{Friday Favorites}

Being in that I am in Haiti this weekend, my Friday Favorites will be Haitian themed.

I love the generosity of the Haitian people. We want over to Maxo’s house (whom I just meet but is a friend of Christine’s and Wes’s), immediately they were so happy to have us at their home. They brought out chairs for us to sit on (this is a must in Haiti) and then offered us cold drinks. He brought out his kids and had them sing for us. I love that Haitian’s enjoy having people over and treat you like family when you come to visit.

Tea Tree Shampoo – Ok so this doesn’t really have anything to do with Haiti, except for that I bought a travel size bottle and brought it with me. I love it. It makes my fair feel soft and it smells so good!!

Food with Spice – On Monday, I went out to eat with my best friend Betha and we were commenting on how we love food with spice. I think that is why I get along so well with the food here in Haiti. Everything has a little spice to it…and if it doesn’t, they always add hot sauce!! I love the food here.

Packing List –So, being in Haiti has made me think about what I will need to bring when I move…here is the list so far; any suggestions?

Bedroom Bedspread Sheets Ikea Lamp Pictures Ipod music dock Clothes Plastic Bins for cloths * Drawer system * Eagles Nest Chair* Hammock*

Bathroom * Washcloth Bathroom Mat Shower Curtain Shower Caddy Bathroom Supplies

Personal Kurig Coffee Pot/Coffee Tervis Tumbler Tea Bible/Books DVD’s – Seasons

Have a great weekend!!!

{Independence}

Whenever I take a personality tests or a gifts tests, the results conclude that I am an extreme extrovert. While I won't deny that I am an extrovert, I always thought to call me extreme is a little much; I like to have my own personal time and personal space. Lately I have felt very confined and I was on my whits end. To solve it, I booked a trip, for myself, to a Bed and Breakfast in Bradenton; The Londoner Inn. As soon as it was booked, I instantly felt relived. I love traveling by myself, exploring new places, talking the the locals, etc.  While most people think booking time away by yourself is odd, it is exactly what I needed.  I spent time reading, spent time with the Lord, walking, spent time at the beach, watching ships in the marina and exploring downtown Bradenton. I feel so refreshed, I needed the time with just God and I. Here are some picks of the place.

The Londoner Inn

Time at the Beach

The Farmers Market

My Room - The Westminster

The Marina 

{Friday Favorites} - February 18

 Chipotle

This is my favorite restaurant ever. In college, we would eat there about 2 times a week. I have missed Chipotle. Since, the closest one to Fort Myers is about and hour and half away I don't get it very often, but today, my friends...I enjoyed its goodness. Seriously, who can resist that burrito, or guacamole.

 Lecrae/Christian "Rap" Music

I so appreciate Lecrae and other Christian artists that offer music that is God - Inspired and has a great beat to run to. I love putting on his music for my morning runs and I love that the music encourages me in my walk.







Scripture Memory

This year, I felt pressed to do some scripture memory. I believe that it is so important to be able to quote scripture and to have God's words engraved in our hearts and our minds. I decided to follow Beth Moore's Siesta Scripture Memory Team. It helps keep me accountable and I love that I still pick the verses I want to memorize.




Hope you have a great weekend!!!

{Worst Date Ever}

No I do not hate Valentines Day, but saw this on Stuff Christians Like and thought it was great. My worst date ever took place my senior year of college. At the time I was attending a young adult group at my church and a guy that I just met wanted to go on a date. Well, to make me "comfortable" he wanted to make it a group date (yes, very common in Christian Circles), so he asked a mutual friend of ours and my brother to come on the date with us....Mistake #1 (who wants to go on an awkward first date with their brother).

We lived near the Mall of America, so he suggested that we go there, which sounded good, should be a place to watch people and help ease the awkwardness that was already occurring. Well, little did I know he had a particular place in mind, here is mistake #2....the arcade. I know that I like a lot of "male" things...but the arcade. In which I had to play a shooting game and a race car driving game.

 At this point I am hating life and just want to go home. Little did I know that the arcade also had a bowling alley....yikes!!! I hate bowling, but I will give him a break here because he didn't know that I didn't like it (and no I didn't tell him, I just pretending to have fun)...then, He decided to get competitive. Definitely mistake #3. I love competition, but bowling, and on a first date, really. He preceded to tell me that he can't handle losing to a girl in anything, which didn't hit me well, since I am an athlete. After bowling, we finally got to go home :)

The only good part of the night was the free pizza. Worst date ever...note to all of the gentlemen out there, if you want to make a girl comfortable, don't ask her older brother to come (even though I love him, I don't want him on a first date when I am trying to figure out if I like you or not) and don't take a girl to an arcade.

