FALLing Slowly

Hi blog. Missed you this week.

The title of this blog really has very little to do with this post, except for I loved Fall this weekend, but here's a little music to jam to while you read....



Good news: my tests are over.
Good news: I finished my 20 page paper.
Bad news: I found out my teacher moved it back to next Monday, once I got to class last night. Are you freaking kidding me?
Good news: I'm already done with it!
Good news: One whoooole week of (mostly) freedom. Or at least not having to think about a stinkin' 20 page paper all week.
Good news: This week was awe-to the-some. I adore fall.
And this weekend was fall to the max.
And despite having a 20 page paper due on Monday, I still lived it up this weekend.

It stared off on Thursday night at the Ryan Long concert with some of my sweet Halls friends. We loooove Ryan!

On Friday night we had leadership. Which I always love. (Side note: I've had enough up front at leadership attention to last a lifetime.)

Then we had movie night at Red Saile!
I don't know why I didn't take pictures of this. It was a scary movie watchin', hot chocolate and apple cider drinkin' cookie eatin', blanket snugglin' truck sittin' corn poppin' good time.
But really, it was an overwhelming, crowded, crazy blast. We'll for sure do it again sometime!

Then on Saturday after watching this girl dominate her state cross country meet (she won a bet I made). So proud of this kid...

Newly Braceface. Love her so much.

...We went to a pumpkin patch!! HECK YES FOR FALL!

Becca feeding the wildlife. And Kendall unsure what to think.

Perfect pumpkin picking is a particular process. (How's that for alliteration?!)

This pumpkin patch was in Halls and it was fabulous. GO! We got apples and cider and delicious baby pies. And pumpkins. Duh.

After the pumpkin patch we watched our Vols get dominated by Bama. I hate Alabama. But if ya gotta watch your team lose (again) might as well do it in a house full of good food and good friends! Followed by a celebratory bonfire for still having team spirit through think and thin! GBO.

Sunday, funday was church followed by me spending all day writing my "not-due-until-next-Monday-I-have-got-to-learn-how-to-use-email" paper.

Seriously, I am so thankful for this weekend. And for this life.

Thank you, God, for giving me a life I don't deserve!

I thought it was senior year...

This week got out of hand very quickly. I did not see it coming and am still a little confused as to how exactly it happened. I have had three tests (two down, one to go- holla!) and a 20 page paper due all within the week. I thought this was supposed to be my senior year of college! (While we're on the subject, I just registered for my last ever semester of college. I think the phrase "time flies when you're having fun" was made for this moment. Good gosh, someone make time slow just for a little while!)
These moments are where my love-hate relationship with school is clearly seen. THREE TESTS AND A 20 PAGE PAPER! But I still wanna stay here for-ev-er.

Here he is folks, Mr. John C. Hodges

So anyway, since after 3 and a half years I still haven't learned to study in advance, Mr. Hodges and I have taken up a relationship again. And it's getting serious pretty quickly. It was touch-and-go for awhile (see the second sentence of this post... it is my senior year) but we are back at it in full swing.

But I have decided, no one has died from too much work yet. And I doubt I'll be the first (especially since I am taking up my oh-so-precious study time to blog). So I figure I'll survive.

Some good news for me- maybe bad for you- it's going to be gross and cold and rainy all day tomorrow. Perfect for writing a dang long paper!
Here's to sleepless nights, hot coffee, rainjackets, sweatshirts, snack breaks, chatting breaks, Pinterest breaks, any-excuse-possible breaks, and dominating at college.
Over and out, Homies!

A Pinteresting Day!

Before y'all go into thinking I'm bipolar or something, let me just say, although I am 99.9% of the time just SO happy and joyful, that other .1% of the time when I'm just not, I have to choose joy. I choose to be happy. Like today. I'm still sad I'm not a Windy Gap. But I am choosing to be happy, despite circumstances.
So here's my day full of wonderful ideas thanks to Pinterest.

Pumpkin cookies (minus baking soda- oops)

Not actually on pinterest but it should be. We made these last night with the Halls girls going to camp.

