Life is good. Better than I deserve. Since I haven’t written since…September, I believe…I guess there is some catching up to do. I’m pretty boring though.

School is almost out. I have two papers, a test, and have to memorize a couple of songs by Thursday. Yay. Very doable, I know. I just don’t really want to. At least I have the opportunity to have these things to do, though. It looks like I’m going to be working and schooling all summer. It will be different. Well, I guess I’ve done the working during summer thing…just not the schooling during summer thing. I’ll be taking science, English, and public speaking classes. I cannot believe this year is already over!

I really need to get to those papers…I just felt like updating…after a 7 month break.

Here, I’ll leave you with a cute picture. This is my best friend, Jillian and me

Savior I come
Quiet my soul remember
Redemptions hill
Where Your blood was spilled
For my ransom
Everything I once held dear
I count it all as lost

Lead me to the cross
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to You
Lead me, lead me to the cross

You were as I
Tempted and trialed
You are
Te word became flesh
Bore my sin and death
Now you’re risen

To your heart
To your heart
Lead me to your heart
Lead me to your heart

-sung by Hillsong United

I really don’t have much to say. This song has been has been another convicting one.

Live to glorify God. Pursue His glory. His perfection. His will. Everything else will fall into place when we have our eyes set on the glory of God.

You’ve turned my world upside down
My life is spinning ’round You now, all of me, all for You
I’ll let my light shine for You
Nothing’s gonna stop me now, I’m living for You

You’ve turned my world upside down
My life is spinning ’round You now, all of me, all for You
I’ll let my light shine for You
Nothing’s gonna stop me now, I’m living for
You’ve turned my world upside down
My life is spinning ’round you now, all of me, all for You
I’ll let my light shine for You
Nothing’s gonna stop me now, I’m living for You

“Living for You”
sung by: Gateway Worship

I am now officially in the full swing of being a college student. I’ve got my class/study routine down, my little group of friends picked out (that sounds weird…), and I’m finding new music that I’m into (I don’t know…that just seems college-y to me. Unlike the word college-y). I have yet to find my study tree. Things are going really well. I have even taught my theory class while the professor was out. That was pretty awesome.

Anywho…I posted that song kind of as my theme for this next chapter of my life. Yes, I am at a Christian university and it is easy to get caught up in the motions of everything being ministry related and (almost) everyone being on the same track as you…but it is time to grow up and live beyond getting caught in the flow of whatever is going on around me. Luckily what is going on around me is where I need to be, but it needs to be genuine.

So here I am. Nothing is stopping me. At any cost, this is who I am and who He made me to be.

This post is pretty short…but what can I say…I’m a busy woman now!

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
                                                                       John 8:31-32
Well, what ever it is, it is going to set us free. Let’s get a definition of “truth” going here.

Truth-

• 1. objectively 

1. what is true in any matter under consideration
   1. truly, in truth, according to truth
   2. of a truth, in reality, in fact, certainly
2. what is true in things appertaining to God and the duties of man, moral and religious truth
   1. in the greatest latitude
   2. the true notions of God which are open to human reason without his supernatural intervention
3. the truth as taught in the Christian religion, respecting God and the execution of his purposes through Christ, and respecting the duties of man, opposing alike to the superstitions of the Gentiles and the inventions of the Jews, and the corrupt opinions and precepts of false teachers even among Christians

1. subjectively
   1. truth as a personal excellence
      1. that candour of mind which is free from affection, pretence, simulation, falsehood, deceit

(KJV New Testiment Greek Lexicon)

So this may give you somewhat of an idea of what truth means. And this is what will set us free!
But to be exact…

“So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed”
                                                                                                                                                        John 8:36
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
                                                                                                                                                        John 14:6
Jesus is the truth that sets us free!!

What is it we are being set free from? I’m glad you asked!

“It was for freedom that Chrst set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.“
                                                                                                                                                   Galatians 5:1
“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”
                                                                                                                                             Romans 8:11-13

The truth will set us free. What a concept to dwell on. With such thoughts roaming through your head, there is no time to think on ungodly things. And this is just the beginning! Stay tuned for more on the rest of Philippians 4:8!

