Ice Cream Woes...not this time

So last night was fun...but kinda unexpected. I got ready for church, actually i got ready for church nursery where i was supposed to be. Well, mark has been telling me about a surprise for a few days, and when i got to church Colleen and i started talking and figured out that Mark and Colleen's friend Susan were coming to our church. Which is great, cause i haven't seen anyone from school (except Jamie and Trisha) since we got out. But of course there was the nursery dilema, and the fact that i was dressed for nursery (i looked like junk) not exactly what i like to wear when i actually sit in service. Anyway, my good friend mary took nursery for me and i got to stay in service with my friends. After service, we all wanted to do something, but we had to wait for Colleen to be done on the piano and Trisha to be done scooping ice cream. Yep, it wasn't me doing the scooping this time!

I am going to interject (like the big word?) something here. Who in the world thinks any kind of mint is a good ice cream flavor...give me vanilla any day...i'll eat chocolate chip cookie dough...strawberry is awesome, but MINT??? Seriously, whoever is trying to freshen their breath with ice cream needs some serious help anyway. I know most of this world disagreed with me on the milky way thing...but i think i'm right on this one. Tell me what you think! Anyway, the ice cream i grabbed at church last night was Andes mint...as you can tell i didn't exactly like it.

The night was fun...i think the fun started when Mark stole a note that one of the girls in my church had given me and i chased him across the parking lot. I stopped when i realized him reading the note would be far less embarassing than me slipping in the wet parking lot and falling on my face in front of everyone. However i am surprised i stayed off my face when i was running in the shoes i had on. They weren't exactly cross trainers. Then a bunch of us went out to Applebee's. We had fun. I got to talk to Susan for the first time in a few years (besides a few times on messenger), and she is a really sweet girl. Colleen was so excited that she came...i thought she might break out in a cartwheel, but she restrained herself really well. I hope they drop by again before the summer is over.

Anyway, let me know what you think about the ice cream thing. I know it's random, but without the random stuff, life would be so...predictable.

Snickers or Milky Way

So i have been informed that i haven't blogged in a few days...i guess time just got away from me. So i went to DQ sunday night with a bunch of my friends, Ryan and i got in a slight debate about which blizzard flavor is the best. He almost jumped when he saw snickers...personally i prefer Milky Way to snickers any day, but i don't think Milky way is a blizzard flavor, but i brought it up anyway. Of course Tammy took Ryan's side just cause they are dating...i am convinced that anyone with common sense would agree with me. I mean who would want to ruin that caramel goodness with nasty peanuts??? Anyway, Brian, Ted, Danny, Sarah, Alyssa, and Rachel all agreed with Ryan, but i had Charles, Kelly, Katie, and Colleen on my side. The disagreement kinda stopped when we both agreed that reese's is awesome...but then came the question, peanut butter cups or reeses pieces (reeses pieces any day). I am sure this little debate will surface again. So let me know...whose side are you on?

Keep praying for the job thing!!! I am still trying to figure everything out.

Highs and lows...but mostly highs

So have you ever been on a spiritual high just to have something happen that brings you so low, you just don't know what to do? Well, that definitely happened this week. NBT brought me to a spiritual high...it was awesome...Then Friday afternoon, i got a call from the job that i was supposed to start on Mondy...i say "was supposed to start" because they called to inform me that they aren't having training this week. They didn't know when the next training will be...so i am praying about going back to my temp. service on Monday, yeah that would mean i would probably be working in a factory for the remainder of the summer. Well, i am not going to let that get me down. I know God wants me back at Crown, so i just have to swallow some pride and get to work.

Anyway, last night was awesome. Charles got first place overall for Teens, and first place for scripture memory. He is praying about travelling for NBT next summer. He would be great at it. I sat with the primary kids (1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade). They were so good, even during the preaching. One of the girls in my class (she doesn't go to our church normally) came running up to me when i got there and gave me a big hug and introduced me to her mom. Pastor told us today that 4-5 adults got saved. That means over 50 people got saved this week. All the kids sang and were presented with awards. After the program was over, we all went outside and signed t-shirts. Every year the church orders t-shirts, everyone gets them signed and then some ppl wear them to Cedar point when the youth group goes.

Here is a picture of Charles with our two evangelists. They were great. You could tell that they really loved God and wanted to serve them with all of their hearts. They are probably the two best evangelists we have ever had for an NBT week. The kids all loved them. They are starting a week on Oregon tomorrow, and we are all praying for them.

