Sunny Days & Saturdays

Writer's Block

2012-02-05T09:42:00.000-08:00

I'm still here, just with a bad case of writer's block. I hope to have some things to post soon.

'Tis the Season

2011-12-22T22:53:00.000-08:00

It's Christmas time already! If you know me, you know that Christmas is one of my most favorite holidays. I look forward to it because I get to spend time with my family all while celebrating the birth of Jesus. This Christmas has been a humbling experience for so many reasons. One reason in particular shed quite a bit of light on what Christmas is really all about. It's so easy to get carried away with buying and giving gifts, and sometimes we forget what this holiday is really about. It's easy to focus on the materialistic things of Christmas. My prayer for myself for these past few days has been to help me to not lose sight of the "reason for the season" (for lack of a better phrase....I know it's a corny phrase, but it's true).

I'm out of school until January 9th. Though I am in need of a break, I will miss my sweet little 4th graders. I'll be working hard to get things in order for this next semester. It's hard to imagine my first year of teaching is halfway over. It's had its ups and downs, but nonetheless it's been a wonderful experience. I'll be doing literature circles when we start back, and I'm so excited about them. I've been doing a good bit of research about them. If you read my blog (do people even read this?) and have some knowledge of literature circles or even ideas, let me know! Like I said, I'm very excited about starting these in my classroom.

I'm using this break to catch up on my crafts board on Pinterest. I feel as if it has been neglected lately.

If I don't write until after Christmas, Merry Christmas to you and your families. I pray that you have a safe and wonderful holiday.

Recycling Glass Jars

2011-10-19T21:13:00.000-07:00

In my family we have a few odd traditions. Where we spend our Thanksgiving depends on where the Egg Bowl is played that year. We watch the Christmas Story 24 hour event every Christmas. And we drink milk out of frozen mason jars. People that come to my apartment say it's quite strange. If you were to open my freezer you would see about ten of these said jars. I decided to downsize the number of jars, but needed something creative to do with a few of them. Of course I would turn to Pinterest for this project. I found this article in my research of crafty things to do with my jars, now all I needed was some spare time. Between teaching, lesson planning, daily chores, and a social life, my spare time is just that.

Two weekends ago I had a free weekend. Stefan was at UAB working the MSU v. UAB game. I had some friends come into town from the coast. While I was waiting on my friends to arrive I decided to dive into making my jars into tea light candle holders.

The materials needed.

Put the twine on the jars in different designs. It helps to tape the the ends to the inside or on the bottom.

It's also nice to have some helping hands! (Thanks, Mom!)

Jars after coats of white spray paint. I put 1-2 coats.

Let it dry for 10 minutes.

Take the twine off and you have beautiful tea light candle holders!

Pretty easy, don't you think?

A Good Luck Charm

2011-09-13T19:52:00.000-07:00

I've had the wreath finished for about a week now. I've just been busy with my little 4th graders and barely have time in the evenings to post anything crafty. I'll get better.

My MSU wreath is finished just in time to cheer on my beloved Mississippi State Bulldogs at their first home game against LSU on Thursday. I have I said that school gets out early on Thursday? My students are as excited as I am! (Them probably being more excited that we have a half day on Thursday.)

I want to make more of these to sell to friends, family or whoever. So if you or anyone you know might want a ribbon wreath of any kind, let me know!

If you know anything about me, then you know that I absolutely love to cook, and that I am on the crafty side. I have this lamp in my room that I have been meaning to do something with, and a stack of old magazines that I have yet to recycle. I'm sure my next post will have something to do with the lamp. Until then, love and peace.

Just In Time For Football Season

2011-08-29T19:05:00.000-07:00

After being obsessed with Pinterest, and stumbling upon this blog post by She's {Kinda} Crafty blogger Stacey, I just HAD to make a wreath in my Dear Ole State's colors of maroon and white. While I have not yet finished it, I am giving you readers two photos of what it looks like now. It is almost finished, I just have to get the letters on it. It's my first attempt at doing a wreath, so don't leave too many negative comments on how it looks. The pictures are also not as good as I wanted them to be since they were taken from my phone. Oh well. The finished one will be taken with a real camera.

The materials to make the ribbon wreath.

The ribbon wreath minus the MSU letters and football cut out. It's a terrible quality picture. I'm ashamed to say I am a photographer.

I am waiting on my letters and football to dry, then I will put them on the wreath. Just in time for football season!

