My Bee-U-Ti-Ful Car!!!

I have my car!!!!! After two years (in March) of not having a car, I have one! YEE-AAH!!!! It is the prettiest car ever! And it Kicks!!! (Skylerizm) Oh Yeeah!
I am so excited to have wheels!!!

I have to say Thank you to all the people who helped me hop a ride with them to church and other places. My sister's, Mom, James & Emily, Kate & Phillip, Kim G, Nichole, and.....if I forgot you, I'm sorry. Oh yes, and Andrew for letting me steal his car for like a month of weekends. =)

So here is my beautiful baby. Doesn't have a name, but I picked a gender. =) She is Bee-U-Ti-Ful!

Well, time to hop off to my Math quiz!

Have fun people!

A Blessing In Disguise

{Click on the Blog Post Title to see the video}
So I have been thinking lately, about how things took a turn last year. I thought at first, it was for the worst...BUT Who am I kidding, I'm the one that prayed for it.=)
I had been praying for a few years to be able to go to school full time. Well, when I stopped working for the State, I thought I was in for a trip to Hates. In actuality I was in for a rough ride to fulfilling my dream. Now I am proud to announce I am going to be attending school full time this semester. (12 Units, Yipes!) For all of you veterans out there, no making fun, OK? =) This is scary, yet Awesome! This video made me think of how much God has allowed me to experience and learn in the past year.

The Calm Before The Storm

My Goodness! It has been an insane past week and a half! The last six services we've had at The Rock Church have been amazing, awesome, powerful, prayer filled, joyful, homecoming, non-preaching because the power of God fell, and so much more!
OK UPDATE!!! My two (self-adopted) brothers are Home!!!!! Brian and Brad were away from home (church) for a while, but now they are back. Talking to their Dad last night he said that there has been a significant change in attitudes since they prayed through on Sunday night! More Good News! Andrew's brother and sister-in-law (to-be) prayed through as well! So awesome! Almost the entire church body was in the back corner of the church praying for them. It was amazing! I can't wait to see what happens in the next service!

(Promotional Plug) For those of you who haven't signed up yet, sorry it might be to late. Tomorrow night, Friday night and Saturday morning, College and Career is hosting a Dave Ramsey Financial Seminar. It's only $15! Which includes a meal on Saturday. Anyways, that is going to be awesome. Hope you can make it!

So, now to the boring stuff of my life. =) I joined a gym! Yay! To anyone who Enjoys working out, can I ask....ARE YOU INSANE??? I mean once I'm done it feels good to know I am working towards a goal, but REALLY? It is quite painful. I come home sorer than a pig shaved of it's bacon. I pulled some kinda weird muscle I didn't know I had the last time I worked out and I was sore for like 4 days! Although, I,m seeing a little results, I can't wait until I reach my goal, so then all I have to really do is cardio majority of the time, which isn't so bad.

For all my fellow students out there....Holla! =)~ Hope you have been enjoying your month off from school, all of us that are on the semester system. For Cesar and all those who go to UC Davis, sorry buddy that you already had to start school. I still have a 6 days. MUAHAHAHA! Just kidding. I actually can't wait to get back to school, I'm bored and being lazy just makes me feel, well, lazy. And that is not a good feeling. It just leads to more laziness and procrastination, which I am the queen of by the way. So, yea, not a good thing. =)

Soooo, I am supposed to be, emphasis on "supposed to be", getting a car the second week of school. YAY! It looks like that is pretty for sure, but it's all in God's timing right. I mean I've kinda been carless for almost two years, I think it's about time. (hint hint, God) =)~ By the way for those of you who don't know, God has a sense of humor. He wouldn't have made Andrew if he didn't. lol Just kidding Andy....sorta. =)~ (yes, I AM sticking my tongue out at you) hahaha

Public Shout Out to Misha, David, Cylas and Roma. I miss you guys SOOOOO much, I can't wait to see you in March. I'm gonna look hot by then Mish, better watch out, you might have some competition for skinniest in the family. lol
For all of you who don't know Misha, she's a hot mama. Well she is a mama, too, but yeah.

Well, gotta run to the gym to work on my flabby self. Hope everyone has a great day!!

(I really gotta put more picture's on here, don't I?)

Are you stronger now then you were back then?

I have been thinking about when I first came back to church. Every little thing and at every turn I was thanking God for his many blessings or "casting my cares upon him". Somewhere over the past two years, I seem to have lost some of that closeness and intimacy. Where did it go? I have been asking myself this question a lot lately. Certain circumstances recently have started me thinking along those forgotten intimacies of my renewed relationsip with God. I am finding that I have been discontented with my current spiritual walk as well as my relationships. I have been saying to myself....There has to be something more, something deeper than what I am feeling or doing. I want my life to have meaning...purpose...reasoning behind my motives and desires. Where did that go? How did I loose that along the way? Most importantly, How do I get it back? or at least incorporate it into my life now, if I didn't before.

Yea, I have a semblence of a prayer life and I read my Bible everyday, but where is the depth of my walk with God like I have always desired? When will I get there? or at least feel like I have gained some ground?

So my question of "Are you stronger now then you were back then?" comes to mind. When I first came back to church, and my faith seemed unshakable....was I just a seed that fell on shallow ground springing up almost immediately only to die away quickly? or did one of those delicate little roots take hold of something that was stronger than I.....something that has strengthened me over the past two years into a Godly and righteous woman. The example I have always wanted to be, as Sister Wilson is.....am I finally becoming that person? Is this really the time that God promised would come to pass? If it is....I know there are many more battles to fight, but I know that the little root that found strength in the soil of God and his word, is never letting go no matter what storms may come.