What is your worst date ever? Would love to hear about it.

{Friday Favorites}

I know I am stealing Maria's idea, but I love it.

Friday Morning Runs

 I love running, but sometimes the same route gets old; sometimes I just need something new to see. On Friday's I like to change up my run. One of my favorites places to run is Lakes Park. Normally, the sun reflects nicely on the "Lake" and I enjoy the path, the forest, and the "hill" (I say hill lightly, but that is what Floridians call it, I think it looks like a short mound, but whatever). This morning the sun wasn't reflecting, it was raining instead. There is something peaceful about running in the rain. Maybe it's because there isn't a lot of people out, or its the water running down your face or the water splashing on your back, but I always feel I can run longer and harder. I was so thankful the path this morning.







Teaching

I love being a teacher. I love that I get to help impact students. I feel like I am making a difference. However, sometimes teaching is exhausting; you are constantly giving. I think God knows when I am exhausted and this week he gave me a precious gem to just make me laugh. I was grading tests yesterday and I ran across this.....It's a note to the Distance Formula.







Baking???

Ok...so maybe I don't love baking. I love to cook, but baking is a stretch. I don't like all of the steps, it all just seems so tedious. It's not like cooking where I can make things up, if I don't follow the recipe, my bake goods won't turn out. However, this week, I was reading my friend Allie's blog (Allie was one of my college roommates). She shared this great recipe of Cake Batter Cookies. I instantly thought. I can handle that...it's simple, not very many steps. So I tried it...I can't wait to try these delicious things.

Between

Have you ever had a time in your life, where you just can't explain the way you are feeling. It's not a bad feeling, but it's not a good feeling....ok so if your a male and your reading this, you probably don't understand, I've been told this is a female thing. Oh Joy!! :) I have been feeling that way for the last 3 weeks. I couldn't quite put my finger on what was going on and how I was feeling. Today during my quiet time, it clicked (or Beth Moore helped me click)...

Psalm 126 - 

A Pilgrim Song

 ^1-3 It seemed like a dream, too good to be true, when God returned Zion's exiles. 
   We laughed, we sang, 
      we couldn't believe our good fortune. 
   We were the talk of the nations— 
      "God was wonderful to them!" 
   God was wonderful to us; 
      we are one happy people. 

 ^4-6 And now, God, do it again— 
      bring rains to our drought-stricken lives 
   So those who planted their crops in despair 
      will shout hurrahs at the harvest, 
   So those who went off with heavy hearts 
      will come home laughing, with armloads of blessing.

Notice they are reflecting on a great time in their life, but they are also hoping for what God is going to do ahead. They are caught between. I am in that place. I look back over the last year and half and think, "God has been wonderful to me." While at the same time, greatly anticipating what wonderful things He is going to do next in Haiti. The problem, I'm not there yet. I'm between the two. I will continue to hope, He is not done with me yet, 

When we look up....

Do you ever feel like Moses? Do you ever feel so inadequate for what God has called you to, so inadequate you don't want to say yes? I do.

As I have been preparing to move in the last couple of months, it all seems so overwhelming to me. The classes, support raising, tying up loose ends here, and working...that list is already starting to feel overwhelming to me and then I think about what happens when I move to Haiti...a foreigner who doesn't know there language, a simple teacher, how do I work with the teachers/school leaders, what makes me think they will even want my help?

 I feel so inadequate. However, in my mind the vision is clear, God has called me. Sometimes I feel like I am Moses in Exodus 4, focusing on the things that here, my circumstances. Yet, God has called us to look to Him. He has called us. He hasn't called us so we can fail, He has called us so that HIS name will be glorified.

In Psalm 123:1 the Psalmist writes, "To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!" We are called to look up to Him. When we start to focus our eyes on him our attitude changes. We may still feel inadequate, but we begin to have faith that God will be faithful to complete His work. He won't call us and not equip us. In fact, He has called us because we are inadequate and only WITH Him will be able to complete it. It's time to focus our eyes above, focus our eyes to Him!