My Five Guys

It's taken me a while to get up the courage to write this... I guess I was just scared to get those feelings out there... I wanna tell you about five very important guys who have impacted my life greatly...

1. My Dad...
          
I only had my dad for a short time. He died when I was just three years old. I honestly don't remember that much about him but one of the only memories I do have is the last Christmas I got to spend with him. It's something that I hold on to and cherish. Even though I didn't really get the chance to know him, he still impacted my life greatly. Because of him, I learned who to love and who not to love, that I am loved even more than I know, and that the guy who wins my heart will never compare to the guy that won my heart the first three years of my life.

2. The Rancher...

The rancher is one of the greatest men I have ever known. He is my dad's brother and has basically become like a grandfather to me. He always been there to help me, whether it was with car troubles or just to brighten my day with his ornery self! I am inspired by this man! Honestly, imagining life without him is just impossible. My mind cannot even contemplate not even having him there to call on. So for as long I have him, I will cherish him with one of the greatest love's my heart as ever felt.

3. The Railroader...

The Railroader... What can I say about this guy??? He is my inspiration! I have always looked up to him! He's known me ever since I was born! He's the guy I would choose to walk me down the aisle if I ever got married! Yeah, he's that important to me! I admire him so, so much because he's shown me what it means to love someone unconditionally, even if they do make a lot of mistakes. 

4. The Defender...

The Defender... If you want to talk about having the utmost respect for any one single person, then that is what I have for this man! He's the one I can talk to about absolutely anything and I know he's not going to judge me for it! He's also the one that probably knows the most about me and my heart! I've only known him closely for about two years, but in that time he has showed me that he is always in my corner. He's been there for me through some pretty rough times, and talked me through some tough decisions! He's always the one I turn to when I have any questions about the Bible, and my example for how I want my walk with Christ to be like!

5. The Protector...

The Protector.... This guy has my heart! He is probably the most excellent example in what I am looking for in a future husband! He's one of the most respectable, Christian men I have ever known! I call him the protector because I know that if anyone was to ever hurt me, this gentle guy would probably rip their heads off! He's also always telling me to: never dodge animals when I'm driving, wear my seat belt, make sure you have your keys in your hands when you're walking to your car, etc. As you can tell, he looks out for me! He is one of the sweetest guys I know! I just love him!

Rejection

Do you ever think about how much we constantly reject Jesus in a day? I was watching the movie Fireproof and it got me to thinking. How many times a day do I turn away from Him or not accept what He tells me? He died on the cross to save us from our sins and loves us continually. He would never reject us, yet it is nothing to reject Him. Psalms 64:8 says, "Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge." We most often turn to Him in times of trouble but not so much when things are going good.  I know that this happens to me and I don’t like it so I’m going to work on it. My challenge to you is to think about how many times you might reject Him in a day and what you’re going to do about it? Will you love Him like He loves us?

This One's For The Roommate!

My Roommate...

There are many different words that you could use to describe her... Beautiful, Strong, Courageous, Intelligent, Straightforward, Trustworthy, Faithful, Strong-willed, Determined, Confident, and I could go on and on! We have a very unique story. I believe we became friends in the summer of '09, but honestly how long we've been friends does not even matter compared to the great friendship I found from that summer! We became friends through our local church youth group, and from there our friendship exploded into me finding one of my best friends! About a year after that my best friend became my next door neighbor! Talk about crazy! We had some fun times hanging out at her house, watching movies til the wee hours of the morning! And the we come to my Junior year of High School and her Senior year... I honestly think it was a rough year for the both of us. We both got caught up in stupid high school girl drama that neither of us wanted. And before I go on, I know what you're probably thinking, there was probably drama between her and her roommate... Wrong! It had to do with other girls! The thing is that we dealt with it in different ways, and ended up withdrawing from each other without even meaning to, but we were never not friends! She had other people there in her life to be there for her in that stage of her life and it was just God's will that I was not meant to be one of those people during that time. I withdrew from pretty much everyone in my class because I wanted nothing to do with them and their stupid drama, and ended up finding another one of the greatest friendships I have ever known. I met CSI Girl! She was my rock that year and we have been like sisters ever since! But anyway, back to the roommate! She graduated high school and went off to college in the grossest town ever, I only say that cause it's like six hours away, and I almost went there for college! Haha! We started talking more and more while she was away and then finally it came time for me to graduate! Praise the Lord! I had lots of decisions to make: where I was going to college, where I was gonna live, where I was gonna work, etc. I had been praying about it for a few months but hadn't received my answer. In the mean time the roommate had decided to come back close to home to go to college and this is where our stories intertwine again! I don't know how else to explain it but as just one day I knew what I was meant to do. God gave me my answer. I was to move in with the roommate and go to college in a town about 15 minutes away from where we live! And I have not regretted that decision since! God really does put you in the right places at the right time! We have become even closer than ever! We randomly have some deep heart-to-hearts and I learn more and more about her beautiful self! God gave me her again because He knew that I needed somebody different in my life than what I had had in high school! I have been so blessed by her these last six months and could not ask for a better friend, confidant, and sister! We went from friends, to neighbors, to roomies, and now sisters! I love you roommate!

Here are some pictures from our many years of friendship! Enjoy!

Lost All Over The World

Hey guys! I was going through some of my old writings today and I found this that I wrote when I was a Sophomore in High School. I had forgotten that I had even written this until today but I thought I'd share because I believe that it was the Holy Spirit working on my heart at this point in time of my life, making me have these feelings! And looking back now, I can see all the miracles that I have had in my life, even the little day-to-day ones that we tend to overlook. 

Here goes...

I recently took a trip to California for a school function. As we were driving through the large cities and interacting with people I began to wonder how many of them actually know who their true Lord and Savior is? I heard language and things that I thought were totally inappropriate and did not show a Christ-like attitude and it made me wonder if these people were lost, just going along in life without any sense of  direction. Anaheim is a very large city and it made me wonder how you could reach all those people. I could not come up with a good answer, but I hope that someone would because these people need it. I come from this small town where everyone knows everyone else and they sure know if you are a believer in Christ or not. It’s a great thing to have. A small town can help you grow and develop in ways you don’t even know. I guess my question is, “How do we reach unbelievers not only in California but all over the world so they don’t have to experience a life without Christ?”

A picture from the trip that inspired these feelings in me.

My Days As A Photographer!

Just thought I'd share a little about my day! First, let me say that I am freshman in college and my goal in life is to become a photographer! I've taken pictures for a few friends, just messing around but this morning I got the opportunity of a lifetime! I was asked to photograph a friend's wedding! I am so excited about it and a little nervous too! I've never done anything like this before! I've only done single portraits and family portraits so this is a new adventure for me! Here's some of the pictures I've taken of my friends! Hope you enjoy! :)

My Sweet "H" Girls

Sweet R

My Sweet "H" Girls

"Faith, Hope, and Love"

CSI Girl

My Sweet Z

The Roommate!

The Roommate!

My Sweet "H" Girls

CSI Girl

CSI Girl

Just A Little About Me!

Hey guys! I come from a very small town of about 700 people total! And no I'm not kidding! Basically the song American Honey by Lady Antebellum describes how I grew up almost perfectly! Especially this part of the lyrics: "She grew up on the side of the road, where the church bells ring and strong love grows, she grew up good, she grew up slow, like American honey..." I honestly don't know how else I would describe how I grew up! I was so blessed with a loving mother and family members. I honestly don't know where I'd be without them! I have also been blessed with some amazing friends!