Oh Wow..

So at the beginning of summer, I was super bummed to find that I had to go job searching and might not be able to babysit as much....BUT...I witnessed a miracle. After being home for a week doing my own things with my friends, my mom called me thrilled with news. I thought i was out a job at Gilsbar this summer, but I got a raise and I just have to scan and copy documents all day long while listening to Radio Disney (new love) and Kidd Kraddic! It blew my mind. PLUS they agreed to work with my babysitting schedule! Once again I have my own desk, computer, and I hog the copy machine, scanner, and huge cabinets all day by helping them go paperless! The even better thing is I babysit 2 days a week during the day and at least 2 nights during the week! I give my mom half my babysitting money and all my Gilsbar money (after tithing) and it turns out that I've already got 2 complete quarters worth of money saved- she moves over $25/week (I put myself on allowance so I don't overspend it). I was worried that once my scanning part in Finance was over, I'd be out a job, but my boss told me that she has a lot for me to do that they recently found while I was scanning and they need me as long as I'm here! I'm going to Glorieta, and besides that week, I'll be working every possible day I can (minus weekends and babysitting) with extra money because of the raise! Oh I was so excited and I still am! This has totally blown my mind because my mom and I prayed every day that week I could find a job somewhere,  hoping an office job would come up. At the rate I'm going though, I might end up with more than $25/week and can help pay insurance for the year, car payment, or whatever else I can financially help my parents pay for on my part (like school or dorms). 

What makes me even more excited is the down time I also get. On days I babysit, I can come home and relax the rest of the day- or for a few hours then go back and babysit or hang out. On my Gilsbar days, I can come home after work and just relax, or once a week I can hang out with my friend, Katerina. So with having the brand new car and 2 jobs I love, this is the best summer ever and I thank God daily for blessing me this much!

Lately...

I haven't blogged in a few weeks so here's how my summer is going...AMAZING! I'll put events in the best chronological order I can. At first I was bummed because I only had a babysitting/nanny job a few days a week and needed another form of income. Well the insurance company I've worked at for years contacted me about some scanning (I really do love scanning) and I got a raise PLUS they found a lot of files for me to scan! If that enough was not good news, the day before that I got my first BRAND NEW car! My mom took me test driving Wednesday and then last Thursday we picked it up. I could have had either silver or red. Being chic and laid back, I chose silver just so it wouldn't be a target for the cops...THEN I leave tomorrow night on our voyage to Chicago! We plan on  pulling up at the hotel Sunday night, and even though I hate the drive, I have the Jonas Brothers to keep me company. Oh and about them! I go to their concert on August 15 and my mom is FINALLY becoming a fan! If that isn't good news enough, I'm thinking about working at Radio Disney after college. I LOVE Disney and would LOVE to work for them. Oh and the JoBros are on the cover of most magazines these days, so I'm extra excited about that! Well anywho...that's a wrap...I'll blog soon about Chicago!

Summer

Well friends, summer is finally here! It's good to be home and have free laundry, good actual food, and my own bedroom! It's still a mess...but it'll get spotless this week. Already I miss everyone I met in Ruston and cannot wait for September to come where I can see them! 

Weddings

I LOVE weddings and therefore I'm super pumped about this weekend! Well to start off my cousin had a little girl yesterday, Lydia Elise- how cute! Two of my friends I went to youth with are getting married tomorrow at noon. All of my close friends from church are going to be there to celebrate this remarkable day. They are the godliest couple I've ever met. They prayed long and hard and won their honeymoons. Yes, that was plural. They entered into 2 contests, prayed about it and then won 2 honeymoons! How amazing is that? And then on One Tree Hill last night, Lucas and Peyton (or should I say Leyton) finally got married! But they're dying next episode, so that's not exactly happily ever after (even though I loved their wedding ceremony). I'll definitely be on the edge of my seat when I watch the season finale to see the creative way they'll kill Lucas since we all know Peyton's a goner. And that's a wrap.

In A Wrap

Even though freshman year isn't quite done yet, I thought I'd blog about it. To start off, I came to Tech knowing all of 4 people, and the only person I truly knew was my roommate. My first day, I made some friends, but in the past 9 months, I have made more friends than I could imagine. My views on certain things have changed as well as my beliefs on certain issues. I have grown closer to Christ than I could imagine and have found my place at the BCM. I attended Chi Alpha until this quarter when a lot started coming up on Thursdays. I may visit some next year, but I have felt that I need to stay with the BCM. 

I made most of my friends either at the BCM or in the journalism department. Others I met through friends I had. College exceeded my expectations. I've learned to accept new ways, new people, and new ideas. I used to be semi closed-minded on certain things. I learned that I don't know the Bible as well as non-believers who question why Christians do some things they do. It kicked my butt and now I have to double check my beliefs on certain things.

