Perspective

God has been showing me lately that it is all about perspective. In every single situation, I have the opportunity to look at it from God's view or I can chose the opposite. There is good in every single situation. I just have to find it. I am so thankful for this truth.

Today, I was offered a job by a therapy company in Alabama. On January 5th, I will begin my first "big girl job". I am super excited. It's not difficult to find the good in that situation. I have worked so hard for this moment with the support of my family and friends and of course, the goodness of God. I am so excited to be putting into to practice all of the things I have worked so hard at learning. I am thrilled about all of the amazing things God is going to do in my life.

1. I am grateful that soon I will have the monetary resources to do things I've wanted to do for the Kingdom.
2. I'll have the opportunity to stay in Birmingham and serve at Church of the Highlands.
3. I am in a season of preparation, preparing for a husband. God is showing me so much about myself and just how much work I still have left to do. I'm grateful.
4. I will have the choice every day to look through God's eyes or through the world's eyes. The view from God's perspective is sooooo much sweeter!
5. God never ceases to amaze me. He is always right on time and he is so absolutely amazing!

Thank you Lord for the many blessings you have given me. Thank you for constantly showing me the filth in my heart and having me work hard to let you change it. Thank you for your absolute goodness. Thank you for showing me more about your grace, how to receive it and how to give it freely. Thank you for the opportunity to know you. Thank you for letting me see things from your perspective. Thank you for amazing friends who keep me grounded and draw me closer to you. Thank you for searching me, knowing me, and still loving me unconditionally. Thank you for those people that make me want to strive to be more and more like you. Thank you for a family that loves me despite my flaws. I am in love with you!

Until next time-
Les

Sugar Cookie Extravaganza

My mom sent me a package from Crate and Barrel that consisted of sugar cookie dough, Christmas cookie cutters, Christmas sugar (red, white, green) and Christmas sprinkles. I had so much fun making them. Here are some pictures! The beginning. I didn't have a rolling pin so I just used my hands. Mom was so proud!
Before baking

Before icing and sprinkles.

A sleigh with red sugar...I had a picture of all of them decorated

but it got deleted. Oh well. You get the point :)

A fun night

On December 9th, Church of the Highlands had its annual Dream Team Christmas party. I was able to go and here are some pictures. It was fun to dress up, be with friends, and laugh! Here I am all dressed up!
Dr. G and me! Isn't she beautiful?!?!

T-Fred!!! She is super duper amazing!

Aww....B-rian!!!

My Brotha from anotha motha!

Lessons from LIFE retreat

I am excited about this blog post. I have just had a super great weekend and I want to record some of the details so I can look back and remember what took place. I hope that when you read these words you will be blessed.

I had the honor of being a part of a LIFE group this semester at Church of the Highlands. The 12 weeks spent in this group have taught me a lot of things. This past weekend was the LIFE retreat which was just a culmination of the whole 12 weeks with the opportunity for a lot of prayer and receiving freedom from a lot of junk. I want to talk about the retreat itself, what I was freed from and what I am thankful for.

Sometimes, at retreats there is a great amount of talking. This retreat was different. There was speaking but almost all of it was straight scripture and the majority of the time was spent in worship and prayer. Each person at the retreat had the opportunity to pray with someone about each topic/issue that was discussed. It was great.

The first area we discussed was Lordship. During this time, I realized just how much I try to control. I just really let that go. This is probably one of the hardest areas for me because it is so easy to pick it back up because new things come up all of the time that I feel like I "need" to control. I realized that I have to be cautious about picking the control back up and I really have to let God have it all.

The second area was rejection and unforgiveness. This was the first moment when I was given the opportunity to really praise the Lord for what He has done for me. I have struggled with unforgiveness but I have moved past that. I was grateful for that reminder of what the Lord has done.

The third area was purity. This was another moment when I was really able to thank Him for what He has done in me. I am blessed that the Lord has really protected me from sexual sin. As a single person, I do have to guard against impure thoughts. It is so easy to let my mind wander and before long I am way down the wrong path. I am proclaiming that "I have the mind of Christ!"

The fourth area was shame. Shame is not from the Lord. God gives revelation so we can use that revelation and allow Him to change us. Shame comes from the enemy. I was one of the last people to go forward for prayer because of the way it was set up and I was so thankful for the time to pray and ask God to search me. I was shown that I had shame over the way that I have treated my parents in the past. There have been times in my life where I disrespected them and did not consider them valuable because they didn't think like I did. I also felt shame for my lack of spiritual maturity. Satan really tried to hit me with, "You've been a Christian for this long, you should know more than you do." I am taking captive those thoughts and rejoicing that I don't have any condemnation in Christ. I am moving forward and am grateful for God's goodness.

The fifth area was healing for a broken heart. I went to my prayer partner and I was so thankful again for how God has protected me. I haven't suffered any kind of abuse. Praise Him.

