Maybe it's not all that bad...

Have you ever sat in your room, hiding under blankets, thinking about every stress & trouble & heartache you experience? It's so draining. Personally, it makes me never want to get out of bed. Eventually I do get up, get ready, & head to work (or wherever else I need to go that day). I try to surpass the stress & trouble & heartache, but at some point in the day, it trickles back to the front of my brain. Honestly, it's usually when someone says something stupid (or what I consider to be stupid) or rude or hurtful. It rushes everything back and I can't help but think my life stinks.

At the moment, I am listening to my Dad's tape recorder from when he and my Mom were in Haiti & a sermon he recorded at South East Christian. I hear about what happened on their mission trip with Water Step. I listen to the laughter & fellowship of the mission team. I am absorbed by the Creole words. I am lost in the words of the little boy (whose first language is not English) sing "Come, Now is the Time to Worship". I am overpowered by the African preacher who talks about what is prayer and how to pray. I realize my life, by no means, stinks. It can be stressful at times. I have troubles. I suffer heartache. But it doesn't stink. My life is wonderful because I have Jesus in my life. I have an awesome God for an Abba, Father, Daddy. My life is incredible!

Right now I am about to start my senior year of college. To be honest, I'm ready for it to be over. I'm ready to be done with school, get out in the "real world," and do something with my life besides sit in a classroom. But God's telling me, it's not time yet. I'm needed here. I am struggling with many difficulties right now, but I realize that even though it some of my situations may be terrible that God will get me through this. He can get me through anything. Everything.

I was on Pinterest the other day (imagine that) and I saw a post that said something a long the lines of "when it seems like God isn't there, remember the teacher is always silent during a test". Isn't that so true? Maybe if I sit still and in silence, He will give me some advice...some study habits to follow.

Today, I am needed on my campus. Tomorrow, I may be needed in Henry County. The day after that, I may be needed in Haiti. I have no idea. But God does. He has a mission for me and I'm ready to discover it. I'm not saying it will always be easy, but I know He is on my side...so life...maybe it's not that bad...

What I needed to hear

Hello viewers!

Please forgive me for the huge gap in time between my last post and this one. I was consumed with school, work, and..well...life. The few times I thought about posting, I wasn't sure what to write. I love to write something powerful and meaningful, but I let worry, fear, burden, and the priorities to human beings get in the way and I didn't post anything. This post may not be powerful nor meaningful to anyone except me, but I needed to say this, out loud, where other people can read/hear it. God is good. I have been reading Jesus Calling by Sarah Young (a gift from my pastor and his wife) and every time I open it, I feel like God is using Sarah to speak to me. The message is always about something I am currently battling. Today's passage was about trust. Yes, I say I trust God, as do many others, but do any of us really, truly, full-heartedly, trust God completely? I can't speak for you, but I cannot honestly say yes. I wish I could, but it would be a lie. Often I worry about what others think of me more than what God thinks of me. I sit here and plan for things that will not occur for five, even ten years. It makes the present a little brutal, but I do it anyways. Bad things keep happening in the present because I am too focused about tomorrow. Sarah quoted Joesph in today's passage saying to his brothers "You mean evil against me, but God meant it for good." No matter what happens in the future, how bad life becomes, how many tears I shed, how depressed I become, or how insane I go, God means everything for good. Satan loves kicking me (and everyone else) when I'm down and he's done that to me so much this year. I can't, no, I won't let him take my soul. I belong to God and I know that all of these hard times are the stepping stones to something greater. I hope all of you are touched by this like I was and we can help remind each other the importance of focusing on God and His never ending love!

The Hard Sides of Life

Hey there viewers! I'm sorry it's been so long since I posted a blog. I guess it was a combination of writer's block and being a little down lately. I've been feeling a little better the past couple of days, but still unsure about a topic. Even though today's topic isn't...great, it's what popped into my head a few hours ago.

Life is hard. People struggle every day. Some people have money woes. Others have trouble making friends. Several people have a hard time understanding faith. A few have rough family and life backgrounds. Many have no food, no water, and nowhere to live. Hard. Struggle. Woe. Trouble. Hard. Rough. Nowhere. Pain. Suffering. Life...and death.

I emphasize death. Last year, a girl from my old high school died. I didn't know the girl, but it tore me apart. My friends were so hurt and lost. I was lost because I didn't know how to help them. A few weeks ago I thought my old high school was going to lose another student. Thankfully, he survived the car wreck, but is still in the hospital with broken ribs, a punctured lung, and several more injuries. Unfortunately one of his friends in the car didn't make it and the other may have heart damage. Today, I found out the school did lose another student who had a 4-wheeling accident.

