its been awhile

Wow, its been almost 4 months since my last blog post. Shocking.

In about 6 weeks, I will be in England! I'm going through the School of Government's Oxford Program, so I'm sure it will be very intensive/interesting. Before I go, I need to read 7 books for one of the classes I'm taking...so far, 2 down, 5 to go.

Here's what I've read about so far: Muslims are changing the landscape of Europe and they're doing it at a very fast rate. In the past 50 years, "Arabs" have grown from 80 million to 320 million! A common expression I've read is that Muslims are going to "outbirth" Europeans (and eventually Americans). If you have time for some extra interesting reading, check out "God's Continent" by Philip Jenkins and "The Great Confrontation" by Ilya Gaiduk.

Last week, I went to the Coldplay concert at the Amphitheater. Everyone and their mom was there because Coldplay is AMAZING! When they played Yellow, lots of large yellow balloons were dropped from the rafters onto the crowd. That was awesome enough, but to top it off, they played my favorite song, which was an answer to my prayers.

Right before the concert started, I asked God to do me a little favor and have them play my song for me (its a really obscure one, so it was a stretch). The show was almost over and they had played all their popular songs, so I was prepared to leave without my "moment," but THEN they moved to a platform on the lawn really close to where I was sitting and played my song. SO WONDERFUL! It was such a worship moment for me...oh, the little things God does for me and you : ). I left that concert with my heart overflowing.

come what may

As I've been bombarded with article after article on the MSN newspage this week discussing love, how to be in love, how to find true love, how to kiss better, etc., I thought, "not one of those articles really discusses true love." It is only lust parading around as love. Such a farce. The secret many people give to finding love is to follow the correct body signals, dress wonderfully everyday (because you never know when you'll meet Mr. or Miss Right), and put yourself in the correct social circles. Love is so superficial...no wonder so many people get divorced.

Love is so much more than external beauty, attraction, and perfect manners. You have to choose to love. Instant attraction only lasts so long. Love is laying down your life for your friend. Bailing out when the times get tough is not love because love endures all things!!!!!

If only people were taught this stuff:

{1 Corinthians 13}

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind;
love does not envy;
love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.

But whether there are prophecies, they will fail;
whether there are tongues, they will cease;
whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part.
But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

Psalm 63:3 "Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you."

John 15:17 "This is my command: Love each other."

Just go to a concordance and look up "love" and you'll have hours of reading ahead of you. So, here's my abbreviated lesson for the day: Look to Jesus, because He is Love. Don't look to the ridiculous articles online.

Come what may, love never fails. Thank you, Jesus.

: )

Super Bowl ads

MSN came out with the "Top 10 Super Bowl ads" today (#3 is my favorite). Here are some more that I thought were pretty funny. If you have absolutely nothing better to do, take a look : )

Fedex "Cast Away"

Monster.com "When I Grow Up"

EDS "Herding Cats"

Budweiser "Streaker" (you may not need to see this)

and another Budweiser commercial

Enjoy : )

Inauguration facts(!)

In view of the looming inauguration, here are a bunch of facts about the ceremony. Anyone who has seen the Pink Panther movies knows it sounds way better to say "Fact!" with a French accent. Any piece of information with a French sounding "Fact!" before it sounds better, for that matter. So,

Fact -

The inauguration ceremony during which Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States will be the 55th inauguration ceremony in this country's history, and the 19th held since inauguration day was switched from March 4th to January 20th.Inauguration Day was originally set for March 4th in order to give members of the Electoral College from each State four months from election day to cast their ballots for president.

Fact -

Weather's greatest impact on inauguration day came in 1841 when William Henry Harrison decided to brave the elements and deliver the longest inauguration speech ever, an oration lasting an hour, 40 minutes.It was a cloudy, cold and blustery day, and Harrison, who wore neither hat nor overcoat, rode a horse to and from the Capitol ceremony. He subsequently caught a cold that developed into pneumonia. A month later, Harrison died.

Fact -

The warmest January 20th inauguration day came in 1981 when Ronald Reagan was sworn into office under mostly cloudy skies. The temperature at noon on this inauguration day was 55 degrees.

Fact -

The shortest inauguration speech was delivered by George Washington at his second inauguration on March 4, 1793. The speech totaled 135 words.

Fact -

At noon on January 20th the president-elect becomes President.

