Saturday Morning Sit Down

Wow...I can't believe it has been over a month since I have blogged. That should give you a little insight into what life has been like...B...U...S...Y!!! But honestly, I can't even complain. The Lord has been so good to me. He has sustained me through the incredibly busy and hard times and He has done some amazing things in my life in the process. I am having difficulty recalling all of the super awesome events of the last month to share with you. I'll share one of the most recent events and probably the most important one right now...

Last Friday, I left work in time to get up to Birmingham to go to the Wisdom Seekers small group at Johnny and Tammy Walker's house. I had been wanting to go every week since it started but it's just been too difficult to get there. I decided I was going on the last week no matter what and that I'd stay in Birmingham for the service project the next day and the grand opening of the Dream Center. I got to Birmingham and met a sweet friend and we went up to the Walker's. Man, when you drive on to their property you can feel the spirit of God...wow! I didn't tell any of my friends that I'd be there so everyone was shocked to see me (you know that feels good!) I truly enjoyed the fellowship but I must say listening to David and Shannon speak was, what I feel like, a spiritual turning point for me. I know they said a lot of things that everyone else says and even things I've said myself but something happened in my heart when I sat there listening to them and I am forever grateful. Shannon and David were completely transparent when they spoke of their spiritual journey thus far and, of course, that spoke volumes to me. Love REAL people. But the things that stuck out the most in my mind and have continued to stick are this:

First, they spoke about getting up real early some mornings to get into the Word and pray for hours at a time. Shannon said they didn't do it as often as they should but when they did, David was often late for work. Wow! This meant so much to me because I have struggled for years to have a morning quiet time. It's so hard for me. I am a morning person but I have never allowed myself to use that morning time to spend with God. It always got pushed to the end of the day and sometimes didn't even take place at all.

Second, they spoke about us, as singles, remembering to fulfill the vision God has given us. I was struck by this because I realized there are things in my life that I have put on hold while I wait for a spouse and that's just not what the Lord desires for me. So, what have done about those two things???

Well, this week I set my alarm for 5:00 like I always do during the week. However, I put a new rule in place: No getting to work before 7:00 unless it is a special circumstance. This allowed me to be free from that burden of feeling like I had to be there early to get things done. I know, it's silly that I set a rule for myself but those who know me know that I am a rule follower so if I set a rule, it has to be followed. This week I got up at 5:00, washed my hair and then turned on worship music, read my bible and prayed. I can honestly say this may have been one of my best weeks at work. I know it is a direct result of me getting up and giving the first of my time to the Lord.

I also have been doing a lot of thinking and soul-searching regarding the Lord's vision for my life. Yes, I want to be married and have a family almost as much as I want anything else in my life. But clearly, I'm not there yet. So, what does the Lord have for me right now? Where does he want me to go? What does he want me to do? I am trying to answer these questions now and actually I'm super pumped about it!

Some words of encouragement for anyone who reads this blog: "My dear, dear friends. I Love you so much. I do want the very best for you. You make me feel such joy, fill me with such pride. Don't waver. Stay on track. Steady in God." Philippians 4:1 I love Paul and how much he cared. I want to be that person for my peers.

You can see that the Lord has been truly great to me. I am glad I have opened my eyes to begin to see the fullness of it!

Until next time-
Les

Happy Father's Day

Mad props to Dad for being so cool! Wishing you the best Father's day ever!

Until next time-

Les

Oh...Bass Pro

About two weeks ago I was talking to my dad about his upcoming birthday and Father's day. He is always so persistent that he does not want any gifts. Well, obviously, I always get him a gift and I always have to wing it because he won't ever name anything he wants. So I pinned him in a corner and told him this year would be different. I have a "big girl" job now and I can afford to get him a nice gift and he had to tell me what he wanted. Well, I gave him two days to think about it and then I called him. He told me he wanted a new fishing reel, a Shimano Sonora 4000 fa. I was so glad that he was able to name something he wanted. I wrote down the information and set out on my quest. I looked online to see if the company had a website and they did but they don't sell directly from the website. Store Locator gave me two stores, one of which was closed and one of which has yet to open in Montgomery. I decided to call Bass Pro Shop in Prattville. I called and got the fishing department and asked the guy if they had this specific reel. First, he comes back and says "Nora, we don't have any nora reels". I went on to say, not "Nora but Sonora, S-O-N-O-R-A" He says "Okay" and I hear him calling to his co-worker "Sonra" He gets back on the phone and says "Ma'am I can't find that" I spelled it for him again and he says "Do you know how much it costs???" "No sir,I don't know how much it costs that's why I called you" After all that work he tells me they don't have it. I got off the phone and I thought...Bass "Pro" yeah right....wow.

