Becase I can

 It's that time of yearrrr.... where students dispise their classes and don't want to be there. Today I wrote a wonderful list of all the places I'd rather be than in class... (while sitting in class) 
My brain is shot, so this is all I got. Smart bloggin' right here!
Happy end of the semester world!

my bed
my desk
my room
my house
my house house
the camp
Ev's house
Ev's apartment
Detroit airport
out to eat
shopping
skating ice or roller
on a hike
on a bike
on a plane
on a train
on a rollercaoster
at Cedar Point
in a different state
in a different country
in a car
in heaven
with Evan
with Watson
with my fam
with a pal
in the forest
on a mountain
on a plain
in a boat
on a cloud
in a cloud
in a tree
at a movie ... being groovy
at a museum
at a zoo
on a horse
on an elephant
in a pool
in a hot tub
in the shower
in a bath
in space
on the moon
on a beach
in a lighthouse
on a ship
on a glacier
in a field
on a trip

wow.... I'm cool.
Shout out to Evan Heisey! 

What "gets me"

Recently I've just felt like a super passionate individual... sometimes my passion for things scares me. This sort of passion and love is so new to me that for the most part I really don't know what to do with it. One thing I do know that is that if this passion is of God, there is no way I plan to let anything or anyone get in my way or discourage me... so anyways, here is a (hopefully) simple list of the things in life that just really "get me" ... if that's even the phrase I'm looking for... which I believe it is. Honestly ya' all... I need sleep... but sleep can't come... just thought, after thought, after thought... so here goes a blog done by one very tired, emotional individual.

What "gets me"

1. kids. KIDS! They are so great! I can't even begin to fathom why anyone would treat a child in an inappropriate manner. I have such a heart for any and all kids, but probably even (a little) more of a heart for kids who don't receive the proper love and respect they deserve.

2. God. And yes of course, God is before kids... I could go ahead and move Him to the number one place... but I won't... because I'm tired. But honestly, He is my number one passion... and I know that God gave me my passion for kids to be used for Him. Before just recently, I can honestly say that God probably did not hold the highest position in my life. I was always looking for something to fill that void whether it be pictures, or social media, or certain relationships... None of those things mean anything if it is not ultimately going to glorify God.

3. Worship music. I was the person who used to judge the songs being sung in a service or make fun of "worship prayers," calling them "just a bunch of words that pastors throw together to try and make them sound holy enough." Until I truly started listening to the words and taking them in, yes, the songs and prayers were just a bunch of words... but really, worship and worship music and prayers are so much more than that. This summer, between the Wellspring groups from Spring Arbor, or the Jerry time music or the "Lissa time" music being lead by a 21 year old guy on a guitar and a 14 year old girl on the drums, I kinda just fell in love with worship music... if I'm even allowed to say that... but these songs made me fall even more in love with God, so I wouldn't say its all bad to say. Some examples of songs that we sang throughout the summer included, but were not limited to:

-roaring like a lion (god's not dead)

-he is jealous for me (oh how he loves us)
-the stand (i stand with arms high and heart abandoned)
-the earth is yours by gungor
-beautiful things, gungor
-lead me to the cross, hillsong
-oh happy day!
-lord i lift your name on high
-every move i make
-i wanna see jesus lifted high (a banner that flys across this land)
-open the eyes of my heart lord (i want to see youuu) 

-"Remind Me Who I Am" by Jason Gray

4. Summer camp... or even winter, spring, summer, and fall camp. Growing up at Somerset Beach Campground, people tend to wonder if this place has maybe lost it's specialness to me... and if we're being honest, at times it has... but this summer in particular... I couldn't feel more blessed to be working at SBC! Being surrounded by people who share a love for the same things you do, God being the biggest, is a super awesome feeling! ... also, providing a place for kids to just have an amazing week while constantly being shown God's love is more ideal that I can even believe sometimes!

