Getting in the Swing of Things

Wow. I was looking over my last few posts, and it's been a while since I have even done a post. So, let me try and catch you up on a few things from the past couple of days. 

I recently started back for my FINAL semester of college. I am doing my internship this semester at two different placements and will graduate in December! yay! 

**Due to this being my internship, all names have been removed or altered 

and no locations will be disclosed. All personal information is confidential, 

but I plan to blog about the experience as a whole. 

On Tuesday, I went to visit my second placement, which I will be in from October 18-December 14. I got to meet my cooperating teacher and students. I will be in a Kindergarten classroom for this placement., Everyone was super nice and I think that I am going to have a great time there when I go back!!

Today, I started my first placement at a local middle school, and am working in 5th grade. For those of you that know me well, this is really a bit of out of my element because I usually prefer younger children, but I think it's going to be a good experience. The remainder of the week will be filled with observations and just becoming oriented with my team of teachers and getting to know the students/schedule/etc. Starting next week, I will be picking up one subject to teach. Each additional week will be a different subject area because my team is departmentalized. I'm a little nervous about working with the older children, but at the same time, I'm very excited about it. The team I am working with is made up of great teachers and so I know that they will assist me in any way needed. 

Please, keep me in your prayers over the next 8 weeks while I am at this school. It's going to be a challenging and rewarding experience and I plan to keep you posted.

Five Question Friday!

Every now and then, I try to participate in Five Question Friday! It really makes me think about something of the answers to these questions and see how well I know myself. This week's 5 questions required some major thinking, so I'm glad I got to see the sneak peek last night and really think about how I was going to answer them. So here it goes!

1. Do you have any nicknames and if so how did it come about?

 I thought VERY hard about this one..and only a couple of things come to mind. 

       My grandmother has always called me "Flossy" for as long as I can remember. 

Not really sure why, but it's just kinda stuck. She still calls me this. 

Also, my aunt has called me "Helen."

I guess I kinda earned this name; she said that I listen about as well as Helen Keller. 

Which, was probably true when I was younger.

Not sure whether this really counts as a nickname or not, 

but my husband's father always refers to me as "Fancy", but when I'm not around.

I think it's kinda cute!

2. What is your birth order amongst your siblings?

It's just me and my brother, and I'm almost 3 years older than him. I am 22 and he is 19. 

3. In a movie of your life, who would play your significant other?

Now, this was an easy one. My husband could even answer this question. 

Mr. Gerard Butler!!

Not only is he extremely ruggedly handsome,

he also favors my husband: muscles, dark features, and pretty blue eyes.

4. What is currently your favorite song?

I would have to say that my current favorite song is...

God Gave Me You by Dave Barnes

Go Listen to it now! It speaks for itself. 

5. Are you saving your money for anything right now? Big or small purchase?

Right now we are saving for this little beauty...

My parents are sending us on a cruise this spring for my college graduation. 

Although they are paying for the cruise, we are saving so that we have some money put 

back so we can take off work and really just enjoy ourselves!

Alright, now go link up at Five Question Friday and post your answers in your blog! 

Can't wait to read more about you as well. 

Much Needed Encouragement

Do you ever just have those days like BLAH?!

I do, and I think we all do. 

For me, there are just days when 

I want to sit and do nothing. 

I need some encouragement to get going. 

Where do I turn? Scripture. 

You all know I'm on a journey of getting in shape, 

but I'm also on an everlasting journey to 

strengthen my relationship with Christ, 

a journey we should all be on. 

There are times however, when I find a scripture that 

gives me encouragement for both journeys. 

Here is what I found. 

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." ---1 Corinthians 9:24

I know what the eternal prize here is. I think we all do. 

We should always press on to reach that eternal prize. 

And even though it's not talking about actually putting one foot in front of the other in the act of actual running, it did hit home with me. I blogged in the last post that 

one of my goals is to Walk Daily.

 So this was my motivation to get going, 

in both the spiritual and physical!