Fact -

Thomas Jefferson was the first president to complete his inauguration with a parade. Since Jefferson's second inauguration on March 4, 1805, it has become tradition for the president to parade down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House.

Fact -

There have been nine presidents sworn in on days other than inauguration day — eight following eight presidential deaths and one after Richard Nixon's resignation.

Fact -

The coldest inauguration came in 1985 when Ronald Reagan was greeted by extreme cold and wind. The morning low was 4 degrees below zero with the temperature reaching only 7 degrees by noon. The daytime high reached 17 degrees, but wind chill temperatures in the afternoon were 10-20 degrees below zero. The swearing-in ceremony had to be held indoors and the parade was canceled.

Fact -

Though anyone legally authorized to administer an oath could swear in the President of the United States, to date there has been one person to do so who was not a judge. In 1923, John C. Coolidge, Calvin Coolidge's father (a notary public), swore in his son after the death of President Warren G. Harding. Fourteen of the 20 judges to have administered the oath were Chief Justices, dating back to when Chief Justice Oliver Ellsworth swore in John Adams in 1797.

Fact -

Grover Cleveland is the only American president to attend two inaugurations as the outgoing president, enjoying the claim of being the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms. After four years as the nation's 22nd president, Cleveland was beaten in the election of 1888 by Benjamin Harrison, and attended Harrison's inauguration in March of 1889. Upon leaving the White House, Frances Cleveland told a staff member to "take good care of all the furniture and ornaments in the house, for I want to find everything just as it is now, when we come back again."When asked when she planned to return, she said, "We are coming back four years from today." And she was right.In the election of 1892, Cleveland was re-elected in a rematch against Harrison, and after four more years in office he attended the 1897 inauguration of William McKinley, who had defeated Williams Jennings Bryan.

and finally,

Last fact -

Ronald Reagan's second inaugural had to compete with Super Bowl Sunday. (1985)

God Bless America.

drink in the Word

I was reading this passage earlier this morning, and I felt like yelling it. Such good stuff. {Especially the part about being joyful and praying continually.} Basically, it watered my soul and all I wanted to do was just soak it up over and over again. So, of course, I had to share it with you all. I hope you're drenched in it : )

1 Thessalonians 5:12-24

Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

Be joyful always;

pray continually;

give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Do not put out the Spirit's fire;

do not treat prophecies with contempt.

Test everything.

Hold on to the good.
Avoid every kind of evil.

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

by faith

I don't know what to write, so read this chapter. This is POWERFUL stuff, especially the part about "looking for a better country -- a heavenly one." We're aliens in a strange land, my friends, so get used to it (or your) being wierd : )

Hebrews 11

1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for.

3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

5By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

11By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

13All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

17By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." 19Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.

20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.

21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

22By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.

23By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.

24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. 25He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

29By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.

30By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.

31By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.

32And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

39These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

shower the people you know with love

In an effort to escape from the economic/political/the world is at an end/who won the debate/stressful whirlwind currently stuck over the US, I've been listening to James Taylor.  Nevermind he's about as liberal as they come...he has amazing songs.  As I write this, I'm going to Carolina in my mind and thinking that love's the finest thing around.  Don't you agree?  Can't you just feel the sunshine?  

Speaking of sunshine, its a PERFECT day outside, and where am I?  Inside, writing a paper on impeachment.  Its my own fault for waiting until the last week before its due to start writing.  Fortunately, its not due until tomorrow, so I have time to hash out my thoughts on the best course of action Congress should take against renegade Supreme Court justices.  

The first thing that most people think about when they hear impeachment is "Clinton", but do you know the name of the other president that was impeached?  (it wasn't Nixon) No search engine cheating, please.  For a bonus point, name the only Supreme Court justice to be impeached.  

Now I really want to watch Jeopardy.  

Anyways, last night, my professor gave a devotion on the fact that God's number one concern is LIFE.  Not the economy, LIFE.  Jesus said, '"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."  If everyone had followed those commandments, then this whole economic mess would have been avoided and we wouldn't have such nasty comments coming from both sides of the presidential campaign.  I don't think we'll ever reach a utopia where everyone's greatest concern is sunshine and  roses, but I do think we could all be a little more respectful of each other.  People's lack of respect is probably the thing that annoys me the most.  When I see some stupid kid bossing their dad around, I get a little mad.  "Come on dad, you shouldn't take that, use the...rod of correction" is what I'm thinking.  