My heart goes out to those who were lost and those who are involved and know the students who passed away. However, I want those who are living to step back and think about the things you still have. Do you still have a home? Do you have food and water? Do you have at least one friend or family member who loves you and wants to take care of you? Maybe you don't have all of these, but I have a feeling that if you have internet access and can read this, you probably have one. Think about the blessings God has given you. I know that is hard to do in times of mourning, but I really believe in time it will show you the brighter sides of life and make grief and pain a little easier to bear.

Praying for Clint Diven and Trent Hunter (and their families).

Praying for the family and friends of Miranda Goodhew, James Powell, and Greg Davis.

Praying for Henry and Oldham County High School students and faculty members.

Praying for all others who have lost a loved one.

Praying for all who are facing the hard sides of life.

Pure Water! Pure Life!

You come in the house on a hot summer day. You are drenched of sweat and dying of thirst. You grab a glass from the cabinet, place under the faucet, then bring the cool, clear water to your lips. You also leave the water running. Later, you jump in the shower, wash up, and stand there, letting the water hit you for over an hour. After you nice rinse, you decide to brush your teeth. You leave that faucet on as well. Did you ever stop to think there is a person in the world that has no water? You are letting precious H2O run down the drain when there is a child out there that will die because of the lack of clean, available water?

My family and I have been volunteering for EDGE Outreach Ministry for over a year now. Their mission came to our attention not long after the disastrous earthquake that hit Haiti in 2010. My dad was inspired by their mission to provide clean, safe water. He collected new and old shoes that could be recycled or exported to developing countries. Not only did the shoes provide jobs for people around the world, they also protected people's feet from diseases and infections, AND provided funding for the water purification projects.

At first, I thought my dad was going a little overboard. I was happy he was helping people and had a hobby, but that's all he'd talk about. I never realized how big of a difference he was making until I started reading about what was going on in Haiti and what EDGE Outreach was doing to help. On Dad's first trip to EDGE, he took a truck load full of shoes! He figured his part in the project was over, but when he got home, there were 400 lbs of shoes Mom brought home! I guess God had other plans.

When I went back to Northern Kentucky University, I brought up the idea of hosting a shoe drive on campus as well as the Northern Kentucky Community to the Baptist Campus Ministry Leadership Team. Ironically, Katie (the associate campus minister) and Bayley (a forever LT member) went on a mission trip to Haiti with EDGE Outreach over the summer. They saw first hand how the water purification systems helped others first had and knew how important shoes are to the people and water projects. Our goal was to raise 1,000 lbs of shoes by Christmas break. When my dad brought the truck to the BCM to pick up the shoes, we loaded over 5,300 LBS! I couldn't believe it! I truly felt that we made a difference in someone else's life.

Like my Dad, I assumed my part in the project was over. Also like my Dad, I couldn't be more wrong. Dee Dee Hurt (The Shoe Lady) called me over spring break and asked if I'd like to spend some of my summer helping EDGE. I totally jumped on that offer! I've been out of school for a couple of months and I have to say, working for EDGE has been fun, challenging, inspirational, exciting, and humbling for me. I never know what I'm going to do! One minute I'll be answering phones, later I'll be in the warehouse sorting shoes that need exporting. Next I'll be organizing the supply closet, and then I'll be organizing paper work for a team that will set up water purifiers in Costa Rica. Over the weekend, two of my colleagues and I got to speak at Riverfest, an annual concert whose proceeds go to EDGE, about what I do and the importance of shoes!

I never realized how much I had until now. I have clean water to drink, wash my clothes, and body. I don't have to walk six miles to bring water to my family. I don't have to worry about the bacteria and diseases I'll get from drinking contaminated water. I don't have to fear that my child will die because they have to drink filthy water or dehydrate. I'm sure some of my readers agree with me. However, most of the world cannot. Next time you leave the water running while you brush your teeth or stand in the shower for over an hour, remember that 80% of all sickness in the world is due to bad water. Over 5,000 children die every day and 90% is because of contaminated water. Also remember YOU can save these lives by doing something as simple as donate a pair of old shoes.