The sixth area was mammon. I told the lady I prayed with that I am grateful for the timeliness of this talk. As I get ready to begin my first "big girl" job, it is a big time regarding finances for me. I will go from making nothing to making a living that will support me and possibly a family one day. I have to guard against materialism and the spirit of mammon. From the first cent I make, I want to honor God with that money. I want to let Him show me what to do with it.

The seventh area was fear. I must say at this point that I realized that every woman I had prayed with was the perfect person for that specific time. I love how God does that. God brought to mind the fear I had of never getting married and also the fear I had of being rejected when I shared the things of God. My prayer partner really spoke some amazing things over me and reminded me that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am a dynamic woman. God will bless me with an amazing husband and I will be a treasure to him. So exciting.

The last area was heaviness. I was super excited that after these other prayers that I didn't feel any heaviness. I had released what God had brought to the surface and He had sealed it with his blessing.

This entire experience was so good for me. I am excited about what is to come!

Until next time-

Les

Another Thanks!

So, turns out that I forgot someone that I should have definitely remembered!

Ashley!!!! You are super duper amazing. I cherish all of the time we spent hanging out while I was in Monroe-talking on the phone, drinking coffee or tea, and watching the Bachelor! You are truly special!

Giving Thanks

So, I know this might be a little cliche but I wanted to do it anyway.
First of all let me say, "Happy Thanksgiving". Today is going to be an amazing day. I just wanted to share a few of the things I am thankful for this year and then tell you why I am thankful for you!
-I am thankful for finishing graduate school with my Master of Science degree, debt-free I might add. :)
-I am thankful for God taking care of my every need even when I doubted that he could/would.
-I am thankful for the amazing people in my life including those that I met just 5 short months ago!

Mom-Really, this list could go on forever but I'll just say the one that comes to my mind right now. I am thankful that you sacrificed so much every day to help me finish school debt-free. You are amazing and the thought of paying you back for all you've done is a little overwhelming. Thanks for it all!

Daddy- Thanks for calling me always to check on me and making me "kiss" you through the phone even though it can get a little embarrassing. I love you!

Susan- Thanks for taking care of my Dad. You are amazing. I love you!

Abby Claypool- Thanks for being there if I need to chat. I love the fact that we can go a month without talking and then have a 30-minute phone conversation as if it was just yesterday when we last talked!

Adam- I am thankful that you are a man with integrity. God's light shines through you and it is so encouraging!

Ashton- I am thankful that you are continually praying for me and letting me know that you are. You are always looking out for me. Also, thankful that you were my first friend in Birmingham :).

Bonnie- I am thankful that you are such a good friend. Your sweet text messages always seem to come on just the right days, at just the right time. You are awesome!

Brandon- I am thankful that you are straight forward. A lot like me! I love that you will always say what you are thinking. Thanks for being awesome. Also, you have some pretty good fire-pit building skills.

B-rian- Hmm...you are such a good friend. I am thankful for our conversations that really cause me to stop and reflect on my life. Thanks for always letting me speak boldly into your life. You rock!

Britt- So much to say. I love that you have always been there for me since my senior year of high school. I know we have gone periods of time without talking but it is comforting to know that when I pick up the phone, you'll be there! I am thankful for you!

Bruce Neal and Family- Thank you for sharing the love your family has for each other with me. I am grateful for our friendships. I love each and every one of you! And Bruce, thanks for those good hugs on the days when I really needed it!

Gautreau- I am truly thankful for the words of truth you speak to me. It is always amazing to me that God gives you just the right words to speak. You have strengthened me more than you'll ever know. Thanks!

Chris- As I told you, I am thankful that when you say something I know that you absolutely mean it. I admire that quality in you. Thanks for letting God's light shine through you. Your patience is amazing.

Danielle- I am thankful for your friendship. I am thankful that you let me spend time with Gavin when I am at home. I enjoyed our week in Disney. You rock!

Deirdre- I am thankful that you are my sister. I love you lots!

Dustin- I am thankful for the love to show to those around you. You are so good with the patients that you treat and that is something I admire about you. I hope I can be just like that with my patients!

Greg- I am thankful that you are like my "big brother". I am thankful that you will listen to me blab about meaningless stuff! Thankful for you and your family! Love you guys!

JR- I am thankful that you remind me that God still uses me. I love the texting friendship that you and I have. You are such a nice guy and I am honored to be your friend!

Jeff- I am thankful that you listened to God's calling to start House of the Rock. I believe that was a catalyst for a lot of growth in my spiritual walk. Thanks for your obedience.

Jennifer- I am thankful for something you said years ago in small group. Something that puts things into perspective for me constantly. You were talking about how you got upset when the socks were turned inside out when you got them out of the dryer and you said that God spoke to you and reminded you that those socks should cause you to be thankful for your husband and kids. That has been monumental in my life. I love you!