We all need to focus on loving each other, because that's what everyone desires the most.  Love.  : ) Many people claim to have unfailing love, but they fail eventually.  Only God loves us faithfully.  His plans for us give us life!  Its when we strike out on our own path of selfishness that our big problems get started.  

So, shower the people you know with love.  Tell them how you feel.  And R-E-S-P-E-C-T God and man.

The end.  

Hanna came, went, and was lame...

A week ago, I was pretty excited about the the possibility of Hurricane Hanna. I've waited all my life for a hurricane to be named after me, and when it finally happens...it turns out to be just a tropical storm. Lame. But still kind of cool, even though "Hurricane Hanna" did have a better ring to it. Schools and government buildings closed for a little bit of rain and breezes. That's what we do here in Tidewater (aka Hampton Roads)...we close for little tropical storms and an inch of snow : )

Even though Hanna didn't ruin your world, Google, Facebook, and any other social networking site can, according to The Independent. Google is becoming a GIANT one-stop shop for stalkers, lonely people seeking overexposure, and the directionally challenged. But other people use it too, like me...and I don't think I'm any of the above : ). I google everything, and I learned just this month that I can text questions to Google and receive an answer within minutes. Amazing. But I also learned that my house will soon be pictured on the web in the maps section, which is something I'm not too fond of, honestly. Some loser could stake out my house without me even knowing it because he's doing it all online. I'm on the lookout for the Google maps picture van....

And while you're on the lookout for Google, remember not to post super personal stuff online. Like social security numbers, address, date of birth, confessions of your deepest darkest secrest, etc. Not very smart. Ever.

Have a lovely and restful Sunday : )

Phelps, waffles, and nuns

So, today marks the end of the Summer Olympics. "The head of the Beijing organzing committee, Liu Qi, said the games were 'testimony to the fact that the world has rested its trust in China.' He called them 'a grand celebration of sport, of peace and friendship." While I don't agree with him that the world has rested their trust in China (that would be dangerous thing), I do agree that there was a lot of peace and love at the Olympics : ). For 17 sweet days, we were able to turn on the tv at any given hour (unless you were restricted to the 5 basic channels, like me) and hear the beautiful athem of the Olympics. It seemed like breaking a world record to win a swimming race was an unnoficial requirement. The Machine, Michael Phelps, seemed to think so. His seventh gold medal race was so close, I personally thought they should have awarded him and the other guy the gold...apparently, I was alone on that opinion : ).

Usain Bolt was another world record breaker. He stated that one of the secrets to his speed was due to all the yams he ate growing up. Remember that, all you aspiring Olympic runners : ). Someone should do a study on the effects yams have on speed...

In other unrelated news, today is officially Waffle Day!!! Before I knew this, I made some waffles today because I was suddenly craving them, and because there was nothing else to eat in our house. What do ya know? Without even knowing it, I was celebrating. You should celebrate waffles too.

One last piece of news: An Italian priest is organizing a beauty pageant for nuns. No joke. He feels like it would remove negative steotypes of all nuns "being old and dour." As he so aptly puts it, "being ugly is not a requirement for becoming a nun. External beauty is gift from God, and we mustn't hide it."

First thing that came to mind: "A beautiful nun is a tragic waste."

: )

Hasta luego, amigos.

summer high

God is so good. At the beginning of this summer, I have to admit that I was pretty bummed about my plans. Pretty much everyone I knew was going somewhere out of the country, and here I was, stuck in Virginia. But.....God knew what He was doing, and I couldn't have planned a better summer!! He's awesome like that, you know?! I've met so many amazing and inspiring people through my internship and various other things, and I am pumped up more than ever for whatever lies around the bend for me. The possibilities are endless, and I'm soooo excited!! The sky is bluer, the sun is brighter, and I'm smiling more every day. God has taken care of me : )

Through my friend Heidi, I was able to volunteer to work for God TV at the Call, and it was, in a word, AWESOME. I love working behind the scenes, and it was first time taking a peek into what goes on to put a show on live television. I got to sit in the production van, which was sub zero temperatures, and watch the director call the shots (I think that's what he's called....). I'm still really new to all the lingo, so forgive me COMM students if I fudge all the names....anyhoo, I had a lot of fun, and now I wish I had majored in Cinema Television. There's still a chance I could minor in it, so that's exciting. Being a producer is such an amazing job...you get to travel, meet great people, and be a part of reaching thousands, even millions of people. wow.

