Searching.

Jeremiah 29:13  "If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me" 

Are you searching for the Lord with ALL of your heart? 

Are you at a place of complacency? 

Do you feel a little stuck? 

No matter where you are searching...

What you are searching for...

You will NOT find the answers, the peace, the comfort if it is outside the Lord's heart

Go on a desperate search TODAY to go deeper still into getting to know the heart of our sweet savior. 

Trust.

Phew...I forgot how EXHAUSTED I get "working" with children! It is hump day and it certainly feels like a hump day...I am pooped! This is all too familiar. I remember the beginning of my student teaching feeling this exact way! I had to build up my stamina and then my body got used to getting up at 5:30 and hanging out with 5 year olds all day long!

*Who wouldn't hang out with my precious Kate Boland all day long* 

Since I am only at VBS from 9-12 (that's nothing right?!) I can atleast come take a nap afterwards. Haven't done it yet but I've said I was going to everyday :) My body just feels so weary. That is where VBS comes in..I am in desperate need to trust the Lord for my strength and endurance. Our VBS theme is called Son Surf Beach Bash this year and it is a lot of fun. The thing that has stuck out to me most is that we have been talking and singing a lot (Thanks Stacey, you are doing a great job-especially in your on stage element) about trust. Really getting into the motions too, can I get a shout-out for that Caroline Ford?! :)

How easy is it for us to not trust because we want things done our way and we want them done how we'd like them and in OUR timing. On the other hand, it is so easy to trust too. I am such a trusting person and it really is not always good thing! I can see someone in the store, on the street, etc. and it doesn't cross my mind to NOT believe what they are saying or doing. Mom always says: Trust no one until they have proven they are trustworthy. Good advice to have! How is it so easy for me to trust a complete stranger yet so hard for me to trust my sweet savior?

Trusting the Lord is one of those things that we have to continually remind ourselves to do because it is our human nature to hold on when God wants us to let go! Whether it is the next life step, jobs, children, the small things like breathing, walking, etc...we are called to trust in our sovereign God. Even though I want so bad to hold on with a tight fist, I am striving to loosen my grip, one finger at a time! Will you do the same?!

Isaiah 26:4 "Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal." 

It's Daddy Day!!!

Happy Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful father's out there! Thank you for all you do, for your love and support, for your encouragement and hard work! You are such a blessing!

Perhaps I am biased, but shout it out to the BEST dad in the world! Its true, I got him! Winning! :) There is something that everyone should know about my daddy and that is that he is so selfless. He puts all of us WAY before himself but more importantly He aims to serve the Lord in all he does.

Dear Daddy,

  From the beginning I have always been your little princess. I feel sure that I wanted to do everything just like you! Even hunt...you and I both know how that went, but hey it made for a cute photo!

I have always loved and still love sitting on your lap. I feel sure that we all just begged for your attention! You have taken us so many cool places and shown us so many cool things. Going to the beach as children and building sandcastles galore, boogie boarding and searching for sand-dollars. Yes we did buy you that shirt, "World's Greatest Dad," I can't really believe you wore it! :) Thank you for being proud to do it!

One of our all time favorite things to do as a family and just you and me is go to the lake. I can think of so many good memories at the lake, thanks to you! Learning how to ski, jet ski wars, being thrown off the tube, charleston trips...just to name a FEW! 

Through the years, I have always been your little baby girl. There has never been a time when I doubted your love for me and although I may have doubted that you really knew what was best for me, you always did! You have taught me how to love, have taught me what love really means, and I can honestly say that when the Lord has a future husband for me, I hope he is just like you! More importantly than ALL of the fun memories, the laughs, the tears, the sadness, the joy...you have instilled in me the truth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We have a sovereign God. Thank you for placing me on a firm foundation and for teaching me that the most important relationship we will have in life is the one with our sweet savior and the rest will fall into place...because he is sovereign! :) 

Thank you for loving me unconditionally, for treating me like a princess, and for being such a loving, encouraging, wise, and supportive daddy. I do not know what on earth I would do without you! I love you. Happy Father's Day! 

Stepping Stones...

When I think about life, at least where I am right now...I feel like it is a serious of stepping stones. I am walking, taking one step at a time...sometimes the steps are slow and sometimes they happen a little more quickly, as the Lord slowly unveils the immaculate plans he has for my life. So as I step, stone by stone, it is my prayer that with each step I am being drawn to the heart of the Lord, seeking HIS will for me, and being eager to serve and glorify him! 

This past week has been kind of crazy but guess what...I am on the next stone! I got into grad school...HALLELUJAH, thank you Jesus! So I guess I can say I am somewhat out of limbo. I still do not have certain plans and I still don't have a job, but that is one blessing that I could not be more thankful for. I will plan to attend SC State beginning in the Fall for their Speech Language and Pathology Program. It is all at night so I am looking for a teaching job, either full time or aid, and will live in Columbia. Can you believe it, I will be a speech therapist when I am 25....yeeekkkk :) I know I am from Orangeburg so it may seem silly to live elsewhere but I know and my parents, who are beyond encouraging and supportive, know that as a young single girl, Orangeburg just does not have much to offer. I am excited to get plugged into a church in Columbia and get to know some people my age and really be involved. 

I just got back from a wonderful half-week beach vacation and let me tell you, I am just non-too pleased to be back! :) I got some MUCH needed friend time...I have missed them so much. There is a lot the summer still has to offer and I cannot believe it already mid June. We start VBS on Monday and I am the 4K leader for lots of little 4-5 year olds. Throw up a prayer if you think about it...I am sure I will need it! :) I am just a little bit, okay maybe A LOT giddy about being with children for a WHOLE week, it's been too long! 

