Tyson is back

BEACH 2011

Well, summer is over and the ONLY and I mean ONLY good thing I can say about that is Tyson is home! He left a month after we started dating for work in Tennesse. He worked at Bonnie Plant Farm and was stationed in Bell, Tennessee. TN which is close to Jackson, TN which might be a little more familiar. He was gone the first 6 months of our relationship...which for those of you who don't know IS NOT VERY FUN. It was a tough road to go down, but we made it!!!!! BUT, I dont ever want to do it again (and he knows it). He was able to make it back for my families annual Beach Trip to Panama City, and we also went with Holly and Dax to Seneca, SC to stay with Aunt Cheryl and Uncle Larry, at their BEAUTIFUL home on BEAUTIFUL, Lake Keowee! We were able to have a little "summer together" which I am thankful for. I never thought I would see the day that he would be home for good and not just come home for a couple days and have to leave again. But that day is here. I love having him in Troy, and I love that he is from here so seeing Mrs. Kathy and Monts, Clint, Holly Dax and the boys and little girl is just "what we do!" I like them being so close. All I need now is my parents in town and we would never have to leave! =)

Pier Park

At the SSI

Its sure been a while...

Well, it has been a while since I have posted! I mean a LOOOONG time! I am trying to get back at it on here! When I was blogging a lot a while back I got really obsessed, really fast, so here I go again! Since I have been on here last, a lot more of my life has changed! For the bad, and FOR THE GOOD! How can that happen? GOOD & BAD?? Well in April....April 27th to be exact the tornadoes that tore through Tuscaloosa and the western part of Jefferson county and on through the states of Alabama and Georgia, the devasting twister decided to hit right on top of the "place I grew up," where much of my past was planted, where my family was and where much of my future was going to be. Our house got hit in the tornado, and we lost everything. I say everything, but I cant say that without saying...."everything that didnt really matter." My mom, dad, brother, grandparents and friends are all still alive, but now still picking up the pieces of what is left. It has been a journey I never thought I would have to travel, and an experience that changed "life as we knew it!" It has been about 6 months since the storm, and in tat time we have come a long way. We were put in a garden home in Trussville to live until we can plant somewhere else. MY poor momma breaks my heart. She is having a hard time with it! But she AMAZES me! I never really thought about HOW MUCH my parents have done for my brother and me. To see how hard they have worked to give me what I need, and what I want. To see how hard they have worked to have a home like we did in Pleasant Grove and then watch it be taken right out from under us if often hard to accept, but my mother is truley an inspiration to me. We are living in a house that is not "ours" nor will it ever be, but she has hung pictures, she has bought cutesie stuff, she has even got our :cleaning lady" coming to the house..."we do not even own" to CLEAN it for us! WOW! What a good momma!

 Our home after the storm

 The den area...."my daddys chair"

 We CAN'T FORGET....WHAT IT WAS BEFORE. Such a wonderful place to live and grow up. This was surely, "home sweet home!"

"When PRAiSES go UP, the GLORY comes DOWN!"

God has given me few and special people in my life, moreso recently than ever before! Why? Because he knew all along I was going to need these people. He knew the "bend in my road of life" that I was going to encounter, he knew the obsticles I was going to face, and he KNEW that the people he was placing in my life were going to be part of my strength in even the toughest times. When I think about the people in my life I often can't believe how perfect timing was for each of them! I think about Suzanne. In August of last year we began talking, hanging out, getting closer (during rush). I went through a "disruptive moment" in my life around this same time. I dont really know exactly how, but we "hit it off" and it just took off from there. I am so thankful for her, our friendship, and her love for the Lord, which motivates and encourages me EVERY DAY! I then think about Mindy! We are JUST alike. Its kind of scary! Everything she does and says is ME...kinda creepy at times. She says I am her "minnie me" and that is perfectly fine with me! When I think back on the way our friendship began, I honestly cant remember...I just know we "hit it off" and it just took off from there! I then think about MANY other people that were placed in my life. I think about meeting Tyson (THANK YOU SUZANNE). I think about what life was like before this, and then I think about how life is NOW. Life has been TOUGH to say the least over the past few months and I wouldnt have expected to have the start of a new relationship be anything like it has been, BUT I am so grateful that God placed such a faithful, encouraging, successful, strongwilled person in my life, and I wouldnt have it any other way. My life has CHANGED. Complete 360 over the last 4 months. But I know that is because of what God is doing, and for that I strive to give Him the Glory. Until now I never really looked at it as "God gave me these people." I kind of just thought "hey im making new friends, building new relationships...this is just how life is, right?" No! Now I look at it as all part of Gods divine purpose, his PERFECT will, and then I think...How generous is God?  

