Happy birthday to me...

I want to give a shout-out to the all the others that were given birth on the second greatest day of the year (the first being Christmas of course!):
~Google (yes the search engine!)
~Avril Lavinge (yes the singer!)
~My favorite birthday buddy Amy Dent!

Well, the day is young but good so far. I got to sleep in because my theatre appreciation class was cancelled. I didn't sleep in much though, because I wanted a place to park, but even coming in at 8:30 is apparently too late for a decent spot. HOWEVER, the Lord was gracious to me and showed me a boy who was leaving. When I saw this guy I just knew he was about to get in his car and drive away... he had that look in his eyes... "I am preparing a parking space for you"... and sure enough I did get his nice spot, and I am forever grateful for this birthday present...

Yeah... I know I'm dramatic.

So this morning I got an iTrip, iTunes gift card ($30!), a notepad, a shirt, and a reminder that I have a car outside... ha ha... oh, and a promised shopping trip...

My birthday resolution is not worry or stress out anymore. Yeah... I'll probably be renewing this resolution at New Year's...

I've got more to say but I'll update later...

I'm worn out already.

And it's only Monday.

I WILL NOT STRESS OUT ANYMORE.

Hopefully.

Birthday countdown: 1 day

I broke 300 photos! Whoo hoo!

So yesterday was my b'day party! Fun times! Thanks to everyone who came! There are pictures in my photo box of course, so be sure to check those out!

Poor Anna was very upset about leaving her digital camera at home... the two of us are such picture geeks...



photo from SingAHappySong

Birthday countdown: 2 days

Maybe I won't write meaningful posts anymore, since nobody seems to respond to them.

So I've heard from a couple of my Texan friends. One said that she and her family made it to San Antonio in 15 hours (that was "the interstate is so backed up so let's hope we can find an alternate route there" way). Please pray for everyone from that area... it's pretty personal for me. The good news is that Galveston will probably avoid a direct hit.

Birthday countdown: 4 days

You know how we all set up our little ideals and comforts and have them all packaged oh so nicely in our little Christianity box? Sometiems we're willing to peek our heads out of the box just a little, but we don't dare to step out to cause any waves. And then God comes along and tips the box over, causing you to tumble out. What an awkaward moment. And yet He does it for a reason.

I found myself in such a situation today. In my Understanding Mass Media class, everyone has a day assigned to them that they share with the class a "media minute," in which they present a product a media and ask questions about it. Mine was today, and I showed the Stacie Orrico video "More To Life".

That was me, being the good little Christian example, peeking my head out of the box so people could see the little glimmer of God. I asked a question to the class about how effective the video was in reaching a broad audience with the different characters portrayed.

Boom. God knocks the box over, and I tumble out as another Christian girl in my class right away makes a comment about Stacie Orrico being a Christian artist, and the discussion turned into how that can reach people who aren't Christians, since she never mentions God. One girl said she thought it was hypocritical of her to say she was a Christian artist and not mention God, but most seemed to disgaree with her.

But all I can say is wow. It was so awkward and weird at first, and not at all what I had envisioned in my mind. I asked a question totally unrelated to God or Christianity or religion period, yet it came up. And it was ok. No hostility. And maybe, hopefully, it meant something to someone. I may not know why God knocked me out of the box today, but I know there was a reason for it.

Birthday countdown: 5 days

*EDIT* I'm also asking you to please pray for the Houston/Galveston area. Guys, I grew up there. Eight years of my life was invested there and I have several friends who are having to leave it all behind, hoping that there will be something to come home to. Please pray that Rita won't be too costly. I would greatly appreciate it.

If you look closely, you may spot the new trend for the year... found on MT's campus... the man skirt!



photo from SingAHappySong

It was the best I could do in a discreet manner. Oh yes, and this photo was brought to you by moblogging!

I'm waiting for some cool weather to magically appear overnight. All my 3/4 blouses in the closet (and especially my 3/4 sleeve blazer) are getting pretty cranky at me for not wearing them.

