Beautiful boy face

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/KlR6k4DWsB/

Top Eleven of 2011!

My friends and I are sitting in our apartment watching the AU-VA Chick-fil-A bowl, and we decided to make a "Top 11 for 2011" list to commemorate our year. Despite my difficulties remembering what happened this year, and even what year it is, I managed to think of 11+ events that made 2011 one of the best years ever. I don't think I've had such an eventful year since... probably 2008. Here's my list, complete with honorable mentions.

11. Auburn wins National Championship in the middle of a snowstorm in Alabama.

10. Meeting new friends when I started leading the College and Career (CClife) group at Aldersgate.

9. Preached my first sermons at Hartselle FUMC and Aldersgate

8. Washington, DC trip with Bridget, which is a symbol for an entire several-month period at the beginning of the year in which I applied for, was accepted to, and decided not to attend several seminaries. I have yet to regret that choice.

7. Summer job at Trinity UMC's Intersect Huntsville program. I discovered a love of local missions.

6. I got a new car! I have had so many good times with my old Mitsubishi, Mitzi. I've had her since 2004, but she was getting old. In the last week of this year I bought a 2008 Nissan Versa, named Vera. She is my first major purchase as an adult, and I'm proud of her!

5. My wonderful friends threw me a surprise party for my 26th birthday! We wore togas and said "opa!"

4. A whole Summer of Adventures that I'll never forget!

3. Moved to a new apartment, Vintage 310, with two of my best friends, Bridget and Katelyn. We have lots of fun, including baking, parties, and pillow fights.

2. My career has taken a turn for the awesome. I am finally in full-time ministry, and I got to participate in the start of a new outreach ministry, Aldersgate on the Parkway. It takes up tons of my time, but the opportunity to have a new adventure for God is so exciting!

1. Joshua David Allison convinced me that we are perfect for each other. I will alway be grateful for his persistence.

Honorable Mentions:
My little brother Daniel graduated from Auburn! I'm so proud.
I went red with my hair, and I love it!
Nail polish became an obsession
Pinterest took over my free time
Game Nights with great friends
Beach Trips with friends and family
Meeting the Allison family and falling in love with every one of them
Riding in a hot air balloon!
Civil War reenactment, State fair, Mooresville, historic Huntsville, all in one day
New Year and Auburn celebrations with great friends
Watching the state of Alabama band together for tornado relief
Seeing Gungor twice!
Loving HIMYM and TBBT
Cooking at our apartment
Living with my good friends the Sneads
Getting a Macbook for work. I will never be the same.
Spending lots of time at Bridge Street with various awesome friends
Trips to Sumatanga to see Chrysalis and camp friends
Spending Spring Break serving at Urban Ministry
WC Handy fest in Florence
Iron Bowl 2011 with Joshua and Paul
Homecoming in Auburn
Visiting family, especially the little ones!
Being liturgist at the Christmas Eve service at Hartselle
Losing my best friend for a summer as she served Jesus at an orphanage in Romania. But I got her back.
Spending time with Jesus in new ways

Here's to an even more awesome 2012! Happy New Year!

Borrowed Bibles

I don't always understand people, even (especially) Christians. My collar is not as hot as it was earlier tonight, but the questions persist. Sometimes I want to borrow other people's Bibles, just to see if they're reading the same book as I am.


I mean, I know that we all get stuck in our ways but-
How can I hear Jesus say "go and make disciples of all the nations," but then I hear some people say "We don't need any more people in this church?"


I know that there are different ways to interpret scripture, but-
How do I read "love your neighbor as yourself" and some people read "let's make it impossible for an entire group of people to succeed so they'll go back to where they came from?"


I know that there is a separation between church and state, but-
How do I read Matthew 5, the part where Jesus tears down the "eye for an eye" rule in favor of peace, forgiveness and generosity, and some people read "how about we let our government kill people as punishment?"

I know that there's more to life than money, but-

How do I quote "whatever you do to the least of these, you do to Me," and others quote "God helps those who help themselves" (which is not even in the Bible, btw)?

I know that the mob mentality is a powerful force, but- 

How do I read about God perfectly forming each of us in the womb, and some people hate anyone who is different from their perception of what is right, accepted, and normal?

