Oh, Life.

GOD IS SO GOOD.
GOD IS SO GOOD.
GOD IS SO GOOD.

His loving kindness and overflowing mercy astound me.
He is so good!

I'm back at Lee for my second semester of freshman year. I feel so much older. More mature. Stronger. It's strange.

But I did go through that phase this past week of feeling "lost." I realized I hadn't picked up a brush in months, or read just for the fun of it, or baked, or gone out shooting for photography, or taken a walk, or anything like that. And I missed it.

But now, I'm in Franklin for the weekend. I've only been here a few hours, and I already feel filled. My Franklin tank was getting low. It's full now. I'm laying in my bed, listening to Andy McKee, eating Cheeto Puffs, and blogging.

My idea of a fantastic Friday night.

Something nags at my heart, however. Plays its strings, and calls out from a deep place. I'm in my literal home. My parents are down the hallway, and I'm laying in my bed in my room surrounded by memories of my life before college...but I know deep down inside, in my heart of hearts...

I'm not home.

Because home is a place on the other side of this planet. Home is a little mud hut, surrounded by other little mud huts, surrounded by the Father's love and the Father's presence. Home is a one-roomed church/school house filled with hundreds of little bodies singing praises to the King.

Home is where the heart is.
And my heart isn't here.
It's in Africa.

So now, I embark on this interesting journey. Well, more like continue on it. But with a different flavor. Because after I got back from Malawi in the summer of 2009, I knew that I wouldn't be going back.

Or so I thought.

But tonight, something drew me to those pictures. And something twisted my heart. And something called me home.

I fall on my knees. And pray. Hard. Because if the Lord IS calling me back, there have to be a lot of things that happen in a very short period of time. Money has to come in, schedules have to open up, and a spot on the team has to open up.

But if it's His will, He will make a way. Because HE WORKS EVERYTHING OUT FOR MY GOOD.

Lately, I've been praying for Dad's will to be done in different aspects of my life. With my new boyfriend, with my Sophomore year at Lee, with my summer...

But then, something dawned on me. I have given the Lord a coloring sheet and a crayon and kindly said, "Please color this section, this section, and this section in your will. But stay in those sections.

Now I am giving Him a canvas and a paintbrush and asking Him to paint the CANVAS OF MY LIFE in a beautiful rainbow of colors. Because I don't want to compartmentalize. I want Him to be moving, living, breathing, flowing into every nook and cranny of my crazy life. I want to overflow with His love...and give Him all the glory for everything He does.

I wait. I pray. I journal. I cry. I laugh. I dance. I sing. I hope. I love. And I dream.
I am clay in the Father's hands, destined for greatness.
Let His will be done.

Once Upon A Time...

...I used to blog more.
...I was a high school student.


But now. Now I'm not a high school student. No longer do I have a principal, a locker combination to remember, or my own bedroom. Now I answer to college professors, enjoy sharing a 9' by 14' room with one of my best friends, and have about 48 different numbers, passwords, and usernames to remember.

But boy howdy, DO I LOVE IT.

I'm at Lee University. I get along with this place like peanut butter and jelly get along. It's beautiful. It's nestled right in the middle of las montanas (or "the mountains" for all you non-Spanish extraordinares out there), the people here are INCREDIBLY God- breathed, and the Lord thrives on this campus.

College is a little weird, though. No longer am I surrounded by the people that helped me be "me." I know that first and foremost Christ, and my relationship with Him, defines who I am. But in a sense, you can't help but to cash in on what others say about you, think about you, and act toward you. At home in Franklin, I was Amberly, the Africa-loving, sweet pea, art freak. Now I'm Amberly the....

It's a clean slate, is what it is. It's completely exciting but insanely disturbing at the same time. I get this EXACT feeling staring at a literal blank canvas before a painting. There are so many different directions that I can go. But I feel that tug toward the "known," toward my past, toward my roots. I know that I'll remain faithful to my roots for the rest of my life, to one extent or another. I'll always love kids and have a really, really, really, really big heart for other countries, most specifically the continent of Africa. I'll always feel absolutely perfect with a brush in my hand and Ray LaMontagne on my radio.

But now, now I'm in a new culture. Gone are the cowboy boots and cowboy hats. Gone is the Pancake Pantry. Gone are the TPC Youth Kids. Gone are my parents (well, not literally GONE, but out of my everyday life). Gone is the Nashvillian Culture. (Isn't it funny that you don't realize how INSANELY AWESOME a place is until you leave it?) Gone is my bedroom. Gone is my house with all its little creaks and groans in the night. Gone is my favorite bookstore, with my favorite overstuffed sofa. Gone are my backroads that provided therapy for so many frustrating days. Gone are my carpool buddies that would accompany me in a lively (and very off key) rendition of "Gone" by NSYNC.

And in their place are beautiful trees. New people. New family that lives within 30 steps of me (and shares the same bathroom that I do). An insanely amazing boyfriend. Fantastic opportunities to positively impact the world around me for the glory of the Father. Beautiful parks. An "adoptive" mom and dad that live 20 minutes from here. Freedom out the wazoo. Cleveland Culture...which isn't as awesome or inspiring as that of Nashville, but still offers some interesting opportunities. Free food. And lots of it.