So, I ended my summer with a perfectly amazing weekend.

School starts in one week, so I'm trying to get back in academic mode. I think the only books I read this summer where Vanity Fair, sermons of different pastors, and I'm finished The Shack. Not too much to show for....but at least I read something. I read a TON of news articles, so I'm up to date with the world, which may or may not be a good thing.

ok, sunshine is calling me outside. Hope your day is blessed : )

I love Samantha

I have the cutest little sister named Samantha in the whole wide world.

So, Sunday, my family and a bunch of friends were down at the river celebrating Scott Wilcher's birthday(!!) and Samantha was a perfect model every time she spotted the camera. Attack of the cuteness!! I'm so glad God didn't stop our family at 9 kids : )

Every other kid down there over the age of 2 was enthralled with our family's golf cart....this is a game we like to call, "See how many kids we can pile on the golf cart before it collapses"

That back right tire's looking a little low....but it survived, I think.

Families are fun. the end : )

the wonder of immersion

"The adventure was too high, its circumstances too solemn, for any emotion save a severe delight. But the days - that is, the hours spent in the sunward hemisphere of their microcosm - were the best of all. Often he rose after only a few hours' sleep to return, drawn by an irresistable attraction, to the regions of light; he could not cease to wonder at the noon which always awaited you however early you went to seek it. There totally immersed in a bath of pure ethereal colour and of unrelenting though unwounding brightness, stretched his full length and with eyes half closed in the strange chariot that bore them, faintly quivering, through depth after depth of tranquility far above the reach of night, he felt his body and mind daily rubbed and scoured and filled with new vitality. Weston, in one of his brief, reluctant answers, admitted a scientific basis for these sensations: they were receiving, he said, many rays that never penetrated the terrestrial atmosphere.

But Ransom, as time wore on, became aware of another and more spiritual cause for his progressive lightening and exultation of heart. A nightmare, long engendered in the modern mind by the mythology that follows in the wake of science, was falling off him. He had read of 'Space': at the back of his thinking for years had lurked the dismal fancy of the black, cold vacuity, the utter deadness, which was supposed to separate the worlds. He had not known how much it affected him till now - now that the very name 'Space' seemed a blasphemous libel for this empyrean ocean of radiance in which they swam. He could not call it 'dead'; he felt life pouring into him from it every moment. How indeed should it be otherwise, since out of this ocean the worlds and all their life had come? He had thought it barren: he saw now that it was the womb of words, whose blazing and innumerable offspring looked down nightly even upon the earth with so many eyes - and here, with how many more! No: Space was the wrong name. Older thinkers has been wiser when they named it simply the heavens - the heavens which declared the glory - the

'happy climes that ly
Where day never shuts his eye
Up in the broad fields of the sky.'

(Out of the Silent Planet)

my patriotic coffee cup

In remembrance of the birth of our nation, I would like to submit the inspiring quotes that were on my coffee cup this morning:

"Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?
Forbid it, Almighty God.
I know not what course others may take, but as for me,
give
me
LIBERTY
or
give
me
death!"

~ Patrick Henry

and:

"I have sworn upon the altar of God
eternal hostility
against every form of tyranny over the mind of man."

~ Thomas Jefferson

Now those are true patriots. I hope we all have courage to stand up to tyrants.

Have a wonderful 4th of July! Sic semper tyrannis! : )

hoy, heute

Sunday was truly a day of rest. Only my dad and I were at the house, so we chilled on the couch and watched old movies most of the day. After my day of doing nothing, I was geared up for the week, and not so surprisingly, I was accomplishing way more than I expected...until I locked myself out of the house. I got home only to remember that I had left my house keys inside the house, and my dad wasn't coming home until late in the evening. Not content to roast outside the rest of the day, I borrowed a neighbor's ladder and broke in through my window. So there I am, two stories up, wearing a dress, pushing my AC window unit into my room so I can climb into the only unlocked window in our house. But it was kind of a blessing, considering the window unit needed to come out of my window anyways because its broken. Now I need to think of a creative way to move it from my bed into the garage.