I have grown a new love for Broadway and hatred for foul language and smoking. I've met people from all over instead of just a certain area of town. I found myself going to church alone, and felt a call at the end of the year to go church hunting. Another church has sparked my interest and I absolutely cannot wait till next year when I get to go back to this church. I have realized I am not 100% Baptist, but rather my beliefs are mixed with others denominations. 

As I head home every weekend from now till May 22, I pray that next year will be even better than my freshman year. 

Service Among the Church

So lately I've been going to a non-denominational church here and it has gone beyond anything I expected. This morning, there was a torrential downfall as I woke up, but I still chose to go to church because I love the feeling I have when I leave the church. I feel rejuvenated and on fire and drive through the streets blaring my music that worships our Creator. I grew up Baptist, so my parents were upset when they first found out a few weeks ago I was going to start attending a non-denominational church. I think at times they are upset that I don't go to Baptist church anymore up here and have found my place at this community church. 

I was attending a local Baptist church, but left after feeling alone and isolated. This place is so welcoming and friendly, it's unreal. The worship is real and even though the sermons go about 20 minutes longer than what I'm used to, I absorb it. I'm incredibly happy there and have connected on a deeper level with Christ there. This morning, as it was raining the apocalypse, there were men with umbrellas escorting families and people to the building. I was amazed at their service. I go to a huge church back home- over 2,000 members- and there has never been that kind of service. Even the pastor was outside with the umbrella and offered to escort me- I had my own umbrella, so I declined the service, knowing there were others around me who needed it. 

This church has had a positive effect on my life, and I cannot wait to see what happens next year. I have to go home the next few weeks for a wedding and babysitting and then finally to stay home! I'm just so glad my freshman year turned out better than I could have ever imagined!

Hate

Today I was on facebook and a friend sent me a link to a video he was telling me about. To be quite frank this friend is obnoxious and at times can get on my nerves- like a lot of my friends do- but this just tipped the iceberg. I watched it, and go figure it was somebody ragging on the Jonas Brothers for wearing purity rings. The whole 2-3 minutes of the video felt like a lifetime and I just sat there disgusted. I never liked South Park and found it for creepy men who could never grow up from cartoons, so Hollywood had to come out with perverted cartoons just to feed the creepy old men as they age. 

I thought the video was very immature and crude beyond words. It made me sick inside and boiling with anger. Sure, I lashed out at this person for it, and do I feel bad about it? Not one bit. In fact, I was rather glad that I brought up my point that I am all gung-ho about wearing purity rings. Sure, we exchanged our opinions, but I'm rather relieved it didn't result in an ended friendship. The rest of this blog is dedicated to what really enraged me with the video.

When I was 14, I did the True Love Waits thing at church and made my commitment to stay pure till I get married. I got the purity ring and am still 100% pro-abstinence. What really ticks me off are the people who have no self control go off and make this commitment then toss it because they meet "Mr. Right" who turns out to want the girl for all the wrong reasons. I truly and honestly believe that Hollywood cannot stand the fact that 3 young guys want to change the world of music by taking a stance on purity and what's better yet is their music lyrics. They aren't straight up nasty with girls, they talk about their inner feelings about dating them and a kiss, nothing more. I honor that entirely.

What also frustrates me are the stupid annoying immature boys (they don't even deserve the title men) who crack gay jokes. Seriously, if you want to score points as my friend, END THE GAY JOKES AND THE JONAS JOKES. I personally get offended when my likes and interests are constantly bashed in my face. I took the video as a slap in the face, primarily when Mickey Mouse was cussing profanities at Joe and it shows him getting beaten up. Sadly, the stupid immature creepy old boys probably laughed at the video in their drunken splendor. I on the other hand took it to the next level of ticked off. 

Granted, not everyone is perfect and I by no means are calling the Jonas Brothers perfect. Heck, they admit easily to imperfection. What I am trying to do is get the point across that if you are going to crack gay Jonas jokes and constantly rag on me, don't even bother calling me a friend. 

What I Hate

Here's some of the biggest things I hate or get on my nerves...I'm in the mood to vent...

1. Just because I'm in college does not necessarily mean I'm going to drink or party at an opportune moment. I was offered a shot of a strawberry patron margarita the other night and some guy said he was proud of me for turning it down. Inside I hated the fact that so many kids these days go off  to college and at the first invitation to drink or party they soak it in. I've been asked to be a designated driver, I've been asked to take a sip, heck I've been offered alcohol, but I don't want any (not until I'm 21 and at that I'll have maybe a sip). I believe in drinking when you are of age and limit yourself- for instance, I will limit myself to 1, if I even drink all of it when I become of age. 

