I did it!

First off, notice something different?  Although I tried to make an adorable blog template all on my own, it just wasn't user friendly.  So, I went here which I found on Ryann's blog, and bought a cute little template that was a little easier to navigate, and looks very simple and clean.

Also, big BIG news: I just wanted to share the fact that I finally did it, I got Baptized! That is undoubtedly VERY awesome, but I have even better news to share, my best friend/ boyfriend also got baptized with me.  If you had asked me two weeks ago, I would have assured you that I was going to hit that water either alone, or with a stranger; however, I couldn't have asked for someone better to experience that with.  A friend of mine actually got it on video (which I didn't even think to ask her to do), but I am so glad that she did!  So, even if you didn't get to experience it with me, you can still experience it here! I'm so so excited to see what the Lord has planned for both of us, and we'll both be completing the ownership class at Newspring on the 26, and then I intend to find some time to volunteer!  I'm really excited as well as enthusiastic about a chance to volunteer, and I would love the chance to volunteer at Kidspring!

On a completely other note, there is also some super interesting news about Alex that I'm excited to share.  Alex had CO-OP interviews all last week, and although he was a nervous wreck, I was fairly certain that he'd be absolutely fine.  And what do you know? I was right.  He made a list of his top five, and bright and early Monday morning his #1 and #1.1 (that's how close they were to each other) called within 15 minutes of each other.  The scary part of this is that he has to make a decision.... tonight. Now obviously he held one particular co-op above another, but the catch is one is in ATLANTA (two hours away), and one is in CHICAGO (feels like two-hundred-billion hours away).  So you're thinking, easy decision, ATL so you can stay close to your beautiful and brilliant girlfriend... welp, Chicago is offering a signing bonus as well as a little more an hour.  YIKES. Pray for him in guidance to make this decision, asap.  But honestly, I'm so proud of him I'd be happy with either one.

ATL

vs.

CHI-TOWN

Funny How It Is

11.20.11

... so, guess who visited me at NEWSPRING this morning...

THIS GIRL!

                        ... needless to say, it was beyond amazing.

Now, for the reason I'm writing this post.  It's funny, sometimes, how different thoughts can hit you.  This one in particular hit me like a brick wall.  I was on my way to work, marinating over some things going on in my life and I really did some self reflecting.  It's hard to self reflect because that means that, at times, you have to look inside yourself and think what you're doing wrong, what your personal flaws are, and what you need to change about yourself.  Now self reflecting can be good of course, and can lead to self praise, but this time in particular, that wasn't the case.  Its hard when you realize things you really didn't like about other people, arise in yourself.  One thing I noticed is that once I started to explore Christ a little further, I was judgmental of people who didn't choose to do the same.  Now I know that this wasn't exactly Perry's message today at NewSpring, or maybe it was... but what I got out of it was a completely sobering message.  In Job 8:3-6 Bildad is talking to Job, and he says:

 "Does God pervert justice?  Does the Almighty pervert what is right? When your children sinned against him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.  Bit if you will seek God earnestly and plead with the Almighty, if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your prosperous state."

Now in my mind, when Job's life has been shattered, and all has been taken from him, he is at his lowest point.  And when we, his children, stray away and become lost, we are also at ours.  Our family's may not be broken, or our health may not be rapidly declining, but in God eyes I would bet that losing faith in him, is worse than all of that. Good things don't always happen to good people, and just because bad things happen to someone doesn't mean they deserve them. Basically, i'm blessed that God has chosen to arise curiosity in my own heart, and although some aren't at that point in their lives, I shouldn't break away from them, judge them, or tell them everything they're doing wrong in their lives.  Instead, I should work on: becoming more like Jesus, being a good friend, and living by example.  No one is perfect, and sin is sin.  It may not be new news to everyone, but it was a slap in the face to me.  I look forward still to exploring my faith, and I pray that I affect others as well.  By the way, this Sunday was one of the best days i've had in a long long while, and I literally thank the Lord for that.  Thank you Natalie, and Valerie for spending the day with me, and with God!