Soooo...my school is a little different than most schools....

About 2 weeks ago, my friend Tessa came up to me and said "I hope your afternoon is free....Rex is taking us for a drive." You might ask....who is Rex? Rex Gutwein is the President of NTBI, Jackson. He is one of the sweetest people in the world!!! I like to just wander into his office and talk to him. He gives phenomenal advice and is really one of the most caring people I've ever met. So that day, me, Tessa, and our friends Michelle and Febe all piled into Rex's car and he took us on his favorite scenic drive to see all of the spectacular colors in all of the trees! It was remarkable!!! We'd drive and someone would say "STOP" and he'd halt the car and we'd all pile out and they would take pictures. (I would have, but my camera is in California. Sad day.) There were some of his favorite spots that we'd have to hike through the woods to find. We ended in a beautiful old cemetery. As odd as it sounds, I love old cemeteries. The history behind each person there is so intriguing to me. Plus, I just think they're plainly beautiful. Anyway, after we drove and looked for almost 3 hours, Rex took us back to his house and we had dinner with him and his wife Linda. Then he built us a fire in his backyard and we sat around and chatted for a few more hours. It was truly one of the highlights of my entire semester! Here are some pics from the day, taken my the lovely Michelle Outson. She's phenomenal. ;)

Me & Tessa

Michelle!!!

This headstone dates all the way back to 1777!!! I love being able to see and touch things that are that old. Each person has a story. I find it fascinating!!!


I know this is a really long post...but you have to admit...the pics are great! Good job Michelle and thank you Rex!

A few pics of my girls. :)

Callie, Jessalyn, Me, Kelsey, Kati, Kristi, Kara, and Michelle

Yay for throwing leaves!!!

It is finished.

"My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!"
~Horatio G. Spafford "It Is Well"

Colossians 2:13-14
And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.



I love the picture that this paints in my head. It has such finality. It's not about me and what I'm doing, it's all about Christ and what He has done. It is finished.
My sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the wonderful cross of Jesus Christ, and I bear it no more!! Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!!!!!!!

Becoming.

As many of you know, the last month has been a difficult one for me in the area of "relationships." But I've had a great epiphany relating to this topic. Would you like to hear it? GREAT!

So, Christian culture today speaks loudly to girls about their search for the perfect man of God. Lists seem to be huge. I've been told numerous times to make a list of what I'm looking for in a guy and I know countless numbers of girls who have made them...some have even made more than one. I'm not saying that list-making is wrong. I've never done it mainly because I hate lists..despise them. But lately, I began to think about the possibility of making one. Especially after "Family Relationships" class....have you ever wanted a class on Biblical dating, marriage, and parenting? That's the one! I wrote down all of the qualities that were popping out at me like integrity, humility, respect, purity...etc. Then as I was contemplating making this grand list for this non-existent man of mine, we were assigned 1 Peter 3:1-7 to memorize. The part that pertains to women and wives says this:
"Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious."

This really got me. Even though I'm single, respect and purity should characterize my life as well. The part that really stood out though was the end of the passage. I began to ponder...what does a gentle and quiet spirit look like? How would that manifest itself my life? This is something that God considers to be precious. I want to have the character that is precious to God!
So as I pondered the value of a gentle and quiet spirit, I began to think back to "the list". I tried to think of what men I know who live their lives and interact with their wives in a manner that reflects what I've been finding in Scripture. Bob Baldwin. Mike Sullivan. Richard Bargas. Joel Potter....just to name a few. All of these men value the Word and as I see them with their wives, they worship the ground she walks on!!!
Whoa...............RED LIGHT!!!
They worship the ground she walks on. What makes me think I'm even close to deserving a guy like this?! So what makes these women so deserving of these phenomenal men? Maybe it has something to do with these characteristics that I have been finding in the Bible.
So what all these thoughts have finally led me to is this: Maybe right now, while I'm single, I need to spend less time seeking the perfect guy and spend more time becoming the woman that is described in Scripture. Why throw all of my energy into setting a bunch of standards and expectations for a guy when I haven't even set any standards for myself to live up to? I need to be in the Word allowing the Lord to transform me into His image. If I am in the Word and becoming more and more like Christ, then a guy who is truly seeking the Lord just might find me along the way. But I truly should work and endeavor to be deserving of such a fantastic man.

SO....all of that to say..... Grace, it's time to stop seeking and start becoming.