75 Days

Goodness gracious, a month and a half?! Where did the days go?! Has it really been so long since I've written anything? And so much has happened, where do I even begin? Well I'll just jump in, and see where it takes me. Here goes.

Well first things first, I finished my FRESHMAN YEAR! Crazy right?! I am officially a sophomore at Arkansas State University! Can you believe it?! I certainly can't! It seems like a month ago that I was sitting cross-legged on my bed with Emily Keathley, freaking out because we'd never gone more than a short vacation without seeing each other and we were about to embark on a new chapter in life separate from each other. Or sitting in a parked car behind Little Rock Christian Academy with the fabulous Bekah Lynch, drinking straight from a sparkling grape juice bottle and singing our guts out to Pink's "Raise Your Glass." How is it that the year I was looking forward to for the past 6 years has already flown by?
This year has taught me so many different things. About the world, about growing up, and especially about myself. I have never seen so much change occur in a person in such a short amount of time. It was only nine months and yet I feel like a completely different person. I've become someone completely comfortable in my own skin, which lead me to be overall a much happier person. (Which may I say is a nice change from high school. haha) Not only that but I've found a true relationship with the one and only being that truely matters in the end. My Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Annnd that brings me to May 21st..

May 21st, 2011, at roughly 3:40 pm (because the boys were late) I climbed into my car with my soon to be soul mate of a best friend, Allison Kearney, and set off on, what slowly stretched into an eighteen hour and twenty-five minute car ride, to Tampa, FL USA. For the next 10 (well now nine) weeks I have dedicated my time and heart to growing myself in Christ. I am living here with roughly 100 other students with the same goals and mindset as myself, that are interested in embarking on the same journey. Now when we got here, I won't lie, I was extremely nervous. I've never done anything remotely like this before! Being away from my friends and family for the summer, especially Emily, whom I've spent the past 7 summers with day in and day out, seemed crazy to me. But as I got moved in and met the girls I would be living with all my doubts were pushed aside and I was completely in love with the idea of being here. The girls in my suite are all just as crazy and wired as me, and I knew as soon as I met them all that we were in for a fabulously fun summer.

But I'm a girl. I'm an emotional basket case at times, and never one hundred percent sure of what I'm thinking. So through this past week there have definitely been struggles and highs and lows. Struggles with patience, having a hard time with have no independence whatsoever, and the biggest struggle of having a humble and teachable spirit. Living with eight girls can teach you a lot about patience. Whether it's trying to get everyone ready on time, or trying to squeeze some time into the bathroom, it's definitely been a growing experience for me. But I'm definitely adjusting and it helps that I love all the girls in my room with my whole heart. The independence thing has been a little harder for me to get over and move past. Being on my own at school for an entire year (and even my senior year of high school), with no curfew, no checking in with anyone, and going anywhere I want at any hour of the day is how I operate. I like being on my own and coming and going as I please. But with a curfew of 11, having a boy with you past 8, and having to attend mandatory events has really been a difficulty for me, but it's also showing me plenty of ways that I can grow and mature over the summer. And lastly...I'm a girl who has never been one to follow the rules, and I have always had a habit of doing things just because someone says I can't. So when I am told things are mandatory, or given strict rules such as I've been given down here, I find myself wanting to rebel simply for the sake of rebelling. Luckily, the Lord is patient with me and is simply wonderful about reminding me of His grace, but has also been putting plenty of conviction on my heart. I've been learning a lot about being a cheerful and obedient servant even when I feel like being hardheaded and obstinate. I've learned all it takes for the most part is a deep breathe, a great big smile, and then reminding myself to just love people no matter the situation. (Oh and lots and lots of prayer.) Thank goodness for a loving God with unending patience.

Now as a week has gone by, and I look back over it I am so encouraged at what the Lord has been doing in my heart, and through my life. I am praying He continues to grow my love for Him, and heart for others throughout the summer and mostly that he would give me an undivided heart throughout this project. Ezekiel 11:19-21

I hope everyone has a fabulous summer, and that the Lord works in miraculous ways through all y'all! Miss and love everyone!

