Life Takes Over

It seems as though we have been living in a sort of fog where life has just taken over and we are merely along for the ride. Our household has been a busy one with late nights at the office, school, weekends trips, and more school and work. It all seems so very normal except that if I really sit back and think about so much has changed in the last six months.

Jamey turned to look at me as we started back to Birmingham from Demopolis and said "Hey, do you remember what today is?" I had remembered earlier but in the hustle and bustle of the day forgot to mention anything to Jamey. Sunday marked six months of marriage. Just six months ago today we were in Jamaica enjoying our first few days as a married couple and now we have slipped right into married life and time has passed quickly. I know time always passes quickly, but it seems the more I get into a routine the more quickly it passes. We have both loved every minute of the past six months (well except late days at work and starting school back) Everyone says that college are the best years of your life and I don't disagree completely, but I really think that since I didn't get to spend my college years with Jamey these next few years will mean so much to me. I loved all of my college experiences and so did Jamey and I love the memories and friends that came out of it, but there is just something special about waking up every morning next to your best friend and figuring out all the ins and outs of bill paying and adult life with someone. We have had a blast and I think these past six months have definitely been the best of my life.

We did get to take a trip to Demopolis this past weekend to visit family, celebrate my sister's birthday, and celebrate her baptism. It was a wonderful weekend with all our family and we had a blast celebrating with my sister. Her baptism was beautiful and such a God thing in every way. Her pastor at her church teaches through the Word each week. Basically he begins in a book of the Bible and preaches through that book then moves to another one. I say that to say that the pastor didn't plan where he was preaching out of to fit the events of the night, but the Lord sure did. The chapter of James that the preacher was preaching out of was about faith and works, so he spoke on how can be dangerous sometimes when we have all the "works" together and we know what we are supposed to do and say, but don't have a relationship with the Lord. Which, was a beautiful picture of my sisters testimony. The pastor was able to share my sisters testimony and back it up with scripture. I won't go into all the details of her testimony, she can share with you if you want to know more, but in a nut shell my sister was baptized in the same church that she attends now many many years ago. She grew up knowing all the right things to say and do and I like many others would have probably sworn she was a Christian. But one day she attended a conference with our grandmother at my grandmothers church the Lord spoke to her in a way she couldn't deny. She realized that while she was doing all the "christian" things she didn't have a relationship with the Lord, so she spoke with the Pastor and prayed to the Lord for her salvation. Then later she told her church that she wanted to be baptized as a sign of her salvation. Now I don't know a more brave thing to do. Growing up in the South being saved and getting baptized is almost a rite of passage. Not to demean those things AT ALL, but there is a lot of pressure to do that as a child growing up in a Southern church, and to come years later and say to some of the same people that watched you be baptized so many years before that you don't feel you were truly saved before and now you are is a BIG deal. I have so much respect for my sister for that and for all the others that do it too. Hearing the pastor share her testimony like that and then be able to watch and celebrate with her as she was baptized was definitely on my top ten favorite things in life. Knowing that she is my sister in Christ and we will spend an eternity together makes my heart jump and I couldn't be more excited. I know she is going to do so many amazing things for the Lord. She already has such a huge heart and just listening to the Christ centered things she wants to do makes me filled with joy. I love you sister and look up to you in every way!!

Now I'll keep the next part short since I'm sure I lost most of you a long time ago!

The things we've learned....

- School is still pretty terrible even if you do take a six month break...

- Taking a few minutes of personal time each day when you are stressed and busy from work helps keep your sanity (otherwise you may want to throw a piece of lawn furniture at your boss...)

- Small spontaneous trips to Sonic, or really anything spontaneous, makes all the difference in your attitude, marriage, etc.

- Sometimes you need vacations from your vacations.

- The Lord does amazing things when you least expect it and it is always beautiful.

- A simple prayer and knowing that there is someone there encouraging can make hard situations a lot easier and even enjoyable.

- Speaking with your best friend and an African sister in Christ unexpectedly on a Sunday afternoon driving home from church lifts my heart more than I can even describe.

- Learning the organization of your kitchen will help you out when you are trying to cook dinner for your wife.

-If you do your job right people will eventually notice.

- My dad lives in a pretty cool new place.

- And MOST OF ALL: We can't take out work stresses on each other, it only stresses the other person out and makes for an unhappy household.