Just thought I'd share this:

today in history...
sunglasses were invented in China (1200)
Congress outlawed polygamy (1862)
Estee Lauder was born (1908)
US cartoonist Elzie Segar created "Popeye" (1929)
UK returned Hong Kong to China (1997)

and this:

"Who, being loved, is poor?"
~ Oscar Wilde

...Make someone smile today!

how beautiful

I had forgotten about this passage:

2 Corinthians 6:3-13
"We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.
Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way:

in great endurance;
in troubles, hardships and distresses;
in beatings, imprisonments and riots;
in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;
in purity, understanding, patience and kindness;
in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love;
in truthful speech and in the power of God;
with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;
through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report;
genuine, yet regarded as impostors;
known, yet regarded as unknown;
dying, and yet we live on;
beaten, and yet not killed;
sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;
poor, yet making many rich;
having nothing, and yet possessing EVERYTHING.

We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also."

If only everyone chose to just glimpse at eternity like that and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

My whole being will exclaim, who is like you, O Lord?! (Psalm 35:10)

God is King, and a Lion...a Lion King

Did you know that anxiety is a sin?

In the midst of talking about the lack of world peace with my friend last night, I mentioned that my motto is "hakuna matata." If you've ever seen Lion King, you know that means "no worries." So, as I sit at work and read all about the world going to hell in a handbasket, I tell myself, "hakuna matata" and try to remember that God is in control. So far, its worked ok, but all the news still leaves my mind unsettled, which makes for some crazy dreams. As I'm telling my friend that, I am flipping through a magazine and the headline "No anxiety" flashes before my eyes just seconds after I said hakuna matata. God has perfect timing like that ; )

Naturally, in a typical Hannah gets happy manner, I mumble some jumbo about anxiety, Lion King, and something else unintelligible and start reading.

Anxiety is fear, worry, or apprehension. The writer says it is a sin for two reasons: you are distrusting God and it shows a lack of acceptance for God's sovereignty or providence in our lives.

Why shouldn't we worry? Because "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7) He tells us NOT to worry about tomorrow, because each day has enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:34). Furthermore, He says to cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7, Psalm 55:22)

It is such a simple message, but it seems to be the last thing I think about when I start stressing about something. Why should we worry about tomorrow when God owns everything! He is in control, He knows what's going on, and there is nothing we can do to change His plans. Worrying won't add a single day to my life, or yours.

Of course, avoiding worry doesn't mean we can check out of life when trouble strikes. We need to face the storms and trials in our lives. As we are being pressed and molded (which is pretty painful 99% of the time), we must remember that God is working that situation for our good, and we must be faithful to obey. We can't forget our warrior sides : )

Even more exciting to me was the connection I made with anxiety and the definition of sin. Sin is transgression, which can be defined as "stepping over the boundaries." We've all heard about how we need boundaries and that removing boundaries not only makes for a terrible society, but also a troubled heart. Two nights ago, I was reading Psalm 16 over and over again, and verse 6 really caught me: "The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance." When we are following God's plan for our life, why would we need to worry at all? Maybe anxiety can also act as a warning that you've stepped over the line into sin territory. Kind of like those shock collars for dogs...it really hurts.

God's lines in the sand are good, and it would be less stressful to find that out by staying behind the line instead of crossing it to see for ourselves if the grass is greener on the other side.

I'm not perfect, and neither are you, so we might be apprehensive and fearful 5 months, 5 days, or even 5 minutes from now. But God still loves us, and He still has the whole world in His hands. Its ironic how becoming a control freak only leaves you more fearful instead of more in charge of control.

That was longest post ever. The end.

...the sun is shining on my smiling face

here's something that may or may not be news to you: GOD IS ON THE MOVE. The past six months have really confirmed that reality to me. So much has happened this year already, but I believe the best is yet to come. I try not to imagine what the best could possibly be, because my imagination is so limited. God is so unlimited.

case in point -- I constantly misjudge people. ok, so I'm trying to move away from the whole judging people in the first place, but when I meet someone who is so pro-choice, or so "something opposite of what I believe," I mentally put up this wall. Yes, I will be their friend and try not to get into arguments with them, but sometimes I limit God's work in their lives. I may automatically think that God can change their heart, but do I really believe that? Even if you run away, kill someone, or hide in the bottom of a boat, God never forgets about you and His plan for your life. So, God can change the heart of an abortionist. He can redeem a murderer. He can rescue the captives. Who am I to say otherwise? It is certainly not my responsibility to decide who God can and cannot save. All I have to do is learn to love, even when someone seems unlovable. I also need to realize that I am not always right (1% of the time...just kidding!).

so, I'm learning to be transformed, and so are thousands of people all over the world. God is moving in Lakeland, and He's moving in Hampton Roads, and He's moving all across the world. There is nowhere He cannot go. Even as China's in the midst of all the earthquake, Olympic, and political turmoil, God is moving in the hearts of the Chinese people. He is in control, no matter how many tornadoes, hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, or plagues strike the earth.