Always,
Stevie

Today's Soundtrack: "Pick Me" by Justin Bieber

Leap of Faith.

"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do." -Eleanor Roosevelt

Fear.
It's a horrible feeling, isn't it? When you feel like you can't do something, or that something may not go as planned, or that you may get hurt in the process of doing something. When you're faced with something that scares you to death, you have two options. First, avoid it. Ignore it. Take the easy path. Now while you may be safe, comfortable, and in control, what have you really gained? Second option: look whatever your scared of in the face, and then go nuts. Jump, leap, fall, run straight into the thing you fear most. Sure, you may get bruised, shaken up, or a little battered but in the end even if you didn't neccesarily conquer what you set out to, you did conquer one thing that is such a restraint in so many lives. Fear.

Last weekend a few friends of mine and myself went out to Heber Springs and went cliff diving. AHH. Talk about scary. You climb 30 feet in the air, to walk to the edge of a cliff and well, jump. Into the water, the unknown, and whatever happens to be below. Now while most Arkansas kids have had this experience before, I never had the priviledge of doing this before now. But me being the extraodinarily competetive person I am, was not about to let those boys show me up. So I marched right up to the edge, got ready, and stopped.

"Are they crazy?!" "Have they seen how high this is?!"
"They must be nuts if they think I'm jumping off this thing!"

Those were just a few of the thoughts running through my mind (and the nicest of them as well) as I looked over the edge into that water. I sat there thinking this is NUTS! over and over again. Then slowly but surely my friends began to leap off the cliff and I knew I couldn't just stand there anymore. I either had to go, or climb down.

So, I jumped. And screamed. The entire way down. It was absolutely terrifing, and thrilling, and most of all a major adrenaline rush. And of course something I plan to do many many more times in my lifetime.

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7

How many times in a day does the Lord throw opportunities our way? If you look back at even just the last week, I guarantee you could pick out quite a few. I know I can. I can also attest to the fact, that I have not so sneakily dodged most of those opportunities. Chances to share my faith and my love for the one true Lord with those that aren't so lucky to know the truth. "Oh well I'm in a rush, maybe later." or "Well, I know she's closer friends with another believer, I'll let them take care of it." or maybe even "Lord, PLEASE don't make me do this! It's scary." Fear. Timidity. Not following the plan that the Lord has laid out for us. I see all of those in my excuses, but I'm not seeing a whole lot of power, or love. So as much as I want to challenge everyone of y'all, just know I am also writing this as a challenge to myself. Get up, and go DO something about this. Take control of the fear in your life. Beat it. With the Lord on your side you can take on anything, no matter how big it seems. Even though you may get a little bruised or beaten up (much like my legs from cliff diving), just remember that in the end, it's worth it. Not only will you be made perfect in God's image, but your life will no longer be wasted away by fear.

"Death is not the biggest fear we have; our biggest fear is taking the risk to be alive -- the risk to be alive and express what we really are." -Don Miguel Ruiz






Today's Soundtrack: Glee Cast Soundtrack

Crazy Town.

I have found it’s a crazy town, full of neon dreams.
Everybody plays, everybody sings.
Hollywood with a touch of twang.
To be a star you gotta bang, bang, bang.


Nashville.

This town is like none other. It’s the place in America where people come to make their dreams come true. Jason Aldean said it best when he said “Everybody plays, everybody sings.” I can’t tell you how true that is. Every waiter and waitress we had, or store clerk that helped us check out, are living a different version of the same story; they are here to make it big. This town is bursting at the seams with incredible talent. Some that will become the “next big thing” and some that won’t be so lucky. After being around this city for the past week, it really makes me wish I had any semblance of talent, but no such luck. This Spring Break has been exactly what I’ve needed recently. No stress, a solid week with my family, and just utterly relaxing. I’ve spent the entire week sleeping, eating, shopping, and listening to music. While it may not be the beach, I’d say it’s done a pretty fantastic job of rivaling it.