Jeremy- I am thankful for your humor. Your joy is contagious!

Jill- Whoa, too many things to say. But for just one. I am thankful for you allowing me to take part in your big day. I am honored that I'll be able to stand by you on your "big day". I love you!

Pam- I am grateful for your wisdom. God uses you to speak to me so often. Thanks for your words. I hold them dear in my heart!

Rachel- I am thankful for your joy! You have such a sweet spirit!

Rebekah- Thanks for your selflessness. You are a humble person and I admire that about you!

Sally-Seriously, I don't know if there is anyone sweeter than you. I am thankful that God allowed us to be friends. I am forever grateful!

Tara- Your openness about what is going on in your life has always been a testimony to me. I am thankful that your life is a picture of God's power to change people. You are truly a reflection of who He is!

Twila- One word that comes to mind about you....Passion. I am thankful for your passion about everything in your life. You are a remarkably wonderful woman of God!

Val-Roomdog....You are such a great person. I am thankful for the bond that God created between us almost immediately. Your honesty and openness is something to be esteemed. I love you much! God is doing such a great work in you-don't forget it!

If I left you out, trust me it wasn't on purpose. I know there are so many more people I am thankful for. If you read this and don't see you, let me know. I want to tell you why I am thankful for you.

Most of all, thanks for God Almighty, who for now, has blessed me with you guys!

Quick Update

This past week ended well. With the help of Godly counsel, worship, time alone with my Creator and an honest and open conversation with him, things are looking up. I am reminding myself that this is a journey. Times will be tough but the spring is coming. I am forever grateful for God's gentleness. Just what we always need.

Until next time-
Les

Step by Step

This week has been an interesting one. I've struggled with how to really incorporate the revelation that God gave me into my daily life. For the first three days of this week, I basically sat silent, depressed sometimes, other times just unsure of what to do. Wednesday night church was a good refresher. During the service, I was really mindful of the ease that I have during worship and reminded of the verse in Isaiah that says, "They honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me" I asked God not to let me lift my hands if I didn't mean it in my heart and not to speak a word that wasn't coming straight from the heart as well. It was a quiet night for me. After church, I got to talk and pray with an amazing Godly woman and she really just reminded me that I have to go forward and use the teaching God shared with me; something I've been struggling with all week. I talked it out with her and then with another friend. After that the "task" didn't seem so daunting. One step at a time, constantly mindful of the teaching God gave me.
It's been hard but sweet at the same time. I'm grateful, no doubt!

The job hunt didn't take place at all this week and honestly, I'm not concerned. I just know that if I love God out of my heart and live from Him, He WILL provide for my needs. I'm looking forward to it.

Disney World next week. I'm super excited for some fun, food and fellowship with some AMAZING friends!

Until next time-
Les

Two in one night

I think I've realized that this might be the biggest revelation in my life. I have two choices....let God use it to change me....or continue doing what I've been doing which clearly was not working....

I'm in awe
I'm in shock
I'm thankful
I'm broken
I'm.....

Take that...and that....and that

I feel like for the last few weeks the devil has been working hard to mess me up and he has succeeded to some degree. I let him. I didn't use the tools given to me to fight him. I just laid there and took it like a wimp. I whined and cried but didn't fully ask God for help. I have not been bearing fruit. I am not happy about it but NOW I know what to do.
I am in the process of hunting for my first "Big Girl" job as many of you know. I have been consumed with this during the last week. I want God's best and I've said I'll go anywhere. But then I have only looked in a few places. So I guess I won't go anywhere. But really I'll go anywhere God wants me to go. Honest. 100% for real, I'll do it. Here's the disconnect...I haven't been able to find the way to listen to God regarding this situation and not let my flesh get in the way. I've been so out of tune to God's voice, especially in this situation that I don't know if He is speaking or if my flesh is rising up. I have been consumed with it. Down-trodden, defeated, whining, blah, blah, blah.
Well, just when you think you are at a loss, there He is...I am constantly in awe. At small group tonight, we were presented with the Tabernacle protocol for entering God's presence. It's short and quite simple, here it is...
1. The Gate-be thankful; praise God for Jesus and thank Him for what He's done and is going to do.
2. The Brazen Altar- acknowledge the Cross and apply the blood; accept the work of the cross and apply the blood of Jesus over every situation in your life
3. The Laver-be cleansed; ask forgiveness from your sins and get them out of the way
4. The Candlestick-wait on the Holy spirit; hmm....waiting...such a HARD concept in our society
5. The Table of Shewbread-meditate on the Word; call out to God with His holy Scripture
6. The Golden Altar of Incense-praying the names of God; remember and acknowledge who God is, our provider, our healer, etc.
7. The Holy of Holies-Enter His Presence

Through this I realized my whole problem. I have decided to go before God with my issue (currently the job hunt) and say "Here, fix this" but then I don't even honor him with my heart or rather FIRST I don't honor him with my heart. I make my current physical situation soooo big and I put God in a box....a little box....a very, small, tiny, minute box that He can't move in. Then, I expect Him to fix it....stupid, stupid plan. Praise God that He is ALWAYS right on time and He is always gentle with His love.
I am so pumped about this season of my life and I'm going to put into practice these steps and see what God does...it's going to be awesome, there is NO doubt!