Six days till my birthday. Saturday @ 7 is my party if you wanna come (and you know you do! Hee hee...)

I aced my geology quiz today. If the test would be that easy for me this Friday... that would be amazingly awesome.

AO tonight! Yay! I can't wait till Friday's video scavenger hunt! I bet that's gonna be fun! I love making random videos!

Ok, I need to stop... I have two assignments due tomorrow, some English reading, and I should probably get a head start on that ever exciting geology...

It is as hot as Hades!!! I am ready for fall!

Wow. My English teacher totally rocks my socks and she made my day!

See, yesterday I had one of those crazy emo stressing out sort of days. Those are not fun or cool by any means. While my upcoming geology test loomed much in my mind, I was also already beginning to stress out about my English paper due next Thursday, because my teacher seems like a tough grader.

I firmly believe that sometimes, God just really ordains my time. He probably always does. It seems as if there is a purpose behind my actions and even to my very pace of walking. I walked with Garrett to the KUC after English class as I always do, stopped in the bookstore to buy some scantrons, which I don't normally do, and then headed to the parking lot where my car was at. Well, on the way to the parking lot, I see my English professor. At first I think we are just exchaging hellos, but when I realize she has more to say, I remove my iPod earphone buds.

Then she goes on to tell me that I bring up some very good points in class, that I have a lot of good things to say, and I should keep at it! Wow! That made me so incredibly happy! I was kinda getting the vibe that Dr. Therrien liked what I had to say in class at times, but it was just so awesome to hear her compliment me so highly! It meant a lot to me, especially as a first semester freshman in a sophomore level honors class who is planning to minor in English. It really encouraged me in a way that I really needed.

Thank God for those little things.

"Love woke me up this morning..."

"Imagine a beautiful castle and a beautiful king/ He left the comfort of his throne to fight for victory/ Love woke me up this morning and I ran to see/ The king in the winner's circle/ Only a king would do anything/ To protect the kingdom..." -Bethany Dillon

I don't know when the last time I sat down and really thought how great and awesome and amazing my Savior is. I've been so busy with school... as I sit here typing I'm thinking of the homework I should be doing and the meeting I need to go to later but I really don't want to.

"So remind me why You woke me up/ And why You wake me every morn/ The staff in my hand/ Held in love by your hand/ Just to stay close, stay close..." -Bethany Dillon

I'm not passionate about geology or HSA or Collage or blog assignmets or many of the other things that I feel are tying me down... 3/4 of these things I cannot break from... what do I do? I suppose I just try to get through them... and pray that God would reveal Himself to me through everything...

*EDIT* I guess I'm in sort of a waiting period... since I'm in the middle of a new beginning, it's like I have to be adjusted to everything before I can really jump into certain things... things I am passionate about. We all have to wait for a lot of things in life. I just hope that I can always remember to look to Christ alone as He leads me through my journey...

It's a little after 8 as I type this. I don't know why to care to emphasize that. I guess you can just picture me sitting here at the computer with a sort of sleepy expression on my face with an occassional yawn. The dreary weather is sort of setting my mood as well. It doesn't make me melancholy, just sort of ho-hum. I like the cool weather outside today; it feels so nice.

So what do you know, today is the sixteenth and today I have been with Garrett for sixteen months. That would be Garrett Shaw, not to be confused with Garrett Haynes, who is celebrating a birthday today.

Sorry I haven't had anything intelligent to write in the past few days. Maybe I should go listen to the American Idiot album so I'll have something to rant about. ;-) Ha ha just kidding, Clint!

I'm like 95% sure that my b'day party will be September 24 at my house at 7. I'll let you know for sure later but if you love me, you won't make plans for that day. Hee hee...

Please continue to pray for me... and everyone have a great day!

I'm just noticing a trend, and at the risk of sounding stupid I'm gonna ask:

What's with everyone wanting September to end? This must be some song I'm not hearing...

Personally I LOVE September, because it is my birth month, school's still easy, and the fall finally arrives.

On a different note...