So in short, I miss home. But I love it here, and I know that the Lord has me here for a reason. I love love love Lee. There are definitely tough days, but I'm gonna have those anywhere. But here, the fantastic days far outweigh the tough days.

Top 10 Memories So Far:
1. Meeting my boyfriend in the ID line.
2. Party in the USA music video making.
3. Girl's Nights
4. Spending more time (and money) at Wal Mart than ever before.
5. Seeing yellow butterflies EVERYWHERE.
6. The sunsets here.
7. Meeting more people than I could ever imagine in the span of about 49 minutes.
8. Having professors tell you their testimonies.
9. Having professors remind you that they're praying for you.
10. Learning that you really DO change freshman year.

Top 10 Things I'm Looking Forward T0
1. THANKSGIVING BREAK!! (Dalton, Mississippi, extended-family meeting, food-consuming...)
2. Christmas Break! (Franklin, Gatlinburg, hot-tubbing, cookie making, girls nighting...)
3. Small Groups the rest of the year
4. My art classes next semester
5. Tutoring elementary schoolers next semester
6. Spring Break
7. Urban Outreach Weekend 1 and 2.
8. Skype dates with Neens and Em.
9. Continuing to teach my kindergarten Sunday School class.
10. Even MORE baking parties.

So here's to you, College Adventure. I love you so far!

Ps--- This is my shameless plug for Em, my seestar. She's going to North Africa this Spring. CHECK IT OUT: http://emifaye.blogspot.com/

woooooooa! take a look at me nooooooo-ow!

PRAISE THE ALMIGHTY SAVIOR IN HEAVEN,


I AM DONE WITH MY ART PORTFOLIO! :]


A little taste of what's in it (more soon!) :

<"Goldfish in a Bowl" -abstract, happend on accident. Cleaning off my palatte from another piece, I decided to use the extra paint on this sucker. Turned out to be a beaut!


So, now that I'm officially done with my art portfolio, and I took my English 4 AP exam today...I'm practically done with high school. I have 4---COUNT THEM, 4!!!!!---days left of my high school career. This is kinda freakin' me out, and making me so stinkin' excited at the same time. Yuuuuuus.


Africa is soon! it's like 42 days. Man oh man, this is going to be so great. I can't wait to get back!


Grad parties have already started. The yearbook came in yesterday. It's beautiful! I'm done with Studio Art. No more hanging in Ms. Saylor's room at all hours of the school day. Lunches on the lawn are drawing to a close...man, sad day!


But in other news, our cruise to Mexico got cancelled, due to "Swine Flu."


-----Swine Flu is a HOAX. All it is is the media of the US blowing it up into this HUGE deal. More people have died from the regular flu since the beginning of the year than Swine Flu.


Where is the media coverage about the 15 MILLION children that die EVERY YEAR of hunger? Where is the media coverage about the 2 MILLION people that die EVERY YEAR of AIDS? Swine Flu isn't a pandemic. AIDS and world hunger are pandemics.


World hunger is completely preventable. The average American family spends $800 on Christmas. This could give 7 children in developing nations 1 meal per day for a year.


Okay, hopping down off my soapbox...

So, our cruise was cancelled. I was excited, honestly. I loved the cruise, but am much more of a beach bum, hang out by the pool type o' gal. So we are now looking at our favorite beach house in Seaside, FL. Or possibly flying down to Cozymel (which stole our hearts last summer) and staying in an all-inclusive. I'm purty pumped. :]


Here are some Prom 09 pictures! We had a blast.



Karl and I at the Angles. >



























Half the gang, at Picture Station #1. >








So now I'm off to work on Senior Slideshows for my grad party (WOO!) and the Senior Recognition for the class of 2009 (aka Kono) at church next week. Could you pass the Kleenex box, please?

ONE Story.

I am 18 years old. I am from a small town just south of Nashville, Tennessee. I have big plans and dreams ahead of me, that include furthering my education at a university. But my story isn’t about me. My story is about the precious souls of the children that I had the amazing opportunity to meet last summer.
During the summer of 2008, I was presented with an opportunity to venture overseas to Lilongwe, Malawi to teach in schools and build a home for a family that adopted an AIDS orphan. I had no clue where Malawi was, and what it was like. I spent many an hour on Google researching the place that would soon steal my heart.
Google told me about the beautiful Lake Malawi, the kind Malawian people, and the wonderful scenery in this country. What Google didn’t tell me about was the absolute poverty that has stricken the country of Malawi. Like so many sub-Saharan African countries, Malawi is plagued with disease and famine. But these life altering circumstances don’t stop the Malawian people. They are a people of hope and of joy. (Google didn’t inform me of this either.) Even in the face of death, starvation, and drought, the Malawians shook me out of my comfortable American kid bubble, and into reality.
My first day in Malawi, I taught the African equivalent to an American kindergarten class. I was lead to a small brick room and 28 smiling, breath-takingly beautiful faces. The teacher I was temporarily replacing instructed that I was to teach these little ones the Alphabet, body parts, colors, and numbers. I was a valuable asset because I’m from America, and therefore have an accent (albeit a very Southern one). As I looked around the small room with one window, I thought to myself, “Man, I have more in my book bag alone than these children will ever see. I have textbooks, notebooks, and pencils. These children have nothing.” I was accustomed to having materials to teach with, like a blackboard or flashcards. But none of these awaited my use here in this brick room. So, my imagination kicked in, and we embarked on a journey that included lots of laughter, some language barriers, and even some learning- on both my part as the teacher, and their part as my students. These Malawian children are some of the lucky few that are able to receive an education. Most children in third-world nations don’t ever get to hold a pencil, or see a textbook. There are children in our world that don’t know how to add two and two, or what a verb is. Every child, from sea to shining sea, deserves to know what it’s like going to class and holding a pencil, or raising their hand to answer a question. And this can be done, if those that hold prominent positions in our world step up, step out, and let their voices be heard.
With the education of children around the world, new ideas and styles of thinking will be brought to life. Creative minds, all around the glob, working together for a common cause can truly change our world. Even children in third-world countries have dreams, just like 8 year old Ishmael told me, “I would love to become a doctor when I grow up. To help my people not be sick anymore would be so….cool.” He then burst out with an uninhibited smile, which brought tears to my eyes. Because I know the future of this small boy, along with his hopes and dreams, rests on our shoulders as a country where providence flows.
I’m not a politician; I’m not a world leader. But I am a world changer, and with the help of all those around me, including those that are prominent in the American society, WE can change the world. WE can have a positive influence on those that can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. WE can be hope carriers to those who have lost all hope. WE can change the world, starting with educating those small minds that are part of our global community.