Today we had Charles's graduation party. Not a lot of people came, but he has already made out better than i did. However, because less people came than we expected, we had food coming out our ears and we will be eating meatball subs for the rest of our lives. There was a hilarious highlight to the party. We had it at my grandma's church in the gym...well, they doublebooked the church and while we were having a graduation party in the gym, there was a wedding in the auditorium...so we had guys in tuxes walking into the party and looking at us like "what in the world are you doing here?" and we had to tell them how to get to the wedding. I don't know about these people, but if it were my wedding i would have been a little upset about it.

Anyway, i really need to get some sleep before church tomorrow...please pray about the job thing.

Firetrucks and cream pie

So i know you're thinking, what in the world do cream pies and firetrucks have in common. Well, last night was our water night for NBT. They brought in a fire truck to wet us all down for games and other activities. The night was reversed, the preaching was first and the games were last, but you don't really want 71 soaking wet teens sitting and getting pneumonia...So maybe you're still wondering where a cream pie ties into all this...well they had a skit called "extreme spelling." They picked two teens for a spelling bee, and any time they spelled a word wrong, they got covered in that item. Of course, it was all planned, so even if Nick spelled his word right, Rachel still got to cover him in whatever the item was. Well, it started out with chocolate syrup, then came the eggs, followed by cream pie and a 2-liter of Coke. Well, the skit was pretty funny, but everyone obviously forgot about it when the firetruck came because no one cleaned it up. So 4 hours later as everyone was going home, that became my job. Good thing i was still in my wet clothes because the garden hose doesn't have a great seal and water pretty much just goes everywhere. Anyway, it is near impossible to clean dried cream pie and eggs of a concrete floor, especially with a demented garden hose, but i finally got it done.

So by the time i got home, i had pretty much been in wet clothes for about 4 1/2 to 5 hours, and i was chilled to the bone. i couldn't get warm for anything. i tried changing into some super comfy, warm clothes and covering up with a nice fleece blanket, but it wasn't enough. Eventually, i just gave up and went to sleep. I have been exhausted this week and i slept really well. Actually i slept in this morning...not good, by the time i got up i had 15 minutes to shower and get ready...needless to say it wasn't a good hair day.

My second grade class is awesome. They all are so excited to tell us when they do their study or say their memory verses. I actually have one 2nd grader that has said 30 verses so far this week. Well, i have to go get ready to go back for our Destination Unknown. This is always the best night, but i don't think we are going to have a bonfire this year, which will be kind of sad. Well, after this week i have to start work, so pray for me.

Ok so obviously my fool proof way of posting pics didn't work

so exhaustified....but so worth it

So Neighborhood Bible Time is in full swing. I am helping in both the morning and the evening. I love it!!! Tonight we had a kid get saved. You can really tell that God has been working on his heart. Last night i got to counsel a girl that wants to witness more to her friends and unsaved family. It was really special to see her heart. We had 74 teens last night and 70 tonight...and it was so much fun!! Last night they had a pizza eating contest (the picture of charles). I felt so bad for Charles because he volunteered before he found out it was olive and goat cheese pizza. Just the smell of olives is enough to make Charles sick, and i don't want to even think about what that goat cheese tasted like, but he did really well with it. They had a girl blindfolded and then had her trying to feed it to him. It ended up being pretty messy, but great to watch!! After they finished with the pizza eating contests, they picked two girls from each of the teams. The girls had no idea what was about to happen, but they were ready to go. They were told to smear pizza on each other's faces. Once again really messy. Those poor girls had pizza everywhere...They are probably still trying to get it all off. Tonight was a pretty messy night too. They played chocolate marshmellow drop. That is where they mix marshmellows with hershey's chocolate and then try to drop them in the other person's mouth from a few feet up.
Tomorrow night is water night. It is always great with thousands of water balloons and a few fire trucks. They play a bunch of games that are just way more fun with super slick grass and a fire hose blasting you in the back. The evangelists this year are great. You can just tell they love God want to serve Him. And they can really sing!! I can't even pick up a tune, let alone carry one, so i really enjoy when i can hear someone that really can sing or play an instrument. The one guy plays the guitar for all of our services.