Dress Shopping and BFFFL Time

2011-08-26T03:57:00.000-07:00

I should be getting ready for school, but I really had the urge to blog. This morning I am more excited than usual. No, not just because it's Friday, but at 3:20 this afternoon I'm hitting the road to go here

to visit this pretty friend of mine in the pretty green and white dress.

I am so excited to see her and I'm counting down the hours. She is my wonderful Best Friend Forever For Life or BFFFL as we say it. She is also getting MARRIED in May to another one of my friends, and I'm so very happy for her. Aside from not seeing her in about a month and a half (the main reason for the weekend trip), we're also going to pick out bridesmaid dresses (another important event of the weekend). I am also delivering her engagement pictures that we took in June. She's probably more excited about that than seeing me......kidding. She's excited about seeing her BFFFL, but I'm pretty sure the excitement for seeing her pictures are next to that.

It's about 6:00, and I should be getting ready for a fun filled Friday with my precious 4th graders!

Pinterest and Mississippi State

2011-08-23T18:00:00.000-07:00

I have recently been acquainted with Pinterest. This is my new obsession. It has everything from craft ideas to teaching ideas. Along with some other "must make" DIY ideas I just HAVE to make this (In my dear Mississippi State's colors, obviously!):

It seriously ~~broke my heart~~ made me cringe to put something with Florida's colors on my blog. I hope my fellow State fans can forgive me. I want to make it before football season begins (9 days away). A trip to Hobby Lobby is in order.

Adventures in Teaching

2011-08-22T18:14:00.000-07:00

I'm a teacher. It looks weird even when I type it. I can't believe it, but I'm already into my 3rd week as a first year teacher. It's going by faster than I could imagine. I have 22 little 4th graders, who have already captured my heart. I am quickly learning how different my students are from one another. I'm seeing first hand their success and their struggles. Student teaching prepared me material and ethics wise, but in all honesty, nothing prepares a first year teacher to be in charge of her very own classroom. I am so grateful that God has placed me with such a wonderful group of students. The first week was great, as was the second week. There were a few rocky places, but we worked together as a class to smooth them out. Just like it's their first time to be in 4th grade, it's my first year to teach, so we learn together. I am now emerged in the lesson planning, paper grading, pencil sharpening first part of the school year, with so much more to come. I look forward to each and every day with my students, even on the hectic days. They are precious to me and I can't wait to see how each of them shines throughout the year.

Thanks to Pinterest, I have stumbled upon quite a few teacher blogs. I love blogging, even though I haven't been as avid of a blogger as I have wanted to be. Hopefully that will change now that I am in week 3 of the school year. Each of these teacher blogs offer something unique, whether it's classroom management 101 or decorating your classroom on a tight budget. There are fun activity sheets and penny pinching ways to do fun things in the classroom. Seriously, if you're a teacher (Or know one!) check these blogs out. I've put a button to each of them on the sidebar of my blog! Enjoy!

Happy Teaching!
Laura Kate

Getting It Together

2011-07-18T21:17:00.000-07:00

I'm an official teacher now. Accepting the job and signing the contract was the easiest thing about teaching. I am now a first year teacher faced with pouring my knowledge into the minds of 4th graders so they can become better learners and become the leaders of tomorrow. I know that last line is cheesy, but it's true.

Before I go into detail about all of the teacher-like things I've been doing, I feel the need to brief you readers on a few things. If you're friends with me on Facebook, you'll know that I recently had ear surgery (a week ago today to be exact). I was missing my eardrum due to chronic ear infections during my childhood. The absence of an eardrum left my hearing bones vulnerable to all sorts of things, including calcification of skin cells, which was my case. This prevented my hearing bones from being able to move as they should. To make a long story short, they removed the calcified skin cells and performed a tympanoplasty (which basically means they grafted an eardrum for me). I think that's pretty cool, even if I do have some of my hair shaved. (That was the first thing I asked when I woke up from the surgery). Well now because of this surgery I can't lift anything over 15 pounds for 2 months.

That bit of knowledge is crucial because I am a first year teacher with my very own classroom. This classroom has lots of things that need to be moved. The majority of those things are over 15 pounds. But thanks to an amazing mother and father, and my wonderful boyfriend, my desks are arranged and the heavy things have been moved to their resting places for the school year. Now I don't mind being waited on every now and then, but after being cooped up in my house for a week, I was about ready to fly the coop. My sweet father took me to my room last Thursday (My first day out since my surgery). We worked in the room for a few hours until I was too tired to continue. Friday my sweet mother, Stefan, and I worked in my room all day! I was so excited to be doing something for my classroom, even if it was only sitting in a chair and directing where things should go.