I hope it gives you as much encouragement 

and motivation as it has me.

4 Simple Goals

Brianna, a fellow blogger, 

did this post a few days ago, 

and idea which she found HERE, 

and you can read about it and the way to do it.

I thought this was a really super cute idea. 

It's a great way to verbalize things 

we want to get accomplished and 

keep each other encouraged and motivated.

Here are my 4 Simple Goals

---------------------------------------------------------------

ONE: Take more Pictures! 

I love, love, love pictures.

Everyone says that 

a picture is worth a thousand words. 

TWO: Walk Daily!

Exercise is good for the soul. 

Although, I am trying to lose some weight, 

I love to walk and want to take 

more time for myself to do it daily.

THREE: Write More Handwritten Notes!

With everyone so wrapped up in the 

blog world, emails, and Facebook, 

we often loose the intimate touch 

of a handwritten note. 

I love sending cards in the mail.

I love leaving little notes around 

for my husband to find. 

This is an act that I plan to make a habit.

FOUR: Eat More Fruit!

Apples, Bananas, Oranges, Grapefruit, Kiwi, 

Peaches, Watermelon, Grapes, Plums, Peaches

and so many, many more!

I just love fruit and want to take the time to 

enjoy more of it on a regular basis.

--------------------------------------------------------------- 

There you have it.

My Four Simple Goals

All in a Nutshell.

What are your simple goals?

I challenge you to join me in verbalizing your goals.

Leave me a comment and link to your post. 

Can't wait to see what your goals are!

Have a very blessed day, Bloggers!

Sippin' Saints

For some people, this is a very difficult topic. Now, some of you know I used to party and drink a little. Nothing major, but I did some. Since I got back in church and got things right, I gave it up. I haven't had a drink in over 3 years, since right before I met my husband. Recently, we have talked about drinking and if it's "right or wrong" from a biblical standpoint. 

People I know that drink claim that Jesus turned water into wine. That God's people drank in the Bible. I have heard many other people justifying this from the Bible.

Ephesians 5:18 states it plainly for us. "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit."

[Find more examples of results of being drunk HERE.]

Now, I know some very good Christian people that don't go out and get drunk. However, they do feel that it's okay to go out and have just one or two drinks occasionally because they are not getting drunk, hence the term Sippin' Saints. 

Overall, here is where we stand. We feel that drinking is a personal conviction in itself. I don't know that I can completely say whether one drink is going to send someone to hell, but I feel that it will kill your witness. We used to be youth pastors before we changed churches, and especially for those in leadership positions, how can you tell someone that drinking is wrong and do it yourself. It's a lead-by-example thing. 

As for killing your witness, I know that when I was living in the world, I wouldn't take anyone seriously talking to me about God and living right if they were sharing a drink with me, or in the bar with me. I know that if I was in a restaurant with someone that was not a true believer and I was talking to them about God, how could I tell him that they should live like me (a Christian) is I'm doing what they are doing. I truly believe that it's not okay to be a Sippin' Saint for the simple fact that I don't need anything to kill my witness. Can I prove that it's wrong to have an occasional drink without a doubt? No, I can only listen to my convictions and lead by the example that Christ would have me lead.

Please, share your thoughts and verses that you find with me. I'm honestly interested in how you believe as well. 

Faithfully His, 

Overhaul!

I did a complete makeover on my blog today.

Please check it out ASAP.

Give me some feedback.

What do you think?

Like or Dislike?

Also, read more on our Rockin' Anniversary Trip HERE!! 

Faithfully His, 

This made my day!

My husband checks the mail every day. 

Last night he checked it after 

I had already left for a jewelry show.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE getting mail.

So you can understand my excitement when I found this lovely surprise waiting for me!

I won this notebook, cards, and sticky notes 

from Jamie over at Pure Joy.

She is super sweet.

If you don't follow her blog, please do! 

You won't regret it.

Hope you all have a very blessed day.