Why Not...

Four Jobs You Have Had In Your Life:
1) Eckerd/CVS
2) Christian Life Center Staff
3) Telemarketing
4) IHOP

Four Movies You Would Watch Over and Over:
1) My Best Friend's Wedding
2) The Day After Tommorrow
3) Scream
4) Final Destination (I like all of them)

Four Places You Have Lived:
1) Central, TX
2) Spring, TX
3) Lufkin, TX
4) Nacogdoches, TX

Four TV Shows You Love to Watch:
1) American Idol
2) Desperate Housewives
3) Trading Spouses
4) Dr. Phil

Four Places You Have Been On Vacation:
1) Houston, TX
2) Roseland, TX
3) Eureka Springs, Arkansas
4) San Antonio, TX

Four Websites I Visit Daily:
1) Justin
2) Todd
3) Paul
4) Tracy

Four Of My Favorite Foods:
1) Taco Bell
2) Spaghetti
3) Cheesy Shells
4) Fruit

Four Places I Would Rather Be Right Now:
1) in my bed (it is so cold and rainy and dark today...)
2) Walt Disney World (well, not right now b/c it is rainy)
3) eating
4) somewhere tropical

What Happened to Saturday?

Man, oh man today was a busy day! This morning I had to get up earlier than normal so that I could go take defensive driving. Thank God I signed up for "License to Laugh"!! The instructor was obviously very entertaining and time flew by unlike any other class I've taken this semester. Did I learn anything that will add to my driving skills? Probably not, BUT I did get a lot of candy, donuts, laughs, and he even got the ice cream man to visit us. Yes, I think I'd do that again in a year! The only bad thing is because I've waited so long to take Defensive Driving I will not have my certificate in time...meaning technically I will have a warrant out for my arrest. Don't worry people!! Everything will be fine because the court looks at the date I finished the class, not the date I actually give them the piece of paper. (thank the Lord) I just have to go see the judge Monday and let him know that I took the class and that the paper is on the way.

About an hour after class let out I went to work. At first I thought it was going to be a long night because I was already yawning, but I got some tables and the sleepiness went away. I am so glad that I'm not hostessing every weekend now too! We are now rotating that duty so I can actually make some money now. :) YAY that is why I'm there!!

So even though I am tired now, I can say that today was a pretty productive one. Oh, and I cannot forget that my wonderful boyfriend, Justin, saved the day by doing the entire review for our test. THANK YOU JUSTIN!

Nothing Much...

Nothing too too exciting is happening in my life this week. I've just been trying to get back in the groove of things. Classes have flown by and I'm finding myself having to catch up on assignments. Work is still going well, and I think I'm even getting better at waitressing. Today the different teams from the mission trip got together to fellowship and share each group's experiences. It was very neat to see pics and hear everyone's experiences. That in itself was a wonderful witness. Thank you everyone, for praying for all the teams!

Above is a picture I took while in Memphis. I had never been there before although I had been to TN once. Everything there was just so beautiful...I loved the red brick everywhere. The team got to eat at a pretty good restaurant, and watch a movie in the biggest theater I've ever seen. Yes people, that was the first time I have ever seen a stadium seating theater of that calibur. What can I say, I was raised in Lufkin and have lived a sheltered life! By the way, Failure to Launch--not so good. Anyway, I enjoyed it a lot! Especially walking down Beale St. at night. Every restaurant and pavillion had a live blues band playing. Oh,oh....and the neon lights were so pretty too!

Below is a pic of some of the children in Jonestown. They were very sweet natured even though at times they would act very scary. These 3 kids were especially nice and even followed us around the neighborhood. You can tell how materialism is important to them--the youngest got out a wad of $1's just to take a pic. Again I say: I really hope those children as well as their parents saw Christ's love last week.

I'm Back, By the Way...

