water and cake.

a few weeks back when we were riding to kids club, we started a conversation about favorite drinks.

mine was simply
   good ole H2O baby.

i am a stickler about getting enough water every day {i try to drink at least 2 liters} and adamant about non drinking sodas. {sorry to all those pop/coke/soda lovers and drinkers... read the labels}. my parents get annoyed with my constant reminding them of how diet coke is bad for you and how they should be drinking more water.

i actually crave water all the time and my body has become an excellent detector of dehydration and such. it refuels your body and helps with concentration, mobility, skin health, and overall well being. and it tastes great.

but that's not all water does.

have you ever seen a wave knock down a tree or a house? what about a flood carry away a car? i've seen people walk across iced ponds and lakes. or swim in a pool on a summer day. and at the same time, they can drink some with ice inside their glass.

i've seen water make it through the tiniest cracks and clean out crevices with force. there are many things water can do. it can be three things, at once.

there is something about water that is so powerful and fascinating to me. and it's a characteristic i want to have in my everyday walk-

f l u i d i t y.

people are always telling us to be "flexible". 

and as things happen, you need to bend to fit the situation. 

flexible, makes me think of when i was a gymnast and  a human pretzel. 

but flexible also has a breaking point. 

a point where the object cannot move anymore,

or it will break. 

but fluidity is like water. water doesn't break. 

it moves to fit it's surroundings with ease and beauty. 

it can be as calming as a shore line or fierce as a monsoon.

if it comes to a point where it is cut off, it runs around the edges to make it's move. 

water moves. 

fluid in motion. 

i was reading in philipians 4 the other when paul discusses how we can do everything through Christ. and the author says in verse 13 {AMP version}

I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses inner strength into me; i am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency.]

and as i read this, a picture of water come to mind.

the world throws at us all these problems and issues and situations that we have the choice to encounter with fear or with welcome. a lot of time people get so scared of something happening, they lose sight of the promise of the Father.

He says we can do all things. not just big important things, but little things too. and that when these things come our way, don't be afraid! but fluid in His movement.

when we welcome these boulders in the way of our fluid movement, we have the strength to overcome. 

to persevere. 

and to conquer.

if we are flexible, we fail. 

         eventually we will break.

if we are fluid, we flourish.

         because we have Christ's strength.

_______________

celebrating birthdays is very important to me. i believe that each person only gets one real day to celebrate their life.

the most wonderful part about birthdays is that God chooses the day.

doctors always try to pin point when the baby is going to show up, but God has it already planned out. which i think is really fun. God picks your birthday.

and i think God likes to throw parties too. think about when spring comes around. creation throws a party in thanks to the creator. same thing with the first snow {... that we don't see in the South...}. it's all a celebration. and a reminder of our marvelous creator. i think birthday parties should be "thankfulness parties" because we should be thanking God for the gift of another year.

and by golly we should celebrate.


august 15 was my thankfulness day. including time with two precious auburn friends, my grandparents, yummy food, and sweet surprises by my family and Will.

there was a lot of joy inside me during this day. so many sweet emails, phone calls, and cards- i felt like my little heart was going to just burst with happiness.

but i didn't eat birthday cake, which, is one of my favorite things... so i may need to have a one-week celebration of my 22nd birthday just to have some ;)

 ____________

speaking of birthdays, my baby brother turned 18 on Friday. i am very proud of my bro, he is growing up to be a very strong man of God. the other week our pastor called him out from behind the pulpit for being a leader.

talk about accountability.

this is his last year of football at TPS, so i will attempt to make it to as many games as i can. he is precious to me. so blessed to call him my brother.