5. Nature... sunsets over a lake or especially an ocean... anything that God has created... I don't always notice it's beauty right away... but I can promise you I will always be extremely impressed and awestruck with any sunset God puts in the sky for us. He didn't have to make the world so beautiful, but He did it for us, that it would ultimately bring more glory to His name! Oh and stars! Don't even get me started on stars... star gazing anyone?!:)

6. Christian communities. JACKSON FREE METHODIST CHURCH! ... I love that place. I truly feel I can be myself there now after 21 years and not be afraid of what others will think. While service seems to sometimes be all about me and what I may have taken away from a message, at the end of every service I love comparing notes with others who also heard the message or just hearing about peoples lives... and not just the "I'm good" answer... but getting real, honest stories and hardships that the people I love are going through. ... ps. I am SO pumped for SAU chapel sessions next year... the whole campus getting that into worshiping God TOGETHER sounds like it's really going to be amazing! Alsooo, looking forward to maybe (hopefully.. really would like to!) leading a small group for the Spring Arbor Free Methodist middle school youth group. Lots of kids from camp go to that youth group as well, so it will be awesome to re-connect with these teens I care about so much that I would usually only get to see one week of the summer.

7. Honesty. That person who can be SO honest with you, but they are this honest with you to ultimately make you a better person for God and His purposes in your life. While yes, I think there is appropriate times and places for this honestly, it is just a very refreshing thing in this society. Just be straight up with me and do not sugar coat whatever it is you may be trying to say... now if what you say to a person isn't done out of love, then the honestly is more hurtful than helpful. But a real honest person just "gets me."

8. Seeing others happy. Making someone's day. ... like if there is anything I can do for you, just tell me! Help others to help yourself even. I love to be able to make a kid happy... make them smile... especially if they didn't start our conversation smiling. That is the coolest.

9. Servants. Those who are so extremely servant hearted. They are obviously trying to be more like God, which in turn means I want to be more like them, who wants to be more like God... I look to these servants as an example of Jesus on Earth. While I may not have been able to witness Jesus on Earth, these servants of God, living out each and every day for God, are people I can look to as an example, other than the example of Jesus that I am able to read about in the Bible.

10. Other people who are in love with God. Those people truly captivate my attention and make me want to do better for myself. If they can be that madly in love with God... so can I.. and not only is it possible, it's also possible they could help me along. Thank goodness God gives us people here on Earth to challenge us, encourage us, and love us. .. And to think that the love some people possess for me is no where near the love God has for me... that is crazy! ... crazy hard to wrap my mind around. God sent his one and only son to die for me... and loves meee...and the whole world enough to do so!... Welp, I think I've probably preached enough for one day. I'm sorry if I have offended anyone in this post. I don't mean to do so at all. Sometimes I just really would like to share my thoughts with the world... or just whoever decided they want to listen(read)... and sometimes writing things down works a lot better than verbal communication would. This is me, and all I can really do is keep hoping and praying that the me that God wants me to be is in there somewhere and will continue to show itself over time.

Heart shaped pizza

This is part of a journal assignment I was assigned to do in my COR 300 class at SAU, and I thought I'd share it with you all. What beliefs do you hold most dearly, and of these, which are you willing to die for? Maybe take time to make your own list and think about what really matters in your life or what should really matter.

Top 10 beliefs I hold most dearly:

1. My belief in God. That he sent his son to this earth to die for every person’s sins, including my own. 

2. My belief in love. God loves me and I love Him, more than anyone else in this world. I also love others. I am commanded to do so. And on top of that, I know others who love me. 

3. My belief in relationships. God gave me people in my life to intermingle with and develop relationships with. More than anything, my relationship with God is the most important. 

4. My belief in family. More than just an average human relationship is the blood bond of another. My parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents… These people that God has blessed me with, who I believe I will be blessed enough to always keep strong relationships with. 

5. My belief in marriage. I have yet to marry, but I know marriage can and does last. I have many awesome examples of such relationships in my life. God has someone out there for me, whether I have found him yet or not. 

6. My belief in forgiveness. Christ has forgiven me, therefore I should forgive others, no matter what it is they may have done to “wrong” me.

7. My belief in heaven. Jesus has joined his father in heaven to prepare a place for me… a place for anyone who has accepted Jesus as their personal savior. This is where I will spend eternity with God and with those I love and that love God.

8. My belief in creation. God created all there ever has been on this earth. Whether He created the human being who then went on to create Microsoft, or whether He directly placed trees on this earth, all was created by God. Nothing is here by chance or even CLOSE to chance! No explosion or bang created who I am and what this beautiful world around me looks like.

9. My belief in myself. I think can, I thank I can… No, I know I can! I believe in myself. God is in me, and through him I can do all things through His strength in me. If it is God’s will for me, I believe and know I will be able to accomplish the tasks He puts before me. 