It is at Florence High School. We are going to grab some dinner at the local Italian restaurant, Ricatoni’s, where we will meet one of my buddies. I am pretty excited. It is like a mini roadtrip!

Rainy days are fun. As long as you don’t have to do anything. It is very calming and relaxing, great for reading, writing, and sleeping. The earth just looks alive afterward especially when the sun comes out and all of the colors are so vibrant. I am glad God is creative.

“Our God is an Awesome God” is a great song. A lot of church music talks about us. Not that it isn’t fitting that we are thankful that we are saved and such, but this song is different. It is just singing about who He is and why it is that we are deeming Him awesome. To God be the glory. That is another song, isn’t it.

We have lost the true meanings of many words and use them incorrectly too much. Take “awesome,” for example. Awesome-  inspiring awe. Awe-an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, etc., produced by that which is grand, sublime, extremely powerful, or the like. So, what are we calling awesome? Does it really deserve that word? There are many other words like this. What other words can you think of?

My family is fun. We are a very loving, affectionate, and silly; we are intelligent, kind, and lighthearted. We always joke around on eachother and we know its all in good fun. Mom and I always sing in the car together, have been known to have impromtu “radio shows,” and have very good heart to heart talks. It is always exciting going on Krystals and Freds “dates” with Dad. Nicholas and I are always cracking up with each other when he is home and yes, I go on dates with him too. Good memories.

As I am growing older I am becoming more and more comfortable with myself. Now, this in no way means there is not room for improvement, because, believe you me, there is. I mean this in the way of I have really had self esteem problems and it has really worked against me. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Inside and out. Yes, there is maintenance, but that is no reason for it to get in the way of who I am to be. I used to not wear shorts very much because I hated my legs. Now…either I have better legs, or I just don’t care and wear shorts anyway. Silly example, I know, but I am who I am. There is no reason to let petty little things weigh so heavily.

Ok, I am going to wrap this up. It seems I am doing a lot of wrapping up lately. Wrapping up the first chapter of my life. Wrapping up old friendships and entering into the “Oh we’ll totally hang out over Christmas break” phase. Wrapping up dependence and on to the semi-independence.

So…my new home…at the University of Mobile…     

North Hall is the newest dorm on campus and the rooms have their own bathrooms (yay for not having communal bathrooms) and I will have one roommate. They have not told us who our roommates are yet. It would be nice to know so we can coordinate on some things for the room! Oh well. The reason it is taking a little while is because there are so many new students…so I guess that is a good thing!

We have been doing a lot of shopping lately for bedding, school supplies, toiletries, a few new clothes, ya know…the necessities…haha. It has been pretty exciting!

This is my actual bedding I got…not just a random picture.

Before the moving in extravanganza begins on the 9^th, our family is going to head down to the beach on the 2^nd.

Again, this is the actual house, not a random picture.

That means I am moving from Madison on August 2^nd. I am looking forward to this time of relaxation on the beach with no stresses about getting ready to move…because everything that can be done will be done before we leave. No worries about packing and sorting and making lists. It will be very good to spend time with family. (August 3^rd is Pawpaw’s 80^th birthday. They live in Pensacola, so they are going to come to our beach house for the day and we are going to celebrate his life J. He is pretty much the best Pawpaw ever.) There will be a lot of down time so I believe it will be a perfect time to intensively prepare myself for what lies ahead. I have a 17 hour courseload this semester!

We can show love through… 

   I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice,    holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 
                                                                                         Romans 12:1-2

“Discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
I have been trying to get a CD together for my grandparents (and whoever else wants it…but the grandparents keep asking for one) of me singing. I haven’t had much time (and the creative juices just haven’t been flowing) to write my own songs, so I have been trying to find a few songs to cover. So I thought of a few songs and started listening to them and practicing them. One of the songs I was considering has been played numerous times and I cannot tell you how many times I have heard it. The last time I listened to it, I actually listened to the words and looked them up on the internet (her enunciation isn’t too terribly wonderful and I think when I was singing along I was singing something completely different than what she was actually saying…haha). I was in tears when I saw what the song was actually about. They weren’t “oh this song is touching” kind of tears either. The song is about something that I feel very strongly against and I am so glad that I paid attention to what the song was about instead of blindly recording it as I was about to do.

