walking next to you...

i know this is the third post of the day but i have to write about this because it is so neat. yesterday i was chatting with my lovely friend kim and she was telling me that she saw this purse and it made her think of me. she said the color and everything about it had my name written all over it:) well, i know everyone that knows me would totally disagree with me about this, but i am in need of a new yellow bag. the one i have currently is about to lose a strap so i was hoping to replace it...but i may have one too many purses so others may not believe that i need a replacement:)
well, i was going to check it out today because the price was very reasonable but before i had the chance to, kim came in with a bag and told me there was a little something for me in it. i had no idea what it was but when i saw the color it hit me and i smiled really big. i couldn't believe she did such a thoughtful thing but honestly, she is just the kind of person that would do that kind of super sweet thing. just being around her is such a wonderful experience and that is something that anyone who knows her will say. i have a new purse to sport to class tonight...kim, if you are reading this, thank you so much:) but mostly i am so grateful for the amazing people i have in my life. people who are constantly saying little prayers for me, constantly encouraging me, loving me, and i could go on and on. i am blessed. thank you friends:)

i have been excited about music. ok, well i am always excited about music. there is just something so good about it. i love to listen to it, watch and listen to people interpret it, and anything and everything else. for the past few months i have been playing music alongside some really talented people. we are getting ready to do music for this conference and playing and singing with them has rekindled my appreciation for it. i have been feeling like a non-musician for a while...mostly because i have been lazy but they have been challenging me and i love it. so much. i hope that i continue to grow...i would really like to musically. i am never expecting to be the greatest but i would like to better myself in that area because in all honesty, i really do love it. today i watched this trailer about some really talented musicians...um, i am pretty sure you will recognize them:) anywho, one of them is on a journey to learn and on not such an extreme level, i want to learn too. so good:)

are just so amazing that you can't really describe them. there is this family i know and they are those people. jon and lindsey are in ministry together and they have the sweetest little girls ever...really. jack and annie. you might remember annie from an earlier post, she is the cutest little redhead ever and jack may not have red hair but she is such a sweet gal. my buddy brian introduced me to their blog today and we watched this little movie:

cset...3 sections, check

del taco, check
ramen girl, check

coraline, check
bed time...ready.
sweet dreams friends:)

i am taking the cset once again today. the only thing that is a bit different this time around is that i am taking all three sections in one sitting. i will have 5 1/2 hours to complete a tad over 100 multiple choice questions and 9 essay response questions. they will be dealing with everything from mankind's 1st civilization to today's economy. i have studied quite a bit for this thing. last night i did something i have never done before. i did not try to cram bits and pieces of information into my brain. i usually do that before an exam but i was highly encouraged not to so i didn't. i was able to meet with a really cool group of ladies to tie up all ends for an upcoming conference and afterward, myself and some dear friends played and sang songs of praise to our beautiful creator. there is nothing else i would have wanted to do more at that time. it is so hard for me to think of anything but an exam when i am taking an exam when i realize i should be thinking unto the Lord for guidance even in a silly exam. i have been reading quite a bit these past few days...not only text books and notes and such but scripture. this morning i was reading ps 40 and a few things really stood out to me. first was, "how happy is the man who puts his trust in the Lord." i know when i am high anxiety, one of the hardest things for me to do is fully trust in the Lord. this is something i have been working on a lot these past few months. i have encountered many things that have led me to putting myself aside and fully relying on the Lord for His guidance. and i have no regrets in not listening to myself. i seem to be my biggest problem sometimes, more so my mind, but the Lord has been working in me:) the second thing was vs 8, "i delight to do your will my God, your instruction resides within me." it was a breath of fresh air for my soul this morning because if there is one thing that i constantly need to be reminded is that not my will but His be done. this life, what i am doing here, this exam, it isn't about me. it is about His glory being shown to others. my heart is to follow His word and the things He has placed before me and that in itself is peace to my anxious heart.

a friend of mine shared this with me the other day and i thought i would share it with you. o most loving Father, you want us to give thanks for all things, to fear nothing except losing you, and to lay all our cares on you, knowing that you care for us. grant that fears and anxieties in this mortal life may not hide from us the light of your immortal love shown to us in your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

are interesting. today, a man walked in with a helmet on his head. we were thinking he was going to remove his helmet to order his coffee but that didn't happen:) he pulled it down and ordered his coffee. i was thinking to offer him a straw but thought that may have had potential to sound rude and that was not my goal so i refrained.
i have been having such a neat week so far. it started out with a really amazing and unexpected weekend. i have my cset coming up this saturday so fun was the last thing i expected but i was blessed with a bit:) phil w. sunday morning, an amazing cheesecake factory lunch---broccoli cheese soup---yummy!, a little window shopping, and a trip to la which led to the purchase of some pretty neat wine crates...i will have to post a photo or two, they are really super.
i keep thinking there is something wrong with me because of the lack of stress i am feeling right now regarding my cset. there is a lot weighing on this thing and my stress level is low...and i am taking all three sections...yikes...we shall see:)
i hope you are all loving this week as much as i am.

ps...i finished ALL of my assignments for my current class which means i will have nothing to work on for the next two weeks with the exception of my tpa. such a terrific feeling!

today...it is such a good day:) nothing super exciting has happened yet and i really am not holding my breath but i am working with brian today and that is always a blast! today he decided to get creative. he has this really neat birthmark on his arm and he really likes it and i think that is great. anywho, he found a photo of a cherry blossom and drew one on his arm...using his birthmark. all of the light pink is the birthmark...he just added a few little branches here and there and it looks really grand. i hope he gets the real thing.

after a few hours of working today, austin came in. he is such a neat person. he has such a good heart and he really likes people and even if he tried to be mean it wouldn't work for him and i think that is so amazing. he brought me a little gift today and i was so wowed by it! it is a little breakfast at tiffanys framed poster and it is so sweet. he told me he saw it and thought of me! sooo sweet, right?! he is just that kind of person to do something like that. you know, in reality, most of my coworkers are like that. they are so thought and kind and you just want to be around them all day. that is what makes my job so enjoyable:)