Usually empathy is one of my strengths, and I can at least get a glimpse of another point of view. Tonight I'm just not feeling it. Come talk to me tomorrow, and we'll take a look at that wonderful book together.

scripture references: Matthew 28:16-20, Matthew 22:36-40, Matthew 5:38-42, Matthew 25:31-46, Psalm 139:13-17. Can you tell I love Matthew's gospel?

WOW, What a Summer!

I don't know if this is really going to work, but it's worth a shot.

Click here to view this photo book larger

30 Before 30 List - #1 Ride in a Hot Air Balloon

The #1 item on my "30 Things to do before I turn 30" list is ride in a hot air balloon. 

Well, guess what? 

CHECK!! 

When I saw two of my Facebook friends post pictures of hot air balloons last night, I knew that this was my chance! I gathered a group of friends, and today we set off for an adventure! It was the Alabama Jubilee and Hot Air Balloon Festival in Decatur, and we got there mid-afternoon. We bought giant snow-cones and walked around for a little bit. It was so hot I thought my feet were getting sunburned just from the reflection off of the asphalt!

The balloons were taking forever to show up, so some of our friends had to leave without even seeing them. Alisha and I said goodbye to Leah Kathryn, Jonathan and Brittny and continued to enjoy the people-watching paradise that is an Alabama festival. Finally the balloons were inflated and we walked around marveling at the bright colors. 

As we strolled, we ran into someone that I knew, if only from old reruns I have watched at my grandparents' house. It was Guy Penrod, my Granny Rachel's favorite singer from the Gaither Gospel Hour! He was playing on the Jubilee stage that night, and, after some prodding from Alisha, I finally asked if I could get a picture made with him. He was very nice, and when I called Granny to tell her, she actually squealed!

We got in line to go up for a ride in one of the balloons and met our balloon-mates, a little boy who was afraid of heights and his grandfather. They were very nice, and the boy did great once we got up in the air. It was a very long line, but we finally got to go up in the balloon right before dusk! I was so busy taking a picture of the inside of the balloon that I didn't even realize we had started rising! The balloons were beautiful as it got darker; the fire from the... mechanism... lit up the inside like a lantern. It was very peaceful, for the 60 seconds that we were in the air, then it was back to solid ground for us. What a fun adventure with my friend, and I get to check off one more thing on my list! 

Ok, maybe that kid wasn't doing so great with his fear of heights...

The Faith (and Humor!) of a Child

Tomorrow is my last day working at Latham Child Development Center. I am going to be doing mission work this summer through Trinity UMC's Intersect Huntsville Program, and I'm super excited about it! I'm not excited about leaving LCDC, however. I've been there for two years (minus last summer) and I've worked with almost every age group in the school. I've had kids call me everything from Ray Ray and Dodo to Daychel and Ray-Shoe! My coworkers are amazing, but the kids are the ones that have really spoken to my heart with their innocence and love. I have gotten more laughter out of those kids than any comedy movie or sitcom. I am reminded every day of Jesus' love for the little children around him and how my faith should reflect that of a child. I'm going to miss all of those sweet babies. I've been collecting funny things that my kids have said over the past two years, so I thought this would a good time to post some of my favorite kid quotes and pictures. Enjoy!  

These three sweeties have been in my class since they were babies!

Two year old quotes:


Dakota: Waychel... I like your...brown...big...eyes!
Me: Aw, thanks Dakota! I like your big brown eyes too!
Dakota: I not have big brown eyes! I have...tiny pink eyes!


Me: Who was born on Christmas?
Hudson: My friend Jesus!


A conversation between me and a friend in denial:
"Hey, what happened?"
"Nothing."
"Why is Dakota crying?"
"Because she isn't."
"I can hear her crying."
"...I didn't push her."


And later that day...
"Why did you push her again?"
"Because I didn't."
"Why are you being so mean today?"
"Because I am'nt."


Lacey: I love you, Moses. Say I love you.
Moses: I love you. Night night. Be good!


Isabella: Ms. Rachel, you're a nice big girl.
Me: Well thanks Isabella, but I'm not a girl. I'm a grown-up, like your mommy. 
Isabella: *gasp* My mommy's not a grown-up! She's just a mommy!


"SHOW ME THE MONEY!!! ...Ms. Rachel, what's money??"


