Here we go again!!!

So... First things first. I had so much fun at Ashley's house and her church is so neat, and tonight's service was just incredible. We got back right before curfew tonight!



The main reason I am writing this post.... Is to let everyone know that once again I am going on the infamous cabbage soup diet!!! Infamous for many reasons lol! I told myself I would never do it again I know! But I am actually excited! Ashley and I went shopping for it Saturday night, and her mom made the cabbage soup for us. I am wondering if it will last the whole week, but if not, I will just keep up with the day by day diet part! Lol. I will keep you updated!

Well....

So I keep meaning to post, because I really do love to blog, but things just keep coming up that get in the way. This past week has been fairly busy during the day, but the night life is kinda sorta dying down. I mean, I have broken curfew twice, but each time it was a desperate necessity! LOL Well... kind of. I have had more relax time lately though, I am starting to enjoy, although I still do stay up really late (or early lol).

Well, Sunday's service was so long.. It was good but incredibly long. They did not put Bro Jerry Jones up to preach until 9:45. But, he was done by 10:15 and we were leaving by 10:30. Monday flew by, and Tuesday was my first Ortho appointment, and we were supposed to meet my Aunt Carlene, but unfortunately that didn't work out so we rescheduled! Tuesday's chapel, however, was so incredible. It was one of those services that you won't forget for a long time. Wednesday was a pretty boring day, Thursday, I went to class, had another orthodontist appointment (this time got my wires changed! Ouch!) and then went to class where Bro. Brown never showed because he got cornered into counseling a girl on campus. So as soon as my Aunt Carlene called we got gas and left. We ended up meeting at Olive Garden! *Sigh* real food! Then she sent us home with cookies. I fell asleep when I got back and was awakened by my roommate asking if I was going to prayer. I saw I was already 15 minutes late but I headed down there with sleep lines and all! Lol and am I glad I did. That prayer meeting was so powerful, for me probably the most powerful since I have been here. Yesterday was fairly busy. I had classes, a meeting, choir practice, singers practice, sign team practice, and then I had some free time with my roommate and Ashley, and we sat listening to music til curfew ball. Which is another story in itself.

So tonight I am going to be leaving (in about 10 minutes) for Ashley Stigleman's house for the rest of the weekend. Her mom is going to make us cabbage soup because...... Yes I am going to start the cabbage soup diet up again. Desperate needs (including weight gain) calls for desperate measures. I may not be able to follow exactly for each day, but I will try. Cheryl Blevins, Ashley Stigleman and I are all going on this and are hoping to help each other through it. So Monday when you are having your yummy fast food, or homemade food, or dessert... Think of me! Until next time.....

Another Week has gone by!

It just seems like everything is going by so fast! A lot went on this last week, mainly school stuff. I went to play tennis with a few others on Monday (I AM HORRIBLE!), Tuesday and Wednesday chapels were so incredible, as was Wednesday night service. Thursday was Justin's birthday (Hence all of the 2 pictures lol), us three kids went to Red Lobster for dinner mmmmmmmm it was so so good! Last night was the concert for Calvary's Anniversary services. It went really well and then after the mass choir finished singing, the Holy Ghost fell down! God is so good! Last night afterwards was curfew ball, always entertaining! Lol. Today was pretty lazy, yet busy, I woke up did my laundry, went to lunch, went to our first sign team meeting, came back to my room being a disaster (we ended up rearranging the whole room) and went to Walmart. Right now I am waiting on the boys to come pick me up so we can go eat Japanese food!!! I can't wait. We are going out with a bunch of Justin's friends for his birthday since most of them wouldn't be able to make it on Thursday. I am looking forward to church tomorrow.... I'll keep posting

P.S. My mom booked me a flight for West Coast Conference!!! So I will see you there if you go!!! Otherwise, I'll see you during Christmas Break!

