Thursday, December 29, 2005

The UYG


The people in this picture were my bestfriends growing up minus a few who could not make it. We spent every day of every summer with each other for seven years doing mission trips, going on treks, participating in what we called Mission Mondays, swimming or just hanging out at each other's houses. Most of us have been together since birth....gone to preschool, elementary, middle school, highschool and now college together. Over the break we had a UYG (University Youth Group) reunion and it was soooo much fun! I think everyone was a little nervous to come around since it had been so long since a few of us had been around each other but immediately everyone started joking around and throwing out memories that made us laugh for hours. We are like brothers and sisters and no matter what length we are apart we have a bond that is speacial and allows us to feel at home. What a blessing it was to grow up with these people. We were blessed by the community our church had and by the relationships we formed with the each other in our youth group. These friendships are very unique and ones we are all greatful for.

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

18 hours later.....To God be the Glory!


TO GOD BE THE GLORY...was in bold print on the top of the Cross Plains Baptist Church gym. Mom, Dad, Camille and I spent Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning setting up a shelter for victims and firefighters of the Cross Plains fire with the Red Cross. Mom and Dad just started to volunteer with the Red Cross and this was actually their first time out...Camille and I have actually helped our sister in Austin a few times. We rolled out around 6:00 and had no idea what we would see once we entered this little city of about 1000 people. It looked almost like a battle field. There were little patches of fire everywhere it was dark but we could already see that this fire had devastated this little town...we went there thinking only 20 houses had caught fire, but left knowing 60 to 100 had burned to the ground. We got to set up the shelter at the first Baptist Church there and they were so great. Their facility was incredible a huge gym and then a side activity/kitchen area which was perfect to serve food in. We set up 30 or so cots not knowing how many people we would have that night...Most had been evacuated to Brownwood. The Methodist Church down the road set up a shelter as well but we heard later in the night it burned to the ground. I do not believe anyone was in it though.

We had one family come in the whole night. They lived down the road and they lost everything it was a grandfather, gradmother, two women and a little boy named Matthew. They came in and we fed them, they were in shock. Matthew and I played some basketball and I wanted to pass out. Later though the grandfather started to shake and apparantly had, had a stroke earlier that week...Camille was the only person in the building that had any type of medical training so she was trying to ask questions and see what was wrong...Suddenly though he stopped responding and we called 911 poor Camille lost it ...it was so scary though. They took him to the hospital and he came back later he just went into diabetic shock along with having a seizure.

All night firefighters came to eat and sleep and then go back out to fight. They were exhausted...they would almost have a fire out and would run out of water and by the time they got back with more the fire would be roaring again.

Through out the night tons of food came. Walmart and the Salvation Army brought tons and tons of food. It's incredible the response when tragic things like this happen. So many people and organizations called to see if they could help. It's a horrible thing that has happened to this town so many people have lost their homes and what they know of life. Matthew the little boy told us when he woke up this morning that he dreamed his house was back. How does a little boy like this ever understand or comprehend what just happened to him. Throughout the night I just kept reading ...To God be the Glory...and I remembered God will bring good from this. God is faithful and that was already evident through the responses we saw from the people there.

Pray for this town and all the other towns around Texas that have been affected by all these fires.

Thursday, December 15, 2005

Chrismukkah and Kylie Webb...Two of my favorite things



Yes this is Seth Coen and Yes I am in love with him...and Yes tonight is Christmukkah on the OC and I am going to pee in my pants...Brent, Linds, and Ashley H this is for you.........."California here we come right back were w started from California...Califonia...here we come.........!" (pretend like I am singing that really loud)

This blog is dedicated to Kylie Webb Lyons:

A. Because she is just as obseesed with Seth Coen as I am and she too has a deep appreciation for the OC!

AND

B. Because she is getting married on SATURDAY!!

I'm so excited about this Wedding Weekend...I get to be with some of my bestfriends for four days in a row and we get to celebrate Kylie and Eric!! I love Chrismukkah and Weddings and how they bring people together.

(sorry i couldn't get this pic bigger)

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Top Ten Memories of College and then some....


So on Tuesday night Kat and I watched the Siggie video that Jen made. It wasn't the first or the second or even the third time I had watched it but what did I do???? I cried...I totally lost it...and have done that almost everytime I watch it. I love Siggies....I do not love the name...I do not love the shirts....the sweatshirts.....the grubs and socials...but I love my friends! I love that for no rhyme or reason hundreds of girls were put together to make a group and life long friends came from it. I love that even at the beginning when we got our bids...tons of us were destroyed when our bestfriends didn't get in and we questioned whether we would want to be apart of something that didn't accept everyone. We all stayed in and saw God work through that...whether our friends took other bids...or tried again next year. Those of us who stayed in made more friends and were blessed by that experience. I know tons of people do not understand club and actually hate it but that's fine. Those of us who have experienced it and have been apart of one know and could not imagine our lives with out the experience and friendships that came from it. Being apart of Siggies was a very unique experience and being able to be in a Leadership position stretched, challenge and molded me into who I am becoming and for that I'm thankful!

Ok sorry I got off on club but here are my top 10 favorite memories of college...

* Going Dancing at Oplin or dancing in my house infront of our mirror with my roomies
*
Eating BTS Popcorn and hanging out in Gardner Freshman year and creating friendships with some of my very bestfriends!

* Living on Campus Ct. with Linds K, Linds B, Mare, Cam, and Becca
* Kylie's Lake House Freshman Year and getting lost trying to follow Matt

*Going to Tishomingo
*Sing Song/making props..I love that!
*Cassie and Austin's Wedding
*Emily's Wedding
*SBC to San Fran with the Calli Girls
*
Singing Opra to Ashley H. at night!!!
* Going to Crimea
*hanging out at the White house
* Studying abroad in Oxford
* Sharing and Caring/PHI MIZE's (I never knew how to spell it) and EOX and everything that goes with those two!

I loved college. The past four and half years have been incredible. I learned how to live away from my parents...(atleast not in the same house) I searched for a faith of my own...I learned how to make and nurture relationships with friends. I figured out what some of my passions and gifts are and what I may want to do with my future. I learned how to serve and how it can not be selfish. I learned life isn't easy and not always what you plan it to be and when you are broken the Lord will bless you with Friends and peace to get through it. I would take up way to much space if I continued to write all I learned during College...we all would if we tried. Anyway...I love ACU I love my experience and love my friends and I'm ready to graduate tomorrow!