In the mornings, we have a time for all the kids ages 4-6th grade. i am teaching 2nd grade and i love it. Today i had 11 kids in my class, and they were all really into it. It amazes me how much kids can remember...but they all remember exactly what happened in the stories (i'm teaching Pilgrims Progress), and are eager to hear what happens next. We start the morning with registration and then we go to rally time, where the evangelist tells stories and interacts with the kids. After that we go for snack and game time. We got a dino jump, and the kids love to jump on it. Class time comes last and we teach our Bible stories.

OH...as you can see i finally found a way to post pictures, almost without fail!!!!! That means you can see more of my life than i was able to share before. I am definitely a shutter bug. I love my digital camera!!

OK, so i am pretty much falling asleep sitting here staring at my screen...i know you are too cause you are so sick of reading about NBT...so i am going to get some sleep. Give me a call or send me a txt...i miss talking to all of you online all the time...danielle, i miss our morning chats...yeah i know i stole the title from you.

So much to do, so little time....for a change

Ok, so i know that those of you who don't read my blog just about everyday, end up reading a book when you get on. Sorry about that. If you do decide to read these entries in their entirety, pace yourself.

So today was another not so eventful day of decorating. Charles had to work, so it was just me. I got to the church at about 11...and worked until 4. The first hour or so, i worked with another teacher that shares the room i have...she traced posters and had her kids color them...it wouldn't have been so bad except they used block crayons (crayons made by melting down other crayons and molding them in an ice cube tray). After they left, I worked by myself for about 2 hours. Finally Kate got there...she is a last minute substitute teacher, and was coming to help decorate the room she had. Well, the other teachers had already finished the room so she came over and helped me with some of the cardboard decorations i was working on. I kept wondering where Ted and Tiffany were, since they both told me that they would be there...well, ted finally showed up about three, again suggested getting a playstation for the room, and then left about 3:30...Tiffany totally just skipped out on us, but that's ok, i got pretty much everything done.

Anyway, Rachel was there decorating her room and decided that we should do something tonight. She wanted us to go to her house, but i wasn't about to go anywhere looking as grubby as i did, so we decided to go out later and invite Charles and Kate. This is pretty much the first time all summer Kate and I have gotten to hang out (since she works all the time...she has like three jobs). Kate goes to PCC, but we went to high school together...actually we went to school together all the way back to kindergarten. Charles and i picked Kate up and we all squeezed into Charles's little Chevy S10...needless to say, we felt really close. After meeting up with Rachel and eating dinner, we hit the mall. Kate is one of those people who can find fun in anything. We roamed the mall trying on hats, sunglasses and anything else, and making fun of pretty much everything. Once again i have to ask the question...why do malls close at 9? Anyhoo, we left the mall at 9 to go get some ice cream...as i said before, anytime we want ice cream, the machine breaks...so after everyone else got theirs, i stood at the counter for about eternity waiting for them to fix the machine. Anyway, i know you probably couldn't care less, but i thought i would tell you anyway...well, i have to get some sleep, tomorrow is visitation, a birthday party, and about a thousand other things...I prob. won't be on much next week with everything going on, but give me a call...If i'm busy you won't get through anyway...i don't get signal in my church's basement. I would love to keep in touch with you guys, even if i don't keep in touch with my computer.

***LOOK PICTURES POSTED!!!!!! Well at least one...

Too much decorating...too little time

So today we started decorating for NBT. Most people came at 1, but Charles and i got there at 10. Of the four teachers that share my room, i was the only one that could make it today. Charles traced posters while i worked on other stuff. I put up streamers (crepe paper...it should be called creep paper...i hate that stuff). Then we started coloring the posters that Charles had traced. Remember when you were a little kid and you would ask your mom for coloring books and crayons? Then, you would color it as neatly as you could, all in one direction and inside the lines, and give it to your mommy to hang on the fridge. That was never me. I never really loved coloring...i preferred playing outside and reading (yeah, i was a loser as a kid too). Anyway, i spent just about forever coloring. Finally, just when i was almost done, Ted got there. Until then i was pretty much the only one working on my room (after tracing some of the posters, Charles left to help other teachers or do something with his friends). Anyway, ted and i tried to figure out where to hang the posters so the best ones would be seen, and the ones that weren't so great would blend into the background. Then we went to spy and see how the other rooms were doing. Needless to say, our room needs some serious help. We were trying to find an interactive decoration for our room, ya know something the kids can play with. Ted is hilarious, and we had ideas like bring a playstation, build a fort by stacking tables on top of each other, or get a live band (Ted plays guitar and i called the triangle or the kazoo). None of these ideas would ever fly with the other teachers, but we enjoyed making fun of our room. Finally Tiffany got there, and we made a sword and shield for the armor of God. Ted got a pretty good idea to make a wall decoration with tacks and tissue paper...so he started putting it up and then drafted his little sister and Tiffany's little sister to put the rest of it up. I have to admit, i wasn't really super comfortable letting little kids play with tacks, but hey, they enjoyed it. We decided to wrap the "day of fun" up at about 4, but we didn't even make it out of the building until 4:30...a bunch of little jobs kept popping up that we had to finish before we could leave. We have to go back tomorrow and finish our room up...at least i hope finish it.