Casual Kickoff

So, Yesterday and today have been rather interesting. Lol... wish I could say never a dull moment, but there has been lol! So Wednesday night service was good! Then Thursday morning I had an 8 o'clock class (ugh!) and had classes all day with only 2 periods off. One before 10 and one around lunch time. But I am so loving the classes. Then Thursday afternoon, I sat around while the A6 Superheroes band rearranged the student lobby and set up their instruments and sound system. Then prayer started at 8. Each prayer service just seems to become more and more powerful. God is so good! Then the Casual kickoff social started at 9:30... A6 played the whole time pretty much. There were people playing ping pong and there was pizza and drinks and there were even people playing wii. It was so crowded after awhile. I kept having to walk outside. I so missed it. Justin was playing with A6 (there are 6 of them [duh lol] it is Jordan Stumbo (lead singer), Justin (guitarist), Matthew Corbitt (bass), Daniel Blevins (drummer), Cody Smith (piano) and Jonathan Parker (guitarist) oh and... oops forgot Nate Warren he is the one with the cowbell... so I guess it was named for the original 6) and then I hear people going crazy in the next room, he had put his guitar over his head and was playing it behind his back. He is so cool. So anyway, they even had Sis Waldron play the drums for a song. Then they wanted Justin to play a solo and he rocked, and then they had a few drum solos! Then they cleaned up and we went to our rooms. Today was casual Friday and I pretty much only had to work in the libray, had one class, then practice for choir and IBC Singers. Then the rest of the day... did nothing except practice eat and sleep!!! Lol and then tonight was curfew ball... Rather boring because there was nothing for the girls to do tonight. Lol oh well! So now you are up to date ha!

Time Sure Flies

The saying is so true. Time flies when you are having fun. And just to let all of you know, no socializing is NOT the only thing I do here. One thing I am proud to brag about is my piano practice time. I may not be the best piano player in the world, but I am having a love/hate relationship with the pieces of music that my piano teacher Sis. Tamera Gordon gives me. She recently gave me a harder note piece to work on, and it looks much harder than it is. I end up practicing over an hour some days, and not all in the same time, my friends say (and I quote) "I hate you! You are always practicing the piano, show off!" While I have had others say "Erica you are my hero, everytime I see you, you are practicing". Lol.... I just had to break down and brag on me... Sorry lol. But not only that, I spend a lot of time in classes and practices. Last night I had practice at 10pm and it went past curfew, and the night before we practiced starting at 9:30. Lol everyone was asking me how I was chosen to praise sing in Chapel 2 days in a row.... my answer? "Because I'm a Marxer" lol!!!! Most everyone said that it made sense lol. My brothers are so sought after here, it makes me proud! They are the neatest guys in the world, and I love hanging around them. I miss being around all my family though. And my friends, and my church. It makes it better that the services and prayer meetings and just everything this year has been so focused on God and the Will of God. One of the classes I am taking is called Women of the Bible, it is for girls only, and the teacher is so good, I have never thought about some of the things that she brings up concerning women in the Bible and being about to use their attributes and examples in our lives, and being able to try to keep from making the same mistakes that they did.

God has been so very good to me lately. It isn't just one thing. I am seriously in such a thankful mood. I have such wonderful friends. I really do. And I am so thankful that I am making some here. Before I came to IBC I was VERY VERY Concerned on having a roommate and what she would be like and if we would get along. I didn't have a chance to really get to know Sarah Farren, but Breana is the best roommate that I could ask for, she is so easy going and has a wonderful personality, and likes the same stuff that I like! I love her already. I honestly feel like I have more friends now than I've ever had at one time in my life lol. God has been blessing me over and over. I have not had to pay for laundry once, because Micole's parents keep telling us to come "home" to do our laundry. My classes are so neat. Each service feels like it is directed right toward me. I just feel like I am RIGHT where I need to be right now. I have learned so much in so little time. I just pray that I will put all this learning to good use!

Well church starts in almost an hour, and I haven't even started getting ready yet. Keep me in your prayers.

