Go State!

Friday Family Night

Movies and nachos with only the most amazing cheese ever! Mmmmm *excited* :)

*edit: Emmalyn did NOT partake in the hot cheese nachos part of family night.

First movie up is The Lorax, and E hasn't budged in 10 minutes, haha! She loves her some Dr. Seuss.

Good Bucket Day

Yesterday was, as my dear friend Mandy would say, a day to put in the good bucket.  Do you know Mandy?  You should.  She's amazing.  But more on her in a bit.

Yesterday I felt God's presence the entire day.  I know that I always am in His presence, but I don't always feel it amidst poopy diapers and smushed hot dogs on the floor...

Tuesday night I prayed specifically for a few things in regards to my business venture (I signed up with Thirty-One in May). Wednesday morning before noon, two of the specifics I prayed for came to fruition.  God always hears my prayers... He always answers... But not always in the way I thought.  This time God's plans and my idea of His plan lined up.  It was refreshing.  I thanked Him and basked in His goodness all day.

I had a free drink coupon from Starbucks, so I decided to splurge and get a salted caramel mocha (instead of the usual Americano).  The first sip had me giddy as a school girl with a crush.  Literally.  My heart was beating fast.  I was all smiles.  Just the thought of the changing seasons and how beautiful my Jesus has made His earth.  The cooler weather (that's bound to come sometime, right??), the foliage that changes colors to glorify their Creator... Then the silly things like looking forward to scarves and boots.  All of those whirlwind thoughts had me once again relishing in, and enjoying the presence of my Creator.

Later in the afternoon, I met Mandy at Great Harvest Bread Co.  [I've known Mandy since I was about 15.  We met at Camp Quakerhaven (where she is a legend), attended the same church, and later were at K-State at the same time].  Over an hour of non-stop talking.  And not just surface chit-chat.  What God is doing in our lives and how He is powerfully moving kind of talk.  It was refreshing.  It was encouraging.  SO encouraging.  Mandy is one of those friends that no matter how long it's been since you've seen her, it feels like it's only been a day.  She thrives off of people and interaction and that in itself is like fresh water.  But then to hear about how God is continually molding and shaping her heart for certain things and how He is using her to do big things...  Talk about sitting right in the middle of God's heart. 

I ended the day by reading a few chapters in a book that my Bible study is going through.  Radical by David Platt.  In one of the chapters he hits on what I was feeling all day...

"Do you realize what God does?  He doesn't give you comfort. Instead he gives you the Holy Spirit, who is called the Comforter.  The Holy Spirit literally comes to dwell in you and puts the very comfort of Christ inside you as you walk through your pain.  Suppose another time you are making a big decision in your life and you need help... So you ask God for help. But he doesn't answer with guidance. Instead he answers by sending the Holy Spirit, who is our Guide.  God sends the Helper, who will live in you and not only tell you what decision to make but also enable you to make that decision...  When you really contemplate it, this seems bold, doesn't it?  To go to God and say, "God I know you are busy running the universe and keeping all of creation alive, but I have this problem in my life. And, God, I don't really want comfort for the moment, and I don't really want guidance for the moment.  Would you just come down, live in me, and walk through this for me?"