A headband out of a tshirt I made this morning. Saw-weet!

We even Ding Dong Ditched our neighbors. It was just like being in high school again, but instead of angry dads with sleeping babies, our friends got to enjoy yummy treats. So fun for us and them.

 Happy freakin' weekend!

I debated on whether or not to publish this post. I am usually so happy and so enthusiastic in general. But today, not so much. But you know what, this is my blog and I do what I want. So here it is world...

Let me just be real for a minute. Today I have been sad. I really, really want to be going with all my friends (high schoolers, teammates, and even leaders at other schools) to Windy Gap this weekend.
I actually can't think of anything I want more at the moment.
I am SO pumped for all my friends going.
They are going to have the best time.
And get to hear and talk about Jesus all weekend.
I am not mad or frustrated or annoyed (although I've been all of those too).
I am just so sad for myself and my Halls friends who didn't want to go.
I don't want this to be a whiny post about how much I wish I was going to Windy Gap. So I apologize. Just sometimes ya gotta let it out.

However, I am reminded that circumstance don't determine my joy. That comes from Christ alone! Wow. Thanks again, Jesus Calling.

But sometimes I get discouraged. YoungLife is hard. Particularly when you do ministry for three years and don't see fruit from it.
I read this, though, and it seems about right...

“You job isn’t to fill other people’s cups. Your job is to empty yours.” – Andy Stanley

Umm... Okay. Clear reminder. It's not up to me! I am relieved of the pressure. But it's still sad. That's really all. 

I know this was lame and whiny (even though I tried to avoid it...), but I hope someone was a tiny bit encouraged. God is loving. And faithful. And I am thankful that we don't always understand Him. And He is good. And life is good. So good.
And to all of my friends going to Windy Gap, have the greatest time at the best place on Earth! (Drink a Cheerwine slush for me)

Jesus Calling

"Jesus Calling should be retitled to Your Daily Prophecy.” to quote someone I’m following on twitter. And I agree. 100%.

Confession: I’ve been struggling with the fact that I won’t be going to Windy Gap for weekend camp for the first time since I became a leader. And it sucks. A lot. The girls I hang out with straight up don’t want to go. So they make excuses. I’ve fought every excuse you can imagine. And I can’t win. They aren’t going. So neither am I. And I’m sad. I love them. And love Windy Gap. And love Jesus. And I want them to experience all this. But they won’t. Not this year anyway. So I’m totally bummed.

I’m trying so hard to see God’s reasoning for leaving them (and me) behind this weekend. I will worship Him even though I am disappointed.

So here is where “Jesus Calling” comes in. I feel like I’ve been doing okay in trusting the Lord in having another plan, but I have been complaining. Oh dear. To anyone who will listen. Because it IS hard. But here’s J.C. had to say...
"...you have not let go of My hand. I am pleased with your desire to stay close to Me. There is one thing, however, that displeases Me: your tendency to complain."
Insert "oops" here.
"You may talk to Me as much as you like about the difficulty of the path we are following. I understand better than anyone else the stresses and stains that have afflicted you. You can ventilate safely to Me, because talking with Me tempers your thoughts and helps you see things from My perspective."
Philippians 2:14-15
Yep. So that clears that up.
Complaining- see ya never!

I started this post a couple days ago, but waited to publish it and now I just have to put in the quote from Jesus Calling today on here.

"The only thing you absolutely need is the one thing you can never lose: My Presence with you."

so good. so thankful.

Finally gonna see the T...

It's gameday again!
I still haven't see the team run through the "T." My favorite part of Tennessee football. But tonight's the night! Finally.
We play Georgia tonight. I'm so excited for this game.
It's the perfect day for football.
And I love night games.
And we baked this morning. (Or I guess I should say no bake...)
See?
Yum...

"Football shaped" no bakes

SO easy to make. I'll definitely be making these again.
Basically life is so good today.
This post is really just to let all my faithful readers know that I am indeed still alive.
And loving this life. So blessed. Beyond what I deserve.
GBO.