Charles's graduation party is next Saturday, and i wanted to beat him for having it the day after NBT. I have been drafted as the caterer, the photographer, the decorater, the memorablia table coordinator, and a thousand other things, so i have a busy week ahead of me. I am working on a scrapbook right now of Charles growing up. He was a pretty cute kid, but i refuse to put some pictures in because i refuse to let anyone see me in them. I had the dorkiest glasses, and our parents dressed us both in some pretty scary clothes. You know the pants with elastic around the ankles, or the red plaid dress paired with the pink rain boots, the super frilly pink Easter dress topped off by the white hat...oh yeah, there was the dukes of hazzard shirt. Don't laugh, look at pictures of yourself as a kid...your parents did it too.

Once i heard insanity defined as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Well, i guess i have officially reached the point of insanity. Against my better judgement, i once again tried to add pictures to a blog...of course, they didn't post...

Ice Cream Woes....again!

Okay, so tonight i served ice cream at my church again. The person who was supposed to do it had something come up, so they couldn't, and of course since i am incapable of saying no, I agreed to do it. I have to admit it wasn't as bad as before, but i still got covered in sticky ice cream. People have obviously gotten over the novelty of getting ice cream after the service because they aren't asking for an extra scoop as often. There is one thing that i have to vent about. Why don't people ever say thank you?? I mean this is one of the basic lessons that most parents teach their two year olds, but they have obviously forgotten themselves. Is it really that hard...it's two syllables! I probably served 200 cups of ice cream tonight, and i heard thank you...maybe five times...once from my brother, from a few little kids, and once from the lady who was supposed to be dishing out ice cream. Just remember to thank the "little people" once in a while.

Anyway, it has been about four days since i last blogged (i know shocker), but i am dealing with the withdrawal symptoms okay. I went for my dress fitting on Saturday for Trisha's wedding, and i have to say i am impressed with her choice. The dresses are beautiful! I don't know if it is possible to make it "Crown-approved" in the one in a million chance that i go to the banquet my senior year, but then again why worry about something that is over a year and a half away. Hard to believe that in a year and a half i am going to be a college senior with less than a semester to go! The dress fitting was pretty fun. We roamed around the store, laughing at the ridiculous prices of ribbons, while Trisha tried on dresses.

On Sunday, we had two college groups visit, one from Ambassador and one from PCC. Of course, we played the "do you know this person game" that you play when you meet someone who goes to college with someone your brother's girlfriend's cousin's friend's mom worked with once upon a time. I can't say i totally envy them travelling away from home all summer, but i really wish that Crown did something like that...it would have to be something other than singing since i can't even pick up a tune let alone carry one. Crown has New Testament Church Pioneers, but i just don't think that's for me. It would be awesome to do something with my summer to minister to people. I am praying about working at the camp my church goes to next summer.

I was told the other night that i don't really leave my blogs open for comments...i don't really know how to fix that, but i'll work on it because the only reason i write this thing is for my friends to read and get an update on my life (not that it is too exciting). I really am giving up on putting pictures in my entries. Well, i am going to go finish washing the nasty, sticky ice cream off, and get some sleep, so i can go decorate my room for NBT tomorrow.

Self-confidence???

