Im back?

Maybe. I don't know how often I'll post, but I am back for today.

So, what has gone on since my last post in March?!? ALOT! Let's start at the beginning. Met my future hubby in January and knew right from the start he was the one. He didn't know till much later. Amazing stuff with the church plant, got engaged, got married...and now it's almost Thanksgiving and Christmas. Seriously, 2011 has been my favorite year.

For those that have not met Josh yet...he is pretty incredible. Such an awesome husband, an amazing leader, and my best friend. I am so thankful for him and extremely blessed.

Last year about this time I did a slew of thankfulness posts...I think I'll do that again...starting tomorrow.

Music

Most of you who know me, know that I have a huge love for music. I just love music. From raw untouched music, to music that has been edited, music, coming in 2nd to Jesus, makes my heart beat. When words cannot express the way I feel, I can always find a song. My favorite kind of music is raw. Be it a piano or a guitar...just to sit and listen puts a smile on my face. If you are ever around me, you will most likely be annoyed because I am always playing music...and I have song ADD, so I switch frequently and often. There just isn't enough time in the day to listen to all the music that I want to hear, so I have to skip around. I don't play an instrument, or sing, but I have a deep love for both. Wanna know a secret? Well, I'll reveal it later...gotta put feet to my thoughts first :)

Whirlwind

That is what I am in. I am living in a whirlwind. Occasionally it is calm, and nothing is going on, but give it a little time and it picks right back up. This is not me complaining. I really and truly am enjoying this whirlwind I am riding through. I love the busyness and all the details it brings with it. What I have found that I least enjoy is the down time. When I have those spurts of not really doing anything, that idle time, the devil tries to get in and steal my joy. When I am busy and doing what I love and serving and just doing stuff, my mind is filled with nothing but love and Jesus, but the second I sit down with this idle time, all that stuff that was just consuming me starts to settle and the frustrations start to seep in. Have you ever heard that idle hands are the devils workshop? Well, in this case, it is my mind. I begin to over analyze, and think about things that I KNOW the Lord will take care of. It begins to infect my mind, and it is hard to get away from. Solution...don't be idle...ever? Well, I am going to have to say that is most likely not possible since we all need to have our couch time, but through talking with my Savior, and accountability, I know Jesus will help me patch those cracks so nothing but Him seeps in.
This whirlwind I am in...is amazing. It is where my heart is...and it is where I know the Lord wants me to be. I would say that at this point in my life, I am the happiest. Yes, there are somethings that I am struggling being happy with, but I am choosing joy. I am not going to let frustrations or insecurities or anything that is not of Jesus to get me out of my happy mode. I choose happiness.
I will end with a verse...a verse that is a reminder to me to give it all to Jesus..."Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you." 1 Peter 5:7 In whatever I face, I know He is there for me, He cares for me, and He loves me.
I choose Joy and Happiness in EVERYTHING I do! I want to be infected with that.

Reasons I love NC

When I left work yesterday, I decided to take the scenic country road route home. I do not normally take this route because of school buses stopping every 5 seconds...I don't even need to explain, you all can understand that. Anyway, as I was driving with my windows down and sunroof open, blasting some stripped Gavin Degraw and paying attention to the scenary around me, I began to think of the many reasons I just love NC. With that said, I do believe I will share some of those thoughts.
We will call this, Ashley's top 10 NC lovin reasons:
10) Lots of country
9) the smell of fresh cut grass
8) unique weather...you just never know
7) so many outsiders comes here...I am not a transplant...born, raised, and most likely will never leave :)
6) ACC
5) we can hunt off our backporch, then drive 5 minutes to the nearest mall
4) Jesus loves NC
3) trees and grass...lots of it
2) my entire family lives here
1) Im from here
That was a pretty dumb list, but seriously, I love my home. There was a man mowing a big field, and I could smell the onions that he was mowing over. That is a happy smell...gets me ready for spring and the hot sun!
OKay, I am done blabbing