Today I worked on color coding AR books and putting up some things for my bulletin board. I'll post some pictures once I get my room in some kind of order. I feel like I have accomplished NOTHING, but I know that it will get finished. I'm sure after a few years of teaching, I'll be able to do this with no stress. We'll see.

A Prayer for Georgia Grace

2011-06-28T20:56:00.000-07:00

There is this sweet little girl I know. This sweet little girl is someone who always brightens, not only my days, but the days of each person she meets. She has the smile of ten thousand sunshines. One smile from her and the world doesn't seem so bad. She has a heart of gold, and I rarely see her without a smile on her face. Her name is Georgia Grace, and I believe she is God's gift to this world. My family and I met Georgia Grace and her family when we first moved here, and since then, it has been nothing but a blessing to watch her grow up. She is such a wonderful little girl who is so kind to those around her, but the one thing I admire most about her is her bravery. On Thursday morning at 5:30, Georgia Grace will undergo heart surgery to replace a pulmonary valve that isn't working as it should. If you are reading this, I ask that you pray for this sweet girl and her family. Pray for her doctors and medical team. Pray for a smooth-sailing surgery. Pray for God's blessings over this family. Pray for peace of mind and bravery. She is a light to this world and I know God will use her in such amazing ways.

New Job and A Thought to Consider

2011-06-22T22:03:00.000-07:00

Okay, Okay. I know I said I wanted to become a better blogger. I tried doing a 30 day blog challenge. That challenge lasted about 8 days, then I was just finished with it. I think I've come to accept that I will more than likely blog only when I have something to say. I have 2 things to say right now.
1---- I HAVE A JOB!!!!! I am one of the newest 4th grade teachers at Ward-Stewart Elementary. I interviewed at this school the Friday before I graduated. The principal called me 2 weeks ago to offer me the job, and of course, I took it! Now, I'm not going to lie, a part of me was feeling a little anxious (I refuse to say worried), but I knew that if I continued to pray, that God would bless me with the job that HE wanted for me. I am so very thankful to my God, and it never ceases to amaze me how my God comes through.

2---- I was going through some old messages a friend and I sent back and forth to each other. This particular friend is someone who is very dear to me, and we often talk about God's will in our lives and other deep things about faith, and what it means to be a Christian. In this particular message, I told him about a passage in this book that I read called God's Blog. This was the passage:

"Here's a thought for you to consider:

People are put in your path almost every day. Some are quite unobtrusive and you might not even notice them. Many are somewhat undesirable, and you don't want to notice them. Some are right in your path, and you are forced to at least acknowledge their presence. But you make the connections and those connections never die. The thread just keeps unrolling through time- touching everyone, tying everyone together. It won't stop until you walk into eternity. That's why EVERY DAY MATTERS and EVERY PERSON MATTERS."

Think about this passage, and what it is saying. We are all connected to each other in some way. Even if you don't know me personally, you and I are connected by you reading this post. I think that's pretty amazing. God is constantly placing people in our lives when He feels we might need them. We may not get the reason He has put them there, but eventually it will reveal itself. This passage always makes me smile when I read it. I think about all the people God has placed in my life, and how if they weren't in it, I wouldn't be the person I am today. Each person we meet, even if it's for the briefest second, shapes us in someway. We become a better person when we smile at someone we don't know. We have the ability to make someone's day a little brighter. We should all be striving to make some type of connection to someone.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 8: A Place You've Traveled To

2011-05-18T11:38:00.000-07:00

Okay, so obviously I have failed at the 30 Day Blog Challenge. I started the challenge before my teaching internship was over, and got pretty busy towards the end, resulting in the Blog Challenge Fail. But, I figured I should go ahead and finish the challenge, because it's better late than never. So here goes!

If you know anything about me, you know that I love to travel. One of the most beautiful places (and my favorite so far) I traveled to was here:

San Juan, Puerto Rico to be exact.

