Ash & Evergreens

Sonetimes it gets really old seeing "_____ really made me realize life is sacred and shouldn't be taken for granted.." or something along those lines. Do people actually understand how precious life is?? How someone couldn't wake up the next morning. Schools have come together after deaths. Such as when Noelle died, it didn't matter who went where, peEople recognized that she was a life and people were hurting. Do these people that have passed actually make you realize that life shouldn't be taken for granted? Or are you just saying that and then you'll go back to living the exact same way!? Especially if someone saying (what I said in the first sentence) isn't in the Kingdom, how can that person really think life is precious when they aren't thinking of the living that goes on, after physical death, with Christ? I guess I'm just tired of people saying one thing and not actually acting on it. I've had a friend/teammate di...

"and unto us, in the city of David, a child was born..." that child was Jesus Christ, soon to be Savior of the world. :) It's been a great Christmas. For me, it's felt like Christmas... Off and on. It may be because it's 60 degrees outside?!?!? Lol. But, no, it's been really great. My grandpa came in from Kentucky to celebrate with us. We went to Bonefish for Eve dinner, went to a get together with the friends we've gotten together with for about 4 years now, and then went home and opened our Christmas eve presents. Which are always pajamas:) hehe. But grandpa also brought something with him. He brought me the watch I've been looking all over for! (I've found it before, but they're all freaking bedazzled) when he brought me it, it also came with 4 other colors. It's incredible. I was psyched. So, this a.m. I was last to get up.. If mom hadn't woken me up who knows how long they woulda waited :P we gathered in the den and re...

     I've been praying/wanting for so long for that one friend that is just above the others. A best friend. I have such a broad span of friendships and relationships, and it's great! and I'm thankful for them all, really, I am.      But ever since I moved to TN, I've hoped that God would give me someone. Someone who would want to text me and talk and hang out with me as much as I would them. Someone who could walk into my house and mine theirs and we'd just be like hey. Someone who helps me build my relationship with God, loves sports, and if we fight, we couldn't stay mad at each other for long. Some body who won't get tired or annoyed with me.      In the past couple of years, I've learned so many things. It's extremely hard to try to come into somebody's life, when they already have established those (best) friends in the years before. And even at church, there's no one who really likes sports like i do (girl wise). ...

A hot topic now-a-days is Tim Tebow. I've been doing a lot of thinking. Especially in the shower, because that's where all life's decisions are made, and I never really appreciated him before. I'm not a fan of the Gators, so when he was with them, it was just like "ehh."      He's been a hot topic lately because of his relationship with Christ. I saw something recently, that one of my mom's friends posted on FB and it has really made me think. It said something along the lines of...      " If Tim Tebow scored a touchdown and was blowing kisses into the stands to his boyfriend or OBVIOUSLY praising Ala for it, people would just say 'good for him, he's standing up for what he believes in.' But he mentions Jesus Christ and everyone jumps all over him and criticizes him."      After hearing all of this, i am a big Tim Tebow supporter now, because how many famous people, or even people, do you know that get put under pressur...

"friendship has lot to do with who you've known the longest...But it also has a lot to do with who has come into your life and never left your side." "Apologizing doesn't always mean you're wrong and the other person was right. It just means you value your relationship more than your ego." "I'll lean on you and you lean on me and we'll be okay." - Dave Matthews Band "Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born." - Anais Nin "A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart, and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words." - Sent by Donna Roberts "A friend is one who believes in you when you have ceased to believe in yourself." - Sent by Lysha "Two may talk together under the same roof for many years, yet never really meet; and two others at first speech are old friends." - Ma...

Oh my goodness. Tonight was incredible. It was our Wonderland Ball and this is only its second year. Everyone gets all dressed up in their pretty gowns or handsome tuxes. And it's just a really fun night. Mrs. Swafford is the mastermind behind it all and it sure looks incredible. One upping every year. Senior year is gonna be super awesome. Beyond indescribable, because we will he seniors( including Julia, her daughter). Anyway, she does and awesome job and we can't thank her enough, along with everyone who sets it up and takes it down. I got to help set it up:) I hot to tape and paint with glitter. Glitter EVERYWHERE!!! All over me too. Me and 8 other friends went out to eat before the dance, to demos'. 8 of us girls and 1 boy, whose date was one of the girls. It was so fin. And getting to the dance was super great. Bit (rented) stretch limo as a prop, outside, in front of the red carpet and mr. Gregory as an interviewer. Yes! Lol. Music was g...