My first college test was this morning. It wasn't too bad.

AO was good. Gary was amazing.

Please pray for me... I'm trying to figure out which extracurricular activities I do and do not need to be involved in. If I did everything I want to do, I would have hardly any free time, so I have to consider the possibility of cutting some things out, especially I want something else to come in...

Patrick eating pizza, or rather, having pizza stuffed into his mouth:



photo from SingAHappySong

Garrett and me:



photo from SingAHappySong

I'll have to try out this feature some more later. Alrighty, two quick polls!

1. Which night is are you most likely to be free to do something: Friday, Sept. 30 or Saturday, Oct. 1?

2. I am in a desperate need of a hair trim. Should I just get a trim, or go for some kind of new cut or style? (Let me note here that I want to keep my hair long and REFUSE to do anything above my shoulders).

School's still good. I have my first college test tomorrow in theatre appreciation. I'm not too worried... I think I'll do fine.

*EDIT* CRUD I forgot Emily's wedding. How does everyone feel about the weekend before? Or possibly Thursday, September 29? Let me know... this is concerning when I have my b'day party.

*EDIT 2* I'm curious as to why everyone tells me to part my hair to the side when I've been doing that for years...

These quotes are ridiculous! I ran across them on a blog site I am analyzing for an assignment in my Understanding Mass Media class. Here are some of the most obnoxious quotes concerning Hurricane Katrina and what I want to say to those who said them:

"You 60 million losers who voted for this loser open YOUR wallets. This president declared war on the poor long ago, and while some of us cared enough to vote for someone who gave a ****, you buried your heads in the sand, babbled about abortion and family values, and voted for the doofus.

"And now you want to act all high and mighty and come asking me for a buck or two to help these poor people? Sorry, Charlie. Take an extra buck or two out of the fund you set aside to buy seventeen Support Our Troops magnets to stick all over your car to show how patriotic you are.

"You want disaster relief? Impeach George W. Bush." -- Blunderford at Blogcritics

Oh, I'm so sorry we care about family values! And since when is President Bush declaring war on the poor? By cutting taxes? And maybe you should help the hurting despite how you feel about the President. And I'm sure impeaching him is really going to help the hurricane effort... riiight... only if that means stupid heads like you will donate money then. If that's the case, I'll gladly give more to pick up your slack.

"You literally cannot continue to exist unless we blue-staters give you money. The situation is that simple. You have been leeching off of us for years, and now you depend on our charity for your very lives. So if you Jesusmaniac simpletons really want that cash, you will just sit there and SHUT UP and not say ONE **** WORD in your defense. BUSH CAUSED THIS DISASTER. YOU CAUSED THIS DISASTER BY VOTING FOR BUSH. You don't like that message? Then don't take our money! If I read ONE MORE article in which a science-hating red state pundit attacks progressives, I'm going to take the money I was going to donate to disaster relief and spend it on a nice Thai meal. And I'm going to suggest that all other progressives do likewise. I'm going to say "DROWN AND DIE, YOU ARROGANT HILLBILLY SOUTHERN-FRIED LEECHES!!" -- Joseph Cannon from Cannonfire explains his views on disaster relief

Yes, Bush caused the hurricane to form over the warm tropical waters... oh what's that... a Republican who said something scientific? What what?! And if you knew any daggum thing about science you would know that science backs up the Bible. Too bad you're too selfish and arrogant to admit that someone besides you may be in control. By the way, I wear shoes.

"You know, some people are stealing and they're making a big deal out of it. Oh, they're stealing 20 pair of jeans or they're stealing television sets. Who cares? They're not going to go too far with it. Maybe those people are so poor, some of the people who do that they're so poor they've never touched anything in their lives. Let them touch those things for once." -- Celine Dion

Maybe you should go touch a Bible.

"If it was a bunch on white people on roofs in the Hamptons, I don’t have any ******* doubt there would have been every single helicopter, every plane, every single means that the government has to help these people." -- Colin Farrell

Wow... you're an idiot.

