counting my blessings.

thanksgiving was MUCH needed. i needed a break from school and normal life. i loved being with my entire family. it was a happy day full of laughter, love, and memories. we had a bunch of kiddos running around! (which is always fun)we ate until we couldn't eat anymore. we had quite a spread on the dessert table. and i love thanksgiving because that day i am always more aware of my blessings and what i have to be thankful for. i have great friends, a loving family, and a god who sticks and never leaves. it was just such a great day to be surrounded by people who love me. i am so blessed and so thankful for my family. we have had lots of bumps in the road the past year, and i am so thankful for what we have become as a family. so here is a little photo of my family. i am proud and so blessed to come from this family. thankful.

funny story.

so about 2 weeks ago, i come home from class, and i have a random email. i open it, and it says that i was selected to meet needtobreathe before their show. okay! sure. i would love too! it is just so funny that i was selected. we talked about sports, music, the tennessee theatre, and how i needed to take a road trip across the u.s. so after i meet them, i go see an AWESOME show! like i have said before they are so great live and really anytime. my friend cassie came with me to the show, and afterwards i said, 'cass let's go meet them' she said, 'alright!'. so here we go (me again) going to meet them. it was funny. gotta live in the moment. c'est la vie...la vie

true beauty.

'when christ overtakes a woman’s life and transforms her from the inside out, she becomes truly feminine - a picture of elegance, grace, and loveliness blended with sacrificial selfless devotion to her king. she becomes a true lady, carrying herself with poise and confidence, yet deflecting all attention away from herself and toward jesus christ. she is enchantingly mysterious, holding her inner life sacred and guarding her heart with quiet tenacity.
noble, breathtaking, captivating, christ-centered femininity is truly a sight to behold. it’s a beauty that does not draw attention to the woman, but to jesus christ. it’s a radiance that is not dependent upon age, circumstances, or physical enhancements. it’s a loveliness that flows from deep within-the refreshing beauty of heaven, of a life transformed from the inside out by jesus christ.' -leslie ludy

i can only hope that my life will look like that and already a glimpse of that...a woman's who life is overtaken by christ. pointing others to him. a radiance that only comes from jesus. a life that is transformed from the inside out by jesus. a true beauty.

grateful.

on sunday, my small group went and delivered a thanksgiving basket to a woman and her family who really needed it. the family included a mom, 3 kids, and one on the way. it was so great to put a basket together for them. our leader told us when we were putting it together why this was important. she said it is important to us to be servants of christ, to the family to receive a gift from the lord, and to god. we are letting God tell us well done. we are serving our brothers and sisters. we sat in the parking lot praying for their family before we delivered. it was a really sweet time. we get to their house, and we are welcomed with open arms. they are so excited for this little thanksgiving basket. one of the girls runs up to each one of us and hugs us! we go inside, and i was overwhelmed with what i saw and smelled.i am not going to lie...i did gag (i have problems with that)! mattresses on the ground, trash everywhere, dirt floors, dog pee, not a full functioning kitchen, barely enough food in the pantry. i have been thinking non-stop of how many blessing i have and how easy my life seems. i so easily forget how much brokenness is out in the world and in my own city, knoxville. i so easily get caught up in my own bubble and world and forget about everything else. i am grateful. i am thankful. i want to continually be reminded of that.

'the way you invest your love, you invest your life.' -mumford and sons
*photo from weheartit.

ain't going back to barton hollow.

*taken by tec petaja

i have been blogging a lot about music lately...what can i say. i love it! today the civil wars (joy williams and john paul white) released their video for 'barton hollow', and i can't stop watching/listening to it. the way they sing together full of passion and emotion. it is just unreal. this video is haunting, classic, and just darn good. i just love it!
*if i could be one person it would probably be joy...just sayin'...
anyway give it a listen and fall in love! and since you probably fell in love..listen to 'poison and wine'...amazing.

keep my eyes to serve my hands to learn.

on monday night, i had the privilege of seeing MUMFORD&SONS! i was so stoked for this. they are one of my favorite bands, so of course i would be seeing them live. it was unreal and as my brother said 'legendary'. they have so much passion and really feel what they are playing. they know how to hold a crowd for sure! it was so fun, dancing the night away and singing at the top of my lungs. they played a new song titled 'below my feet', and i LOVED it. i found a good version of the song...
p.s. marcus mumford, feel free to marry me!

And I was well
I was under your spell
but I was told by Jesus ‘all is well’
So all must be well
Just give me time
You know your desires are mine
so wrap my flesh in ivy and in twine
cause I must be well
Keep the earth below my feet
For all my sweat my blood runs weak
Let me learn from where I have been
Keep my eyes to serve
my hands to learn
Keep my eyes to serve
my hands to learn.

sharp top cove.

this past weekend, i was at sharp top cove with my high school friends. it was a blast! i didn't know a lot of the girls that were going, so it was so fun to get to know them and hear their hearts! each one of them is so great! we had tons of fun...
went to club.
played games.
had a rave.
heard and talked about jesus.
asked silly questions.
laughed ALOT!
ate real good food.
swung on a GIANT swing.
had a flour bomb fight.
froze our toots off.
shared life.
it was such a special weekend and i can't wait to get closer with all these girls.

weekend.

this weekend i get to go to sharp top cove! i really can't wait. i can't wait to laugh and be silly with my high school friends. i can't wait to share jesus with them. i can't wait to grow closer with them. i can't wait to break down walls. i can't wait to talk about life. i just can't wait!

thankful.

i am thankful. i am thankful for the friends God has put in my life. i am thankful for laughter. i am thankful for fall. i am thankful for faith and grace. i am thankful for family. i am thankful for my high school friends.




this past weekend was just what i needed! i went to a high school football game, hva vs. karns...go hawks.*funny story. i was talking to one of my high school friends, i was wearing my carhartt overalls, she said, "oh, i am so glad you got the redneck memo. it is so funny you are wearing those." thanks for the compliment...i had them on all day. i ain't no redneck! i went to a wedding, one of my best friend's sister got married. it was one of the sweetest weddings, so much laughter, so much jesus, and so much love. i am so happy for jenny and matt. i even got to see one of my dear friends that goes to school in auburn! finally, i got to celebrate a dear friend of mine's birthday. she turned 21 and had a little get together with costumes, food, and fun. *another funny story. my friend and abby and i were the only ones dressed up for a while...i was juno and she was a huge personal trainer. sweet life. thankful.

'thankfulness opens your heart to my presence and your mind to my thoughts...let thankfulness rule in your heart.'- jesus calling