Mustache You for this Dance

Two weeks ago I had such a fun Friday night in Johnson City. The Well usually has an annual Swing Dance every year around this time. I went my first two years, but had to work last year. Each time it was a black and white themed dance. This year they changed it up a little bit. They had a Mustache Ball, and if you don't know what that is, it is a dance with mustache desserts and decorations. Erin and I drove up from school to meet Eliza for a fun filled night. We went to Ruby Tuesday's and despite a little detour it was scrumptous! After we ate, we went back to Eliza's apartment to get ready. After several outfit and shoe changes and pictures, we were on our way. The decorations were super cute and so were the desserts. My favorite dessert wasn't even mustached themed, but I'm pretty sure I had  enough white chocoloate covered peanut butter crackers to last me for a while. My philosophy on the desserts were, "eat as much as you want, because you can just dance it off"! They also had a photo booth, which was so much fun. I love being silly and taking pictures with friends, it was a fun night to let loose in a Christian atmosphere.

Black and White Swing Dance Freshman Year

Black and White Swing Dance Sophomore Year

My Freshman Girls 

Oh Aimee!!!!

Sunday Snaps-1000 Gifts

I have gotten away from doing Sunday snaps and thought tonight was an appropriate night to get back in the swing of it. We had bible study tonight and boy was it a good one. I really feel like each of us were able to take something away from our study. The video segment was on not grumbling and instead praising God through the midst of our circumstances or struggles. As I watched the video I immediately thought of the book One Thousand Gifts that I received thanks to a giveaway from Aimee's sister Amanda's blog. The author made it a point to look for the small things in life and give thanks and praises to God. The video segment spoke about the same thing. As we discussed, it is so easy to complain. Even though we don't have a lack of things to be thankful for, so often words of negativity, complaint, and ungratefulness leave our lips rather than words of thanksgiving and praise. So this week I am going to challenge myself to two things:1. stop grumbling and complaining and 2. give more words and praises of thanksgiving and praise. In light of number 2, I am going to attempt to make a list of 1000 gifts that the Lord has blessed me with.

1. Hearing the joy in my friends voice over a new step in her life through engagement!
2. A "friendly" game of tennis on a Sunday afternoon.
3. Taste buds to enjoy my favorite dessert.
4. Extra cheese sauce on your chimichanga.
5. Watching kids try to make other kids laugh in a made up game during Junior Church.

State Youth Convention

Two and a half weeks ago i returned home from my ninth state youth convention. My ninth...for real, am I getting that old. My first convention was when I was thirteen years old. I honestly don't remember much about that convention. I just remember going downtown for Supper and shopping during free time and missing the trolly to return to our hotel. My friends and I passed the time by eating Harry Potter Jelly Beans. As I got older convention became more and more special to me. I didn't give my life to Christ at convention nor did I get a call into ministry. However, I know that the Lord blessed me through many speakers and worship leaders throughout my time as a youth attending convention.

I got to serve on State Youth Council as a Junior and Senior for the Church of God of Tennessee. It was such a tremendous opportunity and I got to grow as a leader in Christ through this. I also got to meet some pretty cool people. Turns out one of them came to ETSU and I celebrated getting my cap and gown with her a few weeks ago!! I got to help plan for retreat's and conventions and get to embarass myself in front of the youth of Tennessee.

One particular convention I remember making the most powerful impact on my life as a Christian today. Growing up I've always enjoyed worship, but I never really understood it, nor know how to worship until Jeff Deyo taught me how at convention. I always hated it when worship leaders would stray from the lyrics and just start singing randomly. It frustrated me because I had no idea what to do. Jeff Deyo taught me the obvious, to pray and say or sing praises to him. I tried it, and I loved it and really finally expereinced true worship. Now worship is my favorite part of the service. I now feel like I have been taught what worship means, and I understand that it doesn't have to be exact. It just needs to glorify the one we are worshiping.

I also love communion time of convention. I love the way the spirit is present and I still have the candle that was passed around during communion of my senior year. It is an encouraging time, but it is also a heart breaking time to witness what your peers are experiencing. As a counselor it was so heart  breaking to hear what the youth are going through, and it is my prayer that those who attended had a seed planted in their heart that will grow their faith into what may change their lives for their one true savior. As a counselor I was encouraged by students whose faith in the Lord is so strong, it is my prayer that they continue to grow in Christ and trust in Him through the rough roads ahead that will meet them.