Until next time-
Les

Pray....

So the infamous presidential election of 2008 is over and now everyone is like: Now what?

Pray...maybe you didn't vote for him (or maybe you did). Either way, Obama is now our president and we have the responsibility to pray for him and lift him up daily.

Honestly, I'm excited about the miracles God is going to do! It's going to be awesome!!!!

God is so good and EVERYTHING He does is good!

Lots to consider

Well, life has been good recently and extremely hard at the same time. God is really bringing me through the refiner's fire in many areas of my life and I am extremely thankful. At the same time, I wish there was an easier way to do it!
Several themes are being revealed to me. The first of these is the importance of purity. I guess this started about two weeks ago when it was brought to my attention that I should be careful about physical touches, namely hugs. I have always been a "hugger". It's how I grew up. My family is Italian, therefore, we hug! It is also just a part of my personality. I am boisterous and I just love a good hug. However, God really began to show me through his Word and through the loving and kind of words of two amazing Godly people in my life that I need to be more cautious. I have always held myself to a high level of purity. Of course, I am saving myself for marriage and all of that jazz but I have even set higher standards for myself. I have decided that I will not kiss a man until I'm married. I feel like this is important for me because I know that I am a "touchy" person and that if I'm going to close the door to sex before marriage then the boundary needs to be way before that. It, however, never crossed my mind that hugging could ever be an issue for me or anyone else. I have never been in a romantic relationship and therefore have never experienced the type of romantic hug that is given in that relationship. Since that is the case, it never occurred to me that a hug could mean so much. For me, like I said, it's just what I do. I have since realized that for guys especially guys who have been in serious relationships, these hugs are much more than that. These hugs say "I'm interested, I'm available, Pursue Me". Wow, that's not what I mean. I am truly thankful for a godly man who really spoke into my life about this subject. I am also grateful for the Word and the way God revealed it to me regarding this particular theme. Proverbs 31:30 says "Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." He showed me that my charm was deceptive. I was hugging and people were being deceived by that. Obviously, they "read" something that I did not intend. I want to be a woman who is praised because she fears the Lord! The same Godly man who told me to be cautious also told me that ever since he has known me, not once has he thought that I was anything other than a Godly woman. That meant so much to me especially in this time when I was feeling like a failure for being misleading. It is good to know what others see. I am grateful for God's revelation regarding purity.

Theme number two: Amazing Opportunities. As I get ready to graduate in approximately 3 months. I am suddenly overwhelmed with the many opportunities that I am faced with. It is such an amazing time in my life. I am single, I am getting ready to start my career and the options are infinite. I am thrilled about the doors God is going to open in my life over the next three months. When I moved to Birmingham, I immediately loved it. I found great people to fellowship with. I found an AWESOME church that has just rocked my world. I found a town that is fun, exciting and full of good things. I thought I'd never consider leaving. Since I got here 4 months ago, I am realizing that it is not always easy to find a job as a starting Speech Pathologist in this area. People from Birmingham love Birmingham, therefore, they grow up here, go to school here, and stay here, not leaving that much room for new people. Since that is the case, I came to the conclusion that I need to be considering other options for job opportunities and future places to live. This was scary for the first minute and since then it has been extremely intriguing. I am currently thrilled about the fact that I could really live anywhere. I have considered so many places in the last few days. I'll keep those to myself for now though. Just this morning, I began praying specifically about those options and asking God to open doors where He wants them opened and close doors where he wants them closed. Tuesday afternoons are going to be dedicated to job hunting so this Tuesday afternoon will surely prove to be an adventure. Like I said, amazing opportunities.

Theme number three is this, life is short, make the most of every moment. I'm still soaking all of this one up. I know this though. God intended for us to live life abundantly and completely for him. We are not guaranteed our next breath, therefore, we need to live that way NOW!

Until next time-
Les

Wow!

Wow....God is teaching me so much right now. Specifically from Proverbs 31:30 "Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." How I want to be that woman.

Use it....