The reason for this fantastic destination was the wedding of two of my most wonderful friends Rebecca and Gregg.
We stayed at the San Juan Beach and Water Club Hotel. The rooms looked like this:

The rooms had the blue lighting that could be turned on and off. We had to turn it off because it was a little intense, but it was pretty neat. They also played Techno music in the lobby.

If you haven't had the chance to travel to Puerto Rico, I think you should consider it. :) It is beautiful! It has plenty of these:

And for the die hard architecture/history/shopping fan, there is Old San Juan. Old San Juan is the location of many, many, many beautiful buildings, shopping places, and restaurants. It is steeped with tons of history for the history buffs out there.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 7: Favorite Movies

2011-04-24T16:12:00.000-07:00

Yes, yes....I know that I didn't blog yesterday, but I was at my parent's house and they have....DIAL UP!!!! I'm sure we're the only household in America that still has the dreaded dial up internet. They live so far out in the country that we can't get wireless. Sad, but true story.....maybe one day it will happen.

So Day 7 of the blog challenge is Favorite Movies. I love movies, so it's hard for me to chose a favorite, but I have one. My all time favorite movie is

I can watch this movie over and over and over again. Yes, it's 3 hours long, but it's worth watching. There's not much to say about this movie, but I think there are two types of people when it comes to it being a favorite: You either absolutely love it or absolutely hate it. There is no in between. It's a classic. Here's a fun fact about this movie for those of you who do not know this: This movie is the first movie to ever have a curse word in it. We all know the line....."Frankly my dear, I don't give a ........" because this is a G-rated blog, I will refrain from putting the word. But seriously, if you haven't seen it go out right now and rent it or Netflix it. You have to see it.

Another movie that I love is

This one is my go to movie when I'm in a sappy love story kind of mood. The movie always leaves me saying "I think that if Katie and Hubble really tried they could have made it." It's as simple as that. I'm not going to lie, if you watch this movie, have a box of tissues handy. It will make you cry.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 6: Your Siblings

2011-04-22T19:28:00.000-07:00

I have one sister. Her name is Camille, and she is one of my best friends. She has always been there for me even when I didn't want her to be. She was one of the people I missed the most when I went away to college for the first time. She loves to make awkward situations, and loves it when it's a situation I am in. Nonetheless, she brightens up my day when I'm around her. We share silly traits and do things a certain way, like only sisters could. Sure we fight, but who doesn't fight with their siblings? We've been through a lot together, and if I could choose a different sister, I wouldn't. I would choose her to be my sister again and again. In case you can't tell, she is also one of my favorite people to photograph. Her fun personality always shines through the photos.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 5: A song to match your mood

2011-04-21T20:19:00.000-07:00

I am exhausted at the moment, and only have a few minutes before I crash for the night. That's what being a teacher intern does to you. Today, despite the rainy and eventless weather, was actually pretty good. I was in a happy mood. Here are a few songs that were on my mind today.

This video is for the song Falling in Love in A Coffee Shop. I absolutely love this song.

This video was made by my creative and incredibly talented boyfriend, Stefan Tribble, and his group for one of his classes. It turned out pretty great....not that I had any doubt that it would. He always does a great job.

Who doesn't love Abba's song Dancing Queen?

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 4: Your parents

2011-04-20T18:08:00.000-07:00

My parents are Leslie and Susan Watts. They were married on July 9, 1983. This year they will celebrate their 28th wedding anniversary. I am so very blessed to have wonderful, loving parents like these two. They have always been there for me and my sister. They have always supported both of us, even if they didn't agree with what we were doing, and most of all, they shared the love of Christ with us. They pray for us daily and ask God to keep us safe. They say you can't choose the family you were born into, but if I could, I would still choose them.

I will post more pictures of my parents on this post tomorrow. I recently scanned some old ones of them during their first few years of marriage and thought I would share them.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 3: Your first love.

2011-04-19T16:39:00.000-07:00

My first love? Well, that's a hard question to answer....actually not really. The first time I was introduced to love was on the playground in 3rd grade. My childhood sweetheart kissed me on the cheek and I was on cloud nine. At 9 years old, you like to think you know what love is. Now fast forward about 14 years. After much persistence on his part....asking me out on a date 3 times, with me telling him no, only to agree the fourth time he asked me.... I can honestly say this is the man God put in my life, and this is the man who I am so much in love with.