Have any of ya’ll found a place, whether you live there, taken a vacation there, or just heard or read about, that you feel could honestly be your Heaven on earth? For everyone it’s different. The city or the country, a warm beach or a snow covered ski town. Well for me, it’s Nashville.

First of all, downtown. If you have a chance to visit Nashville, you had better take a walk down Broadway. There are restaurants, bars, and shops upon shops lining the street. Country music is pouring out of every honky tonk bar and people letting loose and dancing into the wee hours of the night. And did I mention the boots? Cowboy boots. Every store has them, and every person is wearing them. Don’t worry if you don’t own a pair. Any store on Broadway has you covered. For men and women, children to adults, and cheap to authentic alligator skin. If I had had any money in my checking account, and wasn’t a broke college student…I would have been in t.r.o.u.b.l.e.

Next, and my favorite part of the trip, was the suburb of Nashville, Franklin. This town is literally the cutest thing I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting in my life. First, the historic district of Franklin has it all. The town square, Main Street, cute little boutiques out the wazzoo, and rows and rows of precious little Victorian style houses. It’s like the perfect picture of small town America, and what I wish every city was like. Yet just a short drive away and you are in the heart of every teen girls passion, shopping centers. I didn’t think a tiny town like Franklin would have such fantastic shopping, but boy was I wrong. A mall, outdoor shopping, and boutiques are spread out throughout the newer part of the city, and my sister and I definitely left our “Tattoo On the Town” (Jason Aldean for those of you living in a hole). It’s safe to say I am definitely ready for spring to be here!

And last, but as sure as my love for blue coconut slushes, not least- the food. Oh gosh. First off, I daily ask myself how I am not three hundred pounds. I eat food like the world is going to run out. And Nashville just fuelled that fire. Let’s start with downtown: HardRock Café, I would have to say was a slight let down. It had been so talked up, that I was expecting more than a cold hamburger but the atmosphere was incredible. They had live music walking around, and in between you could vote on the music video to play from the touchscreen at your table. Then there was SATCO (San Antonio Taco Company). This came highly recommended by some friends of mind and boy am I glad I took them up on their advice. DELISH. If you’re a Mexican food fan, GO. We happened to go during a massive hail storm, so we had the entire restaurant to ourselves, which may have added to the experience but seriously, you do not want to miss out on this place. And for the best ice cream literally on the planet: Mike’s Ice Cream Shoppe (I think). Fanfreakintastic. Forget the diets, and calorie counting for the night and a get a scoop of the Nutter Butter ice cream. Seriously. Go.
Now breakfast, that took the cake for all the meals. Between Pancake Pantry, Puckett’s Grocery, and Loveless Café, I plan to be hitting the gym hard as soon as I get back to the Boro. Each of these places were so unique, and literally some of the best food I’ve ever tasted. And this coming from a girl that tends to skip the whole breakfast thing altogether.

Now as I sit cross-legged in the front seat, blasting some country music, and eating some goldfish, I am just wishing this week wasn’t coming to an end so soon, yet thanking the Lord that I get to see my friends in 3 days. It’s been tooooo long ya’ll. I hope everyone has had a phenomenal Spring Break, and stayed safe all week. Below are a couple pictures from my trip, and please feel free to comment about ya’lls week and fill me in on all the fun that I’m sure ya’ll had!



Always, Stevie







Today’s Soundtrack: This is Country Music by Brad Paisley

Almost There.

Two days. One class. One lab. One test.

That is all I have to get through until one week. One week of my parents and favorite little sister. One week of no homework, no stress, and sleep. Lots and lots of sleep. Not to mention the possibility of some shopping, and hopefully some sunshine if Arkansas ever decides to make up it's mind on this whole weather thing. Spring Break. The one week out of the semester that is set aside for literally, nothing. Where kids get to forget all about school, work, and the pressures of "real life" and just spend an entire week having FUN. Obviously, this week is going to be fabulous.

