the prep.

hola blog world. it's been a minute.

the remainder of august and september thus far have been a complete whirlwind. all together exciting and memorable.

after my last little post, i got a job. at Brave Public Relations here in atlanta. it was an obvious, clear, direct sign from Jesus that I take the opportunity. it is temporary, but it is a JOB and i am learning a lot about my field and how to take my skills and apply them to my job.

that being said, i work full time. which i haven't done in a while.

and i love having a routine again, and this i am sure you are keenly aware of is good for my admin/marge self.

i feel like this pre-fall season is what i am calling the prep and method phase. preparation is kinda the most important part to anything you do. think about cooking/baking. you cannot just throw everything you think you need into a bowl and then have cookies... you gotta measure and separate and beat things together. sometimes you have to have a little separation to make the recipe turn out perfectly.

and i feel that is where i'm at.

i am being prepared quickly for what is to come. and i am ready to embrace everything the Lord has prepared ahead for me! i love the way he has been stretching me emotionally and physically [with working and training for the marathon and with family/friends/new people/old people/ etc etc] He is mixing in new things into my life while sustaining lasting things, teaching me to balance my life on His tables.

the prep and the method are crucial in making this recipe splendid. and i'm in the middle of that marvelous "phase".

so to catch everyone up... here is an overview of august and september!

august 22- interviewed with Brave and got the job. started working the 27. Will and i have been little travel bunnies. we went to the visit family in NC and favorites in bham, and then back to charlotte for the Hillsong concert. i went back to montgomery to take kelsey and chad's engagement photos...

can you say beautiful? i loved doing this!

also, one of my bestest bestest friends got engaged in august, another one of my bestests moved to atlanta AND i got to eat lunch with one of my FAVORITE texans in the world... miss myra. i have had a seriously blessed couple months.

marathon training- still going on if you were questioning it. we will be running our second to longest run in the training phase- a big 19 miler. and we are a little over 6 weeks out from the big day. so prayers are appreciated! no injuries!

mostly- i am excited because this morning when i was walking to my car and to work at 7:45, it was chilly! is it fall yet??? it will officially be on Sept. 22! and october, which is the best month in the year, i think, is coming up soon. 

well blessings to you all. 

xoxo

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. 

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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. 

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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

Hotlanta.

wednesday morning i woke up to rain outside. but that didn't slow me down. 

i have made many trips to atlanta in the past, however this trip was far from what i am accustomed to. 

driving through tiger town starbucks is a trip ritual. hazelnut skinny latte please. and as the rain sprinkled into my car window as i grabbed my coffee from the barista, i realized, this time, i was going home.

i now am settled in beautiful bustling atlanta. i have enjoyed getting moved in and am growing more used to the "you say 20 mins but me 45 mins" away. i am learning to parallel park better. and it's only been three days. 

in other news, i graduated college! finally i am able to say those words. after the four year of writing this blog, there has never been a post that school was not looming overhead, barking at my brain, waiting to be done after i made a little post. my creativity and whitty juices all flowed into that mass called education. 

now. i get to learn. and do. 

         

i also got an iphone. which has been remarkable. a struggle sometimes to pay attention to other things going on, but it's still new... so i am allowed right?

now that i have an awesome phone that takes incredible pictures, my life is all of the sudden more documented for everyone and their mother (literally in some cases) to view it. so here is my life recently according to my iphone (this will be a traditional saturday post... all the cool blogs do it)

         

i have successfully run twice in atlanta so far. will and i went to piedmont park today to run and he (as expected) was much faster than i am. we enjoyed the time together, none the less and made about 5.2 total miles in the may heat. the wind was our friend, however. 

a special shout out to the lovely fender mandolin that brian gave me. i am learning chords at least one a day. i really like it. it is good for my baby hands and squatty fingers to play. and not to mention the fact that Ellie Holcomb uses onc. which makes me feel that much more capable of mastering the instrument.

brian told be i couldn't come back until i was the master mandolin player of the year. which, might be a stretch, but we have hope. 

OH YEAHHH!

I got the summer internship at NightLight! my whole mind has not wrapped itself around the fact that the passion the Lord has given me in this life if going to see itself in the light this summer. i will be blogging a lot about what i will be doing later. i have some emotional feelings right now, and i am learning a lot through the books i am reading for the adventure. if you want info about this organization in Atlanta, look them up here! 

did i mention how happy i am to be so close to this guy right here?? because i am. enough said. 

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sitting here at this desk in this new room is a little odd. mostly, because this is now where i stay, not where i visit.

part of me was scared to move here. part of me was a little apprehensive. part of me was pumped.

now, i am more excited than anything. 

i have been given grace to proceed in life. the Lord has shown a little glimpse into His will for my life.

today, i saw a slice of my future. not planning on it, but i saw it regardless.  

and the Lord showed off. 

my heart leaps inside my chest when he pats me on the back and tells me good job. 

when he gives me a nudge in the right direction.  

i prayed for the opportunity. he gave me a desire, and a calling, now he is equipping me.

and he is showing me His LOVE through another. 

a picture of HIS LOVE. 

how could you ask for more?

you can't. because there is nothing else but HIS LOVE.

__________________________

well, that is a significant update. i look forward to posting more about my adventures through post-grad life. 

get outside today. green> screen (outside is green...screen is like a tv or computer... ya digg?)

peace and love. mb. 

oh well.

honestly it has been hard for me to keep up with this blog. with how much i time i spend on the computer, there is a very small desire for me to sit here and work on a post when i have other things i can be doing.

with that said, i am not quitting, because i don't believe in quitting.

but i think i need to find more inspiration to blog about. maybe i am just tired of trying to be creative and write beautiful prose for all my followers to enjoy. i think this blog began for me, and needs to continue to be for me. selfish kinda yeahh i know. but it is my blog.

so yeah. want an update?? i'll do my best to fill you in quickly on my past couple months.

jan.u.rary.
went to passion. began my last semester of college. began working at cornerstone. began singing with Teacup & the Monster. began waking up early again. began reading more again. got another eye infection. kim got engaged. w visited auburn. developed achilles tendonitis.

feb.ru.ary.
led at Winter Retreat with AUMC.

break from running. w visit's 3 times in conjunction with family farm extravaganza. first time singing at Lee-Scott. second show with Teacup & the Monster. phenomenal ash wednesday service at cornerstone and the beginning of lent (no meat, no desserts.. yea). justice week with IJM and it was unbelievable. starting running big time again and insanity.

oh and new baby bethea was born!

march.
morgan goes to atlanta and sees w. sings at cornerstone and lee speaks an incredible message about restoration. next week is spring break. as well as myra's birthday!

soo that's all folks. back to work on cornerstone stuffs. hope you enjoy your week. i know i will.

mb.