Ok, so the last blog was a little extreme...i know...sorry about that. I have a great life...with great friends (this summer i've really learned who the great ones are and which ones are fair weather friends). I know i don't have to think negatively of myself cause i have a Father in heaven who cared enough about me to send his Son to die...for me. Not only that, He blessed me with a great church, great school, and great friends. I know that if someone turned their back on me as many times as i have turned my back on God, i would never be that generous or gracious. I just can't believe how self-centered i am sometimes. I just think about me and what is wrong in my life, when other people don't even know that they have a God that cares. I think about how i don't have enough self-confidence, but the real problem is i confide in myself too much. I need to learn to have confidence in God. Ps 118:8 says, "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man." I guess for me it should read, "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in self." I try to confide in myself, and i fall flat on my face, and i know i'll fall flat every time, but when i trust God, i will be able to do more than i could ever imagine. I hope this has helped someone else...it really touched me, and i hope it touched you. Now i just have to pray that God will help me rely on Him.

I wrote a little poem tonight (just something i do when i am trying to think). I know it may not be the most artistically crafted, but I wanted to share it with all of you:

The confidence I have at this time
In myself I should not find
As upward on my way I climb
I start to fall behind.
You see, I am not looking up ahead
For my Father to lead the way,
I rely upon myself instead
And from the path begin to stray.
Suddenly, the skies grow dark,
And the path is far to steep
The landscape is increasingly stark
And the winds begin to sweep.
As everything inside me tries
To keep my head up high
My battered heart within me dies
And my hopes begin to fly.

Why can’t I have the easy trip
That I see the others take,
But I just bite my lower lip
As my feet begin to ache.
Come to me I hear the Spirit say
But I will not follow His voice
I want to take my own way
To make it my own choice.
But once I turn and follow Him
And leave my way behind,
The sky is no longer dim,
And the path is far more kind.
He knows the path made just for me
For He created all
And He has made this guarantee
That with Him I’ll never fall.

Just One of those days

Ok, so for some reason today, I am feeling really depressed. I don't know if it's because all my friends are a million miles away, and i have nothing to do, or because i just haven't had a dramatic day in a while (but this isn't exactly a "worst day of my life"). I just feel like pretty much everyone is highly annoyed by me (go figure...). I'm sorry if i've seemed really weird lately. I just feel really stupid when i'm like this because everyone else has problems, and theirs are bigger than mine. Wow...i'm such a loser.

I realized the other day that when i get on messenger, i turn stupid. I say the stupidest things at the stupidest time. I just hope i'm not really like that all the time!!!

Ok, now that i have practically made you all think i am having an emotional breakdown (i promise, i'm not...it's just one of those days; i will return to my perky, sarcastic self tomorrow), let me give you an update on the rest of my life. My parents are STILL remodeling their bathroom...this is taking an eternity. I just want my bathroom back! I am still waiting to start my job, and make some serious cash. Well, serious enough to go back to school. Still can't wait for my church's NBT! We will be decorating soon and i am still waiting for that endowment of artistic talent. Hope you all have a GREAT day/week/summer!

***Smile, it makes people wonder what you're up to!***

Finally...The call i've been waiting for

OK, so i guess i am addicted to blogging (they say the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem), but i am just pretty bored...all the time, but this time i actually have a purpose behind blogging. I just got off the phone about ten minutes ago with the company that i had an interview for on Monday...and i got the job!! Ok, so it's not the job i want, and now i am a hated telemarketer, but at least i will be working in air conditioning (unlike last summer). The only thing i am kind of dreading is that i have to leave my cell at home. I am not only addicted to blogging, but also to carrying my cell around.

I start training on the 26th since i have my church's NBT coming up, so i have a little bit of time before i start work. Who knows maybe i could make this a career, and instead of going back to school to finish preparing to be a teacher, i could start out as a customer service representative and work my way up the company ladder. Then i could live with my parents in erie until i'm 40...ok maybe not. I guess in August i'll just have to go back to Crown and complete my studies, get married (hopefully and eventually), get a fulfilling job molding the minds of young children, and live out my life happily ever after, but you know life doesn't always go the way you want. Here is a pic that i tried to put on my last entry...it is all the teens that came to our destination Unknown, and behind them is our bonfire (before it was lit of course). I told you the thing was huge.

It's Bible Time...

Job interviews...it is amazing how much it is possible to hate them. I had another one today. Since it was a telemarketing job, i had to read a script. I felt like a total idiot reading a script about a credit card for sailors to a business woman who was more interested in typing on her computer than listening to me anyway. I can't stand keeping that cheesy "i want to work for you for pretty much no money" smile on my face, but something tells me i have no chance getting a job if i don't.