My rooommate and I were having a discussion last night and I was telling her about how I was really longing for marriage, a spouse, and a family. I have always had that longing deep in my heart but for some reason, it is stronger on some days....who knows? We talked a lot about it and finally I just had this "revelation", "epiphany", whatever you want to call it. Basically, I said, instead of asking God to take this longing away or fulfill the longing right now, maybe we should ask him to use it for his glory. He has a purpose for everything that he allows to happen and causes to happen in our lives. So as believers, we should ask him to use this hurt in our lives for his good.

Although that is super hard, I am excited about God using that. He is so good so I can't imagine this experience being anything but good.

Until next time-
Les

There's nothing better

Often, I find myself saying "There's nothing better than..." So I decided to write down some of the things I say this about.
1. There's nothing better than a cold glass of milk with a piece of cake.
2. There's nothing better than a Wednesday night church service full of worship and the word.
3. There's nothing better than a peanut butter and banana sandwich.
4. There's nothing better than an LSU football game.
5. There's nothing better than a good movie.
6. There's nothing better than hanging out with friends.
7. There's nothing better than a challenging conversation with someone you love and respect.
8. There's nothing better than a phone call from old friends.
9. There's nothing better than a heartfelt hug from a little kid.
10. There's nothing better than sleeping in!
Funny thing is, if I say this so often, there are obviously things that are better but that doesn't stop me from saying it!
For real, there is nothing better than knowing that Jesus is my Savior....and that's the truth!!!

Until next time-
Les

Things I look forward to....

There are days when I feel like I am living life for the future....Like this is a time of waiting in my life. In a way, it is. I'm waiting for heaven but in the mean time I have an amazing opportunity to live life in the now. I am trying to focus on those things. At the same time, I have some things I look forward to and today I want to share those....

In random order (as they came to me)

1. I look forward to heaven, constant worship in the presence of the Almighty

2. I look forward to my first "Big Girl" paycheck

3. I look forward to getting married

4. I look forward to Sunday as soon as Monday morning comes

5. I look forward to seeing the mansion God has built for me (and actually living there)

6. I look forward to the Streets of Gold

7. I look forward to washing my husband's dirty socks because it means I have a husband

8. I look forward to the birth of my first child

9. I look forward to the look on my mom's face or the sound of her voice when I tell her she's going to be a grandmother

10. I look forward to going on a mission trip one day, hopefully to Africa :)

11. I look forward to the times I get to spend with my amazing friends

12. I look forward to graduation

13. I look forward to the look on my dad's face when I tell him he will be a grandfather, again

14. I look forward to preparing meals for my family

15. I look forward to meeting Jesus, face to face

16. I look forward to waking up to that special someone, over and over and over again

17. I look forward to hearing my children's feet as they walk down the hall to my bedroom, asking for breakfast on a Saturday morning

18. I look forward to the day when the Lord will say "Well done, good and faithful servant"

19. I look forward to the day when each and every person in my family comes to know the Lord

20. I look forward to the Lord's goodness being more and more evident in my life because of how much He has changed me

There are so many more but for now....20 will do...you were probably bored at number 2!

Until next time-
Les

A week of....Nothing

Ahh....this week has been extremely refreshing. I've read 2 1/2 books and I've gotten to get some extra sleep. Funny thing though....you know when you are "busy" you always look forward to down time but when you only have down time, you are looking for something to keep you busy. Part of the "problem" for me is that I don't have any money to do fun stuff right now so I just kind of have to hang out. Wednesday morning, I was almost starting to complain about free time. At church last night, a friend reminded me to just soak it up and enjoy what is right now. So, today, I'm doing that! I am greatly enjoying my free time today. I realize it will be over next week when I start my internship.
Tomorrow's my birthday so there is no way I'll be complaining about free time. I love it when my birthday falls on a day that I don't have to do anything that I don't want to do! It'll be a good day. Just hanging out during the day, eating dinner with my friends and playing some putt-putt!
And to top all of that off, college football begins on Saturday!!!! Woohoo!!!
Love you all
Until next time-
Les

Tornado Sirens??? Who Knew

Well, it's been a few weeks since I "blogged". Life has been busy and oh so good.

I got to go home for a week and I had a great time catching up with everyone and hanging out. I had my Mexican food fix, three times, and my Japanese food fix, once. Yum, Yum, Yum.
One night some of the people that I graduated with from high school got together to have dinner and just hang out. It was an adventure and very enjoyable. It is always great to catch up with those that you haven't seen in a while.

I was able to be home for G-Teezy from Louiezzy's 1st birthday party and it was such a joy. There were lots of people there to celebrate, despite the rain and I think the little man had a good time. After the party, I headed back to Birmingham and it was so good to be back. I am still in awe of how quickly I have made friends in this area and I thank God for that. They were all as excited to see me as I was to see them.

This past week has been a busy one because my new roommate moved in and I've been helping her move stuff and get settled. I am so stinking excited about her being here. We have so much fun together and we are being taught so much through our friendship with each other.

