We NEED Joy.

 Today has been a chill day.I got to sleep in, which was nice after having 4 hours of sleep the night before because of homework and barely any sleep the night before because of work.  I've been relaxing and trying to put some new music on my ipod. I have to get ready for work in a few hours , I LOVE my new job. - ANYWAYS ..

I'm starting to go to this new Bible study on Tuesday nights with Bre'anna Emmitt. "Joy to the girls".
Another Bible study I walked into by myself with a bunch of older women surrounding me. I guess I like that sort of thing. I've always done Bible studies with people I've grown up with or just a bunch of friends, lately I've been stepping out and doing things on my own which is different but it's turned out to be pretty good.

This week was our first week to meet. Bre'anna told us her story about asking God to restore her joy, and He did. It's one of those things that comes on God's timing.  God wants to make our joy COMPLETE , as said in John chapter 15 verse 11.     She told us about makarious ; happiness [this is only temporary] and chara; joy [this is forever]   - chara comes from the root greek word KARIS .. which means grace. Karis just so happens to be my middle name. I silently squealed when she was talking about it.    Bre'anna then gave us a little analogy "Joy is to love as happy is to like." - self explanatory. Joy provides you with a more spiritual feeling that lasts forever, just as love does. Happiness is but a phase.      She left us with this: "Joy rides the waves of our situations."  ... it's constant, not "seasonal". It's always there. No matter what. Just like Jesus.
TRUE joy comes from Jesus Christ!

If you would like to join us next week, Bible study will be held at Community Bible Church off of 1604 and Gold Canyon in the main sanctuary at 6:30pm. Be sure to buy the book that goes along with the study in the bookstore for $10.00
:)

In Africa, we love the Lord

My obsession with Africans began at a young age.If you were really good friends with me when I was in middle school,I'm sure you remember me entering this stage.It hasn't gone anywhere.
I believe I was in 6th or 7th grade when Mwangaza Children's Choir made a stop on their world tour in Texas.My family was a host home for some of the kids in the choir while they were here. We had the opportunity to even host children a second time. Each time we had a new group of kids come to our home I was shy.Then right when we warmed up to eachother it was time for them to leave.It was awful. I will never forget the good times we had together though.

On Easter of that year I got to sing with their choir. Our church had a big service downtown and they were a part of it. After the service, me and my girls came home and invited some friends over.That day we introduced them to cascarone eggs [a mexican tradtion] and the game we all know as tag. It's the little things with these kids. Their lives are so different.  They also gave me a new outlook on life. They taught me that petroilum jelly could double as lotion haha!  They would read passages from the Bible to us,and it was so comforting. And their accents were the cutest things ever.  Just ask my kids how to say Lasagna or Spaghetti .. so hilarious.   One night we stayed up in my room and they danced and sang for me and I just sat there in amazement.

Then there was the group of boys that stayed with us. Not all of the boys are in this photo. I'll have to find one of all of us. But they kept me entertained as well. They discovered our karaoke machine and the echo button which was probably one of my favorite memories of their stay. It was totally different because we're not used to having boys in our house, so watching them interact with eachother was something I won't forget.

The reason I randomly decided to write this blog today was because I got to skype with one of my friends who is currently in Africa. She was a part of the choir. It was so cool !  A lot of them still keep up with me, and it's amazing to see. I would give ANYTHING to see my friends again.   What a lot of people don't know is that my mom and I were scheduled to go to Africa a few years after my friends left, but the trip didn't work out.   I haven't lost my passion for those people,and I really hope to visit them some day in their homeland.

The word Mwangaza means "Shining Light" in Swahili. - That's exactly what these kids were to me. They are some of my most treasured friends even though I don't physically get to see them. A part of them will always be with me, they have taught me so much. These kids are the pearl of Africa, and I'm so blessed to have met them.

Element

For the past semester I have been working as a tumbling coach / babysitter for Element Tumble and Cheer. I just recently took up the position of the hip hop director at American Dance Company at the San Antonio and Bulverde location. Adding another job to the mix is making my life extremely hectic. I'm still on winter break and I have NO free time during the week days. I guess it's something that comes with having a job .. but some days I start work at 2:00 and dont get home until around 10:00 at night. Having school about to start back up, that is not okay. - That being said, in about two weeks I will no longer be devoting all of my time to the Element job, but will continue as the hip hop director.

 Some of these kids I've gotten really close to , so it's not going to be easy leaving.
Most people don't enjoy having kids climb all over them, or having to carry kids who hurt themselves, or twirl kids in circles because they're bored, or listen to every child tattle-tale on eachother.  - That was my job, and while it may not sound like the job every person wants , it was GREAT for me. God blessed me with patience for kids. [Well,most of the time..] haha I'm not perfect. But these kids were so much fun.

I'm a week into my hip hop gig, and it's already proving to be amazing. This morning I woke up with a bruise on my leg the size of a baseball. It was AWESOME. I haven't had one of those puppies since high school haha. Bruises have always made me feel accomplished when it came to dance, it meant I wasn't holding back. I'm starting fresh with new groups of kids, even in a new city as I take on teaching classes in Bulverde. It's just new and so far I love it.
Please continue to pray for direction,patience and wisdom as I teach these kids. <3

It's a grand new year !

Welcome 2011 and good bye 2010, you will not be missed.
While big events happened in 2010 that have forever changed my life,both good and bad, 2011 is going to be something totally different. I've never been one of the people to think too much about it being a new year,it's just another day,right?   I don't know what it is,but this year I'm starting to feel like everyone else. Like the people who make new years resolutions, like the people who see this new year as being something good for them. I may not necessarily be making a solidified resolution, but I'm soooo kissing last year goodbye and embracing this new one.

My mom has a theme for each year [this is news to me] haha this year her theme is "It's a GRAND new year." - one of the reasons being ... she's going to be a GRANDmother. One of the blessings 2011 will be bringing us is my sister's baby.We're already starting the new year off right. At breakfast this morning we all reflected on how , even in the midst of some sucky situations , God is carrying us even as we cross over to another year.
Something about the way I brought in the new year is seriously telling me this year is going to be a better one.

I pray that this new year is a great one for everyone, even if it's not your best year .. God will be there to give you the strength to endure it.  PRAISE HIM!

"I cannot see before me, what lies in the New Year. But I do know this for certain, His Presence will be near!" - Rick Warren