As my title says: I am back! I couldn't have thought of a better way to spend my Spring Break and I am so so glad that I mustered up the courage to ask off right after getting hired. Just in case you weren't paying attention to my other blogs or have just forgotten because it has been so long: this Spring Break I went on Grace Bible's annual Spring Break mission trip. We teamed up with Habitat for Humanity's Collegiate Challenge and were able to send out 5 groups of 10 students. (you are correct Justin, that does make 50) Speaking of Justin, we had both mutually decided before hand that we were going to split up for this trip. Wait, let me clerify that: we did not "break up" we were just in two different groups. Why did we do this? Well, we thought it would be easier to make more friends that way. Hey, now we have more stories to tell each other anyway!

My group--Team Tiger--went to Jonestown, Mississippi. (can you spell that backwards?) Wow, when we got there we realized just how different it was than we could have ever imagined. Jonestown was the most poverished town that I have been able to see with my own eyes. The kids don't even go to school! The houses there are horrid, and the local grocery store buys out-of-date food to sell. We had to go 30 minutes out of town just to buy supplies, groceries, and drinking water.

I'm not going to walk you through my everyday experience in Jonestown so you can keep reading without fear of too much boredom. My heart ached for the children of Jonestown...their houses were unlivable in our eyes, but their parents had enough money to buy fancy cars. The Wal-Mart in Clarksdale was the nicest place around.

My experiences this Spring Break will last a lifetime. I made new friends, saw places that I've never seen before, and learned many new things about the Lord. Not everything was perfect, but I loved this mission trip! I can say that now a few days later, but I have to admit that the day I got back I was a little bitter. Other groups were sleeping in cabins, canoeing, and made a lot of progress on their habitat house. We slept in what a lot of people would call a "ghetto", had to be escorted by a male most of the time, and made very very little progress on this house that has been under construction for 2 years. If you would look at things on the surface it would seem that my group accomplished little. God had his reasons why he put us in Jonestown. I can understand that now. Maybe, just maybe, we planted a seed somewhere. Hopefully the children were able to get a taste of God's love. And the fact that 50 college students spent their Spring Break working instead of laying out on the beach is a witness to other as well. So many good things for the Lord can come out of what we did...so I'm really not that bitter anymore. Heck...I would do it all over again!!

Spring Break At Last!

FINALLY! All of my midterms are over AND I am all packed for the treck into Lufkin tonight when I get off of work. My parents don't know that I am going home tonight so it will be a surprise when they wake up in the morning. After work the rest of my weekend should be a breeze. Tomorrow Justin and I have to go shopping for the mission trip (the only problem is I need to ask my mom if I can borrow some money...I hope she will lend me some) and then Saturday night Justin and I are going on a date before we part for a week. I am excited about the mission trip, but I will miss him too. O-o-o-okay, I better get goin'....if I don't blog tomorrow, I will be blogging after the trip! BYE!

One Day Until Spring Break Begins!

My tests that I've taken so far this week have gone well. (I think) Earlier this morning I took my Theater Speech Practicum Test and did well on the speech, but jacked up the Salute to the Sun. Now all I have are two more tests on Friday and I'm good to go! The only hurdle after that is packing everything for the mission trip, buying things for the mission trip, and finding a place to stay until the mission trip. I know everything will work out though and I am super excited about the trip...I have never gone on a mission that wasn't with the Methodist church so this will be very different than what I am used to.

Yesterday Justin and I went into Lufkin to return the Expedition to his mom and run a few errands. I actually had off yesterday and now I do today too!!! Justin and I went to the mall and he discovered that we have an American Cookie store now. Evidentally, they have those in Dallas as well and so he had to buy one for us....mine was rich, but it was GOOD! While Justin was at the church unloading the Expedition and setting his drums up I went to Applebees with my family for my mom's birthday. Sirloin was good, mashed potatoes were not like I remembered, and they cheated me on my broccoli. I saw a sign on the wall where we were sitting that describes me to a tee:

"If you hesitate you are not only lost, but several miles from the next exit."

So here I am sitting in my dorm room waiting for the cafeteria to open and my roommate to leave so that I can go back to sleep! (didn't sleep to well last night and I have tests to study for all day) Until later...