2. People who stop in the middle of the walkway to talk. Seriously, can you not see the plethora of students coming by and going around you because for your convenience you can't move to the side. No, you have to stand there and talk and talk and talk while people are trying to get to class and are in a rush. Rude.

3. People who try to tell me what to do. I'm on my own for crying out loud. Don't tell me I have to get my homework done or to put my phone up in class (if you aren't the professor, that is). I'm a big girl. I know the rules, and yeah I might break them but it's MY responsibility for my actions. No one deemed you the title of "Sarah's Mom." In fact, my own parents don't know half the stuff I do and guess what: I'm doing just fine. 

...I'm on a roll here...

4. When you come to my room, I don't really care if you sit on my bed, but if you have food, well then that's a no no. I came in the other day and some girl had Chick Fil A on my bed when a stool is right in front of her she could have set it on. I had to walk out. I mean, I guess I could start putting notes everywhere saying NO FOOD ON MY BED. But really, if you don't want us eating on your bed, don't eat on mine. 

5. I hate the awkwardness when a guy and girl are just friends and one likes the other- or the wierd questioning of "does he like me?" Seriously guys, tell a girl you like her. I know there's the fear of rejection and what-not, but still. Buck up and tell her- or just ask her. In my opinion asking would be easier, but that's just me. 

6. I hate shallow guys. You know what I'm talking about- the guys who only look for the girl with the good bod and spill their hearts about "inner beauty." Seriously, if looks didn't matter, I think some people would have some interesting spouses. I'm by no means shallow- I want physical attraction to that person, but for me the #1 thing I look for is the heart. Why get the stunning guy who is full of himself when I could get the sweeter (not as good looking) guy that I could grow old with. I also hate it when guys only go for "hot" girls. If they would lower their standards on physical beauty, they could find a girl in no time. 

So that's all I've got time for...I just needed to vent.

My Two Closest Girlfriends

I've been looking at other people's blogs and I must say I'm jealous...especially at how boring mine is...So here's the plan: I'm going to start adding more pictures and make mine more interesting (how's that sound?). This blog is dedicated to a ton of random things..such as friends and what nots..

This is my absolute best friend in the entire world, Tay and me. We grew up in the nursery together and have grown so close over the years. I haven't seen her since 2006, but each day we grow closer and older clinging to the promise that we'll be each other's maid-of-honors. She's taught me a lot about life, love, and relationships and I owe her the world for putting up with my bossiness when we were 4. Ever seen Bride Wars? I'm Liv and she's Emma. 

Amy is one of my truest and bestest friends...she knows pretty much everything about me...not as much as Tay, but she's pretty close to knowing it all. She's full of knowledge and patience. Amy has answers to all my questions and can read me perfectly. If I attended LSU or she attended Tech, we'd pretty much be the best pair of roomies ever. I owe her a million m&ms for getting me through the rough areas in life and answering all my phone calls, no matter what time it is. Amy hears everything I say and backs up her beliefs with scripture, which is what I need to start doing. She's one of the strongest women I know and America needs more women like her. 

So those are basically my 3 best friends. I've watched them all grown closer to Christ- especially since college and the rough areas of life, knowing that no matter what He'll always be there. Tay has taught me that there's always people out there who have it worse than you, and that my parents are cooler than I give them credit for. Whenever we hang out, we stay up all night, making a fort out of the bedsheets, telling stories with a flashback, and recalling old letters. Amy knows the right Bible verses to read to me at all times and it never fails. Her mantra is love always wins, and I've learned that it's true. Amy and I love deep movies and healthy food (yeah, right). Words cannot describe how amazing she is. Finally there's Sloan. He was my prom date senior year and my relationship expert friend...we help each other even though neither of us have really dated. So in closing, these two girls have made me who I am today and have made me a much better person. They know the words to say and advice to give. 

Finding A Church

The first Sunday in April, I was at First Baptist Church in Ruston. I liked the style of worship, I liked the preaching, but what I didn't like was the clicks. I had gone to Sunday School there until January, when I had a lot of homework. Since then I came up with excuses and lame reasons not to go, truth be told it was because I couldn't find anyone I really meshed with and I felt like an odd puzzle piece there. I never found the click, greeting time in church service was somewhat awkward, and I felt God calling me to visit elsewhere. I visited Crossroads and absolutely loved it. I loved the music and the fellowship. There were so many families and older people there who were happy. It was incredible. Even though I cannot make their college group because it meets during 56, I'm satisfied in knowing I've found a new home if I don't find one elsewhere. 

I still plan on visiting around and seeing where I fit in. I don't really like hymns that much or older style- I love it at my grandparent's church though- but the church met my needs. I wanted security and friends and I found all of that. I plan on trying some other churches around here and I'm praying that perhaps the decision will be hard for me to make a decision on my permanent stay.