And just so you know, I got the reel from a locally owned company in Louisiana where the guy actually knew the names of the reels he sold.

You are worth it Dad! :)

Until Next time-
Les

Commonly used phrases

Peace out
Peace out, homeslice
Whaattt upppp!
Uh...how 'bout no!
Word.
Word to your mother
Word to your mother in Wal-mart
Whatev...
Good Morning Sunshine!
Later Player
Love you much
You wish!
Heck no Techno

Just thought I'd share these....random, I know!

Until next time
-Les

Blessed and Highly Favored

I used to say this all of the time. I realized just recently that I don't say it hardly at all anymore. Could it be that I've forgotten how blessed and highly favored I am...I think so. This week, the Lord is reminding me of that by blessing me with some great things at work. I am sure that I am 100% blessed and highly favored of the Lord.

Until next time-
Les

Too funny not to share!

A friend sent me this and I had to share!

The pastor asked if anyone in the congregation would like to express praise for answered prayers. A lady stood and walked to the podium. She said, "I have a praise, two months ago, my husband Tom had a terrible bicycle wreck, and his scrotum was completely crushed.. The pain was excruciating and the doctors didn't know if they could help him." You could hear a muffled gasp from the men in the congregation as they imagined the pain that Tom must have experienced. "Tom was unable to hold me or the children," she went on, "and every move caused him terrible pain. We prayed as the doctors performed a delicate operation, and it turned out they were able to piece together the crushed remnants of Tom's scrotum and wrap wire around it to hold it in place." Again the men in the congregation were unnerved and squirmed uncomfortably as they imagined the horrible surgery performed on Tom. "Now," she announced in a quavering voice, "thank the Lord Tom is out of the hospital, and the doctors say that with time his scrotum should recover completely." All the men sighed with relief. The pastor rose and tentatively asked if anyone else had something to say. A man stood up and walked slowly to the podium. He said "I'm Tom." The entire congregation held its breath."I just wanted to tell my wife that the word is sternum."

Until next time-
Les

To the extent...

To the extent that we understand and appreciate God's forgiveness, grace, mercy, peace, love, salvation, etc...to that same extent do we desire to share with others...Just something to think about!

Until next time-
Les

Life Goals

At the beginning of this year, I wrote some goals to accomplish within this year or just within the next couple of years. Sadly, I have made very little progress toward these goals. So, I decided to blog about them and maybe the two people who read my blog can hold me accountable.

1. Learn how to shoot a gun.
2. Watch at least one new movie each month. (I think I've done this)
3. Go to at least 2 new place each year.
4. Learn to sew.
5. Go sailing.
6. Spend an extended amount of time in a foreign country.
7. Teach someone to read.
8. Mentor a child.
9. Get involved in a community service group.
10. Learn a foreign language.
11. Write at least one letter a month to my future husband.
12. Continue to stay debt free (doing great with this one, PTL)
13. Continue my education each year. (Doing this right now with a Dementia therapy program, 11 hours of DVDS!)
14. See a Braves baseball game.
15. I'll add to this list as time goes on.

Until next time-
Les

Tears to my eyes

Over the last several years of my life, I have really begun to realized the hurt the "world" has caused in the lives of believers. The one thing I am focusing on now and is just really tearing me up is this...Men have not been treated like they are men! The world has torn down our men and demeaned them and discouraged them...to the point that they almost don't know how to be a man nor do they know how to accept encouragement. Case in point...I have been going to a small church here in Montgomery and have begun to get involved some. This morning at church, the worship was amazing. The worship leader, who always does a good job, did a GREAT job. He stepped out of the box, he showed passion and he spoke boldly. I was thrilled. One of my friends sat down after worship and I told her about how impressed I was and she agreed that it was amazing. After church, I went to the worship leader, who is an acquaintance, and told him that I thought he did a great job. I even went so far as to say that it was the best Sunday of worship. He stared at me blankly. Being the bold woman that I am, I said "You are supposed to say thank you". He said "You're lying". I said "No, I'm not it was really great." And he says, "I'm sorry. I didn't get very many compliments when I was younger. I was always told about the things that I didn't do right".....WOW....God sustained me because I could have cried right there.

