It's Been a While...

It really has been quite a little while since I've blogged, not to say that I've had nothing to blog about. There are many stories that I could enlighten you all with but unfortunately there just isn't enough time so I'll have to make this fairly short and sweet. Farmhouse formal was great. We had so much fun in Orlando. Islands of Adventure was the highlight of the weekend for sure. Somehow, throughout the whole day our timing seemed to be impeccable. We would hop in line and barely have to wait at all. sometimes even getting to ride it one time right after the other. That'll get you sometimes. Enough about Orlando, on to another formal. It really is the season of formals. I believe it will always be slightly awkward for a girl to ask a guy to anything. Something deep inside me feels like that isn't how it is supposed to be but what can I do? Nothing, that's what, just roll with it. We all have to do it I guess. Well I did it. I had to ask somebody to our formal, which is this Friday might I add. Talk about procrastination. I have always known that this was an epic flaw of mine but leave it to college to bring out the best in you. My art of procrastination has gotten progressively worse over the semester and a half that we've been here. It hit me today that I am half way through the second semester of t my freshman year. Where has it gone? I really do get slightly teary eyed thinking about moving out of this dorm, as stinky as it may be. I have made such great friends here. We are just one big Owen family and I wouldn't want it any other way!! The Lord has surrounded me with such beautiful friends, inside and out. I am so blessed. I wish I could go on but quite honestly I am struggling to stay awake so unfortunately this is where it ends. It's going to be a crazy stress filled week. Prayers will be greatly appreciated.

Snow!!

It's been a while since I've blogged. To my seven followers I apologize. Last week was fairly hectic, leaving very little time to blog. I have found, over my semester and a fourth here at at Auburn, that during these hectic weeks that come all too often I neglect more than just the blog. My quiet time is the first thing to go. I laugh at myself as I read this because of the obvious irony of the situation. When I need the Lord the most, He is the first one to go. As I get into my bed to catch those 2 or so hours of sleep, diving into Scripture is the last thing on my mind. This is a reoccurring trend in this crazy schedule known as the college life. I find that if a test is coming up I skip our on church on Wednesdays. Why I think that a few hours of some good worship would hinder my academic performance I couldn't tell you. Out of all the hours in the day, I choose the church hours to study. This is just something that I have been convicted of lately. Making time to spend with our creator should not be a burden. In fact, it is the farthest thing from that. It is a time to hand over your burdens with open hands rather than clinched fists. I must admit, I'm a fist clincher. There are areas of my life that are hard for me to let go of. I like to be in control but I'm also indecisive because I'm a people pleaser to the max. I'm real weird I'm very aware. I could babble on about how weird I am but I'll spare you all. The point of all that is to say that letting go and letting God is a constant struggle for me. I trust that He's going to take care of me but I find myself wanting it on my terms. That is something that the Lord is obviously trying to teach me these days. I'm am slowly but surely learning that there are other ways than "Brook's Way." The Lord promises to take care of us. Who am I to doubt the creator of the universe. If He makes a promise I'd be willing to bet it's pretty legit. What does that say about me and my trust and faith in my Savior if I doubt that he will provide for me? Not too much. So what little words have been continually spoken in the back of my mind? "Just trust." You'd think I'd learn to listen.

On a completely different note, SNOW!!!! This is probably the most snow I've seen in ole Alabama...ever. It snowed for a solid day this past weekend. That is a rarer than rare occasion here. It was beautiful. I don't even know if beautiful is a good enough word to describe it. It was breath taking. I was at home for the weekend and got to spend the snow day with the fam, what a blessing. I have come to cherish every minute that I get to spend with my family.

I Will Rise

Sometimes life just doesn't seem fair. Why do bad things happen to such good people. I guess that is the million dollar question that we will just have to ask the Big Man when we meet Him. I find myself dwelling in that very question all too often, especially lately. How could God in his infinite power allow such horrible things to happen in this world? If we are constantly trying to find the answer to that question we will miss out on the simple joys of life. The only solution I have found is this. We have to rest in the fact that He is in control. He holds the universe in the palm of His hand. That is a concept I have found extremely hard to grasp. I have a hard time seeing things outside of my world. I have to step back and realize that there are, contrary to popular belief, other people in this world. We get wrapped up in ourselves, only focusing on how the situation is effecting us. All the while if we would just step back and focus instead on the big picture we might be able see how things are have been beautifully orchestrated by our Heavenly Father. I can't wait to see this "big picture" that I hear so much about. Me and God are going to have to discuss some things. I know I am going to be completely blown away when I do see it though. The things we never understood will be so clear, but until then we will simply have to trust. Trust that He is all powerful and completely, 100% in control. With God on our side who could be against us? How true. In the car with Sally C yesterday we listened to one of my favorite songs. "I Will Rise" It says "I will rise when He calls my name. No more sorrow, no more pain. I will rise on eagle's wings. Before my God, fall on my knees, and Rise."

Anxiously waiting for that day.

