My Week in Pictures

So I got a little busy this past week. So busy that I haven't blogged in 10 days, except for the prayer request for Ravonda. But I have been attempting to keep up with my 365 project, so, here is a review in pictures of my last ten days.

January 14th, went out to eat with Alex & his parents and I was introduced to the best salad ever made...

I don't remember what I did last Saturday but it was obviously not very eventful since my picture of the day is a picture of a fab Columbia rain jacket I got at Goodwill for less than FIVE dollars! The tags were still on it & everything! It was an $80ish jacket I do believe the tag said! Talk about a great deal! Can't wait until it's warm enough to wear it!

Sunday I gave my friend Ingrid a Mary Kay facial! She tried & loved our mineral foundation! Girls, you've gotta try it if you haven't already!

January 17th I was at home, enjoying every minute of it. This picture frame sits on my empty dresser at Mawmaw & Pawpaw's in my room. I got this for them for Christmas and love it! The picture on my Pawpaw giving me a kiss when I was a baby & then the other two are older pictures of my grandparents. The one on the right is one of my favorites! "All because two people fell in love." ♥

Tuesday: Showing off another piece of evidence that I am still in that animal print phase.

Wednesday: took down some Christmas decorations & added some "winter" decorations to my kitchen table! $1 each at The Dollar Tree...you know it!!

Thursday: This is one of the only good things about getting up this early for anything...seeing the sun rise! I saw it every day I went to my internship this week. It really puts you in a great mood that early in the morning! :)

Friday I got my first Mary Kay commission check in the mail! It was small but it reminded me of all the opportunities I have ahead of me in this business if I will only put forth some effort!

Saturday I went to visit the amazing Ravonda Mauldin at the Hospice house she is staying in. I got to visit with her & her daughter Alana (pictured)- who is one of the sweetest girls ever! Ravonda is struggling and her health is failing, but I can not tell you the joy it brought to my heart to add a smile to her face and make her laugh in her moments of awareness. Lord, thank you for that.

Sunday had the day free, which rarely happens, so I took immediate advantage of the opportunity to go visit my grandmother & some of my family "for Christmas." I love this woman! She's a mess!

I am excited to say that this week is over, I am going to bed, and best of all...I will NOT be waking up at 5:30 in the morning! I am not even going to set my alarm!! Best feeling ever!! Now, watch me get up early just out of habit now....Stay tuned! ;)

Prayer Request

If you will please, please take a moment to pray for Ravonda Mauldin of Lincolnton, NC. She is a sweet friend to my mother, with 2 girls, Haley, a senior in high school, & Alana, 23. She is losing her battle with cancer & Alana tells me the doctor has given her a couple more weeks to live. Please pray that God's healing mercy be upon Ravonda's body & the hearts and souls of her children & everyone who loves her. This is such a difficult time and I'm not sure there's anything we can do, BUT PRAY. So please, take a moment and lift this family up tonight and in the upcoming days. The Lord knows they will surely need it! Miracles happen every day & I am not above thinking God can't work one today in this family! Pray pray pray!

 

Total rambling on my part....rambling with a purpose

I love how the Lord moves in you when you least expect it.

I know how people say God gives you a peace beyond understanding, but for this season in my life, I am praying for energy & motivation  beyond understanding! The Lord needs not only to move in me, but move ME! Set my heart on fire for what HE desires in my life & help me move towards that goal. I'm telling you now, it won't happen otherwise. I am human. I am lazy. I lack(ed) motivation. I procrastinate. I at times wish to take the easy route. So God, I know you're listening: Get. Me. Going!

I am excited about starting anew. Starting a new day, a new week, a new semester, a new internship, new friendships, and my new business in Mary Kay! The desire of my heart is to make things different, BE BETTER in all that I do. Put forth more of myself & make more of an effort.

