Rambling Autobiography

I watch the Jersey Shore every week with my best friends. In kindergarten I got a spanking from Mrs. Lakey. When I was 10 I was in a girl band with my neighbors called "The Spices." I married my best friend a year ago. I remember exactly how it felt when my high school football team won state my sophomore year. When I was 5 my dad was killed in a motorcycle accident. In 1991 I became a big sister. Orange is my favorite color. Noah James is my beautiful nephew who I'm crazy about. As a kid, my sister and I would play Barbies all weekend long, turning the entire living room into a world of imagination and play. I am a sinner in need of grace and I'm completely in love my Savior who gave it to me. My favorite teacher in high school was Mrs. Spurlock because she made me feel like I mattered. I have a pit bull mix who is so sweet and would never hurt anyone. My favorite book of the Bible is James. Tangled is the best Disney movie ever in my opinion. I enjoy fuzzy socks. Sigma Alpha is the sorority I pledged in Fall 2010 and I treasure all the sisters God blessed me with. I was a dalmatian for Halloween once. Sweet tea is my favorite drink. My God is incredibly faithful one hundred percent of the time. I slapped a boy across the face in 8th grade for insulting me. I'm going to be an Air Force wife in May. My memaw is the kindest and most pure woman I know. I wear a size 8 shoe. I played softball for 12 years. My absolute favorite thing to do is worship my God. I want to see the Backstreet Boys in concert before I die. I didn't go to my senior prom. I love pickles more than anyone I know. My mom is my earthly hero. I enjoy cupcakes with butter cream icing. I pretended to like a style of music I really couldn't stand to impress a boy when I was 13. Calla lilies are my favorite flower. I was an eagle at my first school and also my last. At a sleepover in 4th grade and Katie Hannah's house we dipped a girl's hand in water to see if she'd wet the bed; she didn't. I've never been further west than San Antonio, TX. I have my dad's temperament and my mom's phenotype. I will finally graduate college after 6 years of school. My sister and I have a secret understanding that no one else gets. I want to have 4 children before I'm 35.

cultural trends we follow

For a while now I have been amazed at the people our culture is astounded by. I'm surrounded by Christians who bash other Christians who are famous, while relishing in the disgusting trends of stars like Lady GaGa. I have a belief that we Christians need to support each other and the same Biblical principles we follow for our friends and the people in our immediate circle should apply to Christians who are famous. For example, Tim Tebow. I have heard Christians talk filthy filthy things about him. This always confused me because Tim Tebow has used his fame and the spotlight put on him to bring glory to Christ. No matter which team we root for, as Christians, this should please us! This should make us proud and we should feel encouraged. We should acknowledge how God is using our brother's talents and fame to glorify Himself. Likewise, with artists who are Christians we should pray for them that God would use their fame to bring himself glory. We should pray that they would not lose sight of God in the midst of their fame. And when they publicly acknowledge Christ as the giver of their talents we should be so encouraged and thankful. Even if we don't like their particular genre of music or style of clothing; what should matter to us is what they stand for and who they represent. My best friend is athletic and I am not. I don't talk trash about her because I think sports are a waste of time; I am thankful and proud that God blessed her with those talents and gave her such a passion for something. I am also incredibly humbled by how humble she is.

We need to stand together as Christians and support one another as we go out into this world that is not our home preaching the Gospel and proclaiming Christ as Lord. Whether their mission field be Africa, Denton TX, the VMAs, or the NFL, we should be proud and supportive, accepting and appreciating our differences, and clinging to what we have in common: Christ.

And just like that, you lose control

I am the girl who struggles deeply with patience, hates the unknown, has every detail of the next year planned as well as a pretty good broad life plan, and does not like change. So you can imagine my surprise when my husband tells me he wants to join the military. This was never part of our plan and I didn't even take him seriously. But after a week of hearing him talk about it I began to entertain the possibility and told him to explore his options. About a month later he's filling out the Air Force application, studying for the test, working out, talking to a recruiter, and meeting with advisers to rearrange his fall schedule. It looks like this is going to happen. But the most surprising thing throughout this entire process hasn't been Crockett's sudden new direction, it's been my reaction to it all. I have had such a peace and even excitement about all of it...

About 3 months or so ago I began to feel God putting missions on my heart. There was constant affirmation that this was his calling, from the book we studied in home group to countless sermons to the way it kept popping up in conversation, but most importantly that I couldn't shake the desire to get out there and do something for His name's sake. I talked to Crockett about it and he seemed interested, but didn't think there was an immediate plan concerning missions in our future. So I sat back with it and tucked it away, trusting God's timing would reveal it all. And then Crockett sprang the military on me. Once again, I feel a strong desire to go; to just drop everything and run with this. I feel like this is what God was preparing me for. The opportunity to travel with the military and move from base to base every 1-2 years could be completely terrifying if I thought about it from a "me" point of view. I won't be able to maintain friendships. I won't be able to settle in a career and climb the ladder. I won't be able to watch our children grow up in the same house and mark their heights each year on the door frame. I won't get to find a church home and grow there over the years. But the overwhelmingly great news is it isn't about me! There is so much I'm going to get to do to bring glory to God! I get to travel his beautiful creation and meet tons of people to share His gospel with. I get to be an example of God's everlasting faithfulness and provision through the trials and pressures that come with deployment and separation from my husband. I get to raise my children in a realm of uncertainty teaching them that our only hope is in Christ and he is our constant source of comfort and provision. I get to be an ambassador for Christ in a way I never dreamed of for myself. I am so excited about this because I know that God's plan is always the very best. He knows what will bring him glory and me joy and any time he wants to redirect my feet or step in and turn me in another direction he is more than welcome to take the lead. In the past I have struggled with this, no, battled with this. I have constantly wanted to tell God what is best for me and what will lead to my joy, but this time is different. The Holy Spirit has graciously lead my heart to trust. My soul is at peace. I know that Crockett is following Christ so I have no fear in following him. I am so blessed to be married to a man I can trust to follow the Spirit's leading. Our family is in for a wild ride we never saw coming, but I can honestly say I am so excited to see what God is going to do and how he is going to use me and allow me to be a part of his glorification. All praise is due to Him!