Stefan makes me laugh, smile, and giggle. He constantly pushes me to be a better person and a better Christian. Together we continue to grow in our relationship with Christ. Sure we have our moments, but every couple does. We work it out when it gets rough, and at the end of a long day he is there to greet me with a smile, hug, an "I love you", and a kiss. Yes I know this is sappy, but in all honesty this man is my first real love. It also helps that he is as big of a Mississippi State fan as I am:

He makes my heart smile and I'm so thankful he puts up with me.

30 Day Blog Challenge Day 2: Meaning Behind Blog Name

2011-04-18T18:38:00.000-07:00

Obviously the name of my blog is Sunny Days & Saturdays. I was looking for a cute and fun name that represented who I am. I chose this specific name because sunny days bring me so much joy and happiness. Saturdays are also my favorite days of the week. This post isn't as long as the previous, but hopefully I'll be in a better writing mood tomorrow for Day 3.

On a side note: My best friend got engaged last night and I am soooooo happy for her and her now fiance!!!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 1

2011-04-17T09:40:00.000-07:00

I have decided, after realizing that I should blog more, that I should do what I've seen on a good many blogs: A 30 day blog challenge. Yes, yes, I know it's like those chain letters people send in emails, and many people can't stand those, but fortunately, this is only on here and is not going out to 15 recipients. And I thought it would be fun. So here goes....

Day 1: Introduce, recent picture, and 15 interesting facts

My name is Laura Kate. Kate is not my middle name. It is part of my first name which is a double name. There is a space between both names. Not a hyphen like so many people want to put. I am 23 years old. I will graduate May 7 (20 days! Yikes!) from Mississippi University for Women.

Interesting Facts:

1. I am named after my great-great grandmother Kate who was a full blood Cherokee Indian.

2. I have a sister who is 21. She is one of my best friends.

3. I am the spitting image of my mother, except for the redhair.

4. I am not very good at math, and did not inherit the "math gene" from my father, instead I inherited a big and loving heart like his.

5. I played softball for 11 years.

6. I have a scar on the inside of my left ankle from scraping it on the corner of a shower door freshman year of college.

7. I color code my M&M's before eating them.

8. I love the profession I have chosen: Teaching.

9. After years of waiting and watching my friends get married, God put the most amazing man in my life at just the right time, and I love him with all my heart and thank God for him everyday.

10. My little cousins Evvy, Clara, and Caroline mean the world to me and constantly remind me how simple childhood is and how every now and then, adults should try and go back to the simplicity of it all.

11. I hate jelly beans, raisins (except for oatmeal raisin cookies), and grape flavored things. I'm also scared of clowns.

12. I love Mississippi State Football!!!! Really just Mississippi State in general.

13. I am addicted to those Mini Cadbury Eggs. Thank goodness they are only available at Easter.

14. It brings me joy to help others, and to see other people helping others. It shows me how God can work in such wonderful ways, when complete strangers come together to help out one another.

15. I love to clean. It gives me a sense of order and relieves my stress.

Savannah

2011-03-14T19:13:00.000-07:00

Today was our first official day in Savannah. Let me tell you, we are falling in L.O.V.E with this beautiful city! We went to Tybee Island Lighthouse today instead of tomorrow because it closes on Tuesdays. There were 178 steps to the top of the lighthouse. For those of you who know me, you probably know that I am terrified of heights. I have come to learn that it's important to face my fears, so the Tybee Lighthouse is the 2nd lighthouse where I have climbed all the way to the top. The first was the St. Augustine Lighthouse in St. Augustine, FL. 178 steps may not seem like a lot of steps, but to me it was. As petrifying as the climb up was, it was quite worth it because at the top of this:

was this gorgeous view:

Totally worth it, right?

We had lunch at The North Beach Grill where I had the most delicious crab cake sandwich. We headed into Historic Savannah after lunch. This part of Savannah, like most parts, is just beautiful! We walked down River Street and shopped. We came across the Savannah Candy Kitchen where they make pretty delicious pralines. I think I'll buy some tomorrow to bring back...

A Much Needed Vacation

2011-03-12T08:09:00.000-08:00

At this time tomorrow, I will be on my way, along with Stefan, to the beautiful city of Savannah, Georgia. I am so very excited about this trip! We were originally going to stop at this place on the way there:

Yes, my dear readers, and Fried Green Tomato movie lovers, this is the Whistle Stop Cafe located in Juliette, Georgia. Unfortunately, we might have to stop there on the way back because it closes at 4pm. Sad day, but maybe on the way back home.

