On Tuesday, I went to my nieces very first dance recital. She was so cute!!! All in her red costume with her red curly hair with red feathers in it, and don't forget the red lipstick. It was adorable! So I told her that we would go to the zoo 2 Wednesday's from this week, so that would be the 13th? If anyone wants to go, you are welcome to join my niece and me on a trip to the Ft. Worth Zoo.

Wow, do I miss my roomies!! They come home Sunday,,, hooray! The job search is still on. Every job that I am seeking, God is not giving me opportunities in. I don't know what else to look for, though. I am trusting that God will give me the perfect job in His perfect timing, when He is ready for me to leave Starbucks. Boy, I hope it's soon!

It hit me at work today, as I was writting and teaching one of my customers a little Chinese, what I want to do for a career. I want to teach languages, to adults, not college students. The ones that actually want to learn, not just for a degree. I need to actually learn some languages first. That is the first thing on the agenda.

That's all for now.

The Pink Panther!!!

Okay, I can't contain myself any longer! Last Tuesday I went to the $2 movie to watch the Pink Panther, and it was so hilarious, my side was sore for the whole next day from laughing. I was warned by several people that it wasn't funny, but I went anyway. It was hilarious! Really, I think you should check it out. Especially if you haven't seen the old ones. Even if you have, just don't expect the same thing, and you will enjoy it just as much. Oh, boy! Just thinking about it makes me laugh. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. Boy, it was great!

Friday we went to my folks house, and had a cook out as a homegroup, and it was really fun. It was nice just to sit around a camp fire, and hang out, play a little guitar, and just enjoy the company of friends. We made a bonfire with all the branches that my parents had from the trees.(They have over 12 pecan trees alone.) It was slow going at first with the fire against the wind, but when we lit the other side, the whole thing went really, really fast. It was interesting. We were all looking at it thinking, 'wow, this is pretty cool', to 'where is the water hose again?' in about 1 minute. It got so huge, but quickly died down. To say the least, it was an experience that none will soon forget.

I have been doing a lot of soul searching in the last few days, and it has been rather intense. I have been praying over Psalm 31:24, consequently the title of my blog. There have been so many question that I have about the plans that the Lord has for me. Things are in a very transitional spot for me, and everything around me seems to lead me in a different direction. I don't want to make any decisions without hearing clearly from the Lord, but all I can do is pray for direction. I was reminded by a brother on Wednesday that when I ask in faith believing that it is mine, that it is. I just don't know what to ask for. I would appreciate your prayers in this very pivotal time in my life. Thank you!

The Holy Spirit has really convicted and humbled me this week. I write as a very broken daughter of God. Something hasn't been setting right in my for a while, now, and i couldn't quite put my finger on it, but God wrapped His arms around me in His grace, and that is what I needed. I have not been gracious or merciful to those around me. I have been quick to judge, as a wall to keep my sin hidden, to not focus on my own sin. I have been prideful, and unforgiving, not considering the grace that I have been given. In need of grace, in need of love, in need of mercy raining down from high above. Talking to my friend Bora, and spending a lot of time with God today, He has shown me, I am a broken child of God. I am not different than any human being in need of God's mercy. Only by abiding in Him, and trusting Jesus, and walking in the Spirit can I live out the life God has set apart for me to live. I have to give my own flesh over, and surrender and submit. It has been a while since I have recognized that fact, and it hit me like a hammer today. Praise the Lord, for He is good to us. I was walking in my old self, not my new self, but the Lord has drawn me deeper into Him, to make my heart like His. Praise the Lord, for he is good. I don't deserve the love that the body of Christ has shown me this week, but they have continued to love me, despite my tempermental and sometimes angry behavior. Praise the Lord for all you guys. Please forgive me.