an ode to the things i love.

So I haven't updated this doo-hickey in a very long while. But I've got lotsa thoughts bouncin' around in my head...so here goes. :]

(That was a very Southern Slang sentence.)

Disclaimer: There are many many many more things I love. But Grey's Anatomy comes on in an hour, and I cannot miss it.

1. Winter Retreat:

So we (my youth group) just got back from Winter Retreat. It was absolutely incredible. The Lord has brought us all back together in ways that we've been praying for for over a year. Man, what a great God!

Last night we had a Fusion (our Wednesday night youth service) and debriefed what Winter Retreat was for us. Needless to say, God moved again.

Winter Retreat WAS full of funny things, like skits, copious amounts of M&Ms, and LOTS of giggles. And scavenger hunts. Which the Group 2 owned FACE at.

2. The Senior Class of 2009:
I am 54ish school days away from being a graduate. This makes me excited beyond words. But that's not why I love the senior class. I love the senior class because we are FAMILY. Just like it says in Nehemiah, when one of us is missing from the group, there is a tangible hole. Each one of us brings something different to the table. (I'm sorta stealing this from Will...bare with me.)
We each have our own strengths and our own weaknesses. But we complete each other so perfectly, it can only happen through the Lord. In the class of 2009, or Kono, we have: leaders of all shapes and sizes, artists, lovers, dreamers, scholars, musicians, comedians, dancers, prayer warriors, risk takers, photographers, directors, actors, filmakers, teachers, missionaries, justice-seekers, optimists, and planners. We are by no stretch of the imagination perfect, but we love each other unconditionally nonetheless. We are clay in the Father's hands, going anyway He leads. How incredibly blessed I am to be in such a diverse and loving family.

3. Oil Paint:
Dear oil painting, how I love you. Actually, dear any type of painting, I love you. As soon as I have a brush in my hand, everything fades away (yes, I proudly stole this from The Notebook). But it really is true. I get in my own little world when I paint...just me and the canvas. Sometimes, I get stuck. I hit a "painter's block." But usually, with some thoughtful sketching and some great music, I can bust on through that dumb painter's block. I especially love the way oil paints smell. They just permeate my memory, and I know that whenever I smell that particular scent, it will bring me back to my adventure with my canvas. Some people say that they take their cars on adventures. Or their cameras. Or even their friends. But with a canvas, I can do anything.

4. Picnik:
Oh my lanta, I never knew photo editing could be so fun. Hello a new form of procrastination. But hey, it's creative!

5. Driving with my windows down:
Oh, the wind in my hair, the clouds in the sky... just kidding. But I really do like that. There's just such a feeling of freedom while driving with the windows down. Especially to good music.

6. Del Rio:
Not "of the river" in Spanish. Well, it is. But that's not what I mean. Del Rio is this really great narrow road that winds through the fields and "countryside" here in Franklin. I especially like it while driving with my windows down. There's not much traffic on it, so it's almost like the movie Elizabethtown, when Orlando Bloom is just crusin' along listening to some really great music. Yeah, I like it. :] Both Del Rio and the movie Elizabethtown.

7. Africa:
I'M GOING BACK THIS SUMMER! Praise the Almighty Father, I've been called to return back home. I've still got dirt from Malawi in my shoes, and not a day passes that I don't think about those precious children. Hopefully I can brush up on my soccer skills before I return...

A Random List of Things I Love, But I'm Not Going To Elaborate On Because I Want To Watch Grey's:
-throw pillows.
-travelling.
-acoustic guitar.
-love stories.
-Preds games. (Nashville's hockey team)
-football.
-sweet tea.
-the Art Girls. (I see them every morning. Without them, I wouldn't have anyone to share my embarassing stories with at 7:30 a.m.)
-my car.
-my car's sunroof.
-best friends.
-answered prayers.
-God moments.
-sisters from other misters. (Not literally. But I've got some great gals that surround me. And I'm pretty sure the Lord didn't put some of us in the same family because...well, I don't think there's a set of parents out there that could handle some of us in the same family. We're a bit goofy.)
-dance parties.
-senior boys that have Lumberjack day.

first snow and ramblings.

