Seeing as how I will spend my actual birthday sitting in the bus as we travel from Virginia to North Carolina, I guess I'd better just do a pre-birthday post!

So, tomorrow I turn 20. Twenty? To those who have already reached and perhaps passed that age, the significance no longer seems prominent. But for me, it's definitely a milestone! It bodes for change. A whole new aroma comes with saying "I am twenty" instead of "I'm nineteen." Alas, so long, my beloved teenage years! They have been rich and full. I have come far in becoming who I am in these years suffixed be the small sylable "teen." Today they are the present. Tomorrow they are the past. Yet how have I, one who is supposed to be  woman, altho I fear I am trapped in a litttle girl's mindset, possibly be entering "early twenties?" What a crazy idea.

Maybe I'll go into denial. Or...maybe not! Hey, guys!! I'm gonna be T-W-E-N-T-Y!!! Whoohoo!!

I was tagged several weeks ago, and was just tagged again, so I guess that I should fullfill the obligation once and for all!

Six Wierd/Random Things About Me:

1) I eat cottage cheese and chicken together

2) My favorite place to hang out by myself is on top of the bus I travel in (a good place to tan, too!)

3) I have a mole on the bottom of my foot, altho my sister always says it's a freckle, but who gets freckles on their feet?

4) I LOVE big, clunky ear-rings!

5) My favorite patterns are polkadot, argyle, and plaid (especially when it comes to clothes!)

6) I lift weights

As a human, and especially as a girl...I seek satisfaction. That is the way that God created us. In His wisdom, He created us with that empty space within our hearts that seeks to be filled, but that only can be truly satisfied with Christ. It's been described as a cup. Each of us has a cup that needs to be filled, and so we walk around throughout our day, going from person to person, place to place, food to food asking for something to be placed into our cup. Some "things" will satisfy, but nothing will fill with an everlasting fulfillment, apart from what is found and filled up in our heavenly Father.

On one particular day this week, I was doing great. I was tight with the Lord, people seemed to like me, I felt happy with myself...and then, at the drop of an unforseen hat, everything changed, and I was suddenly strickingly aware of my empty cup, and how suddenly nobody seemed interested in filling it. I immediately had a major mood/attitude swing, started getting depressed, and oh, did I feel unloved and regected. I looked at the people around me, and by the grace of God, I identified the moment of crisis as "Empty-Cup-Needing-To-Be-Filled Syndrom" and so, trying to remain cheerful and keep a positive outlook but utterly failing, I seperated myself from them, and went to a room all by myself. Alright, I thought to myself, since being around people right now will cause me to want to go to them for affermation, I will go and spend time with God. But, I confess, I secluded myself more with the attitude of having a "righteous pout" all by myself and God, than to truly seek His satisfaction!

With a sigh, I sat on a couch, and pulled out the bible study book that us team girls are doing with our revivalist's wife, Andrea and which has had a powerful impact on all of our lives, not the least of which being my own life. "Ok, God, I feel unloved right now. Let's fill 'er up" was my thoughts as I opened to that day's chapter. And it was titled:

"Overcoming Feeling Unloved."

Ok, God. You've got my full and complete attention now!

In the midst of a severe tornado watch all around us...I hung out in Birmingham with a dear friend! Got caught up at Starbucks, hit some malls, lunch at Johnny Rockets, drives in the rain...yup, it was fun!

Me and Elaine

Runnin' with the natives of Birmingham

Definitely candidate models for any store window...or not!!

Yeah, we're goofy together! )