10. My belief in sustenance. What I am mainly referring to through this belief, is that I believe I am alive today one, because it is God’s will that I am, but two, that I have been provided with enough food and water to live off of. This “sustenance” has kept me alive this long, and will continue to do just that as long as I am provided for. 

Well there's my list of ten beliefs that I hold most dearly. Seen above, the bestest sustenance around, Marios Pizza in Greenville, IL. I am now craving it times a million and three. If anyone would like to ship me some, I wouldn't complain... I don't think, that is. Although here I am thinking about number 10 on my list. Maybe I need to get my priorities straight here:)

Also, seen even abover, is my grandparents, Art and Judy Osborne's hands with their wedding rings on them, placed upon the Bible. They have been married for over 50 years as have my dad's parents, Ish and Joanna Smith. SO blessed for examples such as these! Speaking of heart shaped pizzas, I hope everyone had a great Valentines Day! Whether your day was spent thinking more specifically about a significant other or maybe even thinking about how much God loves you and therefore we should love Him and others. I was blessed to be able to celebrate the day thinking of both God and others, and even more specially a certain other. Evan showed up on Monday and surprised me after class with roses and dinner! What a guy:) Anyways, hope this list could maybe get you all thinking. <3

Thee FIRST blog.

Well, here it is. I have a blog. Those who inspired me, my dear father, Chuck Smith and my boss, Sara Luke. (also some persuasion from my boyfriend Evan Heisey) What I will blog about it still completely unknown to me, so I guess we'll just figure that out as I go. I honestly have no idea how to work this blog deal so I may be asking for help from my father, which would be different since he's usually asking me questions when it comes to the internet and such. To start, I will update whoever ends up reading this on my "lyfe" as it is today, on this weird weathered day in January. I am going to Spring Arbor University. After two years at Greenville College, it was time for a change so I am now home again. This year I have lived at home and only taken classes part time at SAU while working as well. Next school year I am planning to live on campus though, which will be another new experience for me... a little unsure, but I think at this point it's another step in the right direction. This past fall I worked at Flavor Fruit Farms here in my home town. That was quite the experience and I actually really enjoyed my fall there. I was on the cash register a lot but was also baking here and there, restocking, cleaning and doing just about anything else you could think of from unloading thousands of HUGE pumpkins and placing them around the farm to eating many yummy donuts. (at least one a day!) After Halloween my season there was over and I was able to take a visit to Greenville, which was super fun but of course invovled some mixed emotions as well, seeing as how I miss all my friends from there an awful lot! This winter I've been quite the bum and I'm sure if you would talk to my parents they would agree;) Starting today I am working at Hawkins Accounting in Vandercook. It looks like this job won't be nearly as fun as my fall job, but I am going to attempt to have a decent attitude about it and maybe even learn a few things I can take with me into the "real world." I honestly have no interest in Accounting, as my major is in Social Work, but a job is a job and I am EXTREMELY thankful to have one! Speaking of my major, in transferring to SAU, I switched from Elementary Education to Social Work. Lots of thought and prayer and searching went into this change and I think I've finally found the major I will graduate with. YAY! Planning to graduate in Spring 2014... a little later than expected, but I will survive. This is getting super long and wordy so I apologize. How about I make a fun little list to finish this first blog up...

Things I am thankful for in this new year:
- Getting to see my family almost every day... I am really enjoying being a part of their lives again... especially the little bros:)
-Having my boyfriend living less than 36 hours away from me. Fall 2011 he was still at school in Arizona, so that made for many hours skyping.... not all bad, but it's definitly nice having him closer:)
- A job ... prayer for my friends who are still needing one!!!
- The list could go on but it's now 1 o'clock am and I'm thinking I should maybe wrap this up. Swell first blog this was. Catch ya later readers, whoever you may be:)

No wait... I'm not done. Another cool thing that happened this past year, my best friend Kelsey Myers got engaged. CONGRATS AGAIN AND AGAIN CODY AND KELS! Their wedding is in December 2012 and I'm beyond excited to be Kelsey's MOH!
Also, can I just say this weather is the weirdest. Snow, extreme meltdown and fog, warmth, tanning, beach days, SNOW! repeat.
Alright. Good day world.

A few recent pics from my lyfe