_____________

things to look forward to:

1. beach with Will's familia. 
2. STEPH IS MOVING TO ATLATA!!!!!!!!
3. my birthday present from William and the adventure that include
4. FALL is coming (in a couple months)

well, that's about all folks. happy wednesday
peace and blessings.
mb. 

four eyes.

the year was circa 1999 and we still drove a mini van. a dodge caravan; candy apple red, to be exact.

mom was in the driver's seat and the three babes were in the back seat, probably drinking a juice box or listening to MIX103 or something like that. 

it had be a wonderful day. we had gone to school, mom had taught her little hooligan kindergartners, and by this time in the afternoon, we had been killed with turkey sandwiches and goldfish crackers. 

i remember it was spring. 

i also remember having to sit about three feet from the board at school. i remember having headaches from squinting. and i remember my teacher "suggesting" to my mother that we visit the eye doctor. 

that day, in the dodge caravan, as we drove home from the eye-doctor, i was sporting new glasses. simple little silver frames with a nice 4th grade haircut {which included bangs and hung right over the shoulders}. throw in a plaid skirt and Oxford and you got your self a baby nerd. 

but i was ecstatic. 

i remember it was spring because of the trees. as we passed a pecan grove near my home i shouted out, "MOM LOOK! the trees have LEAVES!"

my mom cried in the caravan that day.

who knew how long i had not been able to see the individual leaves on the trees. all mom knew was that it broke her heart that i couldn't see. she wanted so bad for me to be able to see what she saw. but i didn't know any better. 

now i am four eyes. but i am ever thankful for those glasses and contacts i have. i can see.

everyday i put on my contacts or glasses. and i can see. 

everyday i put on by other glasses too.

i ask Jesus, every single day, to give me His eyes. i want to see people the way He sees people. full of love, compassion, mercy. the Lord sees people and says "i want to pour my love out on them through you."

your relationships with people depend on your perception of them. how can we see others the right way? we must see them through the eyes of Jesus. 

in every encounter, i have to ask the Lord, "how do you see them Jesus?" 

God loves to share His feelings for people when we ask. and when we treat them the way God sees them, we bless them and obey our great Father. 

i believe the way we look at people, without judgement {if you didn't know, that is NOT our job} but with love and respect, can change lives. i have seen it happen. 

__________________

in other news, my William has started a new journey with his career. if you think about it, say a little prayer for him as his is making this transition. i am so proud of him. 

annnnd i am writing from my NEW COMPUTER! it's my graduation present from the grands. the burned beauty is now being used as backup. 

and this is a new baby we are so excited about! his name is josiah and he is one of the most precious babies i have ever seen. william did a great job with him. 

____________

well tomorrow is the big day.

i actually feel older this year. not old like elderly old, but older.

this blog is really helpful with looking back and seeing how much growth i have experienced, how much learning i've been through. some really good things have happened this year. some marvelous things have happened this year. i have been tried and tested, i have seen fruit and blessings. i can sit here and write this and feel so much further than where i was last year. the Lord has blessed me beyond my imagination and my own understanding.

however, i am so excited about the new things this year will bring. the Lord has so many promises for me and i cannot wait to share them.

"therefore, as your received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving." Colossians 2:6-7

anticipation.

anticipation of pain is {i believe} the worst human emotion.

think about it.

when you were little, taking a band-aid off was terrible and horrifying. remember getting teeth pulled or your finger pricked at the doctor's office? yeah, i do. and each event was accompanied with tears.

many times we often avoid things because of perceived pain.

remember avoiding the break up with a middle or high school boyfriend/girlfriend?? do you remember how many tears were shed over that person, yet, as shocking as it may be, you do not even talk to them anymore. what about when you need to tell the parents that you got a ticket or failed a class? we procrastinate until the moment when it is absolutely necessary.

i also believe this is true when it comes to training. for anything.
some days i wake up, look at the schedule, and want to cry when i see numbers like 15, 17, or 20.
"why did i do this again?" creeps into my little mind every now and again.

then i take my time getting dressed. i make sure i go to the bathroom about 5 times before i exit the house. i suck it up. and i run.

once i just got into my swing and started running i felt great. the weather was perfect and my legs were doing their job and i could breathe the air. i ran 5 miles and got back and i was finished.
and i felt great. granted, there were a few lovely atlanta hills that were AWESOME and i thought i might keel over right there and die... but i did not. i made it and i felt awesome.

perceived risk. anticipated pain.

so many times we don't do what we should for those two above reasons.
countless opportunities pass us by because we are afraid of stepping out.
there is risk in waking up in the morning.
there is risk when you fall asleep.
there is risk when you do anything. and there will probably be pain along side it.

the Lord calls us into some crazy things. He asks us to act and walk through things we know are going to be painful. we see the stuff that comes with it. we hear the stories and anticipate pain. we scare ourselves. we listen to lies.

but the Lord also says He will never leave or forsake us. that His Presence watches over us continually. that we are in the palm of His hand. that He knows the plans for us, He directs our will and our way. 

