To Be in Love With Every Minute of My Life.

Of course there are perks to working over 40 hours a week. I mean, the obvious, money. But even if you're bringing in the big bucks, there always feels like something is missing. Well at least for me anyway. This past month has been pretty difficult on me. Both mentally and physically. I've gone over what my schedule is like in my last post, so I wont repeat myself. All I know is I had a total of like, two days off in the month of April. When I got off a long work week this Sunday, I knew something had to change.

I know deep down in my heart that God created me with an extremely giving heart. I've volunteered at a couple three different groups in a week period since I was 15. I've never even given a second thought to me working so hard with no return. But when I got so busy that I felt like I was sacrificing my precious free time instead of giving my free time, I knew it wasn't right.

I have really been feeling like I give so much without a second thought, but receive so little in return. In fact, I was pretty upset. I guess I wonder when its gonna give? But of course, my sister steps in with her words of wisdom. I'm not going to go in depth to what she said. But in a nutshell, she told me that God will honor my giving heart. And people around me will notice my labor and that just when they think that I do all this work for nothing, God will reward me in such a great way that even I won't believe it.

This really came as a surprise. I'm not gonna lie, I really haven't been on a godly path. Not that I've gone down a wrong road. I just haven't been giving my attention to Him and his purpose for me. For probably some stupid reason, my selfishness always has had a tendency to get in the way. It kinda brought me back to my senses and redirected my focus. Like this wasn't enough...

Later when I was at work (at the vet clinic), a coworker who is the one we all turn to when a customer gets an attitude with us, and needs to be "put back in their place"... Came to me and told me that at a recent Casting Crowns concert, that she rededicated her life to the Lord and that she wanted me to help keep her accountable and to pray for her.          Um... WHAT?!      This was the last thing I was expecting to come out of her mouth. I mean, for real. This woman can get NASTY when she wants to. But even in this two day period, I can see how happy she is. She is just glowing. I'm happy to call her a friend, and I pray that we would each keep an eye on each other and take off on a great adventure with the Lord.

So whats my game plan? Well for starters..

• Take time off. There are other people that can work too.. 
• SLEEP. Skip the late night Pinterest binges..
• Feed myself right.
• Pray over extra jobs and find out whether I'm supposed to be working there. Quit if necessary.
• Have a social life. See my friends! Get out in the community.
• Pursue interests! ie. Photography, camping, shooting, swimming, running etc. 

Heres to the adventures I'm bound to have in the near future...

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. Time will pass anyway."

A Change

I really cannot believe how long it has been since my last post! But somewhat understandable.

The past year has brought a great many changes my way. New experiences, heartbreak, confusion, frustration, complete joy, but mainly a new appreciation for friends and family.

Career wise nothing much has changed. I still work as a Veterinary Assistant, and I also still volunteer at a Therapeutic Riding Center some 40 minutes away. But some new experiences such as my most recent employment at the Brown County Dragway and my brand new certification as a Lifeguard keep me well out of trouble. So needless to say, my weekly schedule is intense once you add my multiple jobs, multiple volunteering days, and work at home.

One of the biggest changes recently is in our family life. Only two days ago, my dad was laid off from his 20 something job as a Software Engineer. The word to describe my feelings right now is shocked. I really just feel helpless. I don't really know how to help, or even what to say. What this will mean for my family and I, I don't know. What I do know, is that I am determined to make the best of it. I pray it brings our family closer than ever, and that we will experience all new adventures that will help mold us into the best we can be.

Even in my most stressful and hectic days that just make me want to break down into tears, there are still so many things that make me feel so much joy.

One of my greatest source of happiness is my newest pet addition; a little kitten that someone brought into my workplace. They told us the story about how they discovered three little kittens nursing on their dead mother who had been hit by a car on the side of the road. A truly sad story yes, but the happiness this little kitten has brought me is worth the lack of sleep and the hours spent caring for him. There's something about walking into the room and a little fuzzy kitten is there at the door of his carrier meowing to be held. Now that I sound like a complete crazy cat lady... I'll stop now.

Hoosier Horse Fair 2011

Well, long time no type. So I figured I'd catch up by posting some pics from the horse fair this weekend! Had a great time :) Walked around with Katrina on Saturday, and then my boss and her sister on Sunday afternoon after church. So, here's the pics from the ARHA Ranch Horse Versatility!