Not only does being transformed save me from my own sin and problems, but it saves people around me. I constantly go back to Isaiah 58, which talks about true fasting. God calls us to be humble, to free the captives, to share your food with the hungry, and clothe the naked. When I am walking in the right path, people I touch will be blessed. Don't you want to be a blessing?

what a great thing to think about all day (or all your life for that matter)! It puts a smile on your face and a joy in your heart.

: ) : )

another day in the life

here I am, in Richmond, at the Family Foundation. This is my second day at FF, and I can confidently say that I know much more about the General Assembly and the transportation tax then when I first came here : ). I've been working on letters to the editors of different newspapers, and my dry humor and shock ability are wearing out...its hard to impress so many editors at once and hope your 2 cents get published.

I've also learned that dowtown Richmond is very confusing....I've haven't gotten to the interstate the same way twice yet. Yesterday, as I was trying to navigate my way to Short Pump mall, I navigated 30 minutes out of the way and through three tolls before I was able to get on the right road again....arg. Such a waste of gas, but the good news is that I now know which way NOT to go : ).

During my lunch break today, I went to the Bell Tower at Capitol Square and browsed the visitor center. Richmond has SO much to see, so I'm excited to start my tours as soon as possible. There are so many historical sites, museums, libraries, old houses, cool restaurants, etc. It will be hard to fit in all that I want to see by August.

ok, update finished.

FYI: the new tax increase proposed by Governor Kaine...BAAAAAAAADDDD. More taxes are not the only way to fix the problem. Besides, when was the last time the government throwing your money at something fixed a mismanagement problem?

apple dumplings

twice a day, I pass a beautiful little Baptist church, and every few days, a different little quote or saying is posted on the sign out front. Even though the lines are usually pretty corny...."if life stinks, we have a pew for you"...they stick in my head the whole day and I end up over-analyzing the theological implications of the line. Does "we have a pew for you" mean that when life gets tough, you get going to your church instead of confronting your problems? Does going to church always help solve your problems? What is church? etc, etc, etc.....and so it goes on. Hannah's lesson learned? Life and your problems don't have to be so complicated. Its so true that "all you need is love." The verse that I keep turning to these days is Ephesians 3:17-18:

"I pray that you,
being rooted and established in LOVE,
may have power,
together with all the saints,
to grasp
how wide
and long
and high
and deep
is the love of Christ."

We are called to love each other deeply (1 Peter 4:8). We spend our whole lives trying and failing every day to become more like Jesus, who loved completely. I certainly don't want to be perceived as a clanging cymbal at the end of my life. I want to love and be loved...deeply. Every day, I get another chance to become more like Jesus (if he decides to give me the chance). And so, I look forward to tomorrow, which has no mistakes or blemishes.

Speaking of the best years of my life : ), I'm watching The Apple Dumpling Gang. My family has rented that movie probably about 20 times, no joke..we should own it. I rented it for the 21st time tonight, and now I sit here, watching it with my little sisters, remembering my childhood. Sweeeeeeeet. Hopefully, when they "grow up", they will remember this movie as sweetly as I do.

and now I'm craving apple dumplings...and I'm going to name my first girl Magnolia (just KIDDING)

watch it! its wonderful

: )

"bye!"

wordsworth remembering

I have been on summer break for a week now!!!! For the first time in several years, I am NOT taking summer classes, and it is a glorious feeling. Instead, I will be interning with the Family Foundation in Richmond and spending the weekends working on my mad tubing skills at the Chowan River. With all this extra time that I have acquired, I decided I need to catch up on my reading list.....so here's a question:

What books should I read this summer?

I'm open to any genres...novels, biographies, etc. From my current list, I have books such as G.K. Chesterton's Orthodoxy, Jane Austen's Persuasion, and Richard Wurmbrand's Satan and Marx...any personal favorites you think I should read (besides the Bible)?

: )

ok, thanks!

and congratulations to all the people graduating this Saturday!