It's been a while

Well, 1 month has passed since I have braved the blogging world. I have wanted to post many times, but as I would write, the words just wouldn't come out the way I wanted them to. I either felt it was too strong, or just plain pointless. Now, I know that most things I blog about are the just funky humor of me, but when I don't laugh at myself, then really, there is no point in posting. I need to atleast be interested in what I put down. Oh man...I am starting to bore myself...moving on...
Alot has happened since I last posted on February 1st. I moved. Well, that happened on the 29th of January, but I never blogged about it. I love my new home!! I have 2 pretty spectaular roomies, and we just have fun ALL the time!! For instance, last night we were trying to put our foot behind our head ...if you don't get a good mental image of 3 girls doing that and think it is funny...you got something wrong with you. hah.
Well, I do have BIG news. This is something that I have been praying about since, well, a while, but specifically about this since January. My heart is in the church. Well, Jesus has my heart, but I love church. Church is my "happy pill"...when I leave, I am always high on Jesus. Okay, so the big news that I want to share is that I am leaving Summit and helping plant a church in the Holly Springs/Fuquay area...Relationship Church. I AM SO EXCITED(calm down) I have been praying about this for a time now, and then in January I heard about it....then heard more and more about it...kept praying, and BAM...committed. I spent yesterday afternoon in the area with some other amazing people just driving around and chatting...awesome time bonding and just being where we will officially be very soon. Please pray and for real, if you want to be apart...come on!!! This is so exciting!
I have become incredibly blonde lately...the things I do and say...wow...what is wrong with me? I mean, it's funny, but really now...how can I be that off sometimes? HAHA!!
Okay enough of me and what is going on over here...

Pasture

I am in a pasture. I know that in this pasture, the Lord is teaching me all the things I will need for when I move out of this pasture. Like King David...as he was literally in the pasture tending to the sheep...the Lord was preparing him for all the things He would use for His glory later on down the road when he moved out of his pasture. Do I know where or what the Lord is preparing me for? Absolutely not. Am I excited and having faith and trusting the Lord with each step? Absolutely! I do know this, whatever I do, wherever I go, and whatever comes my way...I will do it all for the glory of the Lord. In 1 Corinthians 10:31, it says that whatever we eat or drink or whatever we do, do it for the glory of the Lord. That is my purpose. My purpose is to glorify the Lord. That is why I am here...and that is what I want and am going to do. No, I am not perfect, and I will have some days where my thoughts or actions are not glorifying the Lord, but I am striving to take every thought captive. I am striving to glorify the Lord and to shine shine shine for Him.

Not only is my purpose to glorify the Lord in everything, but it is yours too. Are you glorifying the Lord with the way you are living, thinking, acting, and in all areas of your life? We all have the exact same purpose...are you striving to fulfill this purpose?

Hello Emotion

I know I have blogged about tearing up in Caribou before, but it happened AGAIN, today. As I was jumping onto facebook, I saw a status that caught my eye. Immediately, as if on cue, I began to tear up...tears of joy, tears of excitement, tears of sadness. You see, my younger brother got his packet today...his packet that will release him from the marine corp. I had happy tears of joy for him finally beginning to close this chapter and move on, excitement of what is ahead for him, and then sad tears because of having to say goodbye to the corp. I know that this is a good thing...I know that the Lord has great things in store for Adam...I am so happy for him. As I called him, tearfully, I could just hear the excitement in his voice...he is looking down the road. He knows that the next little bit is going to be busy, turing in gear, and signing papers, but he is ready for this door to close and to move forward. He shared many aspects of good news he has received today, and my heart is so full of all kinds of emotion for him. I am so thankful for Adam, for his willingness to serve our country, for his faithfulness, and just admire his constant strive to press on even when the times are tough. Even though he is my younger brother, I have always admired his strength. He is a rock...but he has the biggest heart.

Adam, I am so proud of you, so thankful for you, and I love you so very much. I look forward to seeing what the Lord has in store for your life, and all the amazing things you are going to do! You are amazing. You have been through so much, seen way too much, and yet, you are still Adam.

Okay...I need a tissue :)