I have a mother who is at battle for my soul, and when I am allowing someone in my life who doesn’t encourage me on my walk with Christ, she doesn’t back down. She’s a fighter. I’m the girl I am because my entire life my mother has prayed for me, well, actually, since my mother learned she was pregnant, she has prayed for the child she would 9 months later hold in her arms and name Chasley. I’m her only, and she loves me, and I am madly obsessed with the woman I call Mother. No one else in this world loves me as unconditionally as she does. She’s my prayer warrior, she always has been, and she always will be. I can’t thank God enough for giving her to me. She loves me when it’s easy, and she loves me when it’s hard. She has daily conversations with God about me, and for that, I could never thank her and God enough. She prays for my safety, my comfort, my heart, my attitude, my job, my friends, and my husband. She just celebrated her 28th Wedding Anniversary and I hope she is cruising the streets happy in her new gift from Dad. I’m a bit envious. She’s totally deserving, and I love her.
In the past week, Em and I have had eye-opening complaints of our ability to carry on a conversation. 2 scenarios, 2 girls, 2 true stories.
I’m wishy washy, but I am working on being less flighty. My dad can’t handle that he can’t predict my next move. But honestly, I’m sure I provide entertainment through Verizon Wireless as he travels home from work everyday. One minute, I’ll comment I do not eat dessert, and then the next I’ll be stuffing my face with a Gigi’s cupcake. I will never have a Facebook relationship status, because the morning I put information like that up, would be the afternoon I would have to take it down.
“When I finally say I love you to any man and really mean it, it will be like a defeated general who's lost all his troops, surrendering and handing his sword to the enemy.”-Natasha Rostov, War and Peace
On Sunday afternoon, Mark and I drove to the tiptop of Lookout Mountain where we reached the “castle in the clouds”, a place where for six years, one week of my summer was spent. Covenant College is the home of Summit, a Christian camp that is near and dear to my heart. The campers arrived shortly after we did, and we helped the chaperones, Mom and Pops welcome the junior high and high school students with open arms, hauling their luggage to the dorm rooms in my Sunday best and wedge heels. Many memories that I will never forget, always cherish and hold close to my heart have been made there, and many lifelong friendships have been formed there, like Mark. I knew I wouldn’t want to drive back down to reality after spending a few hours with old friends and new students, but I know God has me working with no earned time off for a reason, but next year, Lord willing, you can count on me being a “Mom”. I was able to see two of the girls who were in my family the last time I was a leader, and I can’t believe it had been three years since I had been up there. So this week, at the top of my prayer list is “Summit”, and I am asking you, as the week is coming to an end, that you will remember it in your prayers as well.
I miss the Café. Every day, I looked forward talking with the locals and passer by’s as I worked with Judy, Darlene, Kim, Amy, Lynn and Mrs. Bivens. I wish I could have worked there forever, and I still help with the catering when I can. Judy, thank you for allowing me into your family. I loved spending time with the three of you, and I hope we can have a Saturday Lake Day soon. Darlene, thanks for always making me laugh. You were the reason I was worried I would be fired from my job, because you always had me doubled over in giggly pain. Kim, thanks for not giving me too much of a hard time when “I got a Rueben!”, and I will always remember that conversation we had at the Café the day of the Tucker wedding. Amy, I can’t believe Joe is your brother. Who knew I would be working with the boy’s sister who canoed me down the Tennessee River for a day and a half. Lynn, I don’t know how you do all you do. I admire your work ethic. Mrs. Bivens, thank you so much for allowing me to work for you. You have such a great thing going in Scottsboro, and to you, I will always be thankful.
Darlene: “Oh, about the size of a toilet bowl.”
First and foremost, I can’t believe the date of my last entry. I’ve missed writing. I started the blog as a way to keep in touch with friends and family as I embarked on a new phase of my life, to talk about the most important relationship in my life and to hopefully provide a few laughs along the way. God has richly blessed me, and I wanted to share my experiences with anyone who would take the time to log on, so readers, thank you so much for your expressed “misses”. I am no writer or columnist, so thank you for hanging in there with me. As I watched the scene in SATC 2, where Carrie escapes to her apartment to write, I realized I missed what had once provided an escape from my everyday life. Writing has helped me to make sense of matters and to reflect on the lessons God is teaching me. So therefore, I AM BACK, and I am so excited! I have several topics lined up, like, my new address, my new big girl job, and of course, my hero Jesus Christ, who I am madly in love with. Things have changed a lot in the past two months; I’ve changed a lot in the past two months. So until Monday, carry on.
