And they're off!

Standing ready to let go

The Balloon Parade

More Hillbilly Baseball

My brother playing Hillbilly Baseball

Human Foosball

I am at a loss right now. What do you do with a person who frustrates you to no end with their apathetic attitude about life? I am currently in this situation. As this person is a friend of mine, I love her and I want to see her get back on track, but all she wants to do is wallow in self pity and then sleep her problems into oblivion all day long. I have tried to keep her busy and moving, but I'm tired of being her drill sergeant. She needs to take the initiative to do something. She's shirking life and that's not good. She's shirking God in the process.

Acts 24:16
And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void to offence toward God, and toward men

I want to help, but she has to help herself first. I can't force her to get things right with God. I did have to tell on her about something else and I felt terrible, but I knew I couldn't keep it to myself. Too bad I didn't do it with the first thing. I know, this is probably a rather confusing post. I have to be general, but I like getting my thoughts down. I'm praying for her, encouraging her, but I don't think anything is getting through right now. She doesn't want it to get through.Please pray for me to have wisdom in this. It's not like I can avoid her (not that I'd want to) because we live together in the dorm and then we work together as well. ***sigh***

On a lighter note, I went to see some fireworks last night. They were decent. I did meet up with a friend and her family and then had lunch at her house this afternoon. From my understanding, there is a small festival-type thing in town every Fourth of July. This was my third year attending and my first one without it being considered a "college activity" and being required to stay in large groups. I think I enjoyed much better this year than the past two just because it wasn't with the college.

I spoke with one of the girls I will be living with when I move to Virginia. She seemed very nice. She let me know which things I would need to bring and other stuff not to worry about. All I have to worry about is my bedroom furniture. I'm thinking about looking for a loft bed, a mattress, a desk, a dresser, and a night stand. I was told my room is a 10'x 12' and I have a closet! Ok, I'm excited about having a "real" closet. The closet in the dorm is not really what one would think of as a closet and then I did not have one at the house I lived at before I left for college (it was a metal box, more or less, and it was my dad's). The only thing is, I need to find these items after I get to VA. That might pose a small problem. I registered on the local FreeCycle and I was just informed of CraigsList today. I'll be checking that as well. I'll be praying the Lord provides because I do not have the means of buying those items (well, not at store price, but at a yard sale price, possibly). I was also informed that it would be wise to have an AC window unit for my room. I think my dad can get me one of these fairly easily.

Well, I must get going. I have to work in a little bit. I actually have extra to do tonight. My boss called me asking if I could do a favor. The guy who usually does the service floor of the dealership we clean (my roomie and I clean the showroom) is not able to make it out tonight since his car can not be picked up from the shop until tomorrow and his rental ended today. I did give him a call and he told me all I would need to worry about is the trash. Not too bad, I think. I did agree to do it. My boss told me to do it while I am already going to be there (between 9:30 and 12:00) instead of making a separate trip at 2:30 in the morning.

I do hope all you had a great day yesterday as well as today.
God Bless.

Doc read this in Sunday School this past Sunday and I wanted to share it with you if you have not heard it already:

Lt. Tom Cotton writes this morning from Baghdad with a word for the New York Times:

Dear Messrs. Keller, Lichtblau & Risen:

Congratulations on disclosing our government's highly classified anti-terrorist-financing program (June 23). I apologize for not writing sooner. But I am a lieutenant in the United States Army and I spent the last four days patrolling one of the more dangerous areas in Iraq. (Alas, operational security and common sense prevent me from even revealing this unclassified location in a private medium like email.)

Unfortunately, as I supervised my soldiers late one night, I heard a booming explosion several miles away. I learned a few hours later that a powerful roadside bomb killed one soldier and severely injured another from my 130-man company. I deeply hope that we can find and kill or capture the terrorists responsible for that bomb. But, of course, these terrorists do not spring from the soil like Plato's guardians. No, they require financing to obtain mortars and artillery shells, priming explosives, wiring and circuitry, not to mention for training and payments to locals willing to emplace bombs in exchange for a few months' salary. As your story states, the program was legal, briefed to Congress, supported in the government and financial industry, and very successful.

Not anymore. You may think you have done a public service, but you have gravely endangered the lives of my soldiers and all other soldiers and innocent Iraqis here. Next time I hear that familiar explosion -- or next time I feel it -- I will wonder whether we could have stopped that bomb had you not instructed terrorists how to evade our financial surveillance.