Well, I officially have the money for my mission trip. And will be leaving a month from yesterday. Truly incredible. God opened the doors and He has something great planned for me, or else He wouldn't have opened them.       I'm so excited to go! It's going to be Incredible! This will be my second time out of the country on a mission trip and I'm super blessed to be going. People provided me with prayer and money and got me to this spot. I got one of 4 seats left on the plane and I got the scholarship money I asked for from the ministry we're going with.      I cannot wait for God to show me what I need to learn while I'm there or even on the way or back or whatever! I've heard that it is an amazing place, so I can't wait to experience it first hand. I'm am going to bless and serve but will most likely be served and blessed. That is the beauty of mission trips. THANKS!! =)

I'm not stressed, per say, but I could be calmer. That time of the month + exams + pointless dramas + sports = on tired, and sometimes moody, Alex.      I hold it in as well as I can. But when I study and nothing seems to stick or can't work out because the power keeps shortaging in the back building, I get a little peeved. Right now, I'm missing my small group Christmas party to study. We had to get each other "secret stocking stuffers." Usually, when I do a gift, I try to do my best at making it sentimental and all out. But, I have not had time to go out an really look for what my secret person asked for, so I got her a scarf. It's a cute scarf, and I really hope she likes it.. but I wish I could have done more.      I'm tired, and my brain is at full capacity, if not over. I'm pretty sure I could cry. Dear Lord, please give me strength. I have two days left, and I surely cannot do this alone.      Anyway, I just had to ra...

Well, Tonight was incredible. I get more and more proud of my team every game. Even when we lose, I'm proud.      Tonight, we won though =) We got out there and started out pretty rough. We were down 18-8 in the first quarter. But by half time we had played hard and climbed back to a one point difference. 24-23.      By third quarter I was pooped haha. I had played the whole game so far. And I ended up playing the entire game. But hey, it was worth it! We won. Hannah S. had the play of the game in my eyes. The shortest girl on the floor and the tallest girl on the floor were fightin it out for the jump ball. On the floor. Wrestling match. Hannah's face was so red and intense, cause that passion came out and she wasn't gonna let #11 get it. So Very Proud. And there were other great plays in the game. We played really well.       I was kind of disappointed tonight though. After every game we circle up and pray in our room...

Pause for a moment and think about a time or a few times where God has just completely provided for you. It's truly incredible is it not? The feeling of bewilderment/excitement/praise that overcomes you is unexplainable. That happened for me tonight. I really want to go on a mission trip to Nicaragua in a month... But it's super expensive. We've sent out some emails to get some sponsorship, because by myself, there was no way I could earn the money (quickly) nor did I have enough saved from my bday. As my family and I were sitting around the dinner table we were talking about the trip and how we've been praying that God will provide. And a couple of people have already sent money (woohoo) and several have volunteered to, but haven't yet. My mom told me to run out to the mailbox and see if anything had come. The first letter on the stack was for me. I got back to the table, excited, and opened it. I started to tear up, haha. But for real, the chec...

Honestly, When I woke up the first morning in Haiti, I had no idea what was going to happen to me that week. What was God going to show me? Who would I gain relationships with? Would I ever come back?      A couple of my friends and I were talking at breakfast and we felt kind of trapped. It wasn't like going to visit the grandparents in KY and then getting to go home whenever. But, we were overseas, in a different country, the language barrier was significant (even with the little bit of Creole we had learned), and we were overwhelmed.      We had to push through though and see what was in store for us that week. That was the beginning. When we would hang out around the compound, with the compound/village kids, I would kind of do it half-heartedly. So many of the youth on our trip had quickly found kids that they just absolutely fell in love with. I hadn't yet, but really wanted to.      The first time I got the chanc...