Rushing Mighty Wind

Ok, I so wish I could say I took pictures.... I didn't. Sorry!! I had so much fun the past few days. It has been rather busy. Thursdays are my full day in school with the exception of one free period and lunch, I go straight from class to class. I so love the classes that I am in. Thursday afternoon I don't really remember what I did (this is why I need to post more often so that I remember what I am going to say!) But we had to be at the church at 6 for choir practice. That night we sat in the choir loft (it is kind of hard to hear up there) there was 2 preachers (one was Bro. Mullings) so we sang before each one. Then Friday morning... I got a little sick, right before service so we were running a little late, there was 3 preachers and they were all so incredible (I would say the names but I would so SO butcher them) and then we had time to eat, I practiced the piano, took a half hour nap, ate dinner with Jason, Justin and co. and then hurried to get ready to be on time for choir again. That night Bro Jerry Jones preached and it was awesome again. We went out to eat to Cheeseburger of Paradise and then didn't have curfew til 1!!! It was exciting lol and like usual there was a party in Micole's room and we stayed up late! Then Saturday morning, we left once again for Micole's house, and did laundry, was fed homemade breakfast for lunch, went shopping, was fed some really good non-IBC pizza, and stayed the night. This morning we went to their church (which was really good and was a very short service) and was fed again... Lol, then sat around talking and left to come back to IBC. We got in around 4:15. I went and practiced piano for a bit and then started to get ready for church. Bro Mullings preached again tonight and it was so so so very good. Then a few of us went to Wendys and then went back to the lobby to hang out with everyone... Fun times. Well I will try to get better.... I keep saying it, but only because I really do have faith that I will! LOL

P.S. Totally forgot to tell you.... Yes Justin of course is still in Praise lol, but Jason made Chorale!!! Yay for him!!! And I made IBC Singers!! Yay for me! lol!! They have their own separate tours and practices so we won't be singing together other than in choir. I am excited

I Will Get Better at This!

So since I last posted (Saturday afternoon), I have had a rather boring yet busy week! Saturday evening a few of us went over to Chris and Leah's house to play games and have dessert. That night I remembered I left the car over at the guys dorms and had already walked back to the school, none of my girl friends were around and I decided to go ahead and run over to the guys dorms to grab the white car (and get my water bottles out of the trunk) well come to find out, I had a lot of angry friends once they found out what I had done, lol that was my excitement for Saturday night!

Sunday was Family Day for Calvary, so they held services at CCS (Calvary Christian School) right down the street from IBC (Where we play curfew ball on Friday nights). We had a casual Sunday so the IBC choir wore black and denim, it was fun. Then I went home took a nap (surprising!) and got ready for church in Connersville since there was no church in Indy. My Uncle Martyn Ballestero preached that night on "Worship for Dummies' it was so powerful. I love hearing him preach. We saw quite a few people that I have not seen in years. It was so fun..... And they FED US!!!! hahaha!

Monday I actually was on time for class (Yes we had class on Labor Day, but we have a week off for General Conference and Friday off)! LOL I had Sight-Singing first, then a break then Doctrine of Salvation (which was so incredible, Bro Killmon gets really passionate about doctrine and it is so neat to listen to someone passionate. I am loving all my classes!!!) I honestly can't remember for the life of me what I did Monday night!!

But Tuesday was a pretty easy day, 2 classes and piano. We had chapel, but it was turned into student council elections. So student council consists of the following officials. Student Body Officials, Class Officials and Club Officials (Which are really the officials for each major). So for each class Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior, and the each major Religious Ed, Theology, Sociology, Missions and Music. I was nominated for Secretary for my class.... But alas, the Lord has bigger and better things in store for me lol. Jason was nominated for all three positions for music club (president by Bro Anderson, then VP by Students and Secretary by students) he made the Music Club Secretarial position! lol Surprising! So Tuesday afternoon was rather boring. I slept most of the afternoon. Then ran to Bible Study at Chris and Leah's. It was so good. It was on Spiritual Warfare. We added Jordan Stumbo onto the group... I am loving that Bible Study!

Today was actually a pretty busy day for me. I had class at 8:50 with Bro Mooney. then had chapel which was so incredible, a missionary preached it. Very moving. Then we had almost a 2 hour long choir practice and ran to have a late lunch then I ran around looking for a bank to cash my checks into that would send them to Washington Mutual then.... I had to mail the checks to the bank..... Then..... I had to get gas, have dinner, practice on the piano and went upstairs and laid down for a few minutes and Kayla came into my room bored so we went to Target and came back and sat around. Then time flew from then because there were quite a few people in the lobby all night, and there was a little drama and Jon Chrissey and I sat there laughing and talking about how in awe we are of some of the people here (well awe wasn't the word used).... But I am so entertained. LOL!!! I am having so much fun!!!

I am looking forward to tomorrow (other than waking up for an 8 o'clock class and having a full day!!) but Rushing Mighty Wind Preaching conference starts tomorrow and we have school off Friday for the day service and then back again for the night service. YAY!!!