Challenge to you: Encourage the men in your life. Lift them up. Speak life giving words to them. Bless them. Tell them thank you for their service. It will make a difference.

Until next time-
Les

Good week so far!

This weekend was amazing and I so enjoyed spending time with my friends in Birmingham. It was a much needed refreshing. Sunday was the 25th anniversary celebration at Gateway here in Montgomery. I was so encouraged during the service and the Lord was absolutely present. I loved getting to fellowship with my new friends afterwards as well. Sunday night I went to my friend Laura's house for dinner and fellowship and the "good stuff" just continued. Today was a busy day at work as the rest of this week will be but I am 100% thankful for God's provision of work for me! Tonight was a church softball game and I was glad I went. I came home and made red beans and rice and cornbread muffins for dinner. I will be eating that all week which makes dinner so easy after a long day! Looking forward to American Idol, Wednesday night church, Soccer game Thursday, Friday fun, Saturday sun and Sunday Soaking!!!

Until next time-
Les

Who's helping Who?

So, today I went to check my mail and in the box was an envelope from Church of the Highlands. Inside was a letter along with a check. The check was a check that I had written for my tithe check. The letter said: Dear Leslie, I'm sorry that I must return your check. The payment amounts do not agree. Sincerely, DB...So I look at the check and my written amount and the numeral amount are different...WOW!
Am I helping my patients or are they rubbing off on me?!?!

Until next time-
Les

Fried Oreos

First you freeze oreos for at least three hours. Heat some canola oil in a small pot. Mix up any kind of pancake batter. Coat the oreos in pancake batter and drop in hot oil. They literally take 1 minute to make. After you take them out, sprinkle powdered sugar on top....AMAZING!!!

Until Next time-
Les

A "funny"

Last week, I asked one of my residents how many children he had. He told me he had 14. I was shocked and then he said "I told my wife to leave me alone and let me watch TV!"
WOW!

Until Next time-
Les

Very Encouraged

I went to church here in Montgomery this morning and it was wonderful. As I was leaving, the pastor stopped me and said "You are very encouraging in your worship." I told him thank you and he went on to say "I looked over at your during worship and said to myself 'Wow, she's really praising the Lord'" How encouraging is that!

Love the Lord

Until next time-
Les

Mom and Me!

Mom and me at Easter! Post haircut!

Mom and me at Jill's Wedding. Pre Haircut!

Giving Props to the Madre for all she's done for me! Sure do love her. And yes, I know we look alike. I tried to deny it for years but it's just too obvious now :)

Until next time

-Les

The Update

The other day I had fun filling out a little survey for my blog but I realize now it's time for a real update. I don't know where to start so I'll probably just ramble :)

Things have been a rollercoaster at work, busy, not busy, busy, not busy. Right now, we are not busy which is tough but God is completely providing for me because two of the other local nursing homes, also staffed by the therapy company I work for, are super busy and I've been able to get my hours. There was some interoffice drama last week which really messed me up for a few days. However, on Sunday when I was coming home from Louisiana, one of my friends from Birmingham picked me up at the airport and had a sermon CD from Highlands service. I popped it in and WOW did God speak to me. What I gleaned from the sermon was: relationships are super important (DUH) and that we have to handle crisis or in my case, drama, keeping in mind that the relationship is top priority. When I looked at the situation from that perspective, it all seemed so trivial and meaningless. The Lord is so good.

This past weekend I went home to visit a friend who just lost her grandmother. I felt like the trip was one the Lord wanted me to make and certainly one that I wanted to make as well. I flew out from Birmingham to New Orleans after work on Friday. Friday night we went to eat and to Lowe's (woohoo). Saturday, we had a Waffle House experience, did some shopping, and went to a crawfish boil. Sunday, we went to a church in New Orleans and had lunch before I had to head back out. It was a refreshing time and such a blessing.