I have been looking forward to this vacation for a while. I have always heard how beautiful Savannah is, and decided it was time to experience it for myself. A few months ago a friend of mine told me about this book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. It is the story of true events that happened in Savannah. I have been reading this book during the free time that I have between student teaching and other schoolwork. I had planned on finishing it before the long-awaited vacation, but that didn't happen, so it looks like I'll be doing a little reading on the way there.

Now, anyone who knows me know that I absolutely LOVE to cook. If I could get paid for it, I would watch the The Food Network all day, every day. So of course it is expected that I go to the famous Lady and Sons restaurant. I have heard wonderful things about it, and why wouldn't I, Paula Deen is a fabulous cook.

Stefan and I also plan to work a little while we are there. He will be filming a few scenes for various projects and I will have my camera in hand to document anything and everything.

Oh, before I forget, we will also be going here: Tybee Island, Georgia. Tybee Island is a beautiful island where many movies with beach scenes are filmed. The most recent movie filmed there, that I know of, was The Last Song, based on the Nicholas Sparks novel.

We're also going to see the lighthouse there. Stefan and I both love lighthouses. I'm not sure why I like them so much, but they fascinate me to no end.

I am so excited about this mini vacation. I'll keep you updated as the trip progresses.

Peace and Love,

Laura Kate

Pray for Lucy

2011-03-09T07:17:00.000-08:00

Children are my passion, and it breaks my heart when I see one of God's children hurting. Following the example my wonderful mentor teacher and friend, Laura Tomlinson, I have felt the need to tell you about a little girl. Lucy is 5 years old. She has a sister, a brother, a mom, and a dad. She loves Buzz Lightyear, but on February 23, 2011 she was diagnosed with brain cancer. Here is her story taken from the blog that her mother writes:

On Wednesday, February 23, 2011, our sweet Lucy Hannah was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer. Medulloblastoma. It all came on so quickly that she only presented symptoms for a few days before things started spiraling out of control. Upon an MRI, we learned that Lucy had a total of 3 tumors in her brain, one in her spinal column and a sugar-dusting of tiny tumors up and down her spine. In a whirlwind of events, she was in a 9 hour surgery 2 days later. While the surgery was largely a success, the doctor was unfortunately not able to remove all the tumors and found another one in the front of her brain. Lucy will begin a 6 month treatment plan of high risk chemotherapy and radiation mid-March. She suffered a setback several days after surgery when she contracted bacterial Meningitis. Lucy is a fighter and we have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ that she will beat this evil disease cancer and that He will heal her body. Thank you for following our story and we covet your daily prayers for our sweet Lucy.

The second grade class I am doing my Teacher Internship in, made cards for this sweet little girl. The cards are so beautiful! I pray that they will bring Lucy happiness and encouragement to continue fighting her fight. I pray that the cards will remind her that she is not alone in her fight, but that there are hundreds of people praying for her at this very moment.

I have added the Pray for Lucy button to my blog. I ask that you put this button on your blog. Simply click the button to get the code. Continue to pray for Lucy and her family.

Education

2011-03-01T08:06:00.000-08:00

Education is something that is is very close to my heart. The majority of my family is or has been in education at some point in their lives. Making the decision to become an educator was something that I did not go into lightly. I fought it for so many years because I saw first hand how challenging it could be having a child's future in my hands. The thought of that alone sometimes scares me, but makes me strive to be the best teacher I can be. I fought it and fought it, but God had other plans for me. He has blessed me with the patience to work with children of the much younger ages, and I am so happy that I get to spend the rest of my life doing His will.

I've heard about the documentary Waiting for Superman since this past fall. In my block class we watched a trailer for the documentary and I was hooked. I made a pledge to see it. Unfortunately, documentaries such as this one never make their way into theatres in towns such as Starkville, MS. After much research, I found out that the documentary would only be showing in a select few states. Fortunately, it is now in Redbox. You can check out the offical synopsis of the documentary here, but I will give you a brief summary of Waiting for Superman. It follows 5 students and their families struggle to give them a great education, something that is hard to come by in places such as the Bronx, L.A., the Silicon Valley, Washington D.C. and Harlem. (These are the cities that are in the documentary, but there are numerous more places that lack the means to give our students an adequete education.) These students are all wonderful, hardworking students, who look for education as a way out of their current life situation. They want to work hard to become a doctor, teacher, or scientist. These students face many obstacles in their life, but the lack of "a great American edcuation" because of where they live is one of the biggest obstacles they face. Waiting for Superman shows us that not all children in America are getting the best education they can get, but it does show us ways we as teachers, parents, and communities can provide each student with "a great American education".