To end what I am really trying to say here is this....Gods plan, his divine purpose, his "disruptive moments" that he gives us are ALL done so that we can Glorify Him! In every situation I am in, I now try to make sure I am giving Him the Glory. It makes life so much better when we wait patiently for him and when we believe that everything that is done, whether it be good or bad, it was from Him, and it is to bring praise to him!

NO regrets and making the MOST of every chance I GET....

This morning I got up super early (5:00am). I went home this past weekend...my weekends at home just never seem long enough. Friday, Saturday and Sunday...3 days is not enough to get in ALL of the family time I want (plus Friday and Sunday do not really even count because I have to waste time driving) Its only about a 3 hour drive from my driveway in Troy to my drive way in Pleasant Grove but still thats time I dont get to spend at home! This weekend while I was home it was different than most other times! I found myself appreciating ever minute I was there, every minute that I got to see my family. Not that I dont usually appreciate it, but I just usually dont "notice" that I am appreciating it....if that makes sense? Friday night I got in late, but sat around for a while and talked with my parents! Saturday, got up early ran around and got some things done, spent most of the day with Meghan then met up with mom and we went shopping. I had so much fun being with my mom. Got home Saturday night and sat around (just like old times) and talked and laughed with mom, dad and taylor. Sunday morning got up, got ready and mom and I headed out again for another day of shopping! We went to get an Easter dress, and just like always came home with a LOT more than we went for (and when we got home we made sure to put all the bags in my car BEFORE we went inside so dad wouldnt see them) =) On Sunday I decided that I would stay in Pleasant Grove another night instead of rushing back to Troy (i rarely ever do this because I do not like getting up early and having to drive back to be in Troy by 9) but this past weekend I did. It MADE MY MOMS DAY when I told her I was staying...dad was pretty glad too! =) These days I am trying really hard to appreciate things that I didnt normally "notice." Trying to make EVERY day of my life count! Working to let every part of me give 100 % all of the time, not only for myself but for my family, my friends, my school, work, and people I dont even know (because you never know who you are crossing paths with). I am so THANKFUL for this past weekend. This morning my daddy text me (he is learning to text and LOVING it) and he said "it was WONDERFUL to see you this weekend. Take care of yourself....and Jeter. Get your oil changed ASAP! I love you!" Then one from mom..."I am so glad you came home this weekend, I know you hate the drive but I would LOVE for you to come back home this weekend. There may even be some more shopping we can do =) I LOVE YOU MORE, i really do!" (thats what she tells Taylor and I....LOVE YOU MORE) WOW! After getting these text from2 of the most important people in my life I realized just how blessed and THANKFUL I really am. How precious life is and how much I have. I couldnt have asked for a better weekend at HOME!  

Home sweet HOME!

Going home this weekend. Looking foward to a weekend with my family. My family that I am SO blessed to have! It has been quiet a while since I have been home. My mom threatened me that if I didnt come home this weekend she was getting my water cut off in Troy and wasnt paying another bill. NO, she wouldnt really do this, but she wants me to come home so bad! Can't wait to be in Birmingham!