I realized (one of) my problem(s). I have a lot I want to do, and get overwhelmed with that to-do I-want list, that I just say, "I'll get to it." And then by the end of the day, I'm tired, and that "I'll get to it" turns into "I'll get to that tomorrow." And then tomorrow it was, "What was I gonna do again?" & while I think about it, I get on Facebook! Oh, the life...

So tonight I began my list of everything I want to accomplish in a day. That way, I can attempt to hold myself accountable when I sit on Facebook. I can ask myself, "what else do I have to do before I can spend time on here?" Because Lord knows I will be on Facebook, getting sleepy, & then head to bed without getting what needs to be done done! There are silly things on this list, like "make the bed" but I am so Type-A. I need a list. I need to check things off the list. And if it's not on a list, it might not get done. What can I say? I am my father's daughter.

Tonight I was going through my Mary Kay order, sorting everything out & bagging everything into cute pink bags with ribbon, and I came across my new microdermabrasion set. {Please note that I also have ADD, so, I am easily distracted.} I thought, "Oh wow! I wanna try that tonight!" but I am so weird about applying skin care. I want it to be first thing in the morning or right before bed. So what did I need to do? Get in the shower & wash my face so I can use the microdermabrasion set. I always get so side-tracked with what I need to be doing {clean my kitchen!} & go off into LaLa land, doing what hit me that very moment. That's got to stop or else I'll get nothing done. BUT, my face feels FABULOUS tonight!!

Side note: In the shower I had some NICE prayer time with the man upstairs! I love it when that happens! I feel like the shower is "my prayer closet" as my preacher, Mike Devine, calls it. It is a {pretty dim lit} "box" where I am warm & comfortable & not worried about anything or anyone else. It's the perfect time for one-on-one with God if you have time to just stand there under the relaxing hot water. :) In that prayer time, I developed my "I Story" for my business, which is my inspiration for joining Mary Kay and what I hope to achieve in the future. I would love to share it with you some time.

My simple point in this was to say that I am excited for the future. Excited for the days & weeks to come. Excited to see my business grow and for this semester to be one of the best, as well as fly by! ;) I am excited to see what GOD will do in my life and who He will bring into it! Lord, prepare my heart for this season because I can not do it without you!!

OH! & another thing I want to start doing is GETTING PLACES EARLY! If you know me, you know I'm never early and rarely on time. I am sorry. It's inconvenient, rude, and so on & so forth. I know and I never intend to be late it always "just happens!" I want to strive to be on time, and early if possible, but let's not get carried away. So what does that mean? Ok, so, I have to be somewhere at 9:45ish in the morning. I will be realistic and give myself two hours to shower, dry & fix my hair, apply my makeup, eat breakfast, find something to wear, & take my dog out. {Yep, that will take about 2 hours} What does that mean? I have to get up at the latest by 7:45. The dishes need to be done and a(nother) load of laundry started. I am going to set my alarm for 6:45, snooze til 7 {a bad habit of mine I don't think I'll ever be able to break} & get up & see what I can get done in those 45 extra minutes I gave myself!

It's 1:33AM now, which means I will hardly get five hours of sleep. Ironically enough, another thing I absolutely have to start doing is get more sleep. Good thing I'm sleepy now so it probably won't take my usual 30-45 mins to get to sleep.  Let me tell you: five hours of sleep isn't nearly enough for me, so pray for me as I begin my day tomorrow. Pray I can get up & get going! Pray I stay productive during the day. Pray I can get everything on my list done. It's realistic. It's possible! Let's just hope that I maintain this blessing I call motivation that I received tonight out of nowhere. I am praying for energy & motivation beyond understanding...because Lord knows this girl needs more than 5 hours of sleep!!

Any suggestions you wanna send my way as I begin this venture to betterness? Send them my way! & I apologize if this was complete nonsense-sounding, rambling to the nth degree. It's late; forgive me!

