Girl's night!

Last night was amazing! Actually, the whole day was amazing. I got to go visit a college that I've been looking into, and met some of my mom's old work colleagues. They were all really, really nice!
Next time I'll go and take a closer look at the program I've been interested in.

So in the evening I went to the Vineyard Student Union for girl's night! I got there early to hang out with Jenn and Cbryn, which was a great time as always. Oh! We popped over to the middle school auditorium and watched "Talon" perform some sweet cover songs.
I remember being in middle school. Gosh, it seems like forever ago! What's really funny is that most of the middle schoolers there are taller than me. I fit in the with 5th graders, and some of them are taller than me too!

Jenn, Cbryn, and I were privileged to kick off girl's night with some really powerful worship. Our song list looked like this:

Here I Am To Worship
Lead Me To The Cross
Fire Fall Down

Cbryn had the idea to add Jeremy Riddle's "Full Attention" and then Jenn had the idea to wrap it all up by going back and singing the chorus of "Here I Am To Worship" again. Both were absolutely wonderful ideas! I'm so thrilled and honored to have been a part of the worship with Jenn, Cbryn, and everyone else in the room.

After worship we did some breakout sessions. I went in with Steph and Megan to hear about their high school / college lives and the events that have brought them to where they are today. It made me realize just how crazy things can work out sometimes.

Of course, we played some games. "If you really knew me . . ." being the first, which made me feel great and awkward at the same time. I LOVED learning about the girls in my circle, but talking about myself is just . . . I don't like it. I just blurted out a bunch of random facts. Megan started cracking up when I mentioned kicking one of my own teeth out in Taekwondo class.

We played Sardines! The best part was hiding under the stage in the middle school auditorium. It had an eerie feel to it, like we were "hiding from the Nazis" as someone mentioned while we were down there.

I ended up staying awake until about 5:30, mostly talking to Sidney, Kasey, and Sam. I did get to watch a few rounds of the Crazy Ninja game, which is hilarious to watch!

I really, really hope we get to have more times like that soon. The bonding was just amazing! Oh! And I learned that a girl there lives in my neighborhood! I foresee much hanging out over the summer.
Oh yeah!

Bad economy? Maybe it's time for us to invest in PEOPLE!

I am so angry right now! I heard the absolutely silliest thing on TV, and I don't mean "silliest" in a good way at all. Perhaps I'm ignorant when it comes to the news because I have absolutely no idea who Bernard Madoff is, but he's apparently in a lot of trouble. (If anyone who reads this wants to fill me in on what happened, then please be my guest, because I'm very confused)

Anyway, I wasn't even listening to the TV when I heard that "silliest" thing. I was cleaning up the living room, and I'm pretty sure I had my iPod on when I heard it. It was so ridiculous that I heard it through my music, which had to have been at half volume at least. Anyway (again), I was just minding my own, picking up my nephew's toys and whatnot when all of a sudden I heard this . . .

"Madoff and his wife are worth a whopping 823 millions dollars."

My jaw hit the floor. Before I knew it, my iPod was shut off, ear buds taken out, and I my complete attention was fixed on the TV. I'm not sure exactly what the guy was trying to say - maybe that Madoff and his wife have that much money? If that's what he meant, couldn't he have at least worded it differently? How could anyone put a price on anyone else, especially if the price is something as fragile as money!

It made me wonder . . . If Madoff and his wife are worth 823 million dollars, how much money is that kid who sits alone at lunch every day worth? Have we really come to such an all-time low point that we're resorting to placing price labels on our fellow human beings? If you ask me, we shouldn't care if the person is "worth" 823 million dollars or if the person has 823 million, we need to start seeing people in the light that God sees them in. He looks down at us and sees kings and queens, beloved children, all priceless in His sight. He looks at a homeless man and sees a man who will hopefully move on to inherit the kingdom of Heaven. He looks at a widow and loves her like a groom never could. Don't you think it's about time we started doing the same?

I certainly do.

Why do we settle for bad things when we're trying to be good?

So I've been eating healthy food lately, and exercising a lot. Now, this is all for health purposes, mind you, not because I'm trying to lose weight or anything. I was talking to a dear friend last night and he joked,

"You can't lose weight - there's nothing left for you to lose!"

"I've got 85 pounds of nothing." I replied.

Yes, I only weigh 85 pounds, and have never ever broken 90. What's up with that? I eat a lot, but I don't gain anything! It's called a fast metabolism . . . Very, very fast, and it's a family trait from my dad's side. I don't want to be a twig forever, but this fast metabolism will be my best friend in the future, I'm sure (and have also been told many, many, many times before, haha!).

Okay, now to relate this post to the title.

Like I said before, I've been eating really well and working out a lot lately, trying to keep myself in good health so that I can go out and do good things without the hassle of getting sick as often as I used to. Two nights ago after I ate good, healthy food all day and exercised some, I had me an ice cream sandwich!

"I did really well today, so why not have a treat?" I asked myself.

Ready for the funny part? One ice cream sandwich apparently wasn't enough, because I went ahead and had a second! They were good, too! Haha! Anyway, it made me wonder . . . Why in the world is it that when we're trying to do good things, we settle for crap?

People try so hard to watch what they eat. All day they'll count calories, drink more water and all of that good stuff. But how do they reward themselves? With a great big treat, which is exactly what they're trying to break away from. Does it do anybody any good? I just don't get it . . . And I'm obviously just as guilty, with my two ice cream sandwiches. (Haha!)

If anything, the ice cream will do me good. Maybe it'll help me gain weight or something! My gosh, after bike riding and running, my legs feel like mush! (So if you see me walking like a toddler, don't be surprised)

I've been eating healthier, yes, but I've been eating MORE which will hopefully help me to get in shape and gain weight or help me to not lose weight. I'd loooove to break 90 pounds sometimes soon, haha!

Take care!!!

This is the wife I want to be . . .

So last night (thanks to a very, very dear friend of mine), I went to see my favorite musical artist in concert, and it was truly a blessing. His name is David Archuleta - perhaps you've heard of him - and not only is he talented musically, he is just such a sweet young man with his head on straight, and a true heart for God. He was the runner up on American Idol in 2007, and one of his performances was a song called, "Angels" after the season was over, the original writer allowed David to record "Angels" and put it on his own album, so he did.

It was his last song of the night, and as he sang it, the lyrics spoke to me and made me realize what kind of wife I want to be.

- - -

"I sit and wait
Does an angel contemplate my fate?
And do they know the places were we go
When we're grey and old?

'Cause I've been told that salvation let's their wings unfold
So when I'm lying in my bed, thoughts running through my head
And I feel that love is dead . . .
I'm loving angels instead

Through it all she offers me protection
A lot of love and affection
Whether I'm right or wrong . . .
Down the waterfall, wherever it may take me
I know that life won't break me, when I come to call
She won't forsake me . . . I'm loving angels instead.

When I'm feeling weak
And my pain walks down a one way street
I look above, and I know I'll always be blessed with love
And as the feeling grows, she breathes flesh to my bones
And I feel that love is dead . . .
I'm loving angels instead . . ."

- - -

That to me paints the picture of an absolutely wonderful wife, especially the chorus. Through everything I believe we need to offer our husbands protection, love, and affection no matter what the situation, (with the exception of some, of course) and my most favorite line is, "She won't forsake me . . ."

Gosh, I want my husband to say that about me someday!