Yesterday's sermon was challenging and it was so good to hear from the Lord. I enjoyed the whole message but it was not until the end that I was overwhelmed by what God was saying. He said "You have a call on your life, don't ever doubt it!" I was moved to tears when I heard this. I'm still not 100% sure why I was so overwhelmed by that but I am thankful for it. It was in that moment as the service ended that I wished for just a few more minutes to soak it up. So often we are impacted by something a pastor says and then we don't get time to absorb it, we leave to go have lunch, we take our nap, do our chores and we never get back to that moment of excitement, learning, joy. I don't want that to happen to me anymore. I want to soak up what God is telling me, take the time to reflect on it and then move forward.

Today, Val and I woke up at 4:45 to begin our 40 days of Physical and Spiritual Strengthening/Renewal/Refreshment/Etc. I am super excited about what God is going to do in us, through us and for us during these next 40 days. We have each set some physical and spiritual goals that we want to achieve during these days and I'm pumped about the outcome.

So, about the title of this blog. As most of you know, it has been raining a lot in Alabama during the last few days. This morning after Val went to work, I decided I would rest for about an hour or so and I was awakened by an annoying siren type sound. I could not figure it out and about that time, a friend called and I asked him what it was. He said that it is a tornado siren....I've never heard of that, by the way. Later on, I talked to another friend who told me that I live close to city hall and that's probably why it was so loud. So, this is a good thing because it warns about tornadoes but they should tell you this kind of stuff when you move to Alabama, don't you agree????

The question of the day: What do you like to do for fun on a day when it is raining and you don't have any other set schedule?

Heading to Louisiana

Val and me!!
The Whole Crew!
Rachel and me!
The three of us had such an amazing time!
Jack Russell!!!!

Friday makes 11 weeks that I have been living in Alabama. Time has flown by. It has been approximately 3 months since I have seen either of my parents (I'm missing them a little bit) and about 3 1/2 months since I've seen anyone else from home.

Life has been so busy with internship that I haven't really had the opportunity to miss anyone plus I have been having such an amazing time with all of my new friends. This week has been a week of sleeping, catching up on apt. stuff, updating my resume (which is harder than I thought), and packing and let me say, I'm anxious to be home. It is going to be a fun week. I know I will be going non-stop and I'm looking forward to it. It will great to catch up and see everyone that I love.

At the same time, I am getting sad about all of the fun things I'll miss here in Birmingham. I'm trying not to think about it....so I better move on!

Tonight, I went to see Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2 with Rachel. She is such a sweet girl, just one of the great people I have met and become friends with here in the Ham!

I had planned to start job hunting this week but since the resume revision has taken so long, it's looking like I'll just wait until I get back next week. I'm not behind, I just wanted to get a jump on things. So I'll be ready to get going after my amazing week at home.

I think I'm going to attach some pictures from this weekend...we will see if I can do it!


Until next time-

Les

Serve, Celebrate, Love, Share, Enjoy

Serve- There are few joys greater than the joy that comes from serving. I cannot explain how amazing it is to me. This weekend, I had the honor and privilege of serving with a small group from Church of the Highlands. We were at Woodlawn High School in downtown Birmingham. We were in charge of "renovating" a whole courtyard. We pulled up old shrubs and bushes and planted new beautiful bushes. It rained most of the time but it was awesome. I can add this experience to the list of fun/amazing things I've done in my life. Serving with new and great friends...what can be better!

Celebrate-Celebrate Jesus. I am in awe of how much Jesus did for me. I am a horrible sinner and Jesus saw fit to come and rescue me. There are those times in my life when I don't recognize it but this past week, the Lord has reminded me of how dirty I am. Really, it disgusts me. I can be so selfish, jealous and inconsiderate. Praise Him that he has placed honest, God-Fearing people in my life who can tell it like it is. I need that!

Love-Love those around you. So, I've been in Birmingham for 9 weeks and 4 days now and I can honestly say that I feel like I've made friends that I'll keep for a lifetime. I never thought it was possible until I moved to Monroe and God proved Himself faithful there and then I moved here and He has done it again...Wow! One person in particular, Valerie, is pretty much amazing. She is a lot like me. Outspoken, fun, happy...and she's beautiful...inside and out! We have become so close and shared so much of our hearts with each other in the last 4 weeks that I can hardly believe it. I'm looking forward to the growth of our friendship. And she's just the beginning, there is a core group of us, about 10-15 that has formed and we just enjoy being around each other!

Share-Sharing with each other. That's what we have been doing. Just sharing our hearts, our dreams, our fears, our thoughts, our beliefs. It has been so freeing and just great. All because of Jesus!

Enjoy- What else is there to do but enjoy all of these things.

Jesus, Thank you for these gifts. Thank you for making it happen in my life. I can't imagine where I would be without you. The people you've brought into my life are WOW! You are amazing and your love even more so! I love you.