It snowed tonight. On December 11th, in good ole Tennessee. Wow oh wow. :]

Here's 14 completely random things about me and my life right now:

1. I know I've said this 647 times, but Amos Lee is so incredible.

2. I always get struck with inspiration late at night or at inopportune moments during the day...

3. ...hence why I almost always have a sketchbook on me or near me.

4. I am currently craving a London Fog.

5. It snowed today.

6. I really want to watch Chicago.

7. One of my goals for winter break: make stir fry for at least 5 people.

8. I like Ebay. A lot.

9. When I see the Malawian Nativity scene on the coffee table, I smile.

10. Michael W. Smith's newest album, A New Hallelujah, is absolutely beautiful.

11. A purchase of flannel socks may be in my very near future. My feet stay cold in the winter.

12. I spend half of my school day, literally, in the art room...

13. ...usually with the other Studio kids, listening to music and talking (and occasionally working on a project). We are family.

14. If I could be anywhere in the world right now:

Mission-wise: Sitting with Aefe on the field watching the boys play soccer, feeling the wind blow, Daddy's presence, and practicing our letters.

Just because-wise: in a hammock with a book on the beach somewhere where it's 83 degrees and sunny.
Africa Girl's Nights (the girls that went on the team) are always lots of fun. Especially Christmas Extravaganza ones. Complete with a PJ pants swap and cookie-making. :]

I Need Africa

So my friends at Mocha Club have started a new project called, "I Need Africa More Than Africa Needs Me." I learned about it from BooMama, and thought, "Oh, why not. It sounds cool, and I do love me some Mocha Club..." So here we go.

Why I need Africa more than Africa needs me:

So, here I lay in my nice, warm bed in one of the most affluent counties in the nation: Williamson County in Middle Tennessee. I am typing this on the eve of Thanksgiving, possibly one of the most underrated holidays in our nation. Thanksgiving is looked over until you've been to a third-world country. Talk about a reality check. I ventured to Lilongwe, Malawi this past summer, and learned enough about thankfulness and blessing to last me a good long while.

I haven't always been crazy about Africa. When I was younger (like, oh say, 12...) the idea of missionaries in Africa freaked me out. There were elephants, and rhinos, and native people with spears in Africa. No thank you, Lord. I'm just fine doing missions in my nice, comfortable American Kid Bubble.

And then, my freshman year of high school, that was all turned on its head. I began to learn about the uprising of the LRA in Northern Uganda, and participated in a Global Night Commute with Invisible Children. From that night on, I'm positive that I've had an Africa-shaped hole in my heart.

Last spring, an opportunity to go to Africa arose. My youth group was traveling over to help build a house, teach school, and lead a Vacation Bible School with a village just outside of Lilongwe, Malawi. Now, Malawi is this teeny tiny sliver of a country sandwiched between Mozambique and Zambia. Malawi is where some of my best friends live.

I need Africa more than Africa needs me because I left my heart there. I met children that cannot comprehend going to school with a bookbag full of notebooks and pencils and textbooks. I met teenage girls that rather than spending their afternoons with girlfriends, they spend their afternoons caring for their baby brothers and sisters. I met men who provide for families on under one American dollar.

Just becase I lay my head down every night on a nice soft pillow in a nice warm bed, doesn't mean that some of my best friends do too. Some of my best friends dig old magazines out of trashcans to take their science notes on. Some of my best friends don't know what it's like to go to school and sit in a desk.

I need Africa because Africa taught me to dream on a whole new level. Africa taught me to laugh, and love, and learn. Africa taught me to be thankful, and to trust that the Lord will provide. Africa taught me to wave at strangers, and that a smile can make a world of difference.

I need Africa because the people are incredible, and they taught me so much while I was there. I went to Lilongwe, Malawi for two weeks the summer before my senior year expecting to serve the people there, but in return, I was blessed beyond words. The people of Africa are truly amazing, and blessed me in more ways than I can put into words. I need Africa.

hello there, blog.

i take pictures when i drive:

It's been awhile. Igot this idea from mollyis.com (totally worth checking out.).

eight things i'm obsessed with:

01. Football. We are in the 4th round semifinals. Woohoo! Celebrated a HUGE win over our rival on Friday. Praise the Lord!

02. London Fogs: The best drink ever at Starbucks. Perfect for overcast days. Or days with lots of studying.

03. Dave Barnes: Oh, beautiful. Beautiful voice. He's pretty beautiful himself. :]

04. Union University: I'm going! I've been accepted, and I'm currently waiting on a letter telling me how much money they'll award me. I'm super excited, and cannot wait for college.

05. Africa: Well, no shocker here. Invisible Children stuff (book drive) is going well. It's so cool watching how the Lord provides! We had our first Mission Meeting today. It was soley an interest meeting, but I can't wait to be back in Malawi. I miss my home.

06. Girlfriendies: Girl's Nights are the best. They're good for the soul. We laugh our heads off. They're pretty grand. No matter what The Man Clan says, Girl's Nights are WAY better than Man Nights.

07. Art: Also, no surprise. A few new projects coming up...getting excited!

08. Cold Weather Clothes: From scarves to gloves, I love them all. Way way way too much fun to play around with.

eight things i say:

01. blast

02. holey moley

03. bee-een. (pronounced B-eeen.)

