TENNESSEE!

So! This week has been so very busy! I just realized that I have not stayed home on a weekend for a long time! And I won't for a while still! LOL This past weekend 14 of us (Cody Smith, Cheryl Blevins, Daniel Blevins, Jon Crissey, Rema Duncan, Ashley Stigleman, Jason, Justin, Lauren Moore, Teryla Erwin, Kristen Hammond, Jeff Bryant,Lindsey Short, and I [oh and Kristen's boyfriend Josh met us there]) headed out on a MSA(Ministerial Student Association) trip (of sorts). When we go on this kind of a trip, the IBC students pretty much take over the services for the church we are helping. IBC students will lead in worship, in preaching and in the altar call as well. It was so fun! I drove up and back with Teryla, Ashley, and Jermaine.... we had the best car! LOL. Friday we drove the 5 hour drive and then ate dinner at the church and immediately started practicing til.... who knows when, then went to Cheryl's house and all of us took turns playing games. Then we kicked the guys out and they headed to Cody's house and some of them to the hotel. Then Saturday morning I woke up to not only a pounding headache but to the sound of the game already playing (at 9 am nonetheless... the guys got there early!) We had a big breakfast, than some of us went to the Pinnacle overlooking Kentucky and Tennessee (while standing in Virginia) and then I walked through 3 states in mere minutes! LOL It was so beautiful and OVERFLOWING with nature! LOL also... it was quite chilly... After we got back, Sister Blevins (Cheryl and Daniel's mom) had soups on and grilled cheese and sweet tea and lots of dessert, so we ate and played card games... I just had so much fun. Then we went to the church for practice and then held service that night. Jermaine preached "Decision:Eternity" and about choosing the world or God. It was so good... LOL with a few funny moments that he won't live down. The church fed us and we went home! Then Sunday morning Jonathan preached on war and putting on the armour of God. Sunday night, (I was a mere observer this night... no praise singing for me) Jermaine preached again but I can't remember the title but do remember he did good and he seems so relaxed preaching! So they fed us after service again, and we took some group pictures headed to the house and changed, packed and then headed back out. We got back around 2:30 am! It was a good trip all in all! Then I wake up to a freezing day and it is supposed to snow tonight from what everyone is saying! YAY! I am now a California girl in an cold Indiana world! LOL Hope you enjoyed the pictures

Some Things I've Learned at IBC

So it's been a week since I have posted and I figured that I may as well post since I have time on my hand (even though I am leaving tomorrow for an unofficial MSA trip and haven't packed yet! LOL) so I was talking to my Mom and told her what I wanted to post so I will not let her down! Just to let you know. My experience at IBC so far has been wonderful. I have the same ups and downs, good days and bad days that I would probably have back in Cali... All in all it has been an incredible experience, so I figured I would post this....

Some things that I have learned in my short time here at IBC

1. Drama is still going to happen whether you expect it or not
2. Some people will still only become friends with you just cuz you have cute brothers (well not JUST because....)
3. You DO get a roommate (thankfully I have an incredible one)
4. You get hardly any sleep
5. I am a wonderful creation (LOL part of the women of the Bible homework is to say that constantly!)
6. Bro Rodenbush doesn't start class on time so I can be 5 minutes "late" and still be on time
7. God is God and I am not(thank you Bro. Mooney)
8. Ideas have consequences (thank you again Bro Mooney)
9. I now know what to look for in musical performances as a music leader of any kind...
10. For some reason I know the names of all our "Vocal Instruments"
11. Worship is actually translated from a word that means "WORTH ship"... how much do YOU TRULY worship??? Are you showing God how WORTHY He is of your praise and adoration?
12. Not all bridges can be burned (thank you Bro. Brown)
13. The IBC Library has so many neat books that no one checks out
14. Most IBC students are actually here for the right reason and our Student Body Prayers prove it!
15. Being without a job and income is harder than I thought!
16. Visiting home is a privilege!
17. Going to church is a form of worship in itself
18. Everything we do must be for the purpose of Godliness.... If not... then the question remains... Why waste time doing it? Godliness gives US PURPOSE!
19. Not every day will be perfect, but that makes waking up to a new day all the better
20. If you have no one else to talk to... God is always waiting there to listen

So here are just a SMALL portion of things that I have learned while here for the 3 months that I have been here... I haven't mentioned HALF of the things I've learned! LOL ONE MORE being the list of top 15 IBC Heart-throbs (guys of course) that was copied and about 20 posted up and down the hallways this morning! It made my morning! LOL it was funny! So there is that! Missin' home! Love everyone! Til next post....

Chicago Trip

So... Today we (Michael, Aunt Carlene, Jason, Justin and of course me) went to Chicago for the day. We spent about 6 HOURS in the Science and Industry Museum... There was so much to see... I was so tired by the time we left though. After we left, we went to Maggianos downtown... The food was so good... The traffic was a REAL experience! LOL Thank God I didn't drive. Aunt Carlene and Michael both took time out of their schedules and paid for it all, they are so wonderful! It made it all the more worth it to go. I wanna go back and see the city again... Who knows when I will be able to. But here are a few pictures from our day!

YAY for Fall Break!!!!

So... If you are wondering what is going on in my life, and most of you know I am on Fall Break, and were wondering why I haven't posted.... I AM ENJOYING BEING LAZY! LOL This week is Fall Break (for those of you who skimmed over the former sentences!) and my brothers and I drove up to my Aunt Carlene's in South Bend for the week. It has been so nice being able to lounge around the house! Jason and I drove up Friday, and Justin came up Saturday due to a Praise performance in Tennessee. Saturday evening we had some friends over from Christ Temple in South Bend, and from my Aunt's church in Michigan. We had so much fun playing Liar, and bowling on Wii.

