THE WEEKEND!

Ah, it's the weekend....the 2 days of the week that I look forward to always!

This weekend, I plan to do some of this...

And then work on a couple of these...

for them....

using this...

These are my God-daughters R and N...two precious little girls whose parents trust me enough to take care of them if they can't. They lost their dog, Pepper, yesterday. Pepper had been a part of the family for 8 years...longer than N has been alive, and since R was only just a little over a year old. They're having a tough time with it, so please pray for them, and their mommy and daddy, too. Pepper was a special member of the family...I'm going to miss her a lot too.

The paper is on hold for the moment. I've got a meeting scheduled with my committee chair on Tuesday to talk about how I should go about finishing it up. Prayers would be appreciated on that note too!

My birthday is next Sunday...hopefully, I will be spending my birthday weekend with two great girlfriends...YAY! Starting my 38th year...and I have faith that it will be the best yet!

Wishing you all a happy weekend!

This and that

So, I'm feeling a bit of stress these days. I've got this huge paper to construct and things are just not going according to plans. Lent has fallen by the wayside...I'm still doing pretty good with the sodas, the eating out...so-so, but the exercise? Null, nada, nothing. The energy is just not there. Thing is, if I would exercise, the energy would be there...such a vicious cycle. I am just so ready to get this paper DONE and out of the way. I am in a holding pattern right now, waiting to see if I can pull it off with the research and data I've collected, or if I'm going to have to do more...ugh.

So, that's what's going on in the world of Becky...what's going on with you?

Lenten Disciplines

For a number of years, giving up or taking on something for Lent was a Catholic tradition, but in the past 20 or so years, it has spilled over into the Protestant church. Lent, the 40 days before Easter, when we focus on Jesus' sacrifices, has always been observed in the Presbyterian church, it has just become a much more disciplined process.

I always give up something for Lent. You know, the requisite soda, french fries, chocolate. But last year, my pastor, Brandi, started talking about giving up a "negative" discipline and taking on a "positive" discipline. This year, I am taking Lent to the limit! Here is what I have done: I have given up two "addictions"- drinking 5-6 sodas a day and eating out when there is plenty of food and time to prepare food at home ( I still eat out if I am out with a group, friends, etc....just not when I can very easily prepare something at home). Let me tell you, the eating out has not been so hard, but the sodas? That's been a bear! I do allow myself one soda with caffeine in the morning (my "coffee") and one decaf in the afternoon...although I TRY to do without that one. Woo...I'm definitely getting the lesson in sacrifice. As for taking on a "positive" discipline, I am trying to exercise at least 3 times a week. The eating out has taken a toll on the waistline and I've got to do something about it. I am starting to train to fully run a 5k...I did 2 5ks last year, and I ran some of both of them, but walked more. My times were 58 minutes and 48 minutes, so my goal for the next one is 38 minutes! I know I can do it if I put my mind to it.

SO, Jesus went through an unimaginable amount of "stuff" for us...what sacrifices are you making in the name of our Lord this season?

For Those Who Wonder What's Going On!

I've got so much going on in my life that I thought I would revisit the blog I created more than 2 years ago but did nothing with. I have several journeys that I want to keep track of, and what better way than this?

Journey 1: I am deep in the throes of Master's project insanity. Graduation was supposed to happen in December but everything did not align just right, so I'm looking at project completion by mid-May and "official" graduation in August. For those who do not know, I am working on my second Master's degree at Clemson. I will receive a Master of Science Degree in Youth Development Leadership....this leads to Journey 2.

Journey 2: Soon, I will begin to put out my feelers for jobs. Due to Journey 3, which I will talk about shortly, I will be looking in the vicinity of Upstate South Carolina so that I can be in close proximity to my nuclear family AND my extended "family". With a degree in Youth Development Leadership, anything having to do with youth programming is fair game. My dream is to eventually begin some kind of community center in Greer. Greer doesn't have a place like that and I've always envied cities and towns that do. In the meantime, I am interested in the not for profit sector...Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Club, Communities in Schools. I love my current job as an assistant to moderately mentally disabled kiddos, so if that is where God continues to lead me, that is where I will stay until God leads me elsewhere!

Journey 3: I am in the VERY VERY beginning stages of adoption. For me that means that I am researching options, researching agencies, and beginning to tuck away extra funds. I STRONGLY feel God calling me to adopt, but there are so many options, and I can't yet focus on just one. They all appeal to me, and I am very excited to be in this thoughtful stage!

Journey 4: I continue to volunteer at my church, Greer First Presbyterian, with our wonderful youth...most of the youth I work with now are kids who were born when I first joined the church and throughout my college years. It has been so fun watching them grow up, and it is awesome to observe the adults they are becoming. In the next few months, there are a number of activities that I will include on here.

So there you have it...4 different adventures, and those certainly don't include my travels, which I hope to include on here too! I hope you will read my updates and keep me in your prayers!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11