Sweet Blessings.

Two of my friends were married last night--Congrats Maggie and Joe--and it was so fun to see sweet friends and rest with beautiful people who always bring a smile to my face. I really miss being in Knoxville, but I love to see the differnt routes that God is taking my friends on. I am always encouraged when I see someone I haven't seen in months pat my arm and say,"I'm praying for you." I really wish I would attempted to take some pictures so that I could place on here. Everyone was glowing and smiling and it really made for some fun,sweet memories.

I am raising support to go to Sweden. I am often incredibly frustrated and ready to just throw in the towel. Last night was just one of those nights. I couldn't sleep and I just lay awake thinking of all the "what ifs"--which are straight from satan--and I finally began to pray. I just prayed for God to take control and to let my stop worrying, et al. I blankly checked my email and there was a message with a LARGE contribution. Really? It amazes me how quick I am to think that God will not come through. But, he comes through again and again and in the most unexpected ways. I am so quick to just pack up my thoughts and desires in a little metaphoric suitcase and try to do it all on my own. I can't. We are made to fail so that the Lord can be glorified through our weakness. WOW.

Also, my second cousin died this weekend. It is always sad to see someone go, but the fellowship with family after a funeral is always a blessing. Living in a small town often drives me crazy, but I wouldn't trade where I've grown up for anything in the world. My mom has 29 cousins on my grandmothers side of the family! Holy cow! They are an absolute hoot! The respect for the mourning has almost been lost in this time. But, I am always so thankful to see a funeral procession in my town. EVERYONE pulls over to the side lane and stops until the line of cars has passed. How rare it is to see this anymore, yet it happens daily here in West Tennessee. I can't help but want to journey back a few decades for a few days and expierence life in its utmost simplicity. What a sweet time! (Note: If this were ever to happen, I would want to bring the A/C with me.)

The Nanny.

I am in Knoxville for the week with three of my favorite boys! They are the sweetest and keep me in stitches. Today we went to the grocery store and I discovered why every mom you ever see in a store with kids looks like they could use a special beverage. A store filled with candy and two little boys with a sweet tooth just do not mix. ha. Bryce was asleep on my purse in the buggy. All I have to say after two days is...Thanks Mom. This is a picture of Bryce. He fell asleep at the park right beside the swings where about thirty kids were running around. ha!

A sweet friend of mine got engaged last night. Congrats Lauren!! FYI: This makes 9 of my friends who are engaged right now.

Two Months from today I will (prayerfully) be boarding a plane for Colorado and the next week I will be leaving for beautiful Sweden! The fact that I will be living in a different country has not really hit home yet. If I close my eyes, I can almost smell the dark, European coffee and vaguely hear the techno music playing from the local venues. Man, I can't wait!!

Home.

Well. It has been a while since my last post. A LOT has happened! I am officially a graduate of the University of Tennessee! Woohoo!! (Pictures will come soon.) And, I am now moved into my childhood home in Camden again. It is so weird being back for a few months. I can't complain too much: no rent and they feed me for free here. But, I miss Knoxville. Support raising is underway and it is a rollercoaster ride for sure! Last week was really tough and I was so discouraged. But, this week has proved to be entirely different. Today I had the most encouraging chat with a godly lady and unexpected money arrived in the mail. How sweeter life is when we leave it in God's hands. I have completely tried to do everything in my own strength this past week and all it got me was pain, frustration, and ultimately nowhere.

My best friend, Diana, is engaged and getting married in December! I am so excited for her and her ring is absolutely beautiful!! There is no doubt in my mind that this marriage is meant to be. My best friend of 12 years, Tiara, has moved to Alabama for a job. I know that she has exciting things in store her, but I miss her a whole lot. We've always lived within five minutes of each other and now we are two hours apart. In a few months, the Atlantic ocean will separate us. Wow. Growing up is weird. However, Tiara and I haven't left all of our teen years behind. She texted me yesterday to let me know that the Jonas Brothers would be on Good Morning America on Friday. Hilarious. We may be adults, but the maturity is completely set in place. ha.

I am just enjoying life in my small town again. There isn't a whole lot going on here with me. I mean, I finished the Twilight series in two weeks if that tells you anything about my life here. I did go with my grandmother to the store to buy manure the first day that I was here. Yes. I live somewhere between Mayberry and Green Acres.

God vs. Science

Neat little story that I found and enjoyed....

GOD vs. SCIENCE

This one will keep your attention to the end....... It really makes you think........

A science professor begins his school year with a lecture to the students, 'Let me explain the problem science has with religion.'