So, I am surrounded by the love of the Lord! Yesterday was my birthday, and I had been a little upset about having to work. So, I went to work praying that my words would be seasoned with salt, but the minute i walked in the door, i started to gripe about all sorts of stuff. Nothing was done right all the sudden, and i started to get really upset. I still am not sure what happened there, a couple of hours later, a friend came in the store, and sat down to do some work, and all the sudden things were fine. I had to work, but I had a friend to share it with. Everything was just fine. Then, some friends of my parents came in, and I was so suprised to see them, wondering why they were here, but glad to see them all the same. So, 30 minutes later my parents came in with a cake and sang Happy Birthday to me. Then, 30 minutes later some more friends came in, maybe to say 'hi', but i wasn't sure. Then, all the rest of my homegroup came in the store 30 minutes after that. I was so suprised and pretty overwelmed with everything. So much attention really makes me quite uncomfortable, but I was blessed that everyone was so thoughtful of my birthday. Praise God for friends!!

Overwhelmed!!

I have been so overwhelmed with so many things lately, but the most positive is the garage sale that we have just had this past Saturday. God gave me the idea to have a garage sale to raise money for the Japan Mission trip that so many of my friends are going on this May. From start to finish, I have been overwhelmed by the support from the Japan team for this crazy idea. There have been so many members of the team and others that helped me from passing out flyers to collect items from others who had things to donate from their garage sales, to gathering the items that night (6 car loads full), everyone's donations to the garage sale, making signs for the streets, and the people actually running the garage sale (even though I was at work for the entire morning), to the generousity of the buyers, and especially overwhelmed with God for holding back the rain for the most part of the morning. It was all together a blessing. We were able to raise $560 for the team. My roommates balance was able to be finished off, and able to make a dent in for 2 other team members. Praise God for his provision!

Well, I think the camping trip turned out quite alright. Nothing too exciting, but I think everyone had at least a little bit of fun. It was so great to just hang with my friends in the homegroup, and not have much to do but talk with each other and be with one another. I was excited to learn a bit on the guit-fiddle from Cervenka, thanks homie. My parents were blessed by us coming up, and welcomed us back. My dad even said that he would play his guitar with us next time we come up. This is major in the land of my dad. Praise God that he feels comfortable around my homegroup!!!
As far as the job hunt goes, I have to admit to being a little lazy. I have been given some fairly solid leads into Starbucks corporate, but nothing is for sure until I actually get to speak with someone about it. Some exciting opportunities await their, should I be able to be in a place to take them. I am praying pretty hard about it.
I was reading in 1 Peter 2 about how we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, and holy nation for God's own possession to proclaim the excellencies of Him who has brought us out of darkness into His marvelous light, for we are were not a people, but now we are the people of God, for we had not received mercy, but now have received mercy.

This was pretty convicting and encouraging in relation to my current job. I am set apart for His glory and wonder if he is really glorified by my actions and choice of words at work. If people would see my actions and declare praise and glory to God. I'm not sure. It is so hard, but I am working on making every morning, every shift, every hour intentionally glorifying to the Lord, and it is quite different from my previous actions. I praise God because he is gracious and merciful to me. His grace is enough for me and I am covered in His blood. He forgives me and continues to love me. It's so humbling to know that.
I was watching a little bit of the Chronicles of Narnia recently, and the picture of Aslon being summoned to the stone alter to be sacrificed flooded my mind. How the people all around were so hateful to a righteous and innocent creature being lead to the slaughter. How they cheered at his fate and insulted his perfection. What kind of humility it must have been for Christ to take the same kind of ridicule and insults on the way and on the cross, knowing that even if it was just me who had been a 'traitor' he would have still endured it. I feel so a ashamed for being so prideful and guarded in my love for others. He loved with an everlasting and unfailing love, knowing that those very people would betray Him, and hurl insults at him. How horrible that must have felt, but that didn't keep him from loving as He did. It makes me feel silly for picking who I will love because of the risk of being hurt. Silly for not wanting to endanger myself by being vulnerable for the sake of the Gospel. Conviction hit pretty hard this morning.

His love endures forever. He's my strength and He's my song. His love endures forever.