A couple things.

Number one. I am so thankful that God made me, me. All the good things and all the bad things that make me Virginia Ellen Rule, I am thankful for. Today I took my cousin Hannah to school. You would think oh its family, nothing to worry about. Wrong. I worry about her. A lot. The cool thing about today was that I had opportunities that I rarely ever get when I talk to her. It was really cool. I mean it wasn't life changing for her but it's a start.

Number two. I learned that knowing what accounting really is, is essential to making better decisions. So next time I can't decide if I should drink and drive I will remember everything that I have learned in accounting and I will make a better decision. That doesn't mean I will make the right one. Just a better one.

Number three. I wish it was 2017.

Guess what movie I watched.

If you said Lord of the Rings you would be correct. Specifically Two Towers. My favorite part of that movie would be the battle at Helms Deep. The way I like to look at it is that there are actually 3 different fights going on at one time. The main one at Helms Deep, the one with Sam and Frodo, and the one with the trees. They are all fighting totally different battles. They aren't even near any of the other battles but all three of them are important. All three of them effect or affect (whatever) the outcome of the movie. If any one of them had lost then the movie would have had a completely different ending. So when I place myself in the movie I like to see that yeah, we all have our own problems and "battles" but when you look at the big picture we are all fighting for the same thing. In the end the ring gets destroyed. We win!

But I think the most exciting part is when at Helms Deep it seems like the battle is over. Everyone has lost hope. Even King Theoden is ready to die. But genius Aragorn decides to take one last chance. He says lets ride out and face the evil. At this time the sun is rising. It's a new day. Then they remember what Gandalf had said. "Look to my coming on the first light of the fifth day, at dawn look to the east." And just like he had promised he was there with a huge army. There was still hope. Kind of like Heather posted about. It is a new day and there is still evil in this world but we have to ride out and face it. But we can also remember that there is hope. God promised to be there.

Maybe that doesn't make sense. But it kind of did to me.

It actually snowed enough...

To make a snowman! Sorry my photography skills aren't as good as Dave or Heather's but oh well. I'm going to be honest it was harder than I remember it being. My neck and back hurt from rolling all the snow but it was worth it.

Going back to this weekend I'm so glad that I got to experience it with all of you guys. I wouldn't want to have done it any other way.

You guys are smart!

I'm not going to dwell on the fact that Satan is there but I'm definitely not going to forget that he can and will try to knock me off balance. Or not even Satan but my "temptations" that dance around me. I'm glad that I have you guys to learn from.

I feel safe.

I feel safe when I am at church. I feel safe when I am at my house. I feel safe when I'm with my friends (all 2 of them). But I am dreading going to school tomorrow. It's one of those sick feelings. Maybe it is because I have to wake up really early. Or it could be because I suck at English. But I'm pretty sure it is because I was in this bubble for a couple of weeks and now I am stepping out of it. Obviously tonight was AWESOME and God is moving. People I usually get annoyed with didn't annoy me. I was able to talk to the girls and not get totally lost with what I was saying. Why was tonight different? Duh. We put all the focus on God. We prayed for tonight. We let God take control. So the moral of this story would be to make every night like tonight.

So the point I'm trying to make is that I am in a great mood but it would be so easy for me to go to school tomorrow and be a butthole and not care about what I am doing BUT I say no. Tomorrow is going to be a great day. There is a reason I am supposed to go to music appreciation, english, and calculus at Walters State Community College. And I'm not going to miss what God has in store for me tomorrow just because I want to have a bad attitude.

I love Stock Creek and the Jgenners and all the kids so much!

I'm stoked!

I cannot wait for Disciple Now! I am going to copy Sarah and say how thankful I am for Hannah, Hayley, and Sarah! God made something special when he made them. Haha. But seriously. I really learned a lot from all of them and I know that this weekend is going to be amazing!

Speaking of copying Sarah. Remember that one time that I prayed pretty much the same exact prayer right after you? I love when that happens.

I really enjoyed the sermon today. I want to desire what God wants with all of my heart. I want to go to another level. I want God to satisfy me completely.

Oh to be ten again...

"Pretend I can do this" "I have this power" "Watch me do this"

Conquering the world was just one imagination away. What it was like to be whoever and whatever you wanted. Why can't it still be like that?

Good times, good times

While it is flooding in Tennessee, it is blizzarding in Ohio. Okay, not a blizzard but it did snow. It is nice for a change.

We got here yesterday morning and something Hannah forgot to mention is that they are moving. Next week. So we are helping them pack everything. I want to go home. I tried to bribe dad's friend to come and pick me up with a Tennessee ticket but it didn't work.

Honestly, it isn't too bad at all. Last night after dinner they were all remenicing about their childhoods. This is the thing, the Steinbachs and Roberts both only have one volume level. Loud. Sometimes it gets a little hectic because they all want to tell their side of the story. But I really enjoyed it.

Another thing I have realized while being here is how good it is to have a Christian family. Not that the people in my family aren't Christians, but I am definitely taking notes on how my family (in the way future) will be raised diff. The familys I am with right now are very good at including God in almost everything they do.

Frustrating

That is the word for today.

I was frustrated because I really did not want Jessica to spend the night. I was frustrated because I really did not want to listen to her "boy" stories. I was frustrated because the Vols did not play well at all. I was frustrated because Dennis kept telling me what to do. I was frustrated because I did not feel like exercising. I was frustrated because after I did, I felt better and I really just wanted to complain. I was frustrated because I tried to look over the Disciple Now stuff and I really really wanted to learn something new but I could only sit there in frustration. I was frustrated because my house was freezing and I tried to shave my legs but the hair grew back the minute I was finished.

Finally, I was frustrated because when I got around to giving up God made everything better. I stopped fighting. I stopped trying to do things on my own. I stopped. God moved.

Father, dad, & step dads

It is a new year so I guess everyone is writing about what it means. Something I have always struggled with was having a good relationship with my mother. I held her responsible for a lot of things that happened. At times I hated her. This problem led to problems with my relationship with God. Somethimes I was close to letting go but I never really wanted to give up this hate. Over the past couple of weeks I have completely, 100% let go. I no longer hold a grudge and I refuse to let Satan use that to his advantage.

But I believe that all of this has happened for a reason. So I have been asking God to show me why certain people were put into my life. This is what I have come up with.

Charles: God always has a plan. Even when things look as though they can't get any better, they can and will. You can't change the way someone feels. Complaining doesn't help. Family is important. Friends are important. God is important. Church is important. Surrounding yourself with the right people is a good idea.

Ed: Control only works when it is God that is in control. Alchohol never helps anything. Lies always hurt worse when they are found out later than they should have been. Honesty.

Kevin: You can ask for help. Forgiveness is unlimited. Drugs never help anything. Living in someone elses shadow is not what you were meant to do. God has a plan.

Dennis: Crude and crass is not attractive. Waiting is worth it. There is a difference between saying you love God and actually loving God. If you add up your and your spouses divorces and it equals 6 then living together is better than getting married...not.

God: Even through all this mess, God made something beautiful. He is the only one who will not let you down. He doesn't need you but He wants you. When He says you are forgiven, you are forgiven. Everyday God has something new. Grace, mercy, and forgiveness are bigger than you think. Be thankful for what you have becuase at any second it can be taken away from you. There is no such thing as a perfect relationship. Also there are not just two choices when it comes to the out comes of relationships. There is such thing as unconditional love.

Obviously God has shown me so much more and I can't wait to see what else God has in store for me. 2009 is going to be the best year.