Anyway, half of the interview was watching this orientation video about the company...it was pretty much chinese water torture. But if it is the job i'm meant to get...then "hello my name is Mary and i am calling for...." I just can't imagine being the person i hang up on everyday. I tried to apply at that job where my friend said they were hiring, but they said they were only hiring part-time people that can work on Sundays.

In two weeks my church is having Neighborhood Bible Time. I love NBT. This is our church's 7th year doing it, and my 5th year as a teacher. I get to teach 2nd grade in the morning and i come and help with the teens at night. NBT is a program where two college age guys come to your church, they have been trained to run a vacation Bible school. Anyway, the story i am teaching this year is Pilgrim's Progress. I have to go decorate my room next week...that could be a problem since i have NO artistic ability whatsoever. Actually have no ability for anything...except my psychopathic memory. All the kids in my church are super excited...all week they compete with other kids for points. They get points for coming, bringing their Bible, bringing friends, doing their daily study, and saying memory verses. (Memory verses were always my strength. I got 564 my last summer as a teenager. Trying to memorize that many verses in a week, while you are teaching a class is not easy...i didn't get much sleep that week. ) At the end of the week, there is an awards ceremony where all the parents come and the kids get to sing songs they learned during the week, and all the awards are passed out. The first place for every division gets a Bible and a blue ribbon. Every night, the teens have a rally...last year we had over 100 teens by Thursday night. The teens play games, and compete as teams for the whole week. The evangelists preach awesome messages about salvation, surrender to God, and full-time Christian service. Thursday night is probably the best night...it is called DU (destination unknown....even though it is pretty much at the same place every year). We have a giant bonfire that burns behind the evangelist as he preaches. Now, when i say bonfire...i don't mean a dinky little 3 foot high bonfire that if you sneeze to hard you'll put it out...i mean a 30 foot high bonfire that forces us to move our chairs back to escape from the heat. Well, i guess i have rambled on about NBT long enough (as you are falling asleep staring at your computer screen). Needless to say i am pretty excited.

Well, i hope you are all having a great summer. Pray for the job thing...So i pretty much officially give up trying to post pictures on this...

Find it here at the Millcreek Mall

So last night i went to the mall with my brother and another one of my friends. Fortunately, my friend and i have the same philosophy about shopping. Enter the store, ignoring anything without a red sticker, immediately go to the back of the store where the clearance racks are, and search for anything that costs less than five dollars. I have perfected this technique over the years, but unfortunately, last night, there was just nothing to be found. I am going to be going back to the mall soon, so hopefully i'll find something good (and the next time i'll have more money.)

So we decided to stop by McDonald's to grab a bite to eat. Of course, as always, the ice cream machine was broken. It always seems like anytime Charles wants to get a sundae, McDonald's is out of ice cream. Poor guy, but i guess he'll live. We wandered around the mall a little more, bought some pretzels, and just had fun talking and laughing. Nine o'clock came way too soon. Why is it that malls close at 9? Do they think we all have a bedtime to be met? It never really bothered me too much at school, but at home i don't have a 10:30 curfew. Seriously, what person in their right mind wants to go home at 9? Anyway, we headed off to Borders to roam around and look at magazines. We thought about getting coffee, but we were full of Auntie Anne's pretzels and McDonald's fries. Not exactly the most healthy combination. So, we just sat and looked at magazines while Charles tried to find a movie that he has wanted to watch for a while. My friend got out the bridal magazines, not my first choice as absolutely everyone at school is crazy over them. (Not to mention, i don't plan on needing them any time soon.) Needless to say i had a GREAT time...which is nice since it is one of the few times i have actually gotten to go out.

Things I learned at Crown College

Here is a list of things I have learned since attending Crown College...some of these are courtesy of my friend Amber who has a similar entry on her blog.

