Copying is Flattery, right?!?!

What does one do when they have a blog that is currently on life support and continually finds themselves with nothing to write about? I don't really know the answer, but it's a question that I have been asking myself over and over again and I have decided that what I will do is take ideas from blogs belonging to my friends and hope and pray that they take the copying as a sincere form of flattery!

Up first...an idea from my roommate and newest addition to my blog reader, Martha. After years of reading blogs, she has decided to venture into the blog scene. Though she's just getting started, I'm sure her blog will be filled with lots of wonderful posts. In order to introduce the blog world to all of her friends, she has started a little series called Meet My Crew. I love the idea and realized that there are quite a few people that I have mentioned on my blog, but not really talked about. So it begins...my first installment of Meet My Crew.

Since I am taking the idea from Martha, I feel it's only best to start with her.

Martha and I first met right before I officially moved to Birmingham. I was visiting a Sunday School class and she introduced herself. Despite the fact that she was an Auburn grad, I knew, even then, that we would be friends.

A little less than a year later she found herself in need of a new place to live and I found myself getting blessed with one of the best roommates ever. I tell everyone that I'm going to live with her until one of us gets married...I sure hope she doesn't get sick of me before I walk down the aisle...or that she walks down the aisle and leaves me too soon!

As small town, southern baptist, SEC football loving, sewing machine owning girls, we have a lot of similarities. Yet even with all of the similarities, she has taught me so many new things...and helped me to love even more the things that we have in common.

Here's a small smattering of reasons why Martha is the absolute best...

• Parties, Parties, Parties...I've always wanted to have a warm and welcoming home. Now that I live with Martha, I no longer have to want it, I have it. She exudes southern hospitality and because of that our home is always filled with people, especially when she decides to throw one of her parties.
• Mad cooking skills...she may not cook every night, but whatever she cooks, or bakes, always turns out PERFECT.
• Words, words, words...She knows my love language is words of affirmation and she speaks it to me oh so well. It's one thing to speak words of encouragement and thanks when they are expected, but Martha has the "out of the blue" note down to an art. Walking into my room and seeing a little envelope with my name on it sitting on my dresser is sure to bring a smile...and more than likely a few tears as well.
• Old school music...Some of my absolute favorite times are when we are sitting around in the living room, both on our computers. When all of a sudden we start taking a walk down memory lane with our old school music...especially the old school church music. I don't know, but it delights me to no end.
• Tough love...she says that I'm the queen of giving it, but she's pretty durn good at giving it right back. I love how whenever we are talking I know that she is always looking out for my best interests. It's the part of friendship that you can't teach, and she has it.
• Curly hair...I literally have hours of my life back thanks to Martha. After years of trying, I thought it was hopeless, but in 10 minutes one night she had me feeling like a real, live, curly haired girl.
• Pictures...I love pictures, and have always done a good job at organizing them and getting them printed. Martha takes it one step further and keeps the frames updated. It's so nice to see updated photos of people we love all around the house.
• Thinker...It's not uncommon for us to listen to a sermon and then chat about it. I feel like my observations are pretty basic, but Martha always seems to dig deeper. I love that, and it helps me to dig deeper too.
• Embracing the moment...Martha truly knows how to enjoy the moment. I'm so glad that I'm getting to live my "single days" with her because it makes me love this stage of life even more. We don't spend hours wishing and planning a wedding. Instead, she has helped me to see the fun that can be found in the present.

The truth of the matter is, whether it's late night chat sessions, movies, walks to dinner, road trips, dance parties or pool days, life is definitely better with Martha! God has truly outdone Himself with this roommate. I pray that I will never take one minute of living with her for granted!!

The Joyful Reactions

Friends divide the pain and multiply the joy. I don't know if I have ever experienced the multiplicity of the joy part of that statement more than in the weeks following my acceptance to Beeson.

In the months prior to finding out, I had been secretly making a list of people that I wanted to call when I found out the news...whatever news it would be. It seemed a little crazy at the time, but I'm so glad I did it because I didn't have to think of who to call. I won't bore you with the reactions of every person on my list, but there are some that I don't want to forget...

Natalie...my best friend that has walked the journey of apply to school, get too scared, apply to school, get to scared, apply to school the entire time. She has faithfully prayed for me, asked me the tough questions and cheered me on every step of the way. Sending her the message with the word TOP in it brought tears to my eyes immediately. Truly a dream realized.

Mrs. Teresa...During my interview I was asked to name a person in my life that has done for me what I long to do for others. Without hesitation, I began to describe the relationship that I have with Mrs. Teresa, my mentor. I met her when I was in middle school, and despite only living in the same city for 3 of the past 15 years, she has given poured into me, encouraged me, listened to me and loved me unconditionally. If I can do for teenage girls even half of what she has done for me, I will feel like I have accomplished something. Her squeal of delight and affirming words were a blessing.

Sarah Beth...another dear friend that has walked the journey of applying for school with me. She was my daily encouragement to fill out the application, read the books and write the papers. Her accountability was just what I needed...and I sure hope it doesn't stop when the real school begins! She was one of the few I got to share the news with in person, and she immediately decided that a trip to Summer Snow was in order to celebrate.

Allison...my cousin in high school. She isn't one to show much emotion, but when she does...you know it's real. To see her excitement, and the subsequent excitement as she shared the news with her friends, was such affirmation for me. After all, I want to work with high school girls...and their smiles, hugs and cheers gave me reason to believe that they though I would actually do an okay job at it.

Sweet Moms...I love to fill my free time with baby-sitting. One of the greatest compliments in the world is when parents welcome you into their home and give you the chance to love their children. One of the neat things about baby-sitting as a twenty-something is that the parents are becoming more and more my friends. I loved getting to call so many moms to share the news with them...especially since I know they had prayed over the decision for so long.

Mark...my former boss at Chick-fil-A. I will never forget the conversation I had with my boss to tell him that I felt the Lord wanted me to work in ministry full-time and that in order to do that, I was going to need to leave the job I loved. That was more than 2 years ago. He was by far the best boss I have ever had, and leaving him was one of the hardest things I have done. Finally being able to call him and tell him that I was, in fact, going back to school, was so special.

Martha...my dear roommate. I know, I mentioned her in the earlier post, but she was such a large and important part in the whole process that she deserves at least one more mention. Her reaction was one of my favorites. She was the one, reading the letter...and doing a much better job of comprehending what it said. She was the first one to congratulate me. She was the one that sat there as I whipped out my list of people to call. She was the one who sat there as I began to go down the list, only to have NO ONE answer the calls. She was the one that I joked with and said "it looks like the rapture happened and the newly admitted divinity student was left behind." She cheered me on the whole way, and I know she'll be cheering me on the whole way through New Testament Greek, Spiritual Formation and Old Testament Theology this fall.

Okay...I think that's enough of the divinity school posts...at least until school starts this fall. Thanks so much for all of the encouraging words, cards, texts, emails and calls. My words of affirmation love tank is filled and overflowing!