Reliving the Glory Days

There sure ain't nuttin' like High School, right? Right?

Haha yeah right.

I actually do not have any negativity towards high school. I went to a private Christian school for ten years and loved every minute of it. I was incredibly blessed to have attended PCA. That is where I made my best friends.

Last night we all got together for the first time in a year. Each lady kept saying she couldn't believe a whole year had passed since we were all in the same room. That was the mutual feeling of the evening. It was a night I will remember for quite a while. We all gathered at Tenley's house and simply had a wonderful time catching up. We ate, talked, ate some more, watched Love Actually, ate again, and, of course, played Catch Phrase. After consuming every ounce of food (literally) we headed to the beautiful and classy Highland Park to look at Christmas lights. Well shoot me now. I have never seen more beautiful homes. They were all so unique and classy. This is where I dream of raising a family. Now I just need to find me a doctor hubby...just kidding...but seriously. :)

Here are some pictures. I hope these give you a hint of what my best friends are like. Enjoy. :)































Until next time,

Baking, Baking Is So Fun...

Especially when shared with everyone!

I'm not sure what has come over me the past couple of days, but let me tell ya I have been unable to put down the whisk and mixing bowl. I came across several new recipes and just had to try them. Plus, I couldn't stand to sit in front of a TV any longer...Christmas break 2010 boredom has gotten the best of me folks.

The first recipe was a Blueberry Coffee Cake. Unfortunately, I forgot to document the experience. But the final product turned out beautifully! Just like I planned. It's rather delicious if I do say so myself. I also baked chocolate chip cookies as well as oatmeal cookies, but who hasn't seen those at some point in their life. Am I right? So we'll skip those pictures.

Now the third recipe, and my personal favorite, was a dessert that I have eaten several times, but has never made until now. Drum roll please...


CAKE BALLS!!!

I don't even like cake, but these little guys are full of yummy goodness. Mmm mmm! Now, I cannot take any credit for this recipe. Two of my good friends were kind enough to share it with me, and I am here to do the same with you.

Cake Balls
Ingredients:
1 box red velvet cake mix
1 can creamy vanilla frosting
1 tray vanilla candy coating
1 tray chocolate candy coating

Directions:
1. Bake cake mix according to recipe on box
2. Mix finished cake with vanilla frosting in a large mixing bowl
3. Put this in the freezer for 20-30 minutes
4. Roll mixture into little balls (makes appx. 35-45)
5. Put balls into freezer for another 20-30 minutes
6. Melt both trays of candy coating according to directions on packages
7. Coat half the balls into vanilla candy coating and the other half into the chocolate
8. Sprinkle remaining coating on opposite balls

Here are pictures!



















Until next time,

Fear of the Unknown

Tommorow I have an appointment with my endocrinologist. Yikes. These visits terrify me no matter what. Don't ask me why, they just do. I think about them for days leading up to the moment I walk into the office. I love my doctor and her team of nurses and nutritionists, but even they are not able to ease my nerves. I think this fear roots from years of hearing stories and watching loved ones suffer from the same conidition. There are so many unknowns to this disease, which scares me. I do not like to live in the unknown. I like to be fully aware of everything going on around me, no matter how minute the issue.

Before each appointment, I recite this passage over and over again. It reads:

19-21 I'll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness,
the taste of ashes, the poison I've swallowed.
I remember it all—oh, how well I remember—
the feeling of hitting the bottom.
But there's one other thing I remember,
and remembering, I keep a grip on hope:
22-24 God's loyal love couldn't have run out,
his merciful love couldn't have dried up.
They're created new every morning.
How great your faithfulness!
I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over).
He's all I've got left.

25-27 God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,
to the woman who diligently seeks.
It's a good thing to quietly hope,
quietly hope for help from God.
It's a good thing when you're young
to stick it out through the hard times.

It is easy to say I will trust God through everything, but I fail daily. It is easy to say I believe God's plan prevails, but I constantly doubt His plan. It is easy to say God knows what He is doing, but I seem to doubt His abilities.