And, by the way, having graduated from Harvard Law and practiced with a federal appellate judge and two Washington law firms before becoming an infantry officer, I am well-versed in the espionage laws relevant to this story and others -- laws you have plainly violated. I hope that my colleagues at the Department of Justice match the courage of my soldiers here and prosecute you and your newspaper to the fullest extent of the law. By the time we return home, maybe you will be in your rightful place: not at the Pulitzer announcements, but behind bars.

Very truly yours,

Tom Cotton

Baghdad, Iraq

__________________________________

Happy Fouth of July!

With two year old girls, there is never a dull moment.
I go in the junior church class after choir is dismissed. Well, everything started out normal...As bathroom break began, we smelled something really rank. It had to have been one of the diapered kids. I look around and then spotted her (Alexia): covered in poop! EWWW!!! On her hands, legs, shoes, and outfit. GROSS! She smeared it on one of the chairs. I grabbed her arms and held them away from her and everything else while another lady went around trying to get up the poop from the carpet. The other two ladies were taking the non-diapered kids to the bathroom. When they returned, one of those ladies and I took Alexia to the bathroom and cleaned her up and changed her clothes. The we realized: her diaper was not messy or even wet for that matter. She was not our culprit! She was a victim!The culprit was found out (Inky...well, that is what we people at church/on bus call her since her family calls her Stinky...I wonder why...). Inky was sent to church (she is a bus kid) without wearing a diaper. She is not potty trained. That is recipe for disaster!

I'll be helping in the library later for the summer reading program for the kids. That'll be fun.

My mom called me yesterday and left a message on my VM. She told me Golden Homes Health Care Agency called for me. Did they not realize that the application they had was at least 5 years old? I put in the app when I graduated high school. I did one small job for them and they didn't call me for another one for 5-6 months. Then they try to call 5 years later like I'm sitting around at home waiting for them? lol... That's funny! My mom wanted to provide me with a laugh and that worked! We did laugh about it. I guess it's good to know they still have my app on file...I guess.

Please pray for a friend of mine. She is going through a terrible trial. Please pray that I can be an encouragement to her during this time.
______________________

In a few more weeks I will be heading off to VA. It's coming up quick! I just bought the Bible on tape so I can listen to it during my long drive out there.

Carol is getting married in less than a month! I had someone look at my dress to see if she would be able to alter it. She is able to do it, but there are a few different options to get it done. I've got to talk to Carol about it.

Life changes so quickly.

The following is something I posted on my other site Thursday:

Last night was my friend's bridal shower. We had a blast! She was surprised! Well, she knew it was going to be yesterday because a little girl let it slip, but they fooled her about where it was going to be. close to 50 ladies were inside the small apartment. I am so surprised we all fit!

I received a phone call from the administrator of FBS yesterday. Actually, I missed it and then called back. He asked me if I was still interested and I said that I was. The he told me ****drum roll, please**** that they were interested in hiring me! Praise the Lord! I already have a place to stay, too. It's a 3 bedroom townhouse with 2 other single ladies living there. I met one of them and the other one was out town when I was there.

It's almost scary to think that I will actually be a teacher. I will be in charge of my class. I was told that I will be either the second or fourth grade teacher. I kind of would like the second grade, but I did student teach fourth.

Well, enough for now. I've got to get some things done.
___________________________________________
Someone asked me why am I KJV only. I believe it is the preserved text, translated from the Textus Receptus. Modern versions water down the holy Word of God and omit and add whatever they feel like at the moment. Some of these "perversions" deny the virgin birth of Christ.
Matthew 5:18For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
David Cloud (http://www.wayoflife.org/) and Dr. Waite (http://www.biblefortoday.org/) are excellent sources in defending the King James Bible.
The following is from Dr. Donald Waite’s book Defending the King James Bible:
“The Westcott and Hort Text changes the Textus Receptus in over 5,600 places.“Do you know how many changes they made? My own personal count, as of August 2, 1984, using Scrivener's Greek New Testament referred to above, was 5,604 changes that Westcott and Hort made to the Textus Receptus in their own Greek New Testament text. Of these 5,604 alterations, I found 1,952 to be OMISSIONS (35%), 467 to be ADDITIONS (8%), and 3,185 to be CHANGES (57%). In these 5,604 places that were involved in these alterations, there were 4,366 more words included, making a total of 9,970 Greek words that were involved. This means that in a Greek Text of 647 pages (such as Scrivener's text), this would average 15.4 words per page that were CHANGED from the Received Text. Pastor Jack Moorman counted 140,521 words in the Textus Receptus. These changes would amount to 7% of the words; and 45.9 pages of the Greek New Testament if placed together in one place."
http://www.av1611.org/kjv/kjveasy.html
http://www.biblebelievers.net/BibleVersions/kjckjv1s.htm

My time inVA went by really quickly. I did enjoy my visit. I should be hearing from them in the next week or so regarding a position. This is an exciting, yet scary time in my life.