04. theeeeeater.

05. geeze louise.

06. hilarous.

07. fantastic.

08. fab.

eight things i want:

01. 4 stretched canvases, ranging in size.

02. a london fog.

03. grey shrug boots.

04. pangea necklace

05. anthropologie dress.

06. nikon d60.

07. a mac book.

08. grey's anatomy season 4 on dvd.

some of my new favorite things.

Courtney and I ventured** to Nashvegas this past weekend to see the GO! premier of the new Invisible Children movie. Oh man, how God has put this organization on my heart. The showing was so cool, it was at Take 121 Arts...which was totally cute and totally me. Very artsy, very comfortable, and very down-home feeling. There were alot of Belmont kids there-which was exciting.

**[ I say ventured because we MapQuested directions, and they led us through the ghetto of downtown Nashville. Two blondes+maps+ghetto... not the best mix.]

The movie itself was SO awesome. It brought back many memories- it's about a team of students from all across America that raised the most money out of all the schools that competed in Schools for Schools. As their adventure unfolded on the movie, I couldn't help but remember my journey to Africa. Of course, their's was vastly different, but at the same time, so similar to mine. After the movie, the IC Roadies introduced us to 5 of the team members that went. I was so psyched, and I'm now friends with 2 of them on Facebook.



So. A list. 'Cause I like those...and I'm good at them.

My NEW Favorite Things:
-Kairos on Tuesday nights.
-Go!
-Schools 4 Schools
-Nalgene jars...just don't let them get over heated.
-Monoprinting
-Senior Student Council
-THE STUDENT SECTION.
-tailgating
Oh, how fun senior boys are.

the rollercoaster of senior year.

So. Senior year has been the easiest, hardest, most boring, most fun, and craziest year of my life thus far. I've been happy, sad, frustrated beyond belief, excited, apathetic, hopeful, creative.....basically all over the board this year. It's exhausting, but interesting at the same time.

I haven't blogged in so long, and I don't even know where to start. I miss summer. I miss being able to wake up at noon and eating lunch for breakfast. I miss Africa. Kelso had pictures last night at Fusion, and I cried for the first time looking at pictures in a month. I cried today reading back through my journal entries from the trip. I'm so ready to go back.

We WON our football game last Saturday! The game was on a Saturday because it was the traditional Clinic Bowl at Vanderbuilt. We played Hillsboro High. The Tennesseean predicted us to lose. Ha. Funny guys. We beat Hillsboro 34-28. It was a spectacular game, in which we had the ball the majority of the time and were smashing face the first 3 quarters. The fourth quarter, Hillsboro remembered they had a "star" on the team, and decided to give the ball to him. Our boys still held on though. What a great game. We play Mcallie tomorrow night. I'm loving not being in band. The student section is absolutely rockin.

I filled out my first college application last week. It was so exciting and so scary. As much as I love it here, I am ready to move on. High school was fun the first 3 years...now I know I'm so close to the next step in my life, and I cannot wait to get there!

Day 1.

It's quite fitting that I'm blogging about day one in the schools on the one month anniversary of this very day. I miss Adziwa and Kauma village with every fiber of my being. I'm so ready to go back.

We all woke up to an extremely cold morning. Who knew that Africa was cold? We all had sweats on for breakfast. We were that cold. The boys woke up for early showers (hey, at least they are showering!) and then we all met for breakfast. We had toast, porridge, and baked beans. Yes, baked beans. For breakfast. It turned out that we had to wait about 30 minutes for breakfast to be finished, which we totally didn't mind. We were used to "Africa Time," which basically means that it will get here when it gets here. Be patient. No worries. I am still on Africa Time, and it drives those around me nuts. But I find a specific serenity in it.

As we enjoyed our breakfast, and talked about the night sounds we heard, including the bird outside of Hut One's window, Kyle came around the tables saying, "Okay guys, funny story!" And we all knew that this story was not going to be funny. Kyle then launched in to telling us about how in Malawi, they don't observe a time switch like the surrounding countries do. So instead of the time being 8 hours behind American time, the correct time was 7 hours behind American time. So the little man that gets our shower water warm? We woke him up. And he was apologizing for not having our water ready. No wonder the breakfast guys weren't ready, we were wrong! Looking back on it, the story is quite funny. But we all were thinking about that extra hour of sleep we could have had. Oh well. :]

After breakfast, we gathered up our materials that we would need for the day, and headed out. I was on school duty all day, including Vacation Bible School that afternoon. I could NOT be more excited. We drove through the villages again, and people of all shapes, ages, and sizes would come running out of nowhere, just to wave at a passing bus of Americans. Many asked for money, but the younger kids all yelled happily and waved their little arms off. We felt like rockstars.

We arrived in Adziwa, were shown around, and began working. The construction team split off to go begin working and meet all the men that worked on the house. We started our walk up to the schools, being led by Thandi. She was possibly the most patient and loving woman that I have ever met. We first went to the elementary school, and looked around a bit there. The children, of course, went crazy. Many of them had never seen a white person, and they all wanted to shake our hands. It was precious. We were TOTALLY a distraction, but I could tell that the kids were eating it up.

