Charazmatic with a seat belt on....

Ok, If you are in my life, even in the least bit, you will know that I LOVE MARS HILL!! Maybe even to the point where I idolize it...hahahaha (I continuously quote Mark, my homepage on my personal computer is www.marshillchurch.org, I am considering moving so I can go to church there-these may all be signs that I have a problem) I know that the Lord has not put me in Seattle, but thankfully he put Mars Hill on the internet, and I can view Mark Driscoll preach while I type invoices in at work, get ready in my room, or when I just want to lay in my bed and watch it while I wind down. His topics are sooooooooooooooososososo RELEVANT!!! I love it! I have posted a clip from when he was on Nightline for you to see...you have been warned~ you listen to him a few times, you may be hooked!! I'm just saying.....

death to our old selves.

"Something happens when we come to God for His grace and mercy--something that is so radical and so amazing that it can only be described as death to our old selves. It is the overwhelming desire to please the One who has loved us with such amazing and unconditional love...I may not get better overnight; I may not be the fine, upstanding, and wonderful Christian I thought I was, but I now have a desire to please the One who loved me (and gave Himself for me). That desire is the soil in which goodness grows--not perfectly, by any means, but it does grow."
Steve Brown

The Baby of the Family

Well...it's been a month since my last post (I am slacking on the job). My baby sister, Emily, is no longer a teenager. She turned TWENTY YEARS OLD!!!!! She actually shares her birthday with my great grandmother. My great grandmother turned eighty two. (so when I have babies, we will have five generations in my fam) She is in good health, and I hope that I inherit her longevity. I do not get to see her very often because she lives in Boaz. She has a very content spirit. I love to just sit and talk to her, and I always come away feeling still and calm-far away from the business of everyday life. We celebrated their birthdays on Saturday eventhough they were actually on Thursday, Feb 5th. My mawmaw Peggy cooked chicken and dumplings and we had two birthday cakes. I ate a lot!!! I remember when the day Emily was born. I remember being at my cousin's birthday party, and yes, her birthday is the fifth also. Crazy, huh? Anyway, Emily was born with yellow jaundice (mispelled?) and had to be flown in a helicopter to Bham. By this point, I was tired of babies. I was four years old and no longer the center of attention. I am so excited to see her turn into a beautiful woman right before my eyes. She is still my baby sister, but I know that she is a mature young lady. She is in Respitory Therapy School at Shelton State in Tuscaloosa. I am very proud of her, I can honestly say that she is naturally beautiful inside and out. I am allowed to brag a lil' bit bc this is MY blog...haha.

new year

Picture of me and my roommates

sidenote: this is how much I love chocolate in my milk...

Gandy: What is that you're drinking, coke?

Heather: No, it's chocolate milk.

Gandy: It's the color of my drink, and I am drinking coke.

we go back

Saturday night, I went to Applebees with three of my dearest friends whom I grew up with. pictured from left to right. Tiffany, Reese, Jennifer, me, Ciara. We had a great time, and it was so encouraging for me to hear all about their experiences being wives, a mom (for tiffany), and future mom's (because jen and c are both expecting). These girls are in more of my childhood memories than anyone else. Jen and I shared our love for organization and cleanliness when we were children. I remember organizing my entire "pretend kitchen" with her. I loved to spend the night at her dad's house where we explored the woods and decorated her tree house. Ciara was my cheerleader friend. I cannot imagine Ciara not being in my life all those years to share a passion for cheering, stunting, jumping, and yelling. I was priveleged to get to experience all those ballgames, competitions, practices, and camps with her. I got to share the excitement of being a freshman junior varsity cheerleader with her the very first year hb had one. (LOL-ciara if you read this, wink wink.) From pom-pom girl to the last time we were on the field together, I enjoyed every moment beside her. Tiffany...ummm...let's see. Where do I start? We are actual "blood sisters". I could probably write a book using the notes that we passed to each other throughout our elementary, middle, and high school years. Yes, even in high school. Her notes got me through second block. From taking "Olan Mills-Glamour shots" to laughing so hard that we peed in our pants...I could not have imagined growing up without her. I love these girls!!!! Thank you Lord for blessing me with their sweet spirits and unique personalities, and I praise your name for sovereignly making them a part of my life.