Madalyn, while in the midst of singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star for her classmates:
"Hey guys! You wanna watch my arabesque?"


Me: That was awesome, dude! High Five!
Moses: I not a dude!
Me: You're not? What are you?
Moses: I a big boy- Moses!


Me: You need to listen to Ms. Rachel!
Lacey: Hey, cool hair!!!


After I helped her blow her nose-
Gabrielle: I like your tissue!
Me: Um... thanks?

Is this the best picture or what? Pink skirt just dumped him.

Four year old quotes:


Patrick: Christopher is always mean to me!
Christopher: I'm not ALWAYS mean! ...Sometimes I sleep.


A four year old version of tattling: "Josh threw sand at me. So did Lana. I just made that up."


Zane is in love with me. He gives me a hug every day, that's why he's in love with me. He's pretty cute, but him and my brother are friends. Christopher is a liar and Zane is a liar, so they should get married because they are both liars.


(sniffing potpourri during a lesson on the five senses) "It smells... it smells like... ROCK AND ROLL!!!"


"Ms. Rachel, there's a beetle under there!"
"That's not a beetle, that's a crotch-roach!"
"Ohh..."


(while stroking my arm) "Ms Rachel, I like to pet you. You feel kind of fluffy and silky at the same time.


Trenton: My dad is a policeman.
McKinzie: Yeah, so your dad can do anything he wants. Except drugs.


"Ms. Rachel? Ms. Rachel? Ms. Rachel! MS. RACHEL!!"
"Yes, Mayu?"
"...I love you!!"


Trenton: I love hash browns. They are yummy in my tummy. I think there's a party in there!


Trenton: "I'm building something for Ms. Rachel, but don't let her look. She's pretty sneaky." (Who, me?)


Bella: Tell Ms. Rachel about when you went to Orange Beach.
Ari: I didn't go to Orange Beach, I went to the Blue Beach!


Miles, playing "teacher": If you talk, you will go to the office, and then... TO JAIL!!!


Other Kid Quotes:
Me: I want sparkly boots like yours! Do you think I'd look silly, or could I pull them off?
Ashlyn: You could pull them off. They're pretty easy to get off and on, if you wear socks.

Does God Have Skype?

I've been trying to make some decisions about my future, namely whether or not I want/need to go to seminary this August. I've been accepted (I think) to the three schools I applied for, which is encouraging. But, like most people, I struggle with how I'm supposed to know exactly what God's plan for me is. I pray and try to concentrate on listening for an answer, but I usually feel like an old radio- mostly static and white noise with whispers of remembered conversations. It would be so much easier if I could get a burning bush like Moses, or even that still, small voice everyone talks about. Come to think of it, I might not want those after all; it seems like every time God speaks directly to someone in the Bible they have to do something difficult and scary. Maybe I should be glad I can't Skype with God.

I know that there are lots of different ways to figure out what God is trying to tell you. I have friends that hear from God in dreams, that have special prayer languages, that get flashes of who needs prayer at any given moment. I also have friends who work solely from logic, like Dr. Spock. So what's my method? I think I've figured it out. It involves both my intellect and my emotions, as well as other people. I have to be really uncertain for a while, researching and pondering and going over every option a dozen times. I have to listen to my heart and change my mind a lot. Eventually, I have to talk about it. With every person I know. Lots and lots of advice. As we discuss, inclinations begin to form.  Decisions will be made without me even realizing it. Things will pop out of my mouth that take me by surprise. "Congratulations on getting into Duke!" "Oh thanks, I'm not going there." The scale starts to slowly tip one way or the other. Finally the doors will close or open, and I will know what to do. Once it's decided, I'm sure. I don't have to think about it any more; I just say "thanks Lord!" and do it.

I'm getting past the pondering stage in my seminary discernment process. I'm obviously to the sudden decision stage- Duke was my first choice at one point, but now it's pretty much out of the running... apparently. I'm waiting to visit the other two schools in a couple of weeks and find out about the whole financial aid situation. Those are the doors that I need God to open or close for me. I'm confident He'll do it and that it will be the best situation for me. I can't wait to find out; I'm not a patient person. Maybe God will reveal his Skype name to me in my dreams tonight so I can satisfy my curiosity.

How does God speak to you?