As an artist who is a Christian, I really have to watch out for such occurances as this. I was about to say I would need to watch out for my reputation, but thats not really the point. I cannot control what people think of me. The only thing I can control is my motives and heart. If I had recorded that song without looking into it that would be a severe lapse of judgement, especially with what the song is about. It would show that I am okay with the message it speaks. I liked the song for the music and it worked really well with my voice, but why would I sacrifice my morals to show off talent? That is taking the gift God gave me in vain. I am to give my body as a living sacrifice to Him. That includes my voice and my mind which makes the decision of what to sing.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind”
I not only like to sing, but I love to act. I have been in…4 kids musicals at church, 4 school musicals, one dinner theater, and numerous skits. (I am not trying to brag; I am just trying to show how much I love acting) In all reality, I could have gone very far with the drama department at school. When I began high school I had to make the decision of whether I wanted to go with drama or choir. After weighing the pros and cons of each, I obviously went with choir. The main reason I decided to not go with drama is because of the things that go on behind the scenes. I got a taste of this when I was in the musicals. Of course, one does not have to take part in whatever is going on, but isn’t it better to just flee? Yes, it could have been a witnessing opportunity, but so was choir, which, in the end, was more beneficial. Also, the plays, skits, and one acts they did were always questionable. Church always provides a good, clean environment for acting anyway.

All of that to say this. Remember who gave you your talent and do not take it for granted or in vain.

Well actually, you are going to get to know me, but that’s not the song, now is it? I have seen quite a few people doing these “100 Things About Me” lists, so I thought it would be fun to take a crack at it.

Before I start, if you are reading this, please leave a comment. I would love to know who drops by and reads

Here goes nothing!

1. I was born in Fort Hood, Texas on May 1, 1990. I take pride in being a Texan

2. When I was just shy of being a year old, we moved to Anderson, South Carolina.

3. Just after I turned 3, we moved to Houston, Texas. This is where I start remembering more things.

4. Everytime we went to church in Houston (Champion Forest Baptist Church) I had to talk to a specific sign on the way. I had to say “ABCs I go to church, see you later, bye” Now, I don’t know why on earth I HAD to say that everytime we passed by this sign…or why I would say it…but I did. One Sunday morning my brother decided to distract me. A few minutes later I realized I didn’t get to talk to the sign and get very upset.

5. I have a brother, Nicholas, who is four years older than me. That makes him 22. He is pretty much awesome and the best brother ever.

6. Moving time again! How old was I…ah yes. 4. We moved to Manhattan! Haha…Manhattan, Kansas. BRR!!

7. Kansas can also be hot. So don’t walk to the park without shoes on! One year the temperature spanned from -15 that winter…to 115 that summer. My brother and I wrote our initials in some wet cement on the road behind our house. So if you ever go to Manhattan, Kansas (haha) be sure to watch the streets for “NS and AS ’95″.

8. We moved again…to Ft. Riley, Kansas.

9. Oh don’t think we’ve settled down yet, because we’re moving to Illinois now. Belleville, to be exact. We were waiting on military housing again. Yay.

10. Illinois has got to be my favorite place we’ve lived. Good times.

11. Then we finally moved to Alabama. I was not excited about that. And I was not excited about moving to Kansas, either. Or Illinois, come to think of it. Ok. I just never liked the actual moving process.

12. I still, to this day, cannot stand the sound of packing tape being ripped off the roll.

13. So, I moved 9 times in 9 years.

14. I’m an Army brat…if you haven’t figured that out already.

15. Although I hated the act of moving, I loved being in new places.

16. I became a Christian when I was 7.

17. I asked Jesus into my heart when I was 3. And didn’t understand why He wasn’t coming. So I asked again. OBVIOUSLY I didn’t understand…

18. I LOVE VBS. But I am not doing it this year

19. I am left handed.

20. My middle name is Diane.

21. My hair smells good at the moment.

22. I love playing classical music on the piano and singing it. I don’t always like listeing to it.

23. I don’t have a particular favorite genre of music. I just love music and can find something I like about ALMOST any of it.