My biggest fear before each appointment is that the doctor will give me news I do not want to hear. No one wants to hear their kidneys are failing or their eyesight is quickly deteriorating; however, these are side affects of Juvenile Diabetes. While I am young and relatively healthy, this type of news can still occur. I just pray that everything will be okay.

I do not every talk to anyone about my disease. Do not ask me why, I just don't. Maybe I am embarrassed, maybe I am scared people will view me differently or take pity on me. I don't like to be different. I do not enjoy drawing attention to myself. While I do want to make an impact in the world of Juvenile Diabetes, I would rather do so with other diabetics by my side, holding my hands.

The song "Healer" by Kari Jobe really spoke to me tonight, as well as Hillsong United's "You Hold Me Now." Both songs speak of God prevailing through the trials and tribulations we face. One day I will be forever healed, but until that day comes, it is my duty to take care of my body and praise God for trusting me to handle living with a disease.

Until next time,

I Love You, I Love You, I Love You

What girl has not dreamt of one day hearing these words from her future husband? I know I certainly have.

It all begins with an innocent crush in 5th grade, then turns into something more serious during high school, until finally escalating to true love in college. This is what I planned my life would look like. I remember being a senior in high school dreaming of the day when I would finally venture off to a university where I would meet my future husband. We would fall madly in love, be engaged my senior year (he is two years older BT-dubs), and marry in June the summer after I graduate. Of course we would be the best of friends before any of this happened, meaning hang out quite a bit during my freshman and sophomore years.

If only. This plan has come and gone. Not saying I haven't met the love of my life, maybe I have, who knows. What I am saying, however, is that I cannot plan events such as this to happen. No one can. God tells us to give Him the control and power for a reason; that reason is so that women will not drive themselves to the point of insanity trying to create the perfect life. Now there will always be those certain women who refuse to give up the control. I take pity on them. They miss out on the uncertainty of life. While this can be a seemingly terrifying aspect of human nature, God remains faithful and does disappoint us. He may not always give us what we want, but He does seem to meet the innermost desires of our hearts. With all that said, a girl can still dream of how her life may turn out; that's perfectly acceptable in my book...guilty as charged.

My mind has beein stirring lately with these thoughts and musings. I find myself daily pondering what the future holds. Will I get married? When will I meet "the one?" Have I already met him? What does he look like? Will our children resemble him or myself? Where will we live? Now, some may declare me mentally unstable. Maybe I am. So sue me. I do not want to give the impression that I sit there for hours a day thinking about such things. I personally think it's pretty common for girls my age to experience these kind of thoughts and feelings.

A friend recently informed me of a "husband journal." A girl writes letters to her husband before she has even met him. These letters can be about anything topic, such as a thank you letter to God for placing him in her life to a note explaining her worry and fear that she will never find true love. I am considering starting one myself. Perhaps this is due to my obsession with chivalry and older, much simpler times. Or it could be due to sheer boredom over Christmas break. Later on in life, possibly hours before walking down the aisle, the bride will present the completed journal to her husband. My prayer in doing so is that it will present a completely different side of the lady to the groom. It couldnt' hurt, right? :)

I have spent the last two nights watching Pride & Prejudice...by myself, but that's beside the point. It is, in my opinion, one of the greatest movies of all time. I stand mesmerized at the way Mr. Darcy loves Elizabeth Bennett. It is the definition of true love, sacrifice, and comprimise. Goodness I just love it. My favorite part of the whole movie is a scene that occurs at the very end. Mr. Darcy and Lizzy are sitting by the water. They discuss various names for him to call her, only to agree on several. I refuse to say anything more for fear of ruining the scene. Here you go. Enjoy. :)



I recently came across these vows and fell in love with them. They speak volumes of true love, sacrifice, and comprimise, mixed with a little humor of course. They read:

"I will kill the spiders, I will share my fries with you when you're finished all yours and are still hungry. I won't ever pop my collar. I will never be rude to your tummy when I hear it growl and gurgle. I promise to bend down and reply respectfully. I will eat the mushrooms when we order the supreme pizza. I will kiss the papercuts and the door-slammed finger and the counter-bumped hip. I'll try my hardest not to get annoyed when you whisper questions and comments during movies. I will be the big spoon. I will let you win at wrestling, sometimes. Other times I will not. I will pull when you want and tease you when you don't. I will send you random texts and leave you silly gifts, not on schedule. Just whenever I want to. Whenever I think you need one, or seven. I will check your tire pressure. And remind you to take your car in. I will hold your hand. I will love you. I will love you. I will love you."

My absolute favorite part is again the very end. Repetition gets me every time.

I pray for your break to be filled with peace and blessings and for your Christmas to bring joy and peace.

Until next time,

My Heart Has Been Stolen

By Matt Corby. Lord help me, this is a severely unhealthy obsession.



His eyes make me melt.










You know the best part about this man? No ring! That's right ladies. Matt continues to leave me mesmerized time and time again. Last night, instead of going to bed at a semi-decent hour, I chose to watch videos of him singing. I then continued to find more videos this morning while getting ready for the day. I'm telling you, UNHEALTHY, NOT NORMAL, KIND OF OBSESSION. Does this bother me? Not really. Am I ashamed? Honestly, not the slightest bit. Lame and pathetic? I think not! Just watch the videos and see, or should I say hear, for yourself exactly what I am talking about. It's magical. He will take you into another world. And no I do not believe I am being dramatic.

So there you have it ladies and gentlement, Matt Corby. AKA, my future husband. Hey, a girl can dream, right?

Love generously.

Worship

Sorrow and Joy

"Sorrow was beautiful, but her beauty was the beauty of the moonlight shining through the leafy branches of the trees in the wood, and making little pools of silver here and there in the soft green moss below. When sorrow sang, her notes were like the low sweet call of the nightingale, and in her eyes was the unexpectant gaze of one who has ceased to look for coming gladness. She could weep in tender sympathy with those who weep, but to rejoice with those who rejoice was unknown to her.

Joy was beautiful, too, but his was the radiant beauty of the summer morning. His eyes still held the glad laughter of childhood, and his hair had the glint of sunshine's kiss. When joy sang his voice soared upward as the lark's, and his step was the step of a conqueror who has never known defeat. He could rejoice with all who rejoice, but to weep with those who weep was unknown to him.

'But we can never be united,' said sorrow wistfully.

'No, never.' And joy's eyes shadowed as he spoke.

'My path lies through the sunlit meadows, the sweetest roses bloom for my gathering, and the blackbirds and thrushes await my coming to pour forth their most joyous lays.'

'My path,' said sorrow, turning slowly away, 'leads through the darkening woods; with moonflowers only shall my hands be filled. Yet the sweetest of all earth songs-the love song of the night-shall be mine; farewell, joy, farewell.'

Even as she spoke they become conscious of a form standing beside them; dimly seen, but of kingly Presence, and a great and holy awe stole over them as they sank on their knees before Him.

'I see Him as the King of Joy,' whispered sorrow, 'for on His head are many crowns, and the nailprints in His hands and feet are the scars of great victory. Before Him all my sorrow is melting away into deathless love and gladness, and I give myself to Him forever.'

'Nay, sorrow,' said joy softly, 'but I see Him as the King of Sorrow, and the crown on His head is a crown of thorns, and the nailprints in His hands and feet are the scars of great agony. I too, give myself to Him forever, for sorrow with Him must be sweeter than any joy I have ever known.'

'Then we are one in Him,' they cried in gladness, 'for none but He could unite joy and sorrow.'

Hand in hand they passed out into the world to follow Him through storm and sunshine, in the bleakness of winter cold and the warmth of summer gladness, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing."

Gregory Floyd