* I miss these sweet girls* (I miss the rest of the class don't worry) 

My life still has lots of unknowns and uncertainties and that is OKAY! It is learning to work through those times of fear and really draw near to the Lord and actively surrender to Him. 

P.S I keep forgetting my camera EVERYWHERE I go so I am kind of picture-less but I will start snapping some photos...and they will be up asap! ;) 

Limbo...

"Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD" Psalm 27:14

That is exactly where I am, stuck in limbo! I cannot make for sure plans, I cannot really move ahead until I know just a little something! It really is a very frustrating place to be! Working through that frustration is just as difficult. So for those that ask the notorious question (What's next??) the answer will be...I am on summer vacation! THANK YOU Mrs. Leigh for your wisdom and great comebacks :) I am still waiting to hear about grad school and when I find out about that I can make more plans, one way or the other!

* This is how I feel about limbo* :) 

In the meantime, I am still job hunting. Job hunting is HARD! For some it may just fall in your lap and thats AMAZING but those of us that would like to teach precious little angels...the jobs are slim to even more slim! I did have my first interview last week-the first is the hardest right?! Phew...that's out of the way! It went well and I got some great feedback and advice! It did not result in a full time job but I was very encouraged by the conversation with the principle and look forward to staying in touch with her and possibly still being a part of that school in some way, shape, or form.

*I could teach this precious girl, couldn't you?* 

I am still looking for other jobs around the state and have a pretty open mind. I don't have my heart set on one place so that could be a good thing, allows for a little more flexibility. In this time, I am just really having to learn to surrender, wait, and be patient. Those are hard things to do when I just want to know a little something! But I will continue to wait and be stuck in limbo with the assuring hope that the Lord has BIG plans for my life that will be made PERFECT in his timing. 

* In case you didn't know, Coco is part of the family, she's basically human...can't you tell* 

I need my friends...

Proverbs 17:17 "A friend loves at ALL times." 

I love being home, really I do! But regardless of how much I love being here...I NEED MY FRIENDS! 

I guess this is part of this hard/awkward/uneasy/unknown transition phase of life. I will never have the community like I had at school but I need some friends to be around. People that are in a similar stage of life, people that understand what it's like to be fresh out of college, I need the encouragement, laughter, support, and joy that comes from my friends. I miss that! 

I don't really have friends my age here in Orangeburg, and although I am loving spending time withe people I LOVE, that is getting old pretty quickly. I am TRYING to learn to be content where I am. The Lord surely is trying to teach me a whole lot in this time. I just have to capitalize on this free time I have and really use it to glorify the Lord and really seek his will for my life. I am taking it day by day..."Lord, what do you have for me TODAY?" 

Friends, I love you and miss you! Thank you for being so wonderful! 

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

The Simple Things

"How I love the simple things; the simple things just are" 

  Have you ever taken a second to really look and enjoy what's around you?! We, as Americans, as Christians, as men & women, boys & girls, get so busy with life, to-do lists, chores, kids, job hunts, errands, whatever it may be, that we all too often take for granted the simple things in life! The past few days a few of those things have been brought to my attention that just bring so much joy and happiness to my heart! 

*Megan and I graduated Kindergarten, High School, AND College together...I'd say our families have been pretty tight over the past 18 ish years! 

  This weekend we spent back and forth at the lake and it was so much fun. But one of the things I loved most about the WHOLE weekend was sitting on the dock enjoying chatting with mom-simple! We both noticed how BEAUTIFUL the hydrangeas were all around us-simple creation! The purple martins that were flying around in their own little pattern chirping away-simple creatures! They eat mosquitos, did you know that? Thanks purple martins! Mom and I can laugh about NOTHING, be silly, and that she always knows what I am thinking-its a gift really! My WHOLE life everyone has said, you are little Wanda, you look just like her, act just like her, have the same mannerisms, the whole 9 yards. I have always taken that as a compliment but I am really beginning to see that it's SO true, I am my mother made over and I would not trade that for the world. Mom always knows what to say, is always honest, so wise, a great encourager, and always knows how to make me smile! It just does not get much simpler than that! We laughed over angel food cake and pineapple goo and I know I could not tell you why were laughing but we both LOST it for goodness sake! That's only a mom gift! 

  I got home today from exercising at the Y and got in the truck with daddy to help him do what he loves...something with big boy toys and round-up is all I know. :) But it was just plain simple time that I spent with daddy! We ate supper, just the two of us, watched some NCIS-not to mom's surprise I'm sure- and I just enjoyed being with my daddy. My daddy taught me to shag and this past weekend we shagged on the dock as a boat was passing playing some tunes-only the dancing didn't last too long because of course he pushed me right in! There is just something so special about a daddy-daughter relationship and I take for granted so too often the time I get to spend with him! Yes I am 22 years old but I still love to sit on my daddy's lap. Not too long ago I was upset, so dad said come sit on my lap and I did and it was an instant sense of comfort and I could feel the overflow of love coming from both Mom and Dad. There truly is nothing like a daddy, especially one has good as mine! What can I say...I am just daddy's little girl, his little princess!  

  It's these simple things that I take for granted but that bring me so much joy and I feel so blessed. Take time to relish in the simple things of YOUR life! Enjoy them and do not take any of it for granted. Happy Wednesday!