Until next time-
Les

For you, Ashley

What were you doing 10 years ago? I was about to turn 14 years old. I was starting 9th grade. I don't remember a whole lot about this time. But I do think that the summer between 8th and 9th grade was a good one.

Favorite Snacks: Anything with ice cream in it. I love sweets but every now and then I want something salty too. I don't really snack much these days which is a VERY good thing!

To Do List: I usually have to do lists on the weekends if I have a lot to do around my apartment and I want to make sure to get it all done. I also make these when there is a lot to do in general and I don't want to miss anything.
I never used to be a list writer but after going through Grad school with TONS of stuff due every week, you just have to!

Jobs I Have Had: File Clerk for the Clerk of Court, Babysitter, Jewelry Store Sales Clerk, Physical Therapy Tech for a short time; Computer Lab Worker and Graduate Assistant during Grad School...I'll be looking for my first big girl job pretty soon!!!

Places I Have Lived: Louisiana and Alabama.

Bad Habits: Biting my nails, although not as often as I used to; Saying too much;

5 Random Things People May Not Know:
1. I can say the alphabet backwards very quickly (And no, not just turned with my back to you, actually backwards!)
2. I LOVE the Atlanta Braves baseball team and pretty much any baseball. I just don't get to watch it that much.
3. I'm Italian. You can't tell because of the red hair but it's true....Right Dad???
4. I love to read....I have to keep myself from getting new books because all I will do is sit and read.
5. My greatest desire in life is to become a wife and mother and be successful at both.

CDs I would want if stranded on an island: Any of Mercy Me's CD's, Bethany/Deluge

What I'd Do if I Were a Billionaire: Buy a house and probably a new car; help my parents as much as possible; Travel a lot; and use it to help the world....I don't know exactly what I would do but something to help make life better for those less fortunate!

It's been a great week!

Like I always say "God is so good!" This week has been absolutely amazing. It all started on Sunday night with Discovery Seminar at Church of the Highlands (COTH). It is designed to help believers find out what their personality type is as well as what their spiritual gifts are. I discovered that my top spiritual gifts are Hospitality, Exhortation (encouragement), Service, Helping and Giving. I am not surprised by these and actually excited that I can use them more and more for the Kingdom. My personality type I-C-S. Some of the characteristics of this are sociable, optimistic, enthusiastic, resistant to change, stable, systematic....etc...Sound like me??? I think so! I am looking forward to this Sunday because I will get the opportunity to put that into practice by joining what is called the "Dream Team" at COTH and I'll start serving in various areas of the church.
I have been praying for God to stretch me in my life and He has been faithful. I've been placed in numerous situations to be stretched and it has been such a blessing.
Thursday night we had small group and once again it was so good! I'm getting sad about next week being the last meeting but I know that the friendships formed will be forever so I am looking forward to what is to come. I met some new people last night and it was so encouraging. This Saturday night we are going to have dinner at Cajun Steamer and then everyone is coming over to my apartment for dessert! I'll be making Chocolate Eclair Pie and Fried Oreos! It should be just wonderful.
I'm down to my last 9 days of internship and I can hardly believe it. I'm going to miss it some but at the same time, I'm looking forward to what lies ahead. I'm anxious for the new things to come. I'm most excited about looking for a job and getting to get paid for what I love to do!
Today at work, one of the supervisors asked us to pray for something and we just prayed right there in the office. It was such a blessing and a great reminder of how good our God is!
I'm looking forward to travelling in a few weeks. I'll be heading to K-town, MS first for a wedding, then home for a week and then to Monroe for 2 days and then to Columbus to visit Abby! I'm super excited and looking forward to all the fun things to come.
I also just booked a flight to Disney World in November which I am very very excited about. It is going to be a great trip with wonderful people and I can't wait!
Besides all of that, not much is going on :)

Until next time-
Les

Ask and it Shall be given unto you

Seek and you shall find...knock and the door will be opened unto you.

If I have said this once, I've probably said it 500 times. God is so good. He NEVER ceases to amaze me. This past week I was at small group talking to one of the guys there. We were on the subject of missions and we talked about how we look back at our time in college and wish we had spent those summers more wisely. Instead of working so hard, we wish we had gone on missions trips or studied abroad. Then we realized that those decisions shaped who we are now and give us a bigger appreciation for what we have the opportunity to do now. But still, you always wonder what if.
During our conversation, I mentioned Campus Outreach and that some of my friends from SLU had spend their summers with Campus Outreach and that one summer, I was given the same opportunity but I didn't go for various reasons (none of which seem important now). I told him that those people came back from those summers with lives that were COMPLETELY changed. Not just a little changed but completely different. The one thing about those summers that I wish I had experienced was the growth in spiritual maturity. Specifically, sharing my testimony. These people learned how to share their testimony simply and most of all learned to befriend non-believers, which is something that is difficult for me. So, all that to say, this week I asked God to stretch me. I usually am afraid to pray these prayers because I know He will do it! But this week, I was ready and good thing because immediately a situation was presented to me.
The best thing that came from this situation is that I realized that I can be friends with those who are not exactly of the same mindset as me. Talk to them, find out what they are about, love them like Jesus, right Ash??