"Mayor Nagin and most mayors in this country have a hard time getting their people to work on a sunny day, let alone getting them out of the city in front of a hurricane." -- Part of Sen. Mary Landrieu's explanation for why New Orleans didn't use city buses to evacuate

So this makes their failure to evacuate Bush's fault how????

"As I saw the African Americans, mostly African American families ripped apart, I could only think about slavery, families ripped apart, herded into what looked like concentration camps." -- Cynthia McKinney on the rescue efforts

So now rescuing and helping people is the equivalent of slavery?!

"This President is never gonna do the right thing. I think somewhere deep down inside him he takes a lot of joy about losing people, if he thinks they vote Democrat or if he thinks they're poor, or if he thinks they're in a blue state, whatever his reasons are not to rescue those people..." -- Air America's Randi Rhodes

Bush isn't God. He can't make things better anymore than any of the rest of us. Since he is not God, he is also not perfect, but to say he never does anything right is crazy. Even the worst Presidents have made at least one decent decision. You may have even, but that's hard to say for sure since there is no sign of intelligence in you.

"George Bush doesn't care about black people...They're giving the Army permission to go down and shoot us." -- Kayne West

What's with the Bush-hates-blacks thing? Um... Condolezza Rice and Colin Powell! Hello! And who's shooting you! Go get an education for crying out loud!

Alright, I'm done being mean. I'll be nice tomorrow when I cool off from the world's stupidity.

The retreat was fun:



photo from SingAHappySong

As my eyes teared up this morning, I actually wasn't missing Bruce. I was feeling such empathy for his parents. Just to hear what his mom talk... I couldn't even imagine what it must be like to lose a child. Of course I don't have a child, but just for a second I could almost imagine what it would be like... My heart definitely went out to them this morning.

September 11, 2001... I was a freshman... seems so long ago...

So I'll be leaving for the new student retreat in a couple of hours... we'll be back right in time for the game, so tomorrow is going to be quite a busy day for me. Thankfully MTSU and Belle Aire are so close to each other, so it won't be a long drive to campus to meet with Garrett and his family for the game.

Things I love:
~Meeting new people
~My J-group
~My car
~Randomly running into friends on campus
~Not having to do anything during my scholarship service hours when I am supposed to be doing something
~Laughing with Lindsey in geology
~My math teacher canceling class on Monday, which gives me the exact time frame I need to complete my geology assignment with help from my professor
~How wonderfully God works things out
~Talking about The Mighty Ducks
~Eating at Freshco Burrito with my mom
~The fact that my 19th birthday is 18 days away
~College life

I now feel like an OFFICIAL college student.

After my classes today, I went to the Phillip's Bookstore to purchase the cuteset MTSU license plate they had for my new car. There I spoke with Justin Vance so that was neat.

After purchasing the license plate, I walked over to the library. I felt a little lost and confused in the reference section, but I did not let that overwhelm me! After an inspirational talk with Graham Wells (I'm slightly exaggerating, but it was good talking to him), I ventured to the copy room. It cost me 50 cents for 20 cents worth of copies, but that's ok. Trial and error is essential to the college experience.

I then ventured to the second floor to see what was there. Lots of books, of course. I found a catalog computer, typed in the name of a reference book I was looking for, and wrote down the call number. I also searched for C.S. Lewis books, and was amazed by the many choices. Awesomely enough, many were in the row right next to the computer! So I scanned the books, found one called The Joyful Christian, and headed back downstairs. There I located the reference book, deemed it worthless, asked services where to check my book, checked it out, and here I am.

Today I have my first Collage staff meeting.

Today I also have my first J-group meeting.

Tomorrow is the AO new student retreat. I think tomorrow I may also be working out at the Rec Center for the first time (well, as a student. Swimming with Amy Amonett for $3 over the summer doesn't quite count).

Saturday will be the first football game of my college career.

It's finally sinking in, and I'm finally catching the drift. I'm in college, and now that I'm getting the swing of it, it's pretty cool.