This year at convention I myself learned from the experience. Their is something about the atmosphere of convention that gets in my vains. Even though the Park Vista is a hotel in the middle of Gatlinburg, other than Church Camp it is the closest thing on earth to Heaven. Rhonda Gibbs was the speaker and she challenged us to get rooted in four different things: worship, the word, in witnessing, and in prayer. I feel that I truly struggle in all of these things, but mostly in prayer. My prayer life has been the least of my worries lately, and the Lord made that evident in the service. How I can daily go without speaking to my Father is hard to admit and really sad. However, God forgives and to know that even though I have ignored spending time listening and talking to him, he still wants to hear from me. I'm so thankful that my God loves me despite my shortcomings and failures.

Convention was a great time to start my spring break. I enjoyed eating and relaxing with my church family, and getting to know some of the youth and counselors  that I don't know that well. It was also nice to spend the Saturday free time relaxing and shopping with Erin, Julie and some pretty cool youth. Riding in the seat with Zak and Ellis the whole way there and half the way back to the church wasn't so bad. I always enjoy getting to spend time talking with camp friends and giving them a "real hug" for only one of the two times each year. It was nice to get to have conversations with some of the other counselors that I look up to, even though some of the act like middle school girls giggling in a huddle :)

Warren, Erin, Chelsea, and Me at Convention 2003

Convention 2005 

Convention 2007

Such a sweet girl, so glad I met her through State Youth Council and so thankful she came to ETSU. 

There is nothing greater than Camp Friends! Convention 2013

Erin and I enjoying shopping and being crazy kids in the back of Julie's van!

The Entire Gang!

My Wild and Crazy Spring Break

Today was the last day of my 17^th spring break as a student. Hopefully it won’t be my last spring break considering what I’m aiming to do with my life, but that is a different story. Growing up I always thought I would spend spring break at the beach like a “normal” college student. Well, first of all the beach is cold in March so why would I want to waste my money going to a cold beach. Since this was my last spring break as a kid one would thing I would do something wild and crazy, and that is exactly what I did.

The weekend before spring break was spent at convention, but I’ll  share more about that later. The main part of my spring break was spent with my cute and spunky niece and nephew. My parents and I drove up last Tuesday and spent the week with my brother and his family. It was such  nice week spending time with family and relaxing with nothing to do, including the TPA!

Tuesday we didn’t really do much but drive. We made it just in time for nap time to end which was nice. We spent that evening watching Mickey Mouse Road Rally and playing with trains. Wednesday we spent the day at the house, we played in the dirt and Aunt Hannah got a little bit of cuddle time in. Wednesday evening Grammy and Pappy took over the kiddos so Jason, Traci, and I could go out to dinner. We went to Bonefish which was incredibly yummy. We got a shrimp appetizer and salmon. Yummy!!! Thanks Jason and Traci for my apparent graduation gift haha!

Thursday we went to see the Easter bunny at the mall. Honestly, the Easter Bunny is pretty flippin scary looking if you ask me. He isn’t even cute and it is probably some creepy old man that mothers and fathers just freely hand their child off too. Will I take my children to see the Easter Bunny? By darn you bet I will, I’m a tradition Nazi and my children will do it and enjoy it while doing it. We were a little concerned C wouldn’t have anything to do with it, but surprisingly they both did well and looked a cute as always. We stopped at the mall playground and the food court before heading home for nap time. I was the nap queen this week. I don’t know if it was the atmosphere or building tents and singing 5 little monkeys swinging in the tree, but I napped daily like the third baby of the house.

Friday Traci and I got to go shopping together. I enjoyed it as much as I hoped she did. I have a new found love for Forever 21 jewelry because it is super cute and really cheap. I found a new necklace that will match my Jcrew dress I bought the weekend in Gatlinburg and two new shirts from Delia’s. It was really nice to spend a day just as girls. I’m so thankful for a Godly sister-in-law who has turned out to be the sister I never had. She is really easy to talk to and I always look forward to spending time with her because of our good talks.

Saturday we spend the day with a visit from the Easter bunny and dying Easter eggs. Nathan got to join in our egg dying project via skype which was fun too, probably more fun for him because he could sit back and laugh at the craziness. C “helped” dye eggs too, but he needed some help being gentle as he placed dropped the eggs in the egg dye. The girls enjoyed Hallmark movies while the guys worked around the house, and I took another nap and missed out on half of the day. Nobody decided to wake me up when they went to play outside.  That night we ordered subs from a local sub shop. We called in the order and Jason and I went to pick them up. He dropped me off to get them and during the 3 minute conversation of picking up my order it was automatically assumed by the guy checking me out that I was clearly not from “around here”. What can I say; I guess it was my southern charm. Traci, Mom, and I played bananagrams while the boys watched a boy movie.

Sunday we went to church and R, who is always as cute as a button looked beautiful in her sweet green dress. C was as handsome as ever in his suit set. We spent the Sunday afternoon with Traci’s family to celebrate Easter. It was a great weekend spending time with my sweet niece and nephew. It was just as wild as any “normal” spring breaker, just the kind of wild that I like!