Wow, so much has been going on in my life and I haven't posted in a while. Just to mention a few...

The OP Church Youth Group went on a camp out and then to a Collingsworth Concert in Collumbia. We had a great time and are all looking forward to doing it again sometime.

My Aunt Janet and Uncle Rowen celebrated their 25th wedding Anniversary and I got to make the cake! It was great to see family again!

And Steve Kelso, and friend from KCCBS, got married! I can't believe it, he's all grown up now!
I would like to share one more thing, sorry I don't have a picture to go with it. My Church has been blessed with a miracle! Many of you may know that recently our pastor's wife, Mary Dillon, was in the hospital for a while. She was having trouble with her gallbladder, which they eventually took out. Anyway, they do not have insurance and were very worried about paying all the bills. The hospital gave them forms to fill out to ask for some of the bill to be dropped, and we were praying that God would work things out. For the hospital alone the bill was $40,000! Well, they got a letter in the mail the other day and it said that their balance owed was ZERO! The whole bill was dropped! It never ceases to amaze me how wonderful God really is! If He can take care of something like that, there is no limit to what He can do! Keep Faith, God is still in control!

Night of Glory

We had an amazing prayer time during Bible study tonight! We had all been very discouraged because of everything that was going on in our lives. Either sickness, a difficult boss, hard time at work, or just uncertainty; we all had a problem. But God met with us! This is what God spoke to me during this special time:
As most of you know, I've been taking care of an elderly neighbor lady up until last week when she went into the hospital after mom and I notice a rapid decline in health over just a couple days. Turns out, she had phemonia, shingles, a blood clot in her leg, and a massive tumor in her chest that is probably stage 4 cancer. I went and saw her today and was in tears when and after seeing her because of her state of health. She had gone down hill so much since she went in there just over a week ago. Mom and I prayed with her before leaving tonight and I told mom I didn't want to go back because it hurt so bad to see her that way. Her reply to me was that she, "Marge", needed to see my faith. We've talked some about her faith and mom has prayed with her before. I hope and pray that she got things straightened out because I don't see her lasting much longer.
Anyway, tonight at Bible Study, mom was requesting prayer for Marge and it hit me that she is why I was supposed to be at home this summer and why, even though I got accepted to Missouri Southern, I didn't go to Joplin. God wanted to use me here! To be a help, a witness, and a comfort to an old lady. I started crying right then and there! Doesn't it feel wonderful to be used of God! I don't know what He has planned for me next but whatever it is, I want him to use me!

Dee and Tony's Wedding took place on August 23, 2008. It was a hot outdoor ceremony but it only lasted 15 minutes so it wasn't too bad. Wasn't raining, just trying to keep the sun off.

We served the drinks!
Cutting the cake, my master piece.
Me and the bride. She used to babysit me when I was younger.

Dad's 60th Birthday

Happy 60th Birthday Dad! We had a surprise party and he had no idea. He was even more surprised when his brother showed up!

I made the punch! It was delicious!

First Wedding Cake

I made my first wedding cake and it was a huge task! I had a lot of fun doing it and it turned out great, thanks to help from Rebekah and Andrew.

Decision

I've finally come to a decision. Its not one I like but I do believe it is for the best at this time. I had hoped to start at Colorado Technical University in North Kansas City in January, but the funds are not available to me at this time. So, my decision is to continue working and saving money and to re-apply at St. John's, in St. Louis, for next year. I feel like I'm wasting a year of my life waiting around, but I can't afford to go to the school that accepted me. I would appreciate all of your prayers as I try to find and follow God's plan for my life.

HHYC 2008

Another year on "The Hill" at HHYC! It always seems to go too fast. I know the summer is almost over when we pack up and leave on that last Sunday afternoon. We pull out on to Rt. O and head home over the winding roads. As soon as we go around the first turn and the camp is out of sight, one begins to look back on the week and look forward to next year. This year was very different for me. It was the first year that I really felt like I was one of the older helpers. I haven't been on a team for a couple years but I never felt old before this year. We had a great speaker and he did a great job speaking to the teens but his messages at the begining really weren't directed at me. And I'm in no way saying that I'm perfect but I didn't need a message on how to be saved.

About half way through the week, in our "Crew time" we discussed 8 blessings that God has given us. One of them really jumped out to me. It was "choseness". This meant that before we were born, God chose us. We don't have to wait around for an acceptance letter or a phone call. He has already chosen us and we don't have to apply again. That meant so much to me especially since it feels like all I've been doing is waiting on acceptance letters to colleges and phone calls for jobs.

Later in the week there was one evening when Rowan Fay didn't preach. He didn't feel like he should, so he didn't and the alter was lined. God really came and met with us, especially me. I'd been so worried about the future and not knowing what I was suppposed to do with my life. But that night God told me that everything would work out and that all I had to do was take one day at a time and He would show me the way.

I'm so thankful that God never disappoints us because he always meets us on "the Hill"!

Here is a picture of this year's Crew! It was a great bunch and everyone worked hard to make camp turn out great!