2 Things I appreciate and 1 Thing I'm Learning

     First, I will most certainly share the one thing I have been learning over the past couple days because it is 1) About Jesus, who always comes first and 2) Very relevant to all walking the Christian walk.  The topic that the LORD has just been pressing on my heart and slapping me in the face with is trust, and my lack of trust in Him. Yesterday I read the classic, but so terribly powerful verse in Proverbs 3v5-6-

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."

Over the past year, a series of events have went on in my life and my families lives that have really tested our faith and trust in God.  Even over the past week something went on that just left me stumped, for lack of a better word.  One of the many incredible things about having a relationship with Jesus Christ is that we can and are called to fully put our faith in Him and trust in His perfect plan.  Situations and relationships often times do not turn out the way we want or expect them to. In our lives, we are hit with a hurricane of events that we do not understand or see anything positive resulting from.  The one thing I've just so been learning though, is that God always has a perfect plan. He is always working out situations for our greater good; He knows what's best for us.  We can have full 100% trust in Him, that He is watching over us and if we acknowledge Him in our lives, He will direct our paths.  

What would 100% trust in Christ truly look like?

So often, we like having control over situations and relationships, but what we forget is that once we surrender control to the LORD, He will work everything out for our good, as His dearly loved children. How cool is that?! True Love doesn't get any better folks, I'm telling ya.....God is SO good...




     Now, time for me to ramble on to my next topic of appreciation. There are so many, many different people, places, traits, ideas, and items that I appreciate in life, and I feel the need to highlight certain ones I am thankful for day by day.  Today I am very appreciative of my wonderful art teacher, Mrs. Stamm, and perfume.
     Mrs. Stamm is one of a kind. She is absolutely in love with the LORD and hands down one of the most godly woman I know. I was blessed to have her for two years in high school and so blessed when she called to invite me over to her house for breakfast today. School takes a long time, especially if you're going to get your Masters, Doctorate, etc. Throughout our years and time in school we have all sorts of teachers. There are the teachers who careless about you exceling in school and mostly just mistook their true calling for the call of teaching and those are the teachers that are often times boring. There are also the teachers who are very strict and never in a great mood. You don't know why this is, but you often feel sorry for them and wish that bringing them a shiny apple would brighten there day, week, year, etc. Then there are the teachers who treat you like a baby, the substitutes, the homework-givers, the list could go on and on. Most importantly there are the teachers who are passionate and love what they do. These are the teachers that believe in you and inspire you to be the best you can be in life. I believe each individual comes in contant with one, two, maybe three, if your lucky, of these teachers during their years of schooling.  Mrs. Stamm is certainly one of these types of teachers. I was blessed to be in a Christian school pre-12th grade and have all sorts of wonderful, God-fearing teachers, but Mrs. Stamm has certainly stood out. She radiates Christ in all she does and truly appreciates all you have to say and thinks every painting, charcoal, colored pencil, etc. you do is just absolutely amazing. I have been so blessed by her and look up to her so much. Anyway, so this morning I was so blessed to go to her sweet home and eat breakfast with her and Kelsey and shares pictures and memories from my Uganda trip. The fact that she cared so much to hear about all that the LORD's doing over there was great. Great time of just fellowship and banana pancakes.  Delicious. Next Tuesday, or Wednesday, I will be headed over there again for a cooking lesson. This should be exciting.....

    Lastly, I appreciate perfume. Everyone has a certain smell and each individual has certain scents that remind them of certain people and certain times in their lives.  Perfumes, colognes, and scents, in general, all tell wonderful stories. You know how your house smells, how your kitty cat smells, how your best friend smells, and all these smells are just comforting.  Shampoo, detergent, perfume, cologne, lotion, and deodorant, of lack there of (hehe), make up a typical American individual's scent. It just feels nice to smell good. After lunch with my grandparents today-which was just wonderful, I might add-I went in to the Rack and picked up my favorite Betsey Johnson Eau de Parfum. It's such a blend of fruits, musks, and woods, I love it.  Silly as it may sound, I think a nice perfume and a dainty dress make any girl feel pretty and like a princess.


  Now, back to reality, got to go do some cleaning for the campout tonight with my brothers and sisters from my Senior class...so excited...remember, most importantly-TRUST GOD-He cares for you beautiful child more than you could even begin to imagine...