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So Jon and Annie- (my sister) and i decided to go to dinner last night.

Johnny Rockets is a fun place to go, and we enjoyed the time and food!

Who knew when they served us, they would give us a portrait of ourselves?

**sadly, Annie's was more of a cyclops and therefore not pictures below- it didnt capture her beauty at all!**

Gorilla Man

Schools out, and i know that means fun for a lot of kids, but lets try to keep it respectful. You would think kids would, or at least get a clue, but sometimes they don't. Let me rewind and paint the scenario for you. . .



Picture a quiet afternoon at a wonderful place to eat, lets say Chick-fil-A. . . =) Now its the last day of school, so there are LOTS of kids and they are excited and hyper! Thankfully the play area drowns out the volume so other customers can enjoy some great music while they eat.


Highschoolers do some pretty crazy things, i've been there, and i remember doing stuff just because i could- but just because you could to do something, doesn't mean you should. Well on this such afternoon, a group of recently dismissed for the summer students decided to have some fun, that should have stopped long before it did.

Dressed in a full-body gorilla costume, a H.S. student came in to Chick-fil-A, walked around to all his friends and then headed to the play area.

The dressing up completely is dangerous anyways due to his identity being covered. If he was a masked-murderer, he picked a good mask to use, but it was just a kid going for a few good laughs, so i couldn't do much about that.

Before i could finish wiping down the table i was working on my manager was back at the play area door asking him to leave. There are safety regulations, weight limits, and now 20 screaming terrified kids clutching to their mothers in sheer fear.

He finally went to his car and removed his get-up and apologized to a few of the kids that were still crying. . . but it got me thinking.

There are a lot of times that we wear masks. Never is is a good time to do so- i am talking about the masks that hide who you are, not the ones that offer protection, those are good to wear in the elements.

No, there is never a good reason to hide who you are or make excuse for something you are doing. For whatever reason it got me to thinking about the passage in Matthew 18, where Jesus is talking about causing others to stumble. If you are masked, you are not truly being yourself, or the person God has created you to be. If that is ever the case, you are in grave danger of causing someone to stumble. This is what Jesus said, "If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!" (vs. 6-7)

When we were in Georgia, i saw a millstone, and well i would NOT want to have this as 'bling'




Jesus knew what He was saying, and the gravity of this situation hit hard when i realized that i should live my life in a way that would never cause anyone- much less my younger brothers and sisters in Christ, to stumble.

Thankin' God for chicken

In the beginning, God created. . . on the forth day, that included the chicken.
For years people ate the chicken in various ways, but one man took it a step further.
Because of wanting a tasty way to eat the fowl, Truett invented THE Chicken Sandwich.
Because he created a wonderful sandwich, and franchise was born.
Because a restaurant was started, Mark became an operator.
Because he was an operator, he offered me a job.
Because i needed one, i applied and got it.
Because i got the job, i got to serve lots of people.
Because i talk with lots with guests, i got to meet Jon.
Because i met Jon, my life has been blessed....

With God's blessing, there is more to come- i'm so glad He chose to create a chicken! =)

something new

standing on the edge- there is anticipation: excitement and fear rolled into one...
not knowing what will happen, but hanging on for the ride....
nervous about taking the next step, but cant wait to see if God will shine light there....
Only God knows tomorrow, but today sure has been nice! ;)


... ... ...he likes my eyes! =)

Knight vs. Prince

As a little girl -and even now as a somewhat grown-up girl- i dream of my story.
When i was younger, that dream was influenced by stories and movies, that focused a "prince" to wait for. The underlying theme in them was that a prince would, some how save the day, or just because of a certain noble position, be eligible to marry the princess.
This is all well and fine, just a little off as i have thought it over more.
i think that i want to be with a "Knight"
A knight is still along the lines as a prince, in that he must be in a certain position to be eligible for the princess's hand, but this right is not handed to him. A knight's eligibility started at a young age and was a lifestyle chosen and worked for. (If i have this right- i studied medieval times, but it was a looooong time ago!!)
Knighthood training was a long and often arduous process. Knighthood training began in early childhood when a basic education and good manners and rules of etiquette were taught at home. At the age of 7 young boys were sent away to the castles and homes of wealthy lords or relatives to embark on their knighthood training. From the age of seven to fourteen these young boys were given the role of a Medieval Page. From fourteen to twenty-one these 'apprentice knights' were referred to as Squires . The different types and styles of Knighthood training depended on the age and strength of the apprentice knights. Knighthood training was focused on weapon practise which included enhancing skills in horsemanship, the two-handed sword, battle axe, mace, dagger and lance.
(i found the above on a website called "Becoming a Knight" ( www.medieval-life-and-times.info/medieval-knights/becoming-a-knight.htm ) who woulda thunk?)
But it makes what i was trying to say all the more understandable.... i hope! :)
So with all that hard training wouldn't the Princess's hand be worth more than something handed to him because he was born in the "right family?"
i think that guys can still be knights- maybe not so much in suits of armor on a horse, its about character. What was instilled in them at a young age, and what they have trained and prepared themselves for.
In as much as i hope "he" has been preparing himself for me, i hope that i will be found ready. Everyday passes with a mix of sadness and excitement. (i am going to be honest) Sad that one more day has passed, and i am that much older... But flip the coin, and i am so completely excited because i am one day closer to being with my knight!
i tend to think of myself as an optimist. i view the glass as half-full the majority of the time, thats why my excitement outweighs the bit of sadness that is mixed in.
For all the fellows out there that may or may not ever hear of this waiting ruby in VA-
DONT GIVE UP! Keep on building that character, become that gentleman and man after God's heart! - there are a few of us gals, who are princesses in their daddy's eyes, waiting for "knights" and men like you!

im just me

my hair's not blonde

an' im no size 2

my eyes change colors, but sure arent blue

but i love to laugh

and make others smile

stick around, ill be your friend for a while

i dont think ill get much taller

an' though im tryin'

i may not get any smaller

sun up, till it goes down

i work really hard

to get lots done at home or in town

my teeth arent straight

in my small mouth

an' the color of my hair, well its fake

though im not most guys' "type"

there IS a man made just for me

who's gonna think im out-of-sight!

grace

For a girl who longs to be married, weddings can be bitter-sweet. Within the last week i have had three- not one, not two, but THREE wedding showers to go to! With each one that i set out to attend, i prayed that God would allow me to be a blessing, and encouragement, but also to enjoy the time of fellowship and pampering to each of these future brides. God's grace is amazing! As i came away from each one, i was encouraged. A little bit of hope kindled at each one, and a passion for Christ's love to so well up in me, that it would be the biggest part of my future relationship!! i learned lots of wisdom and advice from other married ladies that were present, all of which i wrote in a notebook for my husband, that way we can remember it together later! God is good, and to that i am holding on to!!!