On our way to the "middle school" (grades are different, the team called it the middle school), we noticed many of the children that were fleeing from something. Connee, one of the leaders that went with us, quickly asked if we were in danger. Thandi and the headmaster from the school system told us that we should not have fear, they would take care of us if something came up. Then they explained that the Chichewa tribe was having a funeral procession- the chief's son had died. The Chichewa tribe is a native tribe, so therefore they do not practice Christian-based funerals. The tribe had beasts that would run around town, and capture people. We had nothing to fear though, because it was a time of mourning, and the young men would not capture anyone. The children, however were terrified. The men running around would wear masks and carry machetes, which were menacing to the little guys. If captured, a prisioner would have to return to the graveyard with the "beasts" and be initiated. It was quite alarming, but really interesting to see. We were not allowed to make eye contact, wave, or take pictures of the Chichewa people for our safety. The Lord totally had His hand upon us!

We then ventured to the middle and high schools, and I was shown just how much I am so blessed. The Lord has given me a desk, a notebook, and textbooks. He has given my teachers erasers, and my friends school materials also. How blessed I am!

After we saw each school, Thandi instructed us to split into pairs, one pair per school. Emily and I went to the elementary school, and were able to teach a class of 3 and 4 year olds. They were absolutely precious.

When it was time for lunch, the teacher that Emily and I were helping instructed us to come outside and sit on a bench she had pulled out for us. She then told us that she was going to get us some lunch-the same lunch that the students in the school were eating. As she walked away, Emily and I looked at each other with tears in our eyes. Here was this precious lady offering up all she had to her visitors. What a beautiful picture. She then came back and with a distressed look on her face, told us that they were out of porridge. Emily and I tried our best to explain that we had our own lunch back in Adziwa. The woman was obviously relieved, and then invited us inside to hear the children sing. I was so humbled and amazed at the hospitality of this woman who had nothing. How cool is Daddy!

The children singing. It brought tears to my eyes, WHAT a picture of Heaven!

I'm going to stop there, this is the longest post ever. I'll pick up tomorrow with the rest of day one!

And It Begins.

'Mulibwanje' = How are you?
Thanks to John, he corrected me! There are multiple ways to say hello and how are you. This is one of them. :]

So after we settled into our huts, we explored. Behind our huts lies the bathroom and shower.

The bathroom is on the left, and the corner of the shower is on the right. The bathroom was a hole in the ground with a toilet seat over it. The shower was just a little room. But we had so much fun with them both. More on shower sing-a-longs later. :]

So we continued to explore, and came across a group of children near our source of hot water. We learned that these kids were the children of the women that worked at the lodge, doing laundry and cooking. They were so shy, but curious about who we were. Connee brought individually wrapped Lifesaveres to hand out, of course. These kids were her first customers, and they were very excited.

Eventually, one of the men that worked in the village shop took us around behind the dining area. He said, "You want to see more children? Come with me!" And led us around the dining area to a clearing in the trees to about 20 kids practicing dance. It was incredible, and I will admit, brought me to tears. Each one of them was BEAMING.

Everytime I look at these pictures, I can hear their voices. I feel like that guy in Amazing Grace. These children have SUCH a special place in my heart. They were already special before I met them all, but now that I can call each of them by name, it is so much more real. I can recall a voice, and instantly know whose it is.

After watching the children practice dancing, we left so they could go home for dinner. We wandered our way back to the huts, where two men were playing Baul, a game like mancala. Andrew and I instantly got excited, we knew how to play mancala! But Baul was nothing like mancala, which we quickly learned. The men gladly taught us, Nathan caught on the fastest. I was left somewhere in the first couple minutes of explaining...all the jet lag had caught up with me!

Dinner rolled around, and we had goat stew with rice, green beans, and tomato relish. For dessert we had fruit salad. Everything was so good, but I will admit that I didn't try the goat stew. I heard it was delicious. A band played while we ate, in candlelight, I might add. I could totally get used to that.

Maybe this round I'll acutally get to Africa.

After London, we ventured to Nairobi. It was a flight of approximately 18 days. Well, not really. More like 7 hours. It just felt like 18 days. The best part was journaling, the really cute guy in the row infront of me, (Nina, sass comments to yourself, my friend!) and waking up to a KILLER sunrise in the air, and the boys singing the opening number from Lion King. (The BAAAAAAI-YA BI- YAIIII one.) That was hysterical.

Oh, I was also FINALLY given my letter from Nina. This letter was under 3 layers of packing tape. The kind with the reinforcing yarn thing strung through it. And about 7 paper clips, and 2 envelopes. It took me 45 minutes to open and 2 minutes to read. :] Technically, I opened it while in the air over Africa. Not while I was standing on African soil. Oops.

The airport in Nairobi itself was not fun. We were all so dehydrated that I don't think any of us remember it. I do, however remember a really nice shop guy, and really mean security guys. That made me down a bottle of water in 5 minutes. Because I have a b-o-m-b in my bottle of water. Yes, that's right. But we got out of that airport, and onto a tiny tiny plane that took us to a city in Zambia and then onto Lilongwe in Malawi. I don't remember any of this flight, I was dead asleep for the entire thing. I learned my lesson about water and flights and jet lag.

We got off the plane in Lilongwe and rode a bus to the airport. There were no gates for the plane to pull up to. That was an experience! We were able to breathe Malawian air for the first time, and look around. We were amazed to see how beautiful it all was! We made it to the airport, and through passport security, and then collected our bags, and walked out to the bus (The Wheels of Champions, excuse me. Not the bus.) And we were greeted by ladies from the village.