Prayer changes things.....

New Babies All Around!!

Everyone seems to be having babies!! I have a new niece as of November 27, 2008 at 12:04AM (EST). There are at least 3 or more new babies in The Rock Church alone.I was at the hospital for the latest one to be born this morning!!

I don't have many pictures, but that is because I was asleep on the waiting room floor majority of the time. =) The Emary clan and a few of Mariah's family members were there, and majority of us stayed until 4:00AM until we could see Mariah and baby Jasmine Capri Emary!!! She was born at 3:17AM as an 8lb 13oz, 21 inch bundle of joy!!! The Emary clan, Seth Lewis and I didn't leave until almost 5 o'clock. So I didn't get home until 5:30 this morning. Needless to say, I didn't go to school, I didn't wake up until 11:03AM. =)

To Best Friends and Loved Ones

I have been feeling a little melancholy lately. When I was younger the Holidays were a time to look forward to. We would all gather at my Grandma's house in Hollister, CA and have a fantastic time of being with family. Now, 9 years after her passing, it seems like it has all fallen apart, but then again it hasn't. My family may not be all in one place geographically, but we are in our hearts. My family is always one phone call away. For those of you who have gone on before me, I miss you so very much and I can't wait to get to Heaven to see your faces and hug you. That will be the most joyous day. This past Thanksgiving Holiday, I had the wonderful opportunity of spending time with my best friend in the whole wide world =) and his family. It was definitely an experience. I was woken up on Thanksgiving morning by a HUGE dog climbing on the bed and stuffed myself silly for the rest of the day. We all played video games and got loud with each other for not playing the game right. =) So, for those of you who don't know who my best friend is ...Presenting Andrew! Here is a crazy video of us being weird one night...actually him being weird, I couldn't bring myself to act a fool on camera, Sorry! =)~ (Although I do look like an idiot) So this Holiday season, I am thankful for my best friend, his family, my family and my friends, that I have in my life. I wouldn't have been able to get this far without all of you! Love ya'll bunches! (or as Margi {my landlord} would say) Lots O' Love

Just Breathe

Can you say whirlwind? It has been a crazy last few months. My goodness, I haven't posted in 2 1/2 months! I'm a terrible blogger. =)~

Let's see, in the past two months, I have started school, joined choir, become heavily involved in bus ministry, established new friendships =), gone deeper in my walk with God, worked on my current relationships with my friends and family, and so much more! OK, so that doesn't seem like a lot when it is written down, but OH if you could read between the lines or walk with me everyday, you would understand how AWESOME God is and how much he has been working on me.

For example, these past two weeks have been a trial and a half, and it's just the beginning. My overwhelming desire, especially since I came back to church (almost) 2 years ago, has been to become like Sis. Wilson. I often pray that the annointing and spirit of Nanny come upon me so that God can use me greatly in his kingdom. Especially in the past two weeks, well almost 3 weeks now, have I been praying that. And OOOH BOY! have I ever been tested to strengthen my walk with God so I can become. God has been dealing with me to embrace my "Leah" so that I can receive the blessing of "Rachel". For those of you who didn't hear Bro. Cody Marks' message on Tuesday, PLEASE get the CD, it will be well worth it. It really spoke to my heart.
Every experience I have had and will ever have is to the glory of My Savior and the furtherment (if that is even a word) of his kingdom in my life and those around me.

As I mentioned, lately I have been struggling with embracing my past experiences, and in a recent conversation with my best friend, I had to grab myself by the collar and say that if I hadn't gone through those situations, I wouldn't be the woman I am today and I wouldn't be able to help others through similiar situations or just be there for moral support.
When I am down and needing a sounding board my Dad and best friend and there for me. Thank you! I you two SO MUCH!!

Yesterday, I talking to a classmate of mine, Roma, about how a lot of people won't be friends with rich kids because they feel that a rich kid has no real life experiences. ~Rich kids have everything spoon-fed and handed to them on a silver platter, how can I relate with them if I have had to work for every little piece of happiness or fulfillment in my life.~ Have you ever heard or thought this? The same thing can be felt by those of us, as children of God, who have either left church and came back or who haven't been raised in church (about those of us that have been raised in church). I am thankful for the experiences in and out of church I have had, because they make me stronger in the Lord as well as in my own self.
For example, my sister's have been in church all their lives and have never left, on the other hand I left and came back. Who is to say that they are better than me or I am better than them? Don't you understand that we are all equal in God's eyes? Our experiences shape us to become who God wants us to be, so that he can use us in many different ways. My sister's can relate to young people from our generation that have been raised in church and are struggling with their walk with God more that I can, but then again I can relate with those young people who have left church and come back and are struggling with the things of this world that are trying to drag them back out of church.
What it all boils down to, is (PAY ATTENTION) keep your walk with God strong. If you start to feel like you are slipping, go to your family member (biological or spiritual) and ask for help. The Bible says to "Confess our sins, one to another...". This doesn't mean go gossip about your problems, or vent for an indeterminate amount of time...this means to go to someone you trust with you spiritual problems and ask them to pray with you and for you, and to help you stay on track and to be accountable for your actions as a representation of God, and in my case The Rock Church.

OK, So I feel like I am Dr. Laura right now =). That is not what I am intending. I hope that someone out there is encouraged to become more than who you are right now. There is always upward mobility in God's kingdom. "Read your Bible, Pray everyday and you'll grow, grow, grow!"

I love all of you so much! I don't know what I would do without my family, biological and spiritual.

All I can say to anyone who is struggling right now is, Just Breathe! Take a deep breath, say a prayer (START YOUR DAY WITH PRAYER AND BIBLE READING), and walk in God's AWESOME love!