I saw a guy with a Kerry Edwards shirt on today, and you have no idea how badly I wanted to walk up to him and say, "You do realize he lost, right?"

Bleh. I don't like it when I'm so focused on myself and fail to trust God. How stupid. He's the center of it all and I'm a tiny speck. He's in control of this whole gigantic universe and I know jack squat.

If anyone knows anything about the upcoming fall retreat, like what I'm supposed to take, please let me know! I feel very uninformed! I'm bringing $25 tonight in case they want it...

In geology, Lindsey and I sat there and rolled our eyes as we watched a video about the origins of the earth. Like did you know that the earth started out as a raging inferno, filled with molten lava and rock? Then somehow it magically evolved into the beautiful creation we have today. Hmmm imagine that.

*EDIT* Oh yes, and in case you were wondering, Math 1010 is not real math. Just a random thought I would share with my beloved Phusebox readers.

Three day weekends make you not want to go back to school, but they're great because it's one less Monday to deal with... one less geology class and one less math class...

So, I have a theory that college makes you hungry. Like why am I already ready to eat more? It's 3:30! One of the great myseteries of life...

So in Theatre Appreciation we are doing a musical project, and I am doing Beauty and the Beast. Yay! That was what I wanted to do, well, I wanted to do Phantom of the Opera, but that wasn't one of the choices, so this was the next best thing!

UMM was actually boring today... I think its because the Internet, as cool and awesome as it is, is not all that exciting to learn about. At least not for me. English was good once again. I would highly recommend Dr. Thierren; she rocks!

I got my parking pass today. It's so nice that I can leave campus now whenever I'm finished instead of waiting in my mom's office for her to finish work. I'm so thankful I had to do that for a week of school.

I thought of one word to sum up all the many things I want to be when I grow up: storyteller.

Hmmm... now that I have run out of things to say, I think I may go eat some Pringles...

*EDIT* I can't believe I forgot this earlier...
Quote of the day: "It's like drinking without the alcohol." -Seth Howell

I love you.


You are an important part of my life.


I took this at the picnic last night. You've gotta love puppies:



photo from SingAHappySong

Now that William Rehnquist has died, President Bush will have to appoint a new Chief Justice to the Supreme Court. He's having a hard enough time with John Roberts, but I can only imagine the mayhem when he tries to elect a conservative for Chief.

Why is everyone so opposed to Bush?

I actually understand that some people hate war. I almost even understand, since most people in this country are misinformed, that they may think it's kinda pointless (even though I stronly believe it is not).

First off, let me make one thing clear: Hurricane Katrina is NOT Bush's fault. Some people have actually had the audacity to blame this natural disaster on him. Um... hello?! If Kerry had been elected, pretty sure I wouldn't have blamed a natural disaster on him! I'm sorry, but how stupid can you be?

Or maybe you don't think the hurricane itself is Bush's fault, but you feel you have to blame him for something. As one woman on the news declared, "I'm never going to vote for George W. Bush ever again!" Um, newsflash! First off, she's a moron because most 10 year olds have enough understanding about civics and government to know that she couldn't vote for him again anyways, even if she wanted to. He could run for VP, but most people base their vote on the Pres anyways. Secondly, this woman is a moron because nothing concerning this disaster is Bush's fault.

I have some Bush- hating moderarte relatives that suggested a notion last night at dinner. They suggested that it's President Bush's fault that some people were not evacuated. First off, he's got a whole country to deal with, and that's not his main job. There are other people who are responsible for making evacuations happen. Secondly, he actually called LA and told them that the evacuations needed to be happening! (I'm not sure about MS and AL.) And if you have been watching any of the coverage of Bush visiting these people, he's hurting, so much. It kills him to see his citizens hurting like this. He's kind and compassionate. He doesn't just sit back and do nothing.

You don't have to like Bush. I have friends and relatives who don't and we still get along well. What drives me so crazy is when people hate him to the point that they blame everything on him.