Life in Montgomery is good. I had a "God" moment almost 2 weeks ago that put things into perspective for me. I had really been down and out about not really knowing anyone since moving here. It had been almost four months and still no "real" friendships had been formed. I had been attending a church here but things just weren't clicking. On April 25th, a Saturday, I was home chilling out when I really started to think about the whole situation. I decided to take my Bible and read and just think, if nothing else. I was sitting in Starbucks when my friend Adam called and asked how things were going. I told him things were okay and that I knew that God was trying to teach me something, I just didn't know what. Literally 2 minutes after we got off the phone, I opened my bible to Matthew chapter 21 and a verse jumped out at me that nearly left me stunned. I realized that I had to lean on and even fall on Jesus, the chief cornerstone. He wanted to break me and put his plan into action. It occurred to me that I was only satisfied if the plan was going my way. That next day in church, the sermon was about commitment and the story of Naaman was shared (if you are unfamiliar with this story, it is in 2 Kings) and God showed me that I was like Naaman, committed only if it was done my way. Immediately, I had a change of heart and began to see the church differently, the people differently and saw my purpose for being there begin to unfold. I don't know or understand the fullness of it yet but I'm psyched to see what is in store for me.

I know lots more is going on but I can't think of it all. I need to update more regularly so I can keep up!!!

Until next time
-Les

About me...

Found these on Facebook so I thought I'd put them together and make a post out of it :)

Happy Monday!!!