Michelle Rhee, Washington, D.C. public schools superintendent brings the harsh truth about the American Public School System with her statement "Public schools fail when the children's education becomes about the adults." It's true, all of it, and it makes me sad. It's not fair to any student who works hard in school to make a better life for themself in the future. It's not fair that because a student lives in a specific part of town, they are denied a great education by a school that is not in that same part of town. This is where charter schools come into play. Now, I'm not about to get the explanation of charter schools wrong, so thanks to good ole Wikipedia here is an explanation of what a charter school is, for those of you who may not know much about them: Charter schools in the United States are primary or secondary schools that receive public money (and like other schools, may also receive private donations) but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter.[1] Charter schools are opened and attended by choice.[2] While charter schools provide an alternative to other public schools, they are part of the public education system and are not allowed to charge tuition. Where enrollment in a charter school is oversubscribed, admission is frequently allocated by lottery-based admissions. In a 2008 survey of charter schools, 59% of the schools reported that they had a waiting list, averaging 198 students.[3] Some charter schools provide a curriculum that specializes in a certain field — e.g., arts and mathematics. Others attempt to provide a better and more efficient general education than nearby public schools.

This brings me to my next point: Testing, testing, and more testing of our students takes the fun out of education and what it used to be. The problem is not our students' ability to be able to perform a certain task, it is the lack of motivation by the parents, teachers, and community. It's like we've put education on the backburner, when it should be the most important thing for our children who are the future. Here's something that I've learned: Good teachers make education fun for their students. Their students learn by having fun. That's what makes students succeed in school. Waiting for Superman brought a pretty scary statistic to me: Out of 29 developed countries, the United States ranks 25th in science and math. 25th out of 29 countries. The United States was at the top of the education game 20-30 years ago, so what happened that made us 25th out of 29? I'm not going to lie about it. I believe it's our lack of great teachers. I know that we have millions of GREAT teachers who go into work every day and know that they WANT to educate children. They know it is not something they HAVE to do. But sometimes I feel as if there are some people who just picked a career out of a hat and said "Okay....I'll be a teacher". I'm not just talking about the teachers of today, I remember being in school and having teachers who used the same monotone voice day after day after day. Who learns from that? What child would want to come to school to hear a monotone voice tell them to do their worksheet and recite their multiplication tables?

I'll leave you with these quotes that I got from the documentary, but before I do, I ask that if you care about education, if you care about your child's future, your future children's future, and the future of America, that you watch this documentary. It's in Redbox Rentals, stores, video rental stores. This documentary only reaffirmed what I already knew what I wanted to do with my life, and that is educate the future doctors, teachers, scientists,writers, artists, athletes, and political leaders of America. These children are OUR future, don't you want them to be all they can be? Take action now!

"We've tried money, passing laws, and the lastest reforms, but those of us who work in the trenches know you can't have a great school without great teachers."

"Sometimes I think it's easier to think of millions of children who are in our schools and look at the numbers and all the problems, scratch our heads, throw up our hands, and give up, rather than look at just one and ask ourselves "Did we do the right thing? Did we do enough?"

"If we give up, what are the results?"

"Our [Public School] system is broken, and feels impossible to fix, but we can't wait."

"What happens when a school fails a child? What happens over time?"

"It's possible, we CAN fix education"

Snow Day (Again!)

2011-02-16T06:51:00.000-08:00

Obviously this post is almost a week late, but nonetheless, here it is!
It's Thursday night, and that means that Stefan and I are cooking some new dish. Tonight it's Chicken teriyaki, fried rice, and egg rolls. The chicken and fried rice are made from a recipe, but the egg rolls are the store bought kind, only because it's been a long day and we felt lazy.

It snowed! (If you're in Mississippi, you know that by now). This was real snow, none of that icy snow that we saw last week and the week before that. No, this time, it was all powder. I was in love as I watched, from my apartment, the snow flutter down. Stefan and I went home to my parents house to see them and my sweet little cousins who I have not seen in 3 or 4 weeks. Fortunately I got a few pictures of E in the snow before my camera battery decided to die.

Finally!