I am hosting a scrapbook party tomorrow. It'll be fun!

I am to keep a secret for the next week. It will be hard but well worth it. Don't worry! It's not a bad secret!

VA, here I come!

I am looking forward to going to VA this weekend. It is coming up really fast, though. I have to teach a lesson for part of my interview. It will be in front of at least 2 staff members, no kids. Yikes! I think that is a bit strange and will be difficult to do, I have been preparing. I was told that I can choose whatever subject I want to teach, but it has to be for the grade I student taught, so 4th grade. Believe it or not, I am going to do a math lesson. Not because I love math (I know I don't!), but because it is easier to teach the concept. Usually, it was 40-45 minutes per class period, but my interview lesson can be 20-30 minutes. I think I will be practicing on my roomie and perhaps my advisory teacher. That should help, I think.

I did call my advisory teacher yesterday. I asked her if I could borrow the math curriculum to look at the lesson plans. She told me that I couldn't borrow the current edition, but she had an older one that I am more than welcome to use. I took the first 80 lesson and will be looking through those today. I'd rather teach something I've done before! I did make my numbers for the board to use in the review drill. I took some post-it notes and glued on some computer printed numbers (size 350 font) and them laminated them. I only did 0-12.

I am going to take some other things with me, if I can. I want to take a visual I made and then some pictures of the bulletin boards I've made just to show them some of my work.

Last night was a long night. Someone went AWOL and we were up til 2:30-3:00 in the morning. She did return safe and sound, but her actions were quite selfish and caused a lot of worry. What a night!

Pics to share!

My family and I at my graduation








Me and preacher








Me cutting the cake at my open house










Me








Me and my little brother

I heading to VA next Saturday! They want me to have a lesson prepared to teach :s This is both exciting and scary at the same time!

GRADUATION!!!!!!!!

I graduate from college today!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hmm..
Today has been an emotional roller coaster for me. I feel...dejected. After I served the kids lunch, the director wanted to talk to me about my schedule. No problem there, I thought. Well, I guess my wanting to go home to celebrate my graduation was a problem with them. So was the possibility of flying out to an interview of a possible place to teach at. They didn't like it at all. So, they fired me, on the grounds of "playing the schedule". Huh? They knew I was graduating and I put in for time off a while ago. They approved it. It just wasn't convenient for them. So, I was told to think about it. I didn't know they already made up their mind, though. So, I was wrongly lied to and fired. BUT..God is in control. I've been talking to my pastor back home (I called him on my lunch break and then when I got off work since they let me finish today's shift). I cried, I was mad, I was sad...Hey, I'm a girl! Pastor said this is God's way of closing that door and getting me out of there. No holds. It hurts. Please don't think this as a sob story. It's not. It's a story of how God is working in my life at this moment. The Bible never said we would be "happy" all the time and that everything would go my way. It will go God's way. I have to be open to it. My pastor told me to quit blubbering and whining about it. We had some laughs, too. He asked me why I was so upset about and I told him that I had never been fired before. He laughed, I laughed. I didn't want to break that record, but it happened anyway. Well, enough for now. I've got a paper to finish and now I have more time to do so.
Oh yeah. During my lunch break, I locked my keys in my car. I saw a state trooper car outside and asked the librarian. He just called the local station and they sent out a police officer. He couldn't unlock (did not have his slim jim with him). So his boss came out. He opened it on the fourth try. What a day!

This past weekend

Nicole, Bekah, Bekah's mom, Hannah
Nicole, Bekah, Bekah's mom, Hannah
Nicole, Bekah, Bekah's mom, Hannah
Nicole and Bekah
Nicole and Bekah


Alright. Now for the long awaited update.