He also knows our pain. His Son took the weight of our pain and died for it. He has experienced it. 

so why, then, do we get so afraid? why do we cower at the first thought that this may be uncomfortable for me? what is holding us back?

a wise person once said to me, "you can do anything temporarily". meaning, there may be pain involved and some suffering, yet it is only temporary.
the Lord promises that pain may last for the night, but JOY comes in the morning. it's temporary pain.

and that goes for everything. for a new job. for stepping out and challenging your parents to walk deeper in their faith. for running a marathon. for getting married. having a baby. having cancer. pulling a tooth.

my challenge today is to remember the pain someone went through to get you where you are.
my challenge is that you step out in your faith and move a mountain.
that you take the strength given to you by our Lord and do something.
whether it is going to be painful or not.

___________________

my other challenge is this. 

how many times did you laugh today? 

we all need to lighten up a little. apparently, we are supposed to laugh 25 times a day. 

a cheerful heart is good medicine. 

and i dare you not to laugh at this precious baby....

peace and blessings.
mb.

yay.

it's august everyone. welcome; to the month of my birth.

Source: greylikesbaby.com via Liz on Pinterest

tuesday was the last day of intern status. the evaluation was beautiful. my little growing brain/heart/spirit was looking forward to getting some areas for me to grow in. instead, i felt like it was Morgan Appreciation Day. never in my life have i received as much affirmation and encouragement as i did in those 45 minutes. 

so many times, we look so hard at how we can encourage and fill other people up, we forget to get filled ourselves. 

but i did, and my cup was full, and my heart leapt with excitement about the season that is coming. the Lord said that He was proud of me- He looked down upon me and called me His child and said he was proud!

and then the devil met me at the door.

things like:

 are you sure you are called to this ministry and is He really proud of you and what about this... or that...

and so i captured those darts and i sent them where they belong.

      the foot of the cross. 

but these two days the Lord has been showing me what trust looks like. for the first time in my life, i have not guarantee as to what i will be doing. i make phone calls and send in applications and have interviews. and they are all hanging in the air. 

but there are things that aren't hanging in the air. the things that keep me going. 

like tomorrow, i will help two of our girls move. today, i created another new brownie masterpiece {yea call me Betty}. i have a healthy body that is carrying me through marathon training {more on that in a second}. i have a date tonight with my one and only. 

blessing are abundant. my God is faithful, living, true to His word. He is a protector and He wants to give me things, for i am His child, and a loving Father wants to provide for His children. He wants me to depend on Him as provider. and therefore, i have nothing else to lean on but Him.

_________________

running. we are running a marathon. it is happening in october and we are 10 weeks out. this week monday was 11 miles, wednesday was 4, today was 8, and tomorrow, 4 again. the legs are holding up fine. the mental stamina is kicking back in. and i love the time i get to spend out on the road or in the woods. i am no longer eating a vegetarian diet. it was literally destroying my muscles and i was not getting enough protein. however, i am eating more veggies and fruits than anything else. and complex carbs of course. 

it has been an adjustment to learn how to run in atlanta. 

so. many. hills.

but i am getting stronger. 

will is a good encourager through this. especially since he is running it too. mutually beneficial. 

__________________

i wanted to blog today because i want to keep writing. sometimes i get hung up on other things and i forget to write in my journals. and so this is the best way i know how to keep writing. 

i love it. 

it drives me to want to do cooler and more marvelous things so i can blog about it.

there will be better stories. more insight and more knowledge as i continue to grow. 

i want to invite you to continue on my journey with me. 

i promise you wont get bored. 

well, too bored. 

so thanks to people who have been encouraging me to keep writing. 

thanks to people to actually read this thing. 

i hope you are learning as much as i am. 

oh.

and i found this today.

it is now my inspiration for the month of august. 

peace and blessings. 

mb.