I hope that all of you are doing well. Until next time-

Les

Calling Home

This week, I called home to talk to some friends. Their 3rd oldest daughter, Lindsey, answered the phone. She was excited to talk to me and after we talked for a second, she started giggling. I asked her what was funny. She replied, "It's just been so long since I've heard your voice or seen you, I'm excited!" Wow, that just got to me! It feels good to know that the children that I spent so much of my time with at one point in my life still love me and care about me! I miss those kids so much.
You can bet I'll be excited to see all of them when I get home in August!

Life is still good here. I'm up at 3:00 a.m. on Saturday morning. I fell asleep about 8:00 because I was just worn out! Apparently, I only needed 6 hours of sleep because I'm wide awake. Hopefully, I'll be able to get a little more shut eye soon!

Until next time,

Les

"I need my leg!"

Oh my goodness....Internship gets more and more interesting everyday. Today one of my patients, who I see once a day and at the very last time slot of the day, was very interesting. She has a prosthetic left leg and she has been unable to wear it. Today during my session, she began crying and carrying on about how "that lady" (the PT) was trying to steal her leg. I had to keep myself from laughing! It was quite interesting. She was frantic, so we finally just brought her back up to her room. The psychologist said that we need to just let her carry it with her from now on.....I'm sure it will get more and more interesting. I probably won't get anything done with her!

Until next time,

Les

Job Hunting

I'll be job hunting starting in August and I don't have the slightest clue where I should start regarding Benefits, Insurance etc!!! Any tips would be great!
God Bless!

Until next time!

Ephesians 4:29

About a month ago, I decided I wanted to start memorizing scriptures. I've done this some before and it is so amazing how much those scriptures help in everyday life. I wrote down the scriptures on index cards and I am just now getting back to them to start memorizing. I started tonight with Ephesians 4:29....."Let no unwholesome talk come from your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs that it might benefit those who listen". By the way, I didn't have to look...I learned it already! Amazing how easy it is and yet I waited forever because it seemed like such a daunting task.
This scripture has so much relevance in life today. I was just listening to a sermon about marriage and preparing for marriage and the pastor was saying how important it is to encourage rather than discourage. Those encouraging words are right for SOOOO many situations and relationships. I know that life and death are in the power of the tongue. We have been given the power by the Lord to speak life and love over those we are surrounded by. It can be as simple as telling someone they look nice in their outfit. Or telling them that they helped you a great deal by doing ________. So many times compliments and nice words are hard to take and it's because we don't hear them and speak them enough!
Let's change that! Let's start today encouraging one another, guarding our tongues and speaking life not death!

Until next time,
Les

Monday, Monday

I am constantly aware of how good our God is! Today, I woke up thinking "Man, this is going to be a long day!" The long weekend with lots going on made me feel that way and wouldn't you know....the morning flew by!! Then, I had lunch with the other speech student and we were both saying that we hoped the afternoon would go by quickly as well and it did.
Each day, I am loving the career field that I chose, more and more. The patients are so diverse and interesting and I learn so much every single day! My supervisor is so amazing and just constantly encouraging me and helping me to stretch. For example, those of you who know me, know that I am a planner. Well, in the hospital setting, it just DOES NOT work like that! Each day, I have to be prepared for something new and God has never let me down.
Please be praying for me over the next few months as I look for my first "real" job. I will start looking in the Birmingham area and just go from there. Sometimes, it is easy to find jobs and sometimes it isn't. Thankfully, there are many recruiters who are willing to help out. They are rather ambitious though so I have not contacted any of them yet. One of my friends did and he got 50 phone calls and the same amount of e-mails in two days! I don't have any time for that.
I will have a break between internships in August so that's when I'll begin the hunt!
Between now and then, I'll do the internship thing and continue on!

Until next time---

Jumping on the Bandwagon

Well, here I am!

I've been contemplating becoming a "blogger" for a few months and for some reason, today is the day! I love to write and I love to keep in touch with people especially now that I've moved from home and then from Monroe. I am currently living in Birmingham, Alabama. This is week 7. I am loving it so far. I am meeting lots of new people and making all kinds of new friends.
I am attending Church of the Highlands and I am getting involved with a great small group. It's been just what I was looking for it and God came through once again :)
I'll update as often as I can...I am really looking forward to this!

Love you all,
Les