Happy New Year!

Well, Christmas came and went and my winter break is starting to wrap itself up. I spent all of last week at my parents house in Southern Illinois. It was a nice relaxing break from the city life. We live right by the South County Mall and traffic and tempers were at an all time high just before I left. It was nice to get away. I spent time with mom and dad, did a little hiking, met up with some high school friends, watched the Carbondale Holiday High School Basketball Tournament, oh and bought new tires. I had just purchased new tires last March, but apparently I got a bad batch and had to have them replaced. Luckily Sams warranty helped pay for them, but I still had to dish out 200.00 There goes my Christmas $$.



Overall, Christmas was very nice. It was a little quiet without having my sister and her famly there Christmas morning. We missed them.



I don't know what it is, but the past few days, I have felt a bit anxious. I think it's a combination of the prospect of going back to work on Thursday, returning to school next week and the real posibility that I could have a 2nd job coming up. I am nervous that I am going to have too much going on. I also increased my class load from 6 hours to 9 hours. That and my diet has been bad. Good healthy food is expensive and money is something that is spread pretty thin right now. I guess a second job will help. We'll see. One thing I do take courage in is that I know God won't sign me up for anything I can't handle. Maybe the reason I didn't get an interview for that 2nd job this fall was because I needed to take baby steps in returning to school so I didn't get too stressed out. He has a plan, he will give me the energy, focus, and strength if it's part of the plan. Also, school is different this go around. I am not doing it because I HAVE to. I am doing it because I WANT to.



Tonight is new years eve. A time to reflect on the past 365 days and a time to look forward to the next 366 days (leap year). I plan to do a blog on what I have learned and experienced in the past year and what I look forward to next year. I'll try not to wait until March to get it done. I wish you all a happy and SAFE new year!



AS always, here's a picture I took over Christmas in Ferne Cliff State Park by my parent's home in Goreville, IL. It's not great, but kind of funky looking.

IT'S REALLY BEEN A MONTH!?

I can't believe I am pushing a month without a post. I guess my life just isn't interesting enough to post once a week. Well, in the last month I have wrapped up my 1st semester in grad school. All A's!!! My professor even wrote a long note about my natural ability and how my self-analysis was the best in the class! It's nice to have my decision to return to school validated.

CHRISTmas should be interesting this year. Not only am I broke from school, but I also spent a day and a half in the hospital just after Thanksgiving with the stomach flu. So I will also be receiving a nice hefty bill from the hospital soon. It's funny how God puts us in difficult situations in order to teach us something. I really find peace when the going gets tough by trying to find a lesson in my hardship or pain. I can't afford gifts so I started thinking about what I could give instead. This fall my small group did a study on using OUR gifts to serve others. During this time I felt really dry in my faith. I didn't feel "called" or "compelled" to serve. Everything I learned I felt I already knew. Looking back, I now realize he was preparing me for this situation. Instead of purchasing gifts I am going to give myself. I am going to do everything I can to go out of my way to help others. I am going to focus on being completely and entirely open to helping others. There is so much in the bible that talks about giving.

"Yes, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love." - Galatians 5:13 (NIV)

"Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, "How can I help?"- Romans 15:1-2 (msg)

"Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”- Luke 12:15 (NLT)

"You obey the law of Christ when you offer each other a helping hand." - Galatians 6:2 (CEV)

"...let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out..."- Hebrews 10:24 (MSG)

There are more verses than I can type. I encourage each of you to remember to serve others this CHRISTmas season. I will still put together a "creative" gift for my family, but I am really going to focus on helping those who are alone during the holidays, those that are lost, that are seeking to fill that God-shaped hole in their hearts. I love my family and they know that. This year, I am going to try and really love other's that don't know that someone cares. Not sure what I am going to do yet, but I know that God will place and opportunity in front of me.

With that said, I wish you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS! GOD BLESS!

Oh and as always... here's one of my latest pics. I found this tiny tiny church off of a gravel forest service road in the middle of the Shawnee National Forest. Not one of my best pics, but with the fall leaves and the clear blue skies, it was an oasis in the middle of dense forest.