1. How old will you be in five years?29...wow
2. Who did you spend at least two hours with today?myself and my patients
3. How tall are you?5 foot 3 and ¾ inches
4. What do you look forward to most in the next six weeks?6 weeks…hmm…growing the friendships that the Lord has begun here in Montgomery
5. What’s the last movie you saw?Ha….Hannah Montana and right before that I saw Fast and Furious…great combination. I’m well rounded!
6. Who was the last person you called?Mom
7. Who was the last person to call you?Carrie Gautreau…love that girl!
8. What was the last text message you received?Brittany Oliver telling me that her sister got a new car!
9. Who was the last person to leave you a voicemail?Stephanie
10. Do you prefer to call or text?Depends on the person and the day
11. What were you doing at 12am last night?sleeping…duh!
12. Are your parents married/separated/divorced?My parents are married but not to each other
13. When is the last time you saw your mom?the Monday after Easter
14. What color are your eyes?I don’t know….used to be blue but now I think more green than blue
15. What time did you wake up today?4:30
16. What are you wearing right now?PJ pants and a t-shirt
17. What is your favorite Christmas song?Grandma got run over by a reindeer
18. Where is your favorite place to be?I don’t know…tough one
19. Where is your least favorite place to be?I don’t know…that’s a stupid question
20. Where would you go if you could go anywhere?Right now Charleston and Savannah are on my radar so I guess right now, I’d go there
21. Where do you think you’ll be in 10 years?I’ll be 34 almost 35…I’d like to think I’ll be married with at least one child…but who knows
22. Do you tan or burn?Ha…burn, baby, burn!
23. What did you fear was going to get you at night as a child?Don’t remember fearing anything
24. What was the last thing that really made you laugh?Telling one of my friends a funny story
25. How many TVs do you have in your house?2…but I don’t have cable
26. How big is your bed?twin bed…helping me learn to stay still so I won’t kick my husband when I get married
27. Do you have a laptop or desktop computer?well…funny you should ask It’s a laptop but the screen is out so it’s hooked up to a monitor. I guess it’s a lapdesk
28. Do you sleep with or without clothes on?with
29. What color are your sheets?burnt orange or green…depending on the week
30. How many pillows do you sleep with?2
31. What is your favorite season?I have always said winter but I think it’s just the weather between January and May
32. What do you like about fall?Football season…hello!
33. What do you like about winter?The cold weather
34. What do you like about the summer?It used to be no school but those days are gone….I guess I just like all of the sunshine and of course, baseball
35. What do you like about spring?The nice weather and great breezes
36. How many states provinces have you lived in?2...Louisiana and Alabama
37. What cities/towns have you lived in?Fluker, LA, Baton Rouge, LA, Hammond, LA, Amite, LA, Monroe, LA, Hoover, AL, and Montgomery, AL
38. Do you prefer shoes, socks, or bare feet?Usually flip flops but the shoes come off as soon as I get home
39. Are you a social person?Extremely
40. What was the last thing you ate?Rice Krispies and a banana
41. What is your favorite restaurant?Don’t know…I like anything mexican or japanese
42. What is your favorite ice cream?Cookies and Cream
43. What is your favorite dessert?Banana pudding I think
44. What is your favorite kind of soup?Taco Soup or Potato soup
45. What kind of jelly do you like on your PB & J sandwich?Grape…it’s the only kind
46. Do you like Chinese food?oh yeah
47. Do you like coffee?no sir
48. How many glasses of water, a day, do you drink a day?about 16oz…maybe. I don’t drink very much
49. What do you drink in the morning?just depends on the morning…nothing specific
50. What non-banking related card in your wallet is the most valuable to you?my license
51. Do you sleep on a certain side of the bed?it’s a twin….I’ll let you figure it out
52. Do you know how to play poker?Nope
53. Do you like to cuddle?I think I would like..I’ll find out one day
54. Have you ever been to Canada?negative
55. Do you have an addictive personality?yeah…people say it’s like crack
56. Do you eat out or at home more often?home…try to eat out only when I’m with people
57. What do you miss about high school, if anything?Hmm…the fact that it was so easy going
58. Do you know anyone with the same birthday as you?Emily Clemons and Brittany Badon
59. Do you want kids?absolutely!
60. Do you speak any other languages?like 4 words in Spanish and some sign language
61. Have you ever gotten stitches?yeah…several times…wisdom teeth, tip of my finger from slicing it open on a vegetable can lid, and in my tongue
62. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?no
63. Do you prefer an ocean or a pool?Not a huge fan of either but I guess I’d pick pool
64. Do you prefer a window seat or an aisle seat?On a plane…aisle seat, in a bus, window seat
65. Do you know how to drive stick?nah
66. What is your favorite thing to spend money on?just depends on the paycheck
67. Do you wear any jewelry 24/7?yeah…2 rings (my true love waits ring and my footprints ring), my cross necklace that mom gave me for high school graduation and my toe ring
68. What is your favorite TV show?American Idol and anything on Food network
69. Can you roll your tongue?no
70. Who is the funniest person you know?hmm…Jill
71. Do you sleep with stuffed animals?no
72. What is the main ring tone on your phone?some random at&t song
73. Do you still have clothes from when you were little?my mom has them
74. What red object is closest to you right now?uh…my hair...
75. Do you turn off the water while you brush your teeth?yeah
76. Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed?depends on the night…usually closed
77. Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of bees?a big bear please!!!
78. Do you flirt a lot?nope…not my style
79. What do you dip a chicken nugget in? bbq sauce or ranch dressing
80. What is your favorite food? mashed potatoes
81. Can you change the oil on a car?no…but I know people who can
82. Have you ever gotten a speeding ticket?a few and I am no longer a speeder
83. Have you ever run out of gas?heck no
84. What is your usual bedtime?between 9 and 10
85. What was the last book you read?don’t remember…some cheap christian fiction book, I’m sure
86. Do you read the newspaper?no
87. Do you have any magazine subscriptions?no…huge waste of money
89. Do you watch soap operas? seriously…no
90. Do you dance in the car?oh yeah…praising him
91. What radio station did you last listen to?usually my pod
92. Who is in the picture frame closest to you?me and Brian
93. What was the last note you scribbled on a piece of paper?things to do this week
94. What is your favorite candle scent?anything
95. What is your favorite board game?so many…apples to apples is a great one though
96. How much of your life have you wasted filling out this Questionnaire?a while but it’s fun!
97. When was the last time you attended church?yesterday
98. Who was your favorite teacher in high school?so many
99. What is the longest you have ever camped out in a tent?I don’t know if I’ve ever camped out in a tent
100. Who was the last person to do something extra special for you?hmm…Well, Brian got me a CD of yesterday’s sermon and the Lord really spoke to me through it…so that’s special

You wish it was over but I'm half way there...having too much fun :)