Bayley, Dee Dee, and Katie at NKU

The Holden Family and a garage full of shoes

BCM members after loading the shoes

Nathan, Natalie, and I speaking at Riverfest

Babies, New Life, Pure Joy

If any of your readers are personal friends of mine or follow one of my cousins' blogs (http://www.countingeverymoment.blogspot.com/) or (http://www.bellstitches.blogspot.com/) you know that we have been waiting for a new addition to our family. Well, she finally arrived! "Sprout" is my cousin Erin and David's beautiful baby girl! They named her Campbell Adair! She was born on June 10th, weighing 8 lbs 11 oz and was 21 in long (BIG GIRL!). She is one of the most beautiful babies I have ever seen and I've seen a few (I worked at a day care for a summer and I've been babysitting for like...ever).

I dedicate this blog to this blog to Campbell and all the other babies in the world. Some people really do take these "little things" for granted. Some people may view them as a careless mistake, leverage to keep someone around/get money from someone, or another mouth to feed. However, babies are one of the most wonderful gifts in the world. They are pure innocence, joy, and new life!

My Sunday School Class is reading The Traveler's Gift by Andy Andrews. Last week, my aunt read a passage from the book that really made me think...well I can't remember it word for word, but it was something like this...when in a delivery room the one noise you want to hear when the mother makes the final push is the baby crying. Crying lets you know the baby is alive, it's breathing, it's in the world. If the baby isn't crying, that's a key sign that something is wrong. However, when we are at a restraunt, in the store, or at church and a baby starts crying most of us roll our eyes, are incredibly annoyed, and get mad at the parents for not controlling their child. Do you think the world would be a little better if we kept the delivery room mindset? Sure, a baby crying might bring a little volume to your nice meal, your shopping spree, or the sermon, but did you think maybe they are saying hello, or telling you they need something, or singing?

I have been known to be a pretty pessamistic person, but after reading that chapter by Andy and being at the hospital when baby Campbell came into this world I feel like I should try to change my mind set. Life is too short to take things for granted and to get frustrated over little things like a baby crying. I believe baby's are born with pure joy in their hearts. I'm going to try to bring that into mine!

Proud Mommy and Campbell

Daddy reading Campbell a story!

Campbell Adair!

Education, Knowledge, and Learning

When I joined marching band in middle school, several of us got really close. A couple of the upperclassmen loved the little 7th graders so they decided to adopt us and make a "band family". I had a mom, a dad, and two sisters. Mom and Dad graduated not long after that, I entered high school, and new 7th graders came in. I decided to keep the tradition going and adopt two kids of my own, Michael and Jesse. As I got older, I decided to make the family even bigger by adding not only more band kids, but also JROTC kids: Hannah, Kaity, Connor, Rachel, Beth, Amanda, Machelle, Kaycee, and Ashley.

Years have passed and even though it's been a long time since I was in high school, I still considering these boys and girls to be my "kiddos". However, I'm starting to realize they are not kiddos anymore. Last week I went back to my old high school to watch Michael, Jesse, Hannah, Kaity, and Connor graduate. Like many mothers, I was overcome by sadness that my babies were growing up so fast and joy that they survived high school and are off to a whole new world!

I decided to dedicate this blog to their graduation because there are so many people in the world that are unable to graduate for one reason or another. Many people take education for granted. You'll hear students that constantly ask "when am I ever going to use this?" Well, readers, you never know when something you learn in the classroom will come in hand later. There are many people in the world that do not have the luxury of continuing their education and would love to be in your shoes.

I encourage you to think about a class you really enjoyed, a teacher who inspired you, the books that gave you even more brain power. What did you learn from them? Now think about the class you hated, the teacher you despised, and the books that put you to sleep every time. What did you learn from them? We should always be seeking knowledge and try to learn everything we can. Knowledge, learning, and education are what will make life easier and more interesting. The only excuse you have for not learning something is because you are no longer breathing and your heart is no longer beating.

Now I leave you thinking about some of the things you have learned in life and wonder what things you will learn in the future. To Michael, Jesse, Hannah, Kaity, and Connor, I wish you all my love, the best of luck in college, and encourage you to never stop learning and seeking education!

Hannah and her "real" mom and siblings!

Sweet Kaity!

Jesse and Connor!

Michael!

Hello!

Hello viewers and welcome to the reopening of my blogger account. The first time I used this account I was a young high schooler that needed a way to vent and post the stupid little things that didn't matter. Now I'm halfway through my college career and I realize I shouldn't dwell so much on stupid things, but try to enjoy all the little things of life. I'm hoping this blog will help me to keep that in mind!