Now while the obvious spring break destination for the typical college student would be the beach with a group of friends, I get the pleasure of making a seven hour car ride, with my parents, to Nashville, Tn. Now while I am not a huge fan of extraordinarily long, and unavoidably uncomfortable road trips, the fact that it's with my family makes it somehow bearable. If you know my family at all you know they're a little crazy. My Dad, having lived in a house with four girls for the past twenty years, has officially embraced his feminine side. This is a man who one minute is talking about all of his "real man's work" out in his shop, and in the next sentence with no shame, will ask us to play the Highschool Musical soundtrack (then accuses my sister of being a communist when she says she doesn't have it). My mom on the other hand, is the one I wouldn't want to mess with. She's about 5 inches shorter then me, but I'm pretty sure she could still take me if I got her mad enough, so it's a good thing I'm just so easy to get along with (insert my mother rolling with laughter here). She's the one in our family who pretends to not think our sense of humor is funny, or attempts to keep my dad from completely reverting back to acting like a three year old. But deep down we all know that that is simply just an act. Then there's Sam. My little sister. She's fifteen going on twenty-one. She is also the thuggest five foot, bleach blonde, white girl you will ever meet in your life. She can dance circles around anyone I know, including Shakira. If the energizer bunny and the little guy from the red bull commercials had a child, it would be her. She goes and goes and goes and there is no off switch. So obviously, if you hadn't figured this out already, this seven hour car ride should be quite entertaining to say the least.

Now all that is separating me from this fabulously entertaining week is two days. What really amazes me though is the fact that Friday night, when I finally make it through my Chemistry 2 test, and get home I'll look back and think this week flew by, that I can't believe Spring Break is really here! Then in no time the week will be over and I'll be headed back to the good 'ol 870 for just a few more weeks of school. And there went my first year of COLLEGE. It's crazy looking back over the year, and realizing that it's almost done. That in approximately a month, I will be a college SOPHMORE. Is that even possible?! It seems like yesterday I was 10 years old, playing on the playground with my bestfriend Hannah Blake. I feel like the older I get the faster time goes, and while I am excited to see what the Lord has in store for my future, I also wouldn't mind a little slow down. A breather, and a time to take in what will supposedly be the best years of my life. But how about after I get this test over with Friday? ;)




Always,
Stevie




Today's Soundtrack: Doo-Wops and Hooligans by Bruno Mars

Inspiration

And now these three remain: Faith. Hope. and Love. but the greatest of these is Love.
1 Corinthians 13:13

Faith: Confidence or trust in someone or something that is not based on sight.

Hope: A person or thing which one looks forward to with desire and confidence.

Love: A passionate desire or longing for something.

Everything in my life is inspired by these three things. First, my faith and hope in my Lord, Jesus Christ. Faith. Not being able to see or touch anything tangible but knowing in my heart, through His word and promises that He is who He says He is. Hope, because without the hope that He is the one He says He is, I would be alone and drowning in a world so overrun with pain and saddness I wouldn't be able to handle it. And Love. "The GREATEST of these is Love. Not for just those who Love. you, or who are easy to Love. or you want to Love. But each and everyone here, because they are God's child.


Now you may be thinking, ummm Stevie, typo much? The title of this thing is GRACE.Hope.Love. What happened? Well the last thing that inspires me in my daily life is Grace.

Grace: Freely given, unmerited favor, mercy, or pardon.

Unmerited. Means, I do not deserve it. I am saved because the Lord delights in extending mercy and Grace. Therefore, why shouldn't I extend the same Grace. to everyone I encounter in my daily life? It astounds me daily that Christ Loves. me enough that He took the punishment for my screw ups, and everything wrong I have ever done, and suffered through a horrific punishment for me. That's what I call Love.

Now I'm new to this whole blogging thing, so please bare with me while I'm sure this is going to be off to a rough start! Writing is a passion of mine; something I've loved since I was little, so I can't wait to share with ya'll! I plan to just write about my life; the typical college kid life, but if there is anything in particular you want to hear about, or have any suggestions or critiques for me, please feel free to let me know!


Always,
Stevie