I am back! {Totally random update}

So, if you know me, you know that summer school kicked my butt this summer! I have been either been working at the gym or working on school work literally almost all summer! It has not been fun. I am grateful for my $job$ though because it gave me an opportunity to get some school work done.

A lot has gone on since I last really got to blogging...I can't go into too too much detail right now, but pray for my family!

Soon I'll be finding out where I'll be doing my practicum {job shadowing} for the Fall. Either way, I recently met and discussed high school counseling with the fabulous school counselor at Maiden High School. I would love to do both my practicum and my internship in the Spring there, but if not, it will be at North Lincoln High School, so, no complaints there! I've heard great things about the counselors there. It's where my brother went to school. It's a new facility with a low turn-over rate...so either way, the Lord is blessing me! I never thought I would say this...but I think I might want to be a high school counselor!! Eek!! We'll see how this practicum & internship go...

Doggy training's doing well! We go to lesson #3 tomorrow night. My dad said you can't teach an old dog new tricks but, we'll just have to prove him wrong! ;) I love Lisa at PetSmart in Hickory who's doing the training. I highly recommend their training program with her there!

I got my Isenhour roster this week for the Fall. We are going to be a PACKED HOUSE! Every room is filled, every spot is filled...even the old show room! This is going to be an interesting year....I can see it now! I have faith in my staff though! Hopefully it'll be another fun year!

Alcoholics Anonymous

My friend Jessica and I went an AA {Alcoholics Anonymous} meeting tonight. It was for our Addictions class we're taking. We have to write a paper on our experience observing an AA meeting. Well, anyways, it was {obviously} my first time going to an AA meeting, and let me tell you, it was quite the experience.

It was so hard for me to see the people in attendance there. Yet, I was so proud of them for trying. There were people there {I'm guessing here..} ages 20-60. You could definitely see the age in some of them. You could see the effects alcohol had had on their lives. I am willing to bet that a lot of them are not as old as they look. The consequences of alcohol have definitely taken a toll on all of their lives- physically, emotionally, socially, spiritually...and you can tell.

I want to applaud all of the people there- anyone who received their white chip tonight, symbolizing their first 24 hours being sober {from what I understand, you aren't "sober" until you come and admit you're an alcoholic}, or anyone receiving another colored chip, symbolizing a longer period of sobriety. Alcoholism is something that completely controls your every fiber. It takes a person being beaten down so incredibly much for them to even begin seeing that there might be a problem. So, again, I applaud everyone there, working hard to make their sobriety their top priority.

I heard something tonight that got me thinking. The speaker said that he heard someone say that their sobriety was their absolute top priority in life, and they said it sitting beside their wife. Honestly, if I was married to an alcoholic {and FYI: you're an alcoholic for the rest of your life. You don't become an ex-alcoholic. You just are sober.} then I would want my husband's top priority to be his sobriety too. If being sober isn't your top priority, there will come a time when you will relapse. It's as simple as that. When you are sober, because you made sobriety your top priority, then everything else has the ability to fall into place. So, I had never thought of it that way before, but, I guess it surprisingly makes sense.

Something I thought about on the way home was this:

Just because you drink every day, doesn't make you an alcoholic.

Just because you don't drink every day, doesn't mean you aren't.

I have gained a life experience tonight by attending this AA meeting and I will pray for the ones I met tonight and also everyone else in attendance I didn't get to meet. One particular prayer I am praying for them hits me on a personal level. I'm sure there is someone, somewhere, that is angry at them, not speaking to them, holding a grudge, or may even hate them because of what they have let alcohol do to their lives and to the lives of others. I pray that those people see these alcoholics trying, staying sober, and struggling to make a change in their lives. I pray that these people will be given a break, and given another chance. We all deserve another chance. And if world will treat them no differently drinking or sober, then what motivation does that give them to want to change? That's just something to think about...

My new favorite Facebook group*

A couple of days ago, something popped up on my Facebook newsfeed. It was a Facebook group called "Praying for Pat Sykes." Of course I clicked on it, and a lady named Candy from my home town had recently made the Facebook group to ask people to pray for my brother.