JESUS bring the RAIN

Tonight I got together with some girl friends of mine. We went to Candace Nelsons house and got together for a time of talking about life and the Lord. It was AMAZING! We stayed together and talked about everything, we shared scripture, and shared with each other things about our "life." Some had more to say than others...(of course I had a lot to say..as always). One thing I have been facing recently is the transformation of going from "what is EASY" to "what is RIGHT." It has not been easy. For a long time I have thought to myself..."Ok Kady, this is what you are doing. This is the life you are living." Then...ok Kady..."This is what you should be doing, this is what you know is right." I would think about this and as bad as I hate to say it I would go on doing the "what is easy" part. It made life so much easier and less complicated to just "continue with what was normal, or what I was used to." After Britt and Shep passed feelings changed. Life as it once was flashed in front of me and I knew it was time to STOP doing what was easy and strive to do what was RIGHT. I really began relying on God. I needed him. I needed him for comfort through a hard time, I needed him for Peace, I needed him for strength, to be strong for Tyson during a difficult time but most of all I needed him for courage to make the change I had so often thought about making, but never "acted on". I really began to pray that God would help me, and that while the devil is pulling on me to continue doing "worldly things" I prayed the He would pull even harder to light the path to what was not easy, but what was right. Not too long after I began praying really hard for this transformation Candace sent me this part of scripture in a message. Romans 12:2 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve Gods will- his GOOD, PLEASING & PERFECT will." Talk about PERFECT timing. This verse says it all, and it doesnt get much more clear than this. God has REALLY been clear with me lately. Straight foward and to the point on everything. I have opened my heart to him, and because of that I am "seeing" it. And the best part to all of this, is im not just seeing it in ME, but in other people that I care very much about. I often think about Brittany. I think about Friday, March 11th at the church when Brooke stood up and spoke those words about Brittany, her principle from her school talking about her...and not only these things, but I have seen and heard numerous people talk about her and describe the person that she was, the kind hearted, strong willed, strong minded person she was, and the influence and impact she has made on them....well it has opened my eyes to something. We all know we are not promised tomorrow, but just to make it a little more clear James 4:13 says "Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money. Why you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a while and then vanishes." I have been to many funerals, I have been to funerals for old people, people I didnt really know and I have been to some for "young" people, friends around my age, and NEVER have I EVER heard people talk about the person and describe the life of a person the way people have about Brittany. After all of this I have realized that, because tomorrow is not a promise, I want to strive to be the way I want to be remembered. If something happened to me would there be great things people could say about me, would the last impact I had on someone be something they would want to share with people. Would people be positive that I am spending eternity in Heaven? I want people to be able to speak of me the way they have Britt. I want to be half of what she was. It is so comforting! Life is so precious and needs to be appreciated and I am working to do my part, fullfill my purpose until I complete the race drawn out for me. There is a song that I cling tightly too, "Jesus Bring the Rain"...in the beginning it says that people always ask him why he still praises God even with all he has been through, but he says it has never crossed his mind to turn his back on the Lord, instead during his hard time he draws closer to God his only shelter in the storm of life....it goes on to say Bring me Joy, bring me peace, bring the chance to be free, bring me anything that brings you glory, and i know they'll be days when this life brings me pain but if thats what it takes to praise you JESUS BRING THE RAIN. I love this...because even in the hardest, darkest, worst part of life he still reaches to God for healing. This is what I want. Even in the storms of our life, in the worst, darkest, coldest times of our life we should still praise HIM. I pray that even if it means challenging me, giving me things in life I  dont understand, or giving me a little rain or a HUGE storm...then bring it, because I will still praise you!

In GODS time

Through all that has happened over the past couple of weeks, Trusting in Him, Relying on His Promises, Waiting for His Answers, Believing in His Miracles, REJOiCiNG in His GOODNESS and RELAXiNG in His PRESENCE has been the main focus. Often wondering "why" things have happened the way they have. Asking God why. We will never understand. Just trusting in his promise that He works for the GOOD of those who LOVE him. If this doesnt make you want to LOVE him even MORE than you already do then I dont know what will. When I read scripture now, it speaks to me in a whole new way. It is AWESOME! Continuing to TRUST God. I know that he has a plan, a BIG plan, a GOOD plan a PERFECT PLAN for all of us. I was thinking today, and I came across this verse...."A mans HEART plans his ways, but the LORD determines his FOOTSTEPS" Proverbs 16:9. I am ever so guilty of trying to "PLAN" my life. What I am going to do, when I am going to do it, how its going to be done and so on...well I have recently learned and have often been reminded that guess what Kady....it is NOT up to you. I sometimes think God probably sits around and laughs at me because HE knows ALL, and really...I know NOTHING. I think God gets a kick out of watching me try to "plan" my life because He knows that HE is the planner, the only planner. I am working so hard now to stop worrying about the things that don't matter, stop getting caught up with the things of the world. Focus on what is important...most important. My walk with Him. Obviously we have seen life be taken in an instant, and because of that, seeing that, knowing that, I want to start living the life that if something happened to me tomorrow, if the end was here, if my race was over...would the last days of my life be what they needed to be. Would my purpose be served, would my duties be fullfilled. I am striving to live more like Christ...NO i'll never be anywhere near what He is, but I can TRY! and i WiLL TRY!