Some Truths! (a few numbers missing here and there :))
1. Last beverage→ Diet V8 splash
2. Last phone call→ pretty sure it was mom
3. Last text message→ from B-rit
4. Last song you listened to→ I don't know....something on the pod
5. Last time you cried→ yesterday during some baptisms...always gets me!
SIX HAVE YOU EVER:
1. Dated someone twice →no
2. Been cheated on? no
3. Kissed someone & regretted it? no
4. Lost someone special?→ I don't know exactly what this means
5. Been depressed?→ no
6. Been drunk and threw up? no
LIST FOUR FAVORITE COLORS:
1. Orange, Blue, Black, Purple
HAVE YOU:
1. Made new friends → yeah
2. Fallen out of love → no
3. Laughed until you cried → -yes, more than once
4. Met someone who changed you → absolutely
5. Found out who your true friends were → yeah...tough pill to swallow.
6. Found out someone was talking about you → yeah but whatev
7. Kissed anyone on your friend's list→ no
8. How many people on your friends list do you know in real life → all of them
10. Do you have any pets → no
11. Do you want to change your name→ when I get married
12. What did you do for your last birthday-- ate mexican food with Birmingham friends and played Putt-Putt
13. What time did you wake up today → 4:30 a.m.
14. What were you doing at midnight last night: sleeping
15. Name something you CANNOT wait for → so many things...
16. Last time you saw your father→ about a month ago when I was home
17. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life --> Hmm...not much
18. What are you listening to right now → my computer noises
19. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom → yeah
23. What's getting on your nerves right now? → nothing
24. Most visited webpage → http://www.yahoo.com/
1. What's your name→ Leslie Anne Latino
2. Nicknames→ Les, Lesilhogger, Ms. It, Poopsie, Carrot Top, Les Les...the list goes on!
3. Relationship Status → Single
4. Zodiac sign → Virgo but don't care
5. Male or female or transgendered → Female
6. Elementary--> Oak Forest
7. Middle School → Oak Forest
8. High school ---> Oak Forest
9. How many kids do you want? maybe 4...depends on when I get started!
10. Hair color →red
11. Long or short --> short now...just cut off 9 inches
16. Height → 5 and 3 3/4 inches
17. Do you have a crush on someone? no
18: What do you like about yourself? → lots of things
19. Piercings → ears
20. Tattoos → nah...I'll wait til I get married to ask my hubby if he's okay with it
21. Righty or lefty → lefty
FIRSTS :
22. First surgery → wisdom teeth
23. First piercing → My ears
24. First best friends --> Jill
25. First sport...softball or soccer
26. First sport you joined → repeat!
27. First pet → we lived by the railroad tracks so I had like 3 billion dogs.
28. First vacation→ Smokey mountains maybe
29. First concert → Acapella baby
30. First crush → ha...I have no idea!
RIGHT NOW:49. Eating → nothing
50. Drinking →nothing
51. Watching --> myself type words on the computer
52. I'm about to → read when I get done
53. Listening to --> nothing...
55. Waiting for --> lots of things
YOUR FUTURE :
58. Want kids? for sure
59. Want to get married? no doubt
60. Careers in mind? Speech Language Pathologist and mom :)
WHICH IS BETTER WITH THE OPPOSITE SEX?
68. Lips or eyes → I'll go with eyes
69. Hugs or kisses -> for now....Hugs
70. Shorter or taller → Taller
71. Older or Younger →Older
72. Romantic or spontaneous → Romantic
73. Nice stomach or nice arms → either
74. Sensitive or loud →Sensitive
75. Hook-up or relationship → relationship
76. Trouble maker or hesitant → I don't know
HAVE YOU EVER :
78. Kissed a stranger →no
79. Drank hard liquor --> not that I remember
80. Lost glasses/contacts → no
81. Sex on first date --> as if
82. Broken someone's heart → no
83. Had your own heart broken → no
85. Been arrested → no
86. Turned someone down -- no
87. Cried when someone died → yeah
88. Liked a friend that is a girl/guy? → no
DO YOU BELIEVE IN:
89. Yourself → yes
90. Miracles → yes
91. Heaven → yes
93. Santa Clause → no
95. Kiss on the first date? → depends
96. Angels → yes
ANSWER TRUTHFULLY:
97. Is there one person you want to be with right now? no
98. Had more than one boyfriend/girlfriend at one time? no

Until next time
-Les

I'm not very consistent these days!