Why you ask?

Well, first, I was deeply appreciative of Candy doing this.. especially since it's been two months since Pat's diagnosis. So Candy, if you see this, {again} THANK YOU!

I think it's extremely important to continually pray. Our family and Pat's friends prayed for an answer, to find out what was causing Pat's blindness. Just because we now know why doesn't mean we can stop praying. I keep praying for healing {always, no matter what the doctors say}, coping skills, the tools he needs to help him, good influences for friends and friends that will selflessly help him with everything, and just a peace beyond understanding. I pray that one day Pat can use this this happening to him to glorify God and show everyone that with faith, he is not stopping. I will not stop praying for Pat.

Anyways, I did not post this to publicize the Facebook group, even though that may happen. I already invited every Facebook friend I have anyways yesterday. The whole point of my post is this-

the group now has 415 members!

That might not be a lot to you, and some people may have just added the group because I invited them. {However, I know some people declined the invitation.} But either way, the group raises awareness and will lift the numbers of prayers for Pat going up- and that's all that matters! I appreciate all the people posting comments on the group's wall to Pat. I'm sure he's read/will read them and I know it'll mean a lot to him. 

I just am so grateful for everyone's kindness and inspirational words. It all makes my heart smile. :)

Layla Grace

A Facebook friend of mine posted a link to a blog a couple weeks ago. Out of sheer curiosity I clicked the link and became obsessed!

Meet Layla Grace....

You can find more info on Layla at http://laylagrace.org/ but, I feel I must share this story with you.

Layla, this precious little girl was described as a great eater, great sleeper, and a sweet little cuddle monkey who had an advanced vocabulary for her age. Her mother writes that she had a great 15 month checkup but at around 16 months Layla's sleeping and eating habits changed and she became more irritable. Time passed. Her parents thought they had a picky eater on their hands. A ear infection was said to be the blame for a swollen eye Layla woke up one morning with, and her hard and distended belly was treated with medication for constipation. After another weekend of no dirty diapers, she was referred to a GI specialist who ran some tests.

Layla has a massive cancerous tumor (Stage 4 Neuroblastoma) in her abdomen. It extends from above her left kidney, around her side, over her belly and wraps around her aorta. In addition, the cancer is in her bone marrow. Sweet little Layla went from normal happy and healthy to lethargic, in pain, and skin and bones in a matter of a week and a half.

Frequent updates on Layla’s status can be found at http://www.twitter.com/laylagrace.

The Marsh Family can be reached at: fightforlayla@gmail.com.

Now, I do not share this story with you to depress you. I do not share this story with you to scare all the new mothers out there who happen to be reading this blog. If you have some spare time, take the time to read the blog Layla's mother is writing. Of course she is not choosing to blog over spending her dying daughter's last moments with her. Layla sleeps a lot and her mother is finding a way to pass the time, vent, express her emotions, and update the CRAZY amount of people and celebrities who have been following Layla's story. Sometimes I think posting information that is too personal on Facebook is at times inappropriate, but I recently learned that sometimes Facebook, email, blogs, and Twitter can sometimes be the best way of communicating with a large group of people. Just imagine if Layla's mother had to personally update each person on Layla's condition each time she was asked. Thank you, Lord, for technology! And I know that blogging really at times is a form of venting. It's free therapy! (if it's working!)

Yesterday Layla's mother wrote this:

My relationship with God has grown so much the past few months. That is all Layla’s doing. I’m so grateful that I was blessed with this angel on earth. She has taught me patience, faith, strength, grace and love. She has continued to amaze me over and over again.