Sunday we went to Church at my Aunt's church, and Sunday night sang there... Jason played and sang, Justin rocked out on his guitar, and me... I just stood there and mouthed the words! LOL JUST kidding! I sang... Everyone there is so nice to us. They said they were glad to have us "home"! LOL


Jason, Justin and me at my Aunt's church on Sunday

Monday.... We got up at a lazy time, got ready and headed to the Hyatt where Michael (My aunt's neighbor as well as a family friend) had got us a room for the night, and we lounged around til we headed out to eat with my Aunt, Michael, the Gentry's, Jesse Upham, and his girlfriend Allison. We ate at Redamaks in Michigan, and then went to the Lake... at 8pm! It was so quiet!!! Very strange for me since I am used to the noisy Californian beaches! But the sand was so soft!!! I wanna go during the day one of the next times I come up to visit!


Andrew Gentry, Allison, Amber Gentry and me!

Tuesday... We didn't leave the Hyatt til around 2, and then got back and the boys got to working on the basement, and I washed some stuff for my aunt. Then started on dinner. It was really good too!!! Pasta has to be one of the easiest things to make!

Today I once again woke up at a lazy time.... and just stayed in bed!!!! OH IT FELT SO GOOD! Am I making you jealous? LOL Then I ran to the grocery store, and ate lunch and tried to clean up the living room.... but Justin's stuff is all over, so I just pushed everything off to one side in her side room! lol... I'll clean later! And then I was informed that I am once more getting some cooking experience for tonight! It's still an easy dinner! I will be making ham, baked potatoes, salad, corn, and green beans! LOL sounds good to me! Then tonight I will be going to our old church that we went to when my uncle pastored. Christ Temple. can't wait to see everyone. And tomorrow... we will spend the day in Chicago! Yay for us! I'll let you know how it goes!

Perfection...

I so loved this!

Hayfest Social!!!

So tonight I honestly had such a blast! It was the annual Hayfest Social for IBC at a camp grounds called Coffey Grounds (Not a coffee place Sarah! LOL). There were prizes for best dressed so Cheryl suggested that we get a group together and dress up... They picked the Scooby Do Gang... And dress up we did! We all went ALL out. I was Scooby, Jason was Shaggy, Cheryl was Velma, Preston Keller was Fred, Ashley Stigleman was Daphne, and Daniel was the Mystery Machine! LOL It was so much fun AND we won the best dressed group prize!!! They had games, had a bonfire going, roasted marshmallows and hot dogs, made s'mores and at the end had like 15 minute hayrides! It was so much fun and we came off the ride with so much hay stuck to us! Needless to say it was fun! Hope you enjoyed the pictures!

He is God

Hide me now, under your wings,
Cover me, within your mighty hand.

When the ocean rise and thunders roar,
I will soar with you above the storm.
Father, you are king over the flood,
I will be still and know you are God!

Find rest my soul, in Christ alone.
Know His power, in quietness and trust.

When the ocean rise and the thunder roar
I will soar with you above the storm
Father, you are king over the flood,
I will be still, and know you are God!

Listen to it click here (love the slideshow)

Today in chapel they sang this song. The worship leader talked first of natural disasters and then storms that we go through in our life. And it sometimes seems so hard to just be still... It is as if you have to take care of your problems immediately. But what I have forgotten is that no matter what happens or what I go through... He is God and He has a plan for me and no matter what storms come my way He knows what is best for me and all I have to do is remember that, and know that He will allow me to "soar above the storm"

Lol my thought for the day!

Reality Week

So this past week has been pretty tiring, but fun! We had normal classes Monday and Tuesday and then had chapel Wednesday through Friday mornings at 9 and immediately after would head out til 1 doing outreach, some of us going on bread runs, and some students went and held jail services. We had some late night practices for choir and sign team, and then IBC Choir, Praise and Sign Team performed last night, downtown at the Circle. It went over really well. Then today Calvary Tabernacle hosted a Block Party in their parking lot with contests and attractions, and of course food and music. IBC Sign Team and Praise performed today. I forgot my camera today, but as you can see I remembered to take pictures last night!!! LOL. So tomorrow, Chorale is performing in the morning and choir at night.

Today I have nothing really planned. I just got back from the block party, cleaned my room and am sitting here posting and listening to Odyssey! I am looking forward to relaxing. I can not wait til we get to go to Aunt Carlene's for Fall Break! YAY! So I shall try to post more later! Til then!

Here is the picture my mom was talking about in her comment! Love the leaves

I Failed I Failed I Failed!

Well.... So Yesterday (my first day of doing my diet) went really well. It was my fruit day! And the cabbage soup was so yummy! I was not regretting it one bit.... Then I went to sleep and woke back up, *Sigh* I realized that this week is Reality Week and there is going to be a lot of outreach and working for miscellaneous things around town, and it will be hard enough for me to eat in general than it would be to eat per plan! *Sigh* so I caved!!!! So long Cabbage soup diet! I give up, however, I am going to try to stay off of sweets, coffee, and soda (I type this with caffeine withdrawals as it is!) for the rest of the week. So we shall see how THAT goes! To all those who think I am a slacker.... well I guess I am in a way, but I worked out last night, and then played tennis for almost 2 hours and then worked out again tonight... So I am going to follow my Mom's diet advice, stay away from soda/coffee (won't be consistent in that... I'll want it at LEAST once a week), eat less, and move more! There was something else she said, but it momentarily slipped. I think those are senior moments and I don't know if I am supposed to be having those yet! LOL! Well... I will let you know how goes it!


**** OH!!! BTW I lost 6 pounds.... probably all water weight lol but 6 pounds is 6 pounds! I'll try to keep it off and lose more as I go!****