Spent my morning at Francis Marion
Ran into my friend Dorothy (who I haven’t seen all summer!) at the financial aid office and then went out to lunch with her
Spent some time up at the church
Hung out with some awesome friends who are now Seniors
Had the blessing of spending some time with my Creekside friends
Dropped out of college..goodness, I can’t wait for Africa!

It’s been an awesome day and I just had to share

Standing at that graveside, I felt the overwhelming presence of the Lord – a reminder that even when people are absent, He is eternal. So even though it’s been a sad week, I’ve seen a true picture of joy: in my best friend and in her family. Joy that can’t be compromised by any of life’s circumstances. Joy that comes from knowing the Lord and understanding that He is faithful, gracious, loving, and everything else He promised to be. Joy in knowing that His plan is perfect.  Joy.

“But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.” Psalm 5:11

Elwood is in Heaven.

You are on Your throne.

Praise!

It’s scary.
It’s exciting.

And I’m resting on this truth: I’ve got You.  And that’s all I need.  
Matthew 28:19-20

Watching Family Matters (good ole Steve Erkel)
Reading Hume’s Philosophy of “Self”
Learning more about the Nicene Creed/Council
Researching the music and lyrics of Passion Pit
Googling what kind of pet turtle I want to get

gotta love insomnia

Here’s a little background info for ya: Back in December, I was on the way to Bree’s house when my finger got slammed in a door, and ended up broken. I had to wear a splint on my finger for months and inevitably lost my fingernail. Now the nail is almost fully grown back.  Also, you should know that Bree has been one of my best friends since we were babies! We talk about the most random things and it’s totally normal to us! We understand each other

Here it goes:

Bree: Hey! Did your fingernail grow back?
Me: yeah it did!! bahahahah you’re so random and I love it! wanna see a picture?
Bree: Yes, and I’ll send you one of my messed up toe haha
Me: here it is! (I sent a picture of my healed finger) what did you do to your toe?!?
Bree: (Sends 2 pictures of her bust up toe) This is my nail and it’s a little purple and the top is numb.  The skin is peeled off and it throbs lol I need to clean it out but I don’t wanna look at it.  But I was trying to get away from a sleeping moth on my porch and I missed a step or something and I slipped.  I was trying to save my laptop hahaha
Me: bahaha you would do this cause you’re running away from a bug! I love that we understand each other so much!
Bree: Hahaha I know right! Thank you for not judging me lol:)
Me: hahaha I cannot stop laughing at this! it just cracks me up!
Bree: Hahaha! I’m not upset then! If somebody can get a laugh out of this, it was worth it..sorta haha
Me: haha this is the best ever! now we have similar stories!
Bree: In the words of Michael Jackson: you are not alone
Me: oh lawd..
Bree: hahaha I had to go there;)

There’s a good chance only Bree and I will find this funny but that doesn’t matter…I just had to document this beautiful moment of a lifelong friendship.

Love you, Bree! So thankful for you, sister!

I’m not back to my peaceful, carefree self.  Quite the opposite in fact.

Today was the first day in a long time that I’ve been able to breathe.  Really breathe.

He’s changing my heart.  He’s breaking me.  He’s not letting me sit in my sin.  He’s making me deal with things.  His telling me the truth I don’t want to hear.  HE’S LOVING ME

To be honest, it sucks.  But deep down, it’s wonderful.  He’s drawing me closer to Himself.

It’s more real this time.

“Alison, you’re not God. STOP TRYING TO BE”  -a friend reminded me of this truth a few days ago and the words have been ringing in my ears ever since. My pride is awful. 

I can’t control this.  Period.  End of story.  So I need to stop thinking I can.

Matthew 28:11.  I’m still learning this.

Giving up control is hard.

But the Lord is so much greater than all of this.  He’s redeeming.  He conquers all sin.  I’m not worthy of any of His blessings but for some reason He gives them to me anyway. 

Praise Him for putting this storm in my life.  Without it, I would never realize His infinite goodness.

It’s so freeing.

Free.

I could bore you with a laundry list of things that have happened recently.  But I won’t.  Unless you want me to.  Instead of dwelling on them, I’m taking them and making lemonade..

And because of this, I’m beginning to get back to the peaceful, relaxed, care free ME.

And it feels so great! 

It’s also 3:30 am so I’ll probably read this tomorrow and it won’t make any coherent sense to me

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.  Matthew 11:30

(in no particular order..well except for the first one)

1. Celebrating the birth of my Savior without whom my life would have no purpose or hope!

2.  no school, duh.

3. Building a fort in my room with Cat (and whoever else wants to join!) and watching Disney movies to celebrate the end of finals

4. Spending time with my beautiful family

5. Christmas carols, egg nog, stolen (the best breakfast EVER – it’s a Matthews’ thing), Christmas lights and decorations, snow (hey a girl can dream right?), Christmas trees, reading the Christmas story, candlelit Christmas Eve service at Ebenezer, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, my hello kitty stocking, flannel pjs, bike rides, volleyball, backyard football, longboarding, secret santa, painting

6. Lock in at the Cox’s with my best friends in our onesies! (and hopefully some trampolines will be involved)

7. Christmas dinner at my grandparents with all the family

8. Sleepovers with best friends

9. Spending much needed quality time with my best friend Vanessa

10. Volunteering somewhere and spending time with people who don’t have the opportunity to have the kind of Christmas they deserve

11.  The wonderful Martin family adventures that await

12. Colder weather, scarves, peacoats, bonfires, hot apple cider, blankets

13. The |giv| campaign and raising money to create a safe house in India to rescue 10 girls trapped in sex slavery

14. Passion twenty ten!

15. The finale of So You Think You Can Dance…you’re probably making fun of me right now:) that’s ok

16. Reading the book of  James with my lifegroup

17. Re-reading the Harry Potter books

18. Sleeping

19. Hanging out with Bree and having an ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas marathon

20. New Years!

21. Trips to Charleston to see AG and Devin

22. The CRASH Christmas parties and working at Operation Christmas Child

23. Lighting the Advent candles

24. My mom’s, grandma’s, and GG’s Christmas cookies

25. I know it sounds weird but..going to the doctor! Hopefully I can finally find out what’s wrong with me

Out of all these things, silly and serious, number 1 is the most important.  Without God, there would be no Christmas.  There would be no anything.  For everything good and bad, rejoice in the Lord.  He is the giver of life who redeemed all of mankind by shedding his blood on a cross.  He died a horrifying death because of Love. He didn’t deserve the hell he went through.  We do.  But fortunately, we’re saved from that.  He conquered death so that we can live.  Seriously??  That blows my mind every time I think about it.  As awesome as the commercialized aspect of Christmas is, it’s absolutely nothing in light of how amazing God is.  He’s our greatest gift and without Him, we’re worthless.  Praise the Lord that He rescued us and calls us His own.  Glory to “the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.”  (Romans 4:17)

This Christmas, celebrate the beginning of the life of the most beautiful man to ever grace this world: Our Savior.

Her talent amazes me