Behold The Creativity Of The King

Have you ever wondered how much learning your brain can take? Ugh. I'm at that point. I am not exaggerating when I say that it feels like God's teaching me about a million things all at once. How to love people, being confident in Him, doing what you were made to do despite the people that discourage you, His joy, warfare etc.etc.. So my immediate human reaction is to just sit there dumbstruck and just say "I can't handle all of this". That's always what I did when I would get overwhelmed with math, just shut down. I would get so overwhelmed I couldn't process the information. But I (thankfully) have caught myself. Just be patient, and quiet. Yes, quiet. Sit in peace. Just listen. Read the Word. And talk to other Christians. Quite a few things that have swirled around in my head has been confirmed by a scripture in a FB status, a twitter update, a text. It's pretty incredible. But I'm still having trouble, I want to learn SO bad! It feels like I'm not moving fast enough. But yes, I know, all in due time. It's like God's giving me a taste of what's to come.. And man! I want some more! So in the mean time, I keep reading, praying, praising.. It's awesome :)

Also, I've been feeling like I should either start a Bible study, or join one. It's like, in a war, you don't get trained individually, you, as a group, learn together. You get exercise (spiritually in this case) as a group. You support each other, you listen, talk, learn from people. But I guess I will just wait until something is presented.

On a different note: Spring is almost here!!!



My guys :)



First thing they do when they go down to the field...



Love

At the beginning of this year, I chose a word. I word to describe 2011. How I wanted to live, what I wanted to change, A sort of prophecy if you will. And that word was heart.

The bible says to love one another as Jesus once loved us. This statement has taken a whole new meaning to me. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. If he did such an act for us before we believed in him, loved him, followed him, then why are we so cautious with giving out the same love he has for us? Over the past two weeks, I have been in Florida for vacation. Well, it was originally supposed to be vacation, but it defiantly turned out to be a mission trip. My family arranged for me to spend a week with my brother Nick and cousin Paul. Paul, who works at the renaissance fair there, suggested I help out with the knights by squiring. When I first arrived, the guys were wary, assuming I was like every other girl they probably had squire for them. (For those of you who don’t know, squiring is.. It’s when you’re basically the knights assistant, handing them stuff, grooming the horses, tacking up, etc.) But over the next weekend they saw the difference in me. I talked, I listened, I laughed, joked back, loved them for who they were, supported them, helped them when they needed it. I could imagine so many “Christians” showing up and judging them for cussing, or smoking, or hanging out at the bar after the show. But I didn’t. It wasn’t because I felt like I shouldn’t.. It wasn’t because I felt like I had to be Miss Super Christian. It was because the Lord gave me a word. Love. Just love them.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek it’s own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Wednesday finally rolled around, time to go home. But it just felt like my job wasn’t done. I talked to my mom and sister, and checked into plane tickets for a later date. Mom booked a flight for 6 day’s later. This gave me another weekend of opportunity to minister. Just to show God’s love. I can hardly describe it. The Love that flowed through me was so supernatural it was something only God could have done. The guys saw 

 the difference. They commented on it. Everything they said is listed in Galatians.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Galatians 5:22-23

Throughout my trip, the word I received was confirmed. When we hung out at Borders to enjoy the air conditioning, I cruised over to the “Christianity” section, and I spotted The Love Revolution by Joyce Meyer. I thumbed through it. (I thoroughly recommend it).  Then as I kept looking, book after book was about the same subject; love.

A couple days before I left for this trip, I really felt like this trip was going to be a test. Not one of those scary ones like in High School.. But more along the lines of “I have been teaching you through my people, my word, my mouth, now here is your turn to go with it. Take what you know, and go tell it on the mountain. Set the example, show my love, my heart for the world. Here is your first step. Trust me, there will be more.” And true to his word, throughout the trip he gave me opportunities to share about a relationship with Jesus, encourage with scripture, answer questions, defend my faith, and support others in theirs. Another scripture that I was hanging to was 

…do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak, for it is not you who speak , but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. Matthew 10:19-20

God was so faithful. As always! At first I spoke because I felt like I had to. But as the days went by, I listened to Solomon when he said “A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart.” Proverbs 18:2. I learned to speak when I had something to say.

As expected, this was a huge learning experience for me. Kind of like after you take college classes, you do an internship. Well this was a mega internship, led by the guy who really know’s what he’s talking about. After all that, all I can say is; God rocks!

Singing

Well, as people who know me know... I do sing a lot.. But for some reason it was a lot of fun listening to them try to get me to...

Florida

Florida. Sunshine. Eighty degrees. Horses. Ahhhhh.

Today may be my last day in Florida. Then again, maybe not... :) Here's some pics from this week!

My cousin Paul and I.

My Knight being beastly.

Hey! It's a palm tree!

Bryan=Awesome

A 25 inch hot dog... And he went for dessert.

Me cooling Gwen out.