Does anyone else remember 9/11? How much we all loved Bush as he visited Ground Zero, mourned with hurting families and firemen and police... most everyone in the country respected him. There wasn't an angry mob of people blaming the terrorist attacks on him and holding him personally responsible. When he declared that we would fight those that had done this to us, we all cheered.

Then he takes action, and the war in Iraq begins, and all of a sudden he's a bad guy. Oh how soon we forget... our country was attacked! Are we so wrapped up in not hurting others that sometimes we forget that fighting for our freedom is important? If we stand by and let everyone walk all over us, we will fall as a nation, and it won't be pretty.

I was watching Little House on the Praire last night... ha ha... I know... and Laura's parents were talking to her about pushing down a girl who had been pushing everyone around at recess and been mean to Laura. Laura took a stand, she said, "we can't keep doing things your way." She knew the Christian principles her mother had taught her, and every time this mean little girl pushed her down, she got back up again and defended her position again and again. Then she got sick of it, and took the initiative to push the girl to the ground, and there was no more trouble from the snob girl. And while her parents chided her to not do it again, her father told her mother that he had no problem with what she had done; that she had stood up for herself, and that was the right thing.

All that is to say that justice is important. We can, and should, defend ourselves. Granted, we shouldn't pick a fight over every stupid thing, but we can't be doormats either.

Our nation is forgetting this. Our nation has forgotten the price of freedom. And our nation has far strayed from its roots. Our founding fathers wanted a nation that could be independent of others, and offer the people freedom in religion, speech, etc. They felt people should not be oppressed. Now people take this as "we can't hurt anyone's feelings." We're so worried to oppose anyone, to challenge anyone, because it may make them unhappy. It may offend someone if I pray to God in school. But isn't that my freedom of religion? I'm not making any one else pray to my God.

This nation is falling fast. Our morals and values are quickly going down the drain. Once again, I bring up that Bush will be appointing the new Chief Justice soon. How much do you want to bet that this is going to be dragged out for months and months as people do everything they can to find something wrong with someone who... heaven forbid... may stand for God's values in the Bible?

What makes me sad is not only that non- Christians are getting more hostile about all this, but that even Christians are becomming desensitized to the importance of standing strong for Christ. I know a lot of you are good Christians who want to follow Christ, but you're thinking that, realistically, this nation is never again going to accept a conservative leader, and so comprosing on a couple of things doesn't bother you. Maybe I'm entirely too black and white and idealistic, but I must stick with what I believe. As long as I have the choice to, I will only support canidates with conservative moral values. I would vote for a financial Democrat with Christian values before I voted for a financial Republican with atheist values.

Ironically, the song "Socially Acceptable" by dc Talk is currently playing on my iPod. It's about the decline of our culture in this nation. We are starting to accept things that are not ok, once again, because if we don't accept it, it may hurt someone's feelings.

By the way, there is a difference between hurting someone's feelings and opressing someone. If you lie to me, that'll hurt my feelings, but it doesn't opress me. Telling a woman that she cannot murder a child is not opression, it's hurting her feelings that someone dares to tell her that she already made her choice as to what to do with her body, and now she must pay the consequences.

Whatever religion you are, whatever political party, just remember, you can't spare everyone's feelings. It's not realistic. Stand up for what you believe in. If someone doesn't like what you say, that doesn't mean you shouldn't fight to defend it. Where would we be if the colonists were that apathetic?

I fully realize that most of the country doesn't think like me, and that they never will. I fully realize that in this next election I may have to choose between the lesser of the two evils, but I sure hope I don't have to. But even if I do... I have to remind myself that God is bigger than the man in the White House. So here I am, now preaching to myself: God is in control of it all.

I GOT A CAR!!!



photo from SingAHappySong

Goodness, I'm nearly nineteen, and I never thought I'd see the day... happy early birthday to me! So yes, no more bumming rides, because Amy finally has her own wheels... a '99 green Honda Civic.

In other news, I want to do something tonight. Other than eating dinner with my family, I have no plans. If you're bored, give me a call, and we'll hang.