24. I cannot stand not having polish on my toe nails!

25. I REALLY want to go to Spain and Italy! Actually I want to tour Europe…but those are top priority.

26. I am going to the University of Mobile.

27. I move in August 9!!!

28. None of my dorm stuff has been purchased yet…

29. My major will be music education…or at least I think it is…

30. I am praying about minoring in theology.

31. And/or Spanish.

32. I do not trust people easily.

33. I don’t like being dirty. I was not a mudpie making child.

34. I hate jokes about my name. They aren’t funny.

35. I am a good listener.

36. It is driving me crazy that the majority of these sentences are starting with “I,” but I am too tired to rearrange the sentences to make them more interesting.

37. Good grammar is a big deal to me. I am not claiming I have perfect grammar.

38. I hate sunburns.

39. I’m a flirt.

40. Contrary to popular belief, I am quite introverted.

41. I have been on three mission trips (two to Cherokee, NC and one to Waveland, MS)

42. I have given up on boys.

43. Yet I am really looking forward to finding the one for me and getting married and having a family!!

44. I, like my mother, would love to be a backup singer.

45. I love teaching.

46. And learning about stuff I am actually interested in.

47. My best learning method is preparing to teach something.

48. I considered being an optomitrist.

49. Physics is a very cool subject.

50. I am amazed by human anatomy and physiology. Our bodies are crazy!

51. I am very caring.

52. I love chick flicks.

53. Yet, I like Indiana Jones, James Bond, and the like, as well.

54. I enjoy spending time with my mom.

55. And the rest of the family too.

56. Gilmore Girls is my favorite television show.

57. Redeeming Love is my favorite book.

58. I have hazel eyes.

59. I have never colored my hair.

60. I love dancing…but I am not good at it.

61. Deep down inside, I don’t actually hate the fact that I have curly hair.

62. I write mostly in cursive.

63. I really don’t know what my favorite color is!

64. I do believe I could eat Chik-fil-A everyday.

65. I can think of a song for pretty much anything.

66. If I cannot think of a real song, I’ll make one up.

67. I would rather have some kind of cold sinus kind of think than be sick with something that involves my stomach.

68. This list is taking me a long time to complete.

69. I do not enjoy being in the car.

70. I have never had a pet.

71. I am really ok with that because our house doesn’t smell. And mom is pretty allergic to animals anyway and I am more concerned about her being able to breathe.

72. My favorite game we played in P.E. was kickball.

73. I love juice.

74. I have not been able to get the Sara Bareilles song, “I’m Not Gonna Write You A Love Song” out of my head for a while now.

75. I love taking naps on Sunday afternoons.

76. My room is ridiculously messy right now and it is driving me insane.

77. I like cooking.

78. I am, for the most part, optimistic.

79. I got pulled over for the first time about a month ago. I tried really hard not to cry…but I did. I got a warning.

80. I have learned SO MUCH in this past year.

81. I am SO BLESSED.

82. I get really quiet when I’m upset about something.

83. I really do not like bringing other people down with whatever may be bothering me.

84. I have five cousins.

85. I love Dr. Pepper.

86. I gave up soda at the beginning of the year and made it until…about May.

87. I am looking forward to taking voice and piano lessons in college.

88. And singing in a college choir.

89. And having many ministry opportunities!

90. Oh…and maybe being able to be in an opera! (not something I would make a hobby of…but what an awesome thing to say you’ve done!)

91. I am forgetting what I have already written on this list.

92. I used to work at Donatos Pizza.

93. I smelled like pizza when I came home. (duh…)

94. Now I work at a drug store. A quite interesting place, indeed.

95. Mosquitoes are insanely attracted to me.

96. I am not really looking forward to getting my shots updated for college.

97. I want to give blood…I am the only person in my immediate family that can.

98. I love shopping for piano music.

99. I would like to write a song by the end of the summer.

100. I LOVE JESUS

My goodness that took a long time. So now you know me a little better