Well, Life is good. I feel like I say that all the time but it's just true. Sure things happen differently than I expect and there are crazy days sometimes but overall life is good. A couple of months ago I heard a pastor speak and he just really helped me realize that my good days, weeks, months, years etc should not be based on how much "good" stuff happens but rather on the goodness of God. Since God's goodness never changes then my life should continue to be good...

I just got settled into an apartment here in Montgomery. I signed a 6 month lease. I really like it. I tried a new church yesterday and truly enjoyed it. I am going to attend a Bible study this week for that same church and I am PUMPED to meet some peers!!!

My mom is coming up for Easter this weekend and I'm excited! We are going to go to a Montgomery Biscuits baseball game, go to Church of the Highlands in Birmingham and get to spend some time with our family. It's sure to be a good time!

Not much else to say right now! Much love!

Until next time-
Les

The much awaited update (Insert a LOT of sarcasm)

Well, it has been such a long time! Let's see if I can update you all on what is going on in my life!
I feel like I have so much to say that this might just be a big huge jumbled mess so we will see....

Alright, first let's talk about the job. The big girl job is into week # 9 and things are still going well. I have had some major challenges but I feel like I am learning something new each and every day. I have some pretty interesting patients and they keep me on my toes. Let me pause here to tell a good story....One of my newest patients, Mr. R, is quite the character. Last week we were in therapy and he said some pretty ugly things to one of my co-workers so I talked to him about how that wasn't a good thing to say and then I got extremely nervous because I was expecting him to say something ugly to me. So, we were done with treatment and I brought him to his room and told him "I'm going to leave you here and the nurse is on her way, What do you think about that?" and he says...."I think you're pretty". I was crackin' up!
Also, regarding work, I cannot believe how much money they take out for taxes but as my mom says "Welcome to the real world"....I know, I know!!! :)

Right now, I'm staying in Montgomery with some of my family and it's going well. Right now is such a huge transition period for me and I'm just trying to take it day by day. I enjoy my job and I am so incredibly grateful for all that I have but I definitely have those moments where I say "This isn't the way I thought it was going to be". I have to say the hardest part right now is that I don't have any peer-age friends here in Montgomery. I am a complete people person and I am dying for some friendship around here. Now, let me say, my family is awesome and it is such a blessing to have them but you know what I mean, I need some fellowship with other YP's.

I so miss Church of the Highlands. I was so pumped when I ended up in Birmingham and was led to Church of the Highlands because it is such an amazing church full of amazing people and a place where God totally shows up all of the time. I have some amazing friends there and I miss getting to see them. Since I'm having so many issues with my car, I just can't drive up there as often as I would like to.

So, be praying for me.

I think that's really about it. I am going to be busy this coming up weekend because I have the honor of sharing in one of my best friends wedding day. I am so pumped to be there for the beginning of her marriage and I am grateful for her friendship! Woohoo!

Until next time-
Les

An interesting week.....

Well, this past Saturday, December 27th, I moved out of my apartment in Hoover, AL. I'll be starting my job this week, the lease was up and I'll be wanting to move a little closer to Prattville. Thankfully, a friend is letting me camp out at her house off of Crestwood Boulevard. Once I start working, I'll stay with some family in Montgomery during the week until I find a new place to live. 

So here's the run down on the past week....my cell phone died on Monday night so I lost all of my Birmingham numbers, got a new phone in the mail on Wednesday morning, went to the McWane center for the first time and got in free (YAY), ate at Urban Standard and loved the Brunswick Stew, rented and watched a lot of new movies, went to an awesome New Year's Eve party, enjoyed time hanging out, had my car break down, had the help of some awesome friends, watched the Alabama game with some CRAZY Alabama fans, ran lots of errands, went to Highlands and heard a message from Craig Groeschel, spent time with amazing friends, and learned so many amazing lessons from the Lord.

I know that is a super short version of the week but there will be more to come about the amazing lessons God has taught me. Great week coming up. Time to start the big girl job!!!!!

Until next time-

Les

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