1. It is possible to live in a room with 5 other girls and not hurt anyone.
2. When your feet stick to the floor, it is time to clean the floor. (Amber)
3. The true definition of the word “talking” means “conversing with a member of the opposite sex with the possible intention of dating and/or marriage.” (Amber)
4. The food will always be great—as long as Pastor Sexton is eating with us. (Amber)
5. Windex works for everything. It has 1,001+ uses. (Amber)
6. It is impossible to clean anything with toilet paper. No matter how hard you try, you always get those annoying little white flecks leftover. I would recommend paper towels.
7. It is possible for couples to stare at each other for 7 hours without any sign of brain activity.
8. It is possible for a teacher to show you "one great truth" without really showing you anything. (If you don't get this, just wait till you have a Fowler class)
9. Candy comes in very handy in chapel (or class) to prevent you from falling asleep. **Note: Don't eat candy if you want to fall asleep
10. You can live without television for 10 months...but there is a tv at Burger King
11. No matter how well you clean something, your roommate or dormmate will mess it up.
12. It is possible to live in the US and have absolutely no clue what is going on in the news...as long as the dorms, the new campus, and Wal*mart are all intact, life goes on.
13. Speaking of Walmart...Anything you could possibly need, you can find at Walmart. If you can't find it at Walmart, you probably didn't need it anyway.
14. Offering envelopes make the perfect scratch paper (Don't be so shocked, you've done it too)
15. A "notebook" is defined as a one inch, hardback, three ring, black binder with clear overlay.
16. You can never have too many page protectors.
17. You need to buy your notebooks at the Walmart at home because come notebook time, the one on Clinton Hwy is totally sold out.
18. Whenever you need to print something, the school printer will not be in proper working order.
19. Always have a jump drive handy...unless your friend who lives 45 minutes away has it and can't seem to return it (sorry, couldn't pass that one up)
20. It is physically, emotionally, and completely impossible to have a good day on a Monday. (Amber)

****You can send me additions to this list...i'd love to hear some of your lessons learned...Sorry guys i had the perfect picture for this blog...but it won't let me upload it.

This is Eternal

So, as many of you know, i am still searching for a summer job, so i can return to the wonderful school i attend. I love it there, but i do hate the whole summer job application process. All day today i have been filling out apps online. (I started after i went somewhere where i thought i had a pretty good shot, only to be told they aren't even accepting applications.) It seems no one wants to hire someone who is only here for the summer. Anyway, i have typed my social security number 7,843,986 times, and i am going to start saying it in my sleep. Not to mention, i think i have memorized the address and phone number to the daycare i worked at in Tn (i never memorize numbers anymore, if i lost my phone my life would be over). I am really afraid that i am inching closer and closer to that "i can't find a job to save my life so i may have to work in a factory just to go back to school" point. I vowed i would never work at a factory again, but the longer i am home, the more i realize Crown is the place God has for me and i have to go back...whatever it takes (legally, of course)! I know God has a job for me...and he taught me a lot at the factory last summer (like how to work with 5 Bosnians, one of which had back hair so long you could braid it...so long it stuck out over the back of his shirt...yeah, it was gross). But, seriously, God taught me to value school so much more because of the work i had to do to get there. Anyhoo...i have a tip from a girl in my church on a possible job..gonna check it out tomorrow or Monday...whenever i can get over there (man i need a car!!!!). Pray i get this job.

So right now i am reading a really good book (what else can i do when all i do is bum around all the time?). It is Dominion by Randy Alcorn. I already read the first one, Deadline (exceptional), and i looked on the internet today and found out that he has another one coming out soon, Deception...really looking forward to it.

Anyway...i gotta fill out another app...just pray i get something that isn't in a smelly, hot environment.

But before i go i thought i would leave you guys a picture of the beauty God has allowed me to live around...i may joke about erie, but we have the most beautiful sunsets. I found this pic online when i was in TN, and it just reminded me of how beautiful it is.

Ice Cream Woes

So, once again i can't sleep. It is 12:24am, not as late as i am usually up, i just don't see myself falling asleep anytime soon. The problem isn't insomnia or anything; it is the fact that right now i am sitting in a house without air conditioning. It was 96 degrees today outside when i was with my parents, and needless to say i am dying.

Tonight, i dished out ice cream for our ice cream fellowship after service. They are asking each college student to do it for two weeks this summer, and this was my second week, so i don't have to do it again. I wouldn't have minded it much except i ended up covered in sticky ice cream, and i heard every excuse to get an extra scoop. I know, you think it was all those little kids a little strung out on sugar, but no...it was the adults. How do you tell someone 2-3 times your age, "I'm sorry sir, but i still have half the church to serve...the youth group hasn't come out yet, and those kids over there are still waiting to get their ice cream. Your cup is full, not overflowing like you may want, but you have more than most people get because you searched to find the one that got the extra from the bottom of an ice cream carton. However if you want me to pile an extra scoop on your already full cup, with the ice cream that the church bought, so that we can all enjoy a little fellowship after church, than hand me your cup." People are unbelievable. Anyway...just had to vent a bit. Thanks for dealing with my random rantings.