They were all singing, and dancing. They wrapped each of the girls in a Malawian wrap. I cried. They sang. I couldn't help but think that that's what heaven will be like- nationalities fall by the wayside, and old and young alike abandon all things and worship. In the most beautiful place ever. Even more beautiful than Malawi. How cool.

Ramble Alert!

The new(ish) Jack Johnson CD is the best. Especially for the beginning of summer. :]

Stranded In London.

Well chaps. Stranded probably isn't the proper word to use, because we are all giddy that we are here. (Speaking British was Emily's idea...)

So Africa is on pause. It's not over-- I'm going back. I've decided. I left a LARGE part of my heart there, and I know that's where the Lord wants me. It excites me to NO END.
On Sunday night at Zion Youth Center, we did the Everything Skit. We had SUCH a great response. It was super exciting! Kelso shared her testimony, and Kyle spoke. It was great- the TPC kids fit right in! OF course, we have all friend requested each other on Facebook. :]
Tuesday I touched a chameleon. We named him Francias. (Pronounced: Franz-wah.) He had freaky eyes that rolled back in his head. It was a very nice break from cleaning out the Adziwa house we were working on!
Wednesday I went to the high school in Adziwa and TAUGHT. I was scared out of my pants at first, but as I went on, I grew more and more comfortable with it. By the end of the lesson on plans and roots, I could have gone all day long. What a God thing!
We also FINISHED and dedicated the house on Wednesday! What a miracle. The family was absolutely precious, and I was able to meet the kids of the family a few days early. The girls were precious. During the dedication ceremony, I was told that a white dove flew down out of the sky, and straight down the middle of the house, then lifted back into the clouds again. I didn't see this dove, I was a little preoccupied with the squirmy 4 year old on my lap. But still, hearing about it blew me away. Joseph, the foreman of the house we were working on said that doves only come around when it's the Holy Spirit. Talk about God bumps!
Currently, I am listening to the hustle and bustle of London again. It's really funny to think that we were so hopeful in thinking that we would one day come back to London to see the guards (they weren't out the last time we were here) and get to go to Hillsong again. Next time in London we THOUGHT: Oh, about 5 years from now. ACTUAL next time in London: 2 weeks. Now I'm sitting in a 5 star hotel on someone else's dollar. Yay God! :]

I will have a TON of pictures, and even more stories once I get back home... this keyboard is a little quirky. :]

Neens- I MISS YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!
John- Hope you enjoyed Morocco!

Africa Update!

Wow. That's literally all I can say! This trip so far has been absolutely amazing. Currently, I am sitting in the Zion Youth Center here in Lilongwe, waiting on my fried chicken and a milkshake. I am so excited. :]
Emily and I taught the first VBS of the trip, and it went SPECTACULAR. We had about 50 kids, and we took Polaroids of them. They took them home, and then were showing them off the next day at school. The children's director said that it's always a good day when the kids don't want to leave VBS- and THEY DIDN'T. It was SO encouraging!
The numbers at VBS have only gone up, and today we tickled 100. Two boys came to Christ! God is SO moving through us, in us, and around us.
Each day it grows increasingly harder to leave the kids at 5:30 (which is like, the middle of the night in Franklin). We have learned "See you tomorrow" in Chichewa, and the kids have learned it in English. Today, the kids were all saying "See you tomorrow," and we had to tell them that we would see them Monday. As soon as the bus drove away, all the kids (all 100+ of them) were chasing our bus. I cried. (Neens, yes. I did. So sue me. ;]) It's going to be SO hard having to leave for good. Or at least until next summer!
So I'm paying for this internet time. We will be here Sunday night too, I'll hopefully blog then!

Tapita! (Goodbye in Chichewa)

Check It!!

I will meet these children in a matter of HOURS. :]

So, 60+ days, 5 shots, a WHOLE LOT of sponsor letters, some new clothes, lots of prayers, lots of growing, and 3 days of shopping later.... AFRICA IS HERE. Well, not technically,but I leave in 15 hours. 15 HOURS! Praise the Lord!

And of course, everyone of my posts has to have a pointless rambling part. So here goes:

1) The new Tenth Avenue North CD will absolutely blow your socks off. I've been a fan since 8th grade, but this CD is SPECTACULAR. (Is that spelled right?) You WILL love it. And if you don't... well, your loss.

2.) The new Hillsong CD is also SPECTACULAR. It makes me want to dance around. All their stuff makes me want to dance around. But this CD is even more so. :]

3.) I am SO PROUD of Neens. Girls State has stolen her away, but she is absolutely flourishing. I adore that girl. And I will miss her so while I'm gone. (I know she will read this at some point. Probably on Saturday afternoon. I know that she is itching to blog after being gone all week.) I also think it's quite cute/funny/amazing how she wrote us letters. Us = Africa team. She put mine in 3 envelopes and apparently like a whole role of tape. Because we aren't supposed to open them until we actually GET to Africa. She knows me well. :]

4.) Michael Buble is my future husband, I don't care what anyone says. Well, that last part sounded really mean. But I've offically decided that I'm going to marry him. And he can sing to me at all hours of the day. [Nina is scoffing at this, by the way. She's probably thinking some sassbucket remark...]