The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand.

'You're a Christian, aren't you, son?'

'Yes sir,' the student says.

'So you believe in God?'

'Absolutely.'

'Is God good?'

'Sure! God's good.'

'Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?'

'Yes.'

'Are you good or evil?'

'The Bible says I'm evil.'

The professor grins knowingly. 'Aha! The Bible!' He considers for a moment. 'Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?'

'Yes sir, I would.'

'So you're good...!'

'I wouldn't say that.'

'But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't.'

The student does not answer, so the professor continues.

'He doesn't, does He? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Hmmm? Can you answer that one?'

The student remains silent.

'No, you can't, can you?' the professor says.

He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax.

'Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?'

'Er...yes,' the student says.

'Is Satan good?'

The student doesn't hesitate on this one.

'No.'

'Then where does Satan come from?'

The student falters. 'From God'

'That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son, is there evil in this world?'

'Yes, sir.'

'Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?'

'Yes.'

'So who created evil?' The professor continued, 'If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil.'

Again, the student has no answer.

'Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?'

The student squirms on his feet. 'Yes.'

'So who created them?'

The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question.

'Who created them?'

There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized.

'Tell me,' he continues onto another student. 'Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?'

The student's voice betrays him and cracks. 'Yes, professor, I do.'

The old man stops pacing. 'Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?'

'No sir. I've never seen Him.'

'Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?'

'No, sir, I have not.'

'Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?'

'No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't.'

'Yet you still believe in him?'

'Yes.'

'According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?'

'Nothing,' the student replies. 'I only have my faith.'

'Yes, faith,' the professor repeats. 'And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith.'

The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of his own.

'Professor, is there such thing as heat?'

'Yes,' the professor replies. 'There's heat.'

'And is there such a thing as cold?'

'Yes, son, there's cold too.'

'No sir, there isn't.'

The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested.

The room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain.

'You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit up to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.'

Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer.

'What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?'

'Yes,' the professor replies without hesitation. 'What is night if it isn't darkness?'

'You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word. In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?'

The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester. 'So what point are you making, young man?'

'Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed.'

The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time.
'Flawed? Can you explain how?'

'You are working on the premise of duality,' the student explains. 'You argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it. Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from monkey?'

'If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do.'

'Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?'

The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed.

'Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?'

The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided.

'To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean.'

The student looks around the room. 'Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?'

The class breaks out into laughter.

'Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelt the professor's brain?'

No one appears to have done so.

'So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir. So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?'

Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable.

Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. 'I guess you'll have to take them on faith.'

'Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life,' the student continues. 'Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?'

Now uncertain, the professor responds, 'Of course, there is. We see it everyday. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil.'

To this the student replied, 'Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light.'

The professor sat down.

Exactly 2 months until I graduate from UT!!

Good grief, time is going by so fast! I feel like I have spent 85% of this semester in "process". Meaning--that I am constantly thinking about what I am expierencing and what is the next step and how do I deal with what is going on now. But...I do have news on what that next step is....

I am going on Stint (Short term international) with Campus Crusade for Christ in August to Uppsala, Sweden! I am so excited and I will begin the support raising soon. I will start a whole new blog to document that piece of my life when the time comes....

Here is a picture of the beautiful country I will call home for 10 months...or more...come August. :)

Song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bTjDace9nY

Beautiful Song by Brooke Frasier. Check it out!

First Post

Well, here is my first post ever. I am technologically slow, so bear with me as I try to figure out how to use this whole blogging thing. I have a super long weekend ahead of me so hopefully I will find the time to write about something wonderful and important.

I suppose I could start with why I chose the name "the art of being" for my blog. It often seems like I am being pulled in so many directions in life. I am graduating in a few months and I find myself excited about the future and clinging to my past at the same time. Sometimes it is just so hard to be where you are and be who you are. Right now I am a student. Not a graduate, not an intern, just a senior. My life right now is to be exactly who I am and to enjoy the relationships that are present in my life right now..not to long for new ones or worry that present friends will become past friends. Simply Being...that is all I am supposed to do. Yet, it is often so hard to do.

"Wherever you are, be all there." --Elizabeth Elliot

I absolutely love this quote that a friend of mine recently shared with me. God has placed each of us in the places where we are right now..on purpose. There are people we are to meet, to enjoy, to laugh with and to cry with, to live life with. Each day is a blessing in itself and we should enjoy the gifts that accompany it.

Needless to say, this is why I titled my blog what I did. Here is where I will contemplate where I am at this stage of life and just share with you, this very bored person reading my blog, what the Lord is teaching me and showing me.