Yikes!

There are so many reasons to say 'yikes' today: Firstly, I have midfinals this week and unfortunately Poli Science is one of those. :( Not sure how I'll do, but hopefully I'll be prepared by Friday.

Also, my manager forgot that I had asked off for Spring Break the day I was hired and she had to re-do the schedule completely. When she did that she got me confused with the OTHER Angela who works graveyard, and so as of now I am going into work at 10pm Thursday. (ya know, the day before my Poli Science midfinal) I am STILL stuck hostessing on the weekends and I need the waitressing money! Hopefully I'll be able to sort all of that out b/c I am fed up with being the one who will go w/ anything.

Did I mention that I didn't know I was suppose to go into work today at 5 until 5:45? Yikes!

Remember how Justin and I got the new cell phone plan last week? Well, b/c we both love sharing pics we got a multimedia package and today we found out that it won't work with the phone Justin gave me. (dang it) So I ended up shelling out some $$ to get a phone that actually would work with our provider. Hey, at least I have a really good phone now!

All of my errands were planned out for the evening before I found out I had to be at work. So when I got off I had to clean the shower (which takes forever b/c we have to do it with a toothbrush to get all the mildew out of the tile cracks), and study for tomorrow's test.

Now, the thing that might make others go 'yikes!' : Sunday after Justin got back from Tyler I let him DRIVE his mom's expedition!!! He did a wonderful job parking and there were 3 cars around at the time too. He was so excited so how could I say no?? Anyway, look at the pics....I love my drivin' Justin! He might think Paul drives into trees, but he has redeemed himself....buh-bye!

A Country Day

I have this theory that it is better to listen to country music on days like today...blue skies, breezy, sunny, and just really pretty! So, I like to call days like this "country days". In fact, the picture above I took today is of my FAVORITE flowers on campus. I like to call them "sleeping flowers" because they close up during the night and open in the day. Aren't they beautiful? I THINK they are tulips though...anyway, the colors remind me of the field in the Wizard of Oz for some reason.

Nothing too terribly extraordinary happened today. I woke up and went to class, helped Justin get ready for his gig in Tyler this weekend, sent him off, watched some TV, and went to work. I really hope tomorrow is just as pretty as today was b/c I really want to clean my car and take some pictures of the ducks and more plants. I enjoy my digital camera...this is my favorite season!!! Everybody should take the time to look around every once in a while....everything is just so gorgeous.....

Great Day, Great Book

Gotta love off days! After I went to my theater class I came back to the dorm room and took a loooong nap. Around 2:30 I decided to get ready to seize the day! Brad Anderson (Justin's best "bud") gave Justin and me a ride to Lufkin to pick up the Expedition. Unfortunately, Nick (Justin's brother) had been out driving around in it, so we were running a bit late. Since they were unable to clean the Expedition, Justin, Katie, and I headed to Wal-Mart to buy a few supplies. A few minutes later we were on the road hunting for the "perfect" car wash to visit after dark. Settling for the one on Timberland we cleaned that sucker until it was sparkling! Several errands after that, Justin and I were on the way back to Nacogdoches....

Man, oh man! I just finished reading Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, and I have to say that I am actually sad that there are no more chapters. For those of you who don't know and/or don't feel like clicking on the link Redeeming Love is basically a fictional story based off of the book of Hosea. I absolutely would not have been able to put this book down if I didn't have things to do! The way Francine Rivers was able to capture and make the reader feel a taste of God's love amazed me. Reading this book has made me want to go back and read Hosea again. I'm sure I will look at it from a different light this time. Sometimes, it is just hard to think of the people in the Bible as real people who have lived before and had the same reactions to things as we would today. I think that is very important: being able to read the Bible and first understand it for what it simply is....not trying to read within the lines. These people were real even though they lived so long ago. If watching a movie or reading a book can kind of "suck us in" to what is happening...why shouldn't the Bible?