Wonderful Weekend

Yesterday was a great day. Goes down as one of the all time bests at Auburn. The day was spent with the same group of amazing people the entire day. I wouldn't have had it any other way. I haven't laughed that hard/much in one day in a very long time. Laughter is indeed the best medicine. Just like everything in life, you go through rough patches. Those times that you doubt if you are really where you are supposed to be. When you question what you're doing and where you go from here. Well after this weekend I have never been so sure of anything in my life. I know that I'm exactly where the Lord wants me. I'm surrounded by such beautiful people, inside and out. People that you can't help but smile when you're around them. These are the people that I know will carry me through my years at Auburn, the good and the bad. I love them so much and cannot wait to see how the Lord blesses our friendship. I pray everyday that we would push each other closer together and closer to the Lord. That, in my mind is what true friendship is all about. It's laughing until the point of tears at something that isn't that funny. It's one liners that when said, no matter how many years later, will still be funny. It's being ok with not going out on a Saturday night because pj's and a movie sound much better. I am so blessed to have these people to do life with.

On a much lighter note, today hasn't been too shabby either. We got up and went to church. We being: Sally, Ballard, Carroll Anna, Laura, and myself. We decided to save a little money and let the Tiger Card buy us lunch. We settled for Au Bon Pain, not ideal but it worked. Then I went back to the room with the intentions of taking a much needed Sunday afternoon nap. I was doing a little fb stalking before I dozed off when someone began to violently bang on my door. Naturally, I get up to find the source of the ruckus. I open the door to find:

I've never been too big on the whole surprise deal, so naturally I found myself a little frazzled. I did what it said though. One card lead to another, each with a number on it followed by the room number where the next card would be found. After exactly 7 of these I ended up in Carroll Anna's room where her and Sally were waiting for me. Oh, I had picked up E-Dunk along the way. The 7 numbers, if you haven't guessed made up a phone number. I called it and after a slightly awkward period where I couldn't really tell who it was, I figured out it was Mark. He asked me to accompany him to Orlando for the Farmhouse formal. I said yes of course! I'm so excited. This really has been an amazing weekend. So much fun. Look forward to many more in my years here at Auburn. War Eagle!

Guess I'm a Blogger

So I’m new to this whole blogging thing. Me, SallyC, and Ballard are starting blogs together. I’m not sure where this is going to go or what I may say. I do know that there will be some funny junk mixed with the occasional life lesson. I’ve found that I encounter many of those, life lessons that it. The Lord is constantly teaching, opening new doors, and closing the occasional one as well. My life, there’s never a dull moment, that’s for sure. My friends are amazing and I don’t know what I would do without them. I love Auburn so much that it’s slightly ridiculous. I know the Lord has great things in store for this place. I hope to play just a small part in that. Jesus is my rock and I fall humbly at His feet daily.

So enough about that, shall we talk about the events of the evening. Dinner and a movie were on the agenda. We went to eat then made a much needed run to CVS. For what? You may ask. For candy, of course. I grabbed my Twizzlers, not the orig but the pull and peel, much better in my opinion. Unfortunately, all they had was the king size, value pack or whatever you want to call it. You get the picture, it was huge, a foot long at least. When planning to sneak outside candy into the movie theater, buying the largest package of candy possible is not advised. Ballard was nominated the smuggler, if you will, of the group. Mainly because she totes around a monstrosity of a purse all the time. One that in this particular predicament that we currently found ourself in, was ideal. After cramming as much as physically possible into her bag, I began to notice Ballard walking with somewhat of a swagger. Guess it was the 30 lb bag she was lugging around. We were the first in line because we learned our lesson last time when we moseyed in during the previews to find ourselves seatless. That was not going to happen this time. Middle and center this time….perfection. Justin Beiber’s One Less Lonely Girl music video came on. Needless to say Ballard and I broke out into song. I can’t say that I wouldn’t marry him if he happen to ask me. I could look past the age thing. Irrelevant, so the movie, “Dear John.” One word: WOW. Channing Tattum was beautiful. As the movie progressed, the excessive sobbing of those around me increased dramatically. There was one point that I became legit concerned about Ballard. One would have thought that it was actually the love of her life overseas. That half a roll of toilet paper that she brought along did not suffice. Me on the other hand, I have what some may call a personality flaw, I simply cannot be brought to tears by means of a movie. The Notebook didn’t even do it to me. People have many different ways of expressing emotion, for me, crying just isn’t one that I utilize too terribly often. That was until tonight. Dear John got me. I am admitting, in front of God and everyone that I did indeed shed a tear or two tonight. My mom would be so proud. So then came the passionate expression of love between John and Savannah, if you know what I mean. The theater was silent, all tear filled eyes focusing intently on the screen when the ice was broken by a rando in the audience. Let’s call her Suzie, Suzie Sneeze-A-Lot. Anyway she sneezed a nasty one from across the room. The timing was impeccable. No one knew how to react at first but then the entire room broke out into laughter. Thank you for that. It made for some great post-movie conversation. Good Times. Great night.