All last week was an amazing Preaching Conference. It was a very busy week as well. Then, Friday was a day off of classes for the academy and college, so I worked a full shift (I traded Tuesday and Friday hours). I worked at the day care from 9am-6pm and then I worked my cleaning job from 6:20pm-11:30 pm. I got up at 4:40 am on Saturday to get ready to leave. We left about 5:20 am. The trip itself was not very long at all, only about an hour and a half since there was little traffic out at that time. When we got to Bekah's house, her mom and brother (Ben) had breakfast almost ready (delicious pancakes), then Bekah and here mom did some errands while I took a little nap. Then, we got ready for the Ladies Banquet. Her mom and sister (Hannah) were table hosts and furnished some very beautiful tables, as well as the other ladies in the church. Her dad and brothers (the other is Seth) helped serve with some of the other men.

The banquet was very nice. Hope you enjoy the pics! We did!

Her mom kicked the boys out of the house and into the camper and we stayed in the boys' room. Seth (11) likes to talk and nearly talked my ear off! Ben (15) is a very talented artist in many ways, from drawing, carving, and building. Hannah (14) likes to write and had some very nice poems. I enjoyed her parents' stories at meal times. We all laughed very hard! The meals were very good too. I did try something sort of unusual, though: homemade pineapple, mushroom, pepperoni, and sweet potato pizza, mine minus the pineapple and mushrooms. It wasn't bad at all!

The Sunday services were nice too. I was warmly accepted and greeted by the folks of the church. I even made some new little friends (some of the kids in the church). One of the little girls, so I'm told, talked about me all weekend! She was such a sweety and even wanted me to sit by her during the evening service. Please pray for a lady named Geneva (78). She fell in between Sunday School and the morning service and broke 3 ribs and punctured a lung. We all felt so bad for her. Praise the Lord a paramedic attends the church and was able to help her.

All in all, It was very relaxing (I took no school work with me!) and I did not have to work at all. My schedule was very open and it felt nice. I needed that refresher!

Oh, Saturday night , we started to watch the The Printing and Sunday afternoon we watched Time Changers. We (Bekah, Ben, and I) played out own version of "In a Pickle", a game that was in the boys' closet. Oh, did we have a blast!

I hope you had a great weekend as well!

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

My pastor spoiled me yesterday! I was able to re-work my work schedule to have yesterday afternoon off instead of Friday and I went out with my pastor, his wife, my youth pastor, and his daughter. We went to a local mall. When we got there, Pastor and Mrs. were talking about which store to go to: JC Penney's or Sears. She chose Penney's and then Pastor told me that they were going to buy me a new graduation dress as a gift. My jaw dropped to the floor! I am certainly not used to that! They also got me a new pair of shoes to go with it.

This has been a busy, but great week. I have enjoyed having folks I know here. The two girls that came from my church are staying in my room. I see them the most in the morning when we are all getting ready for breakfast.

My interviews went pretty well, as far as I know. Two of the three are needing teachers this next school year. One needs a kindergarten teacher! I would love to do that! BUT, I want God's will more than anything when I get a teaching position.

I went to the Alumni Breakfast this morning and it was good. We all had to introduce ourselves after we ate. When that was done, I left for work. I'm on lunch break (well, heading back in a few minutes) and was also to catch a few of my people before they went on an activity. Later folks!
Please keep me in prayer concerning this teaching position! Thank you much!

In remembrance

Happy Birthday to my triplet siblings Logan, Laura, and Lucas who would have been 9 years old today. You are in Heaven singing and praising the Lord. You were with us only for a short amount of time, but it was enough to leave a life-long impression on our hearts. I love and miss you much! Even though I did not/ do not understand your brief life on this earth, the Lord knows and had/ has a reason for it. I trust in God. he will keep you, little ones.

Waiting For Me

For my triplet siblings Logan, Laura, & Lucas who are waiting for me

As the sun begins to rise,
Tears are falling from my eyes,
'Cause today's the dayYou went away.
I thought I'd have you forever,
I thought I's never lose you , no never.
This day is dedicated to you,
Thought the pleasant memories are few.
Sometimes I wish that I could die,
But then I see the birds fly
And I know you are somewhere out there,
Waiting for me.
A free spirit hiding,
Perhaps you are crying
But I know you are out there,
Waiting for me.
Oh, how I wish I could see you again,
Then you can tell me where you have been,
But the time is not now, but is to come
When the Lord Jesus calls me home.

Copyright ©2006 Nicole