 And that is why I am sharing this story with you. This is probably one of a family's worst nightmare stories. I could see this emotionally scarring a person, a mother, for life. I could see this depressing her beyond belief.  I could see this causing so much anger and hatred for God in her heart that she never turns back to Him again. I can see how some would say "God is not answering her prayers" and "God is letting this innocent little girl die." But WOW! This mother is taking one of the worst things a mother would ever have to face, and is letting it bring her CLOSER to God!

She also posted this verse yesterday:

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

-2 Corninthians 4:7-12, 16-18

On February 28th, her mother wrote:

Still, we kept praying expecting a miracle. Never give up hope, that’s our motto. God doesn’t bring the bad, he brings the good. But we knew in the back of our minds that it might be part of God’s plan for her to return home to Him. It’s not too much of a stretch to believe that God’s work with Layla here on earth is nearly complete.

 She has the right idea! She is being an example of true FAITH to us all! You never ever ever give up hope, and give your life (and the life of your children) up to God, trusting that whatever He chooses, life or death, peace or pain, will be a part of His perfect and pleasing will, giving glory to Him! I know she's struggling. But her testimony is and will be so powerful! She is a hero of mine! And not only her, but all of the people who are in pain and still find a way to trust that God has a plan and whatever it may be, you're happily along for the ride!

I know that Layla Grace is not the only child suffering from cancer. I know that her mother is not the only person that is being a great example of someone who has TRUE faith in the Lord. This site and story was simply brought to my attention, and I felt the need to share. I hope it touches your heart and teaches you the many lessons it has seemed to teach me lately as I've been reading. I will continue to pray for Layla and her family as they go through these last days, and also for her family as they cope with the loss of their daughter. However, God performs miracles everyday (so don't think I'm giving up hope!)

http://laylagrace.org/

Follow Layla on Twitter

Update February 2015: I believe the website is no more and the Twitter account looks like it is no longer being updated. Praying that the family has coped well with the loss of their beautiful daughter and that the Layla Grace Foundation is a success. 

Thank you Lord for answered prayers

I really don't know where to begin. This has been a very emotional week for me and my family. First of all, I want to say a big thank you to all of you who have been praying for my brother, Pat, and our family. I am a firm believer that prayers are heard and prayers can heal! I want to thank those who have prayed for and laid hands on my brother at Covenant Bible Church, and ALL the hometown churches that have added Pat and my family to their prayer lists. First Baptist Church has also done an exceptional job expressing their concern and letting us know that we are in their prayers. For that I thank you! Saying "thank you" really doesn't express my genuine appreciation but I still must ask that you do not stop praying. I don't want to say "now more than ever" but now would just a much needed time for us to be lifted up in prayer. For the longest time we have prayed for answers, good answers, or at least answers we can handle....and, sure enough, as always, the good Lord provided! It has been over six months and we have found our answer! It's not the best answer ever, but thank you Jesus that it is not the worst answer either! For that I am forever thankful!

Now, I know not everyone who reads my blogs knows what is going on. I'm not big into secrets and know that for some of you who are reading this, you're just simply curious. I'm sometimes the same way. I will say to you, those who are taking the time to read this, that I am cutting the sarcasm off for the night, all joking aside, and sharing with you something very personal. In return, I ask that after reading this, you take a moment to lift my brother and my family up in prayer, and if you aren't religious or spiritual, then please, keep us in your thoughts and learn from our story, not taking anything in life for granted. Right now I am praying for hope and help for my brother. I can't imagine losing something as precious as my eyesight, even though I have to come to the realization that I, too, one day may as well. I am praying for the Lord to make a way to help my parents afford all the tools that Pat will need in his near future and for Him to heal our hearts and begin to see the will He has for us all. I have always said (almost cliché-like) that everything happens for a reason. No, it wasn't some sappy quote I got off the internet. It's a way I like to look at life, and God's will. I am positive that God has a perfect plan for us all, far beyond our comprehension--a.k.a. "a reason for everything," even this. This is not something that my brother, myself, or my family can not handle, with God's help. I am leaning on Him during this time and continuing to have faith!