5.) Stuff Christians Like (new link on right side of page) is HEE-LARIOUS. I was up at obscene hours of the morning last night reading it. My brother thought I was going crazy. But it's hysterical. Jon Acuff is the type of guy that I would want as a best friend.

See you on the other side of the pond. :]

hello sweet summer.

hello summer and all it brings:
-SWEET TEA. and lots of it. :]
-watermelon.
-strawberries.
-BBQs.
-the BEACH.
-the pool.
-the sun.
-my moon roof.
-warm nights.
-beautiful sunsets
-kono bonding time. :]
-seashells
-PAINTING DAYS.
-youth camp
-kids camp
-----AFRICA!!!!--------

So I survived! I survived my first year of AP classes, and a killer band season [insert band geek jokes here...], and Junior year altogether. It was not easy, let me tell you. God is still in the business of miracles, I got out of 11th grade in one piece! Now I can call what I have "Senioritis."

AFRICA IS IN 8 DAYS. As each day grows closer, I grow more and more excited. Which I didn't think was possible, because I was pretty stoked about a month ago. Emily and I are teaching on God Loving All People. We are very excited- think "Red, and yellow, black and white... They are precious in His sight." Totally both of our hearts!
Now, I'm not going to lie. This is my first trip out of the country. I do love flying, but it makes me nervous. The whole "let's go up in the air in a metal BIRD. THAT'S HEAVIER THAN AIR" thing does not fly too well with me. (No pun intended.) But my Daddy is bigger than anything. So there will be alot of praying going on. Here in TN, and up in the air somewhere over that big ocean.

AFRICA PRAYER REQUESTS:
1. Travel mercies- both in the trip over to Malawi and travel in and around the village.
2. Safety on site- building+teenagers (espeically klutzy ones like me...) could be dangerous.
3. PATIENCE. - 28ish hours of plane rides, and 2 weeks in close quarters with different personalities... yes. Patience would be good.
4. Open eyes, and and open heart- this trip is going to be SO out of my comfort zone. I know the Lord likes to work in me when I'm uncomfortable. Pray that my eyes will be opened to what He has in store. (This goes for the rest of the team having open eyes too!!)
5. Love- I will be the first to sign up for Grumpy Sleep Deprived Citizens Annoymous. Yet another possible foothold for the Devil and buttons to be pressed. Please pray for our team, and that our love for each other is EVIDENT. We are known by the love we have for each other.
6. Awareness- So I'm from little ole' Tennessee, and I've never stepped foot outside the good ole' US of A. I'm not fully prepared to be hit with the different smells, tastes, sights, and sounds of other cultures. Please pray that I (and the team!) will be aware of how we dress/interact/portray ourselves. [And yes, I am fully aware that I said 'ole' twice in one sentence. Yikes.]

So that is kinda a hefty list. But it's what's on my heart. Expect about 8 more "____ DAYS LEFT! AHHH!" posts. :]

Ps--- Pray for Katie W. and Brittney H., they are leaving tomorrow morning for the Ukraine! How exciting!

heart meanderings.

I am a senior in a day and a half. Praise the Lord. But also guide me, Lord. Big decisions on the horizon!

I just watched a clip of the documentary Jesus Camp. It absolutely broke my heart. One little girl on it was talking about "godless churches" and "God not wanting to come to those who are quiet." So many emotions were going through my head.

Heather told us about the video of the softball player being carried around the bases. It's worth checking out. Here's the synopsis: Sarah T. hit her first home run of her softball career (she was a college ball player) and was running around the bases. In hre excitement, she realized that she forgot to actually touch first. She ran back, and tore a ligament in her knee. She collapsed, crawled to first, tagged it, but could not move on. The umps and coaches declared that if her teammates touched her, Sarah would be ruled out. If a pinch runner was put in, the homer would have been counted as a single. So two girls from the OPPOSITE team stepped forward and asked if they could carry her around the bases. They carried Sarah around the bases, to complete her home run. The opposing team wound up losing the game, and their spot in the playoffs. I watched the video and cried. It's so amazing.

AFRICA IS IN 12 DAYS. 12. 12. I can't sit still. God is SO good!!

franklin in the spring.

Prom 2008- On the steps of Belle Meade Plantation

These are a few of my favorite things:

1) Franklin in the spring. And fall. And right before Christmas at night. Pretty much year round. But today, I went to the Mercantile for the first time. It was delicious. I will frequent there often. After lunch, we walked to Pinkerton, but got sidetracked at Landmark Booksellers. (FYI: Landmark Booksellers is this super cool bookstore with new books. And books from like, the dark ages.) I picked up a copy of The Wizard of Oz Babies (I think...) today that was originally copyrighted in 1899. It was insane. Kory found a book that he had been looking for that was around the same age. I ventured upstairs, found the art section, complete with a Billie Holliday CD, and an overstuffed leather chair. I was in heaven.

2) John Mayer. He has an incredible voice, and is easy on the eyes to top it off. His new single "Say" is worth checking out.

3) NO MORE AP US HISTORY! I took the test today, and survived. Praise the Lord!

4) Cheap dresses and sandals. Went mall hopping today too. Boys are fun to shop with. I found a 20 dollar dress and 7 dollar sandals. Wooo Hoo. New outfit!

Africa: 22 DAYS. Only 22!!