a local train station. One of the police officers took us in his car to see if it was him...but we didn't think so because he had different clothes on than we saw. So, they let that man go I guess.

The scariest part was thinking about what COULD have happened. He could have had a gun. He could have touched us. He could have.. stolen OUR things. But PRAISE GOD we are safe! So many things could have happened, but nothing did!! God was so totally keeping us from harm.

That experience just reminded me how messed up this world is. I was thinking about that man last night. He isn't just a "bad guy". He was once a child. He had/has some sort of family and he has a personality. What would make him do that? What happened in this guys life that he turned out that way? He needs God. Our world is an evil place because of "the fall" and that's reality. I'm NOT exempt from the harm of this world and bad things can happen. I'm so grateful we're okay.


In other news.. I'm graduating in 12 DAYS!!!! SO excited :))

I think I have (sort of) decided that I am going to live in the area near school about 25 minutes west of where I go to school now. A friend of mine has offered a room in her home to me and it's right near schools that I want to work in, and a couple of best friends that I would get to be near. For now...I'm thinking I'll live there, but hey...it could change. ;)

Yesterday I went to a birthday party (before the Rita's incident) for an 18 year old and it made me feel really old. They are all graduating high school and moving on to college and I'm graduating from college. Soon to start real life. It's a weird feeling...

Hope everyone enjoys their Easter and family time! Jesus is RISEN. :)