2011-02-03T20:45:00.000-08:00

I am finally in my Phase I Placement for student teaching! I am currently in my 2nd week of 6 weeks total in the placement. I am teaching second grade and I love every minute of it! I'm not going to lie, it isn't very easy to get up at 6:00 am to get ready for a day that doesn't end until about 3:30 or 4:00, but once I'm there, I'm in my element. I truly believe that God designed me to be a teacher, and I have no doubts about it. It takes someone of patience to teach 2nd graders. In a conversation with one of my friends the statement "God bless you for a heart to teach the little ones". It made me giggle and smile because I love that I get to wake up every morning and go to a job that I am being trained for that I know I will love! I have been truly blessed during my placement to have a mentor teacher who is truly amazing at what she does.

I have officially completed my first month as worship leader for Starkville FUMC's Pathways service. It has truly been a blessing in my life. I was so nervous starting out, especially since the person I replaced was both a vocalist and guitar player for the praise band. I prayed that God would show someone who could play the guitar to help with the instrumental part of the worship team. Here's one thing that never ceases to amaze me about our wonderful God: He always provides! Not only has He provided us with a guitar player, He has provided the Pathways service with multiple singers and musicians. Praise God, Praise God!

A few weeks ago we had an abundance of snow. Stefan and I went on campus where I took pictures and he filmed some of the beautiful scenery. First of all, I would like to inform you of how much I LOVE snow! I think it's because I don't really see much of it, living here in the South. Here are some of the pictures that I took:

I love purple flowers! I used my macro lens with this photo.

Stefan at work taking a few shots of the snow!

New Beginnings

2011-01-09T19:33:00.000-08:00

So, part of my New Year's resolutions was to update my blog more. It's Day 9 of January, and this is my first post. Off to a great start, already. Much has happened since my last post in August. God has really been working in my life.

First of all, I looked into many different options for my career in teaching. I looked into applying for Teach for America and started an application, but have since halted that process for now at least. Another option I looked into was Teaching English as a Foreign Language. I felt that this experience was a great idea to look into at least. But for some reason, I could not bring myself to finish any of these applications. It turns out, that God has so much more planned for me than I could have imagined.

I should tell you now that I am a planner. I'm sure, if you read this, you have probably already thought to yourself "This girl plans WAY too much." But that, my dear readers, is what I do. It's like I have a back-up plan in case God's doesn't work out.....which is an absurd thing to have because God's plan always works out the way HE intends it to, not the way I intend it to work out.

So, going back to my "teaching career plans". Like I said, I never got around to actually submitting the applications to either of these programs. Part of me was apprehensive about doing so. I can't really explain why, which is why I believe that it was God's way of telling me to hold off on it.

In October, a friend that I have known for about a year and a half, asked me on a date, which after four times of turning him down, I decided to give it a try. We are now going into our third month of dating and I would like to share with you that it has been an amazing three months. I truly believe, and he can tell you too, that we are in God's plan for each other. For so long I was the person who agonized over why it was that all my friends were dating guys and I couldn't get one. I finally stopped complaining and prayed about it, and prayed, and prayed. It turns out, I was looking in all the wrong places for the type of guy I thought I should be with, and God was showing me the one he picked out.

I know you may think this is quite cheesy and mushy, but I'm quite happy because I've finally let God take control over the relationship part of my life. It hasn't been easy, but the wait has been worth it.

To add to the things that are new in my life: I'm the new worship leader for my church's contemporary service Pathways. Today was my first day, and I was very nervous, but was told I did a pretty good job. I pray that the Lord's will is done in my leadership of the worship portion of the service. I'm looking forward to this next chapter in my life.

The Last Year

2010-08-24T16:25:00.000-07:00

I have successfully completed the first 5 days of my last year as an undergrad. It's weird to think about this being my last year. I look back on past college years and I think about what I could have done differently if I had the chance. Here's the list for all you future high school graduates:

Go away for college, for at least a year. Don't do what I did and just stay there for one semester. You'll regret it later. If you try it for a year and don't enjoy it, then you can go back to a college/university that is closer in distance to your home.
Get involved in something, whether it's a campus club, a Greek organization, or a campus ministry (or all 3)!
Study Abroad as an undergrad. I did not do this as an undergrad, but I wish I had.
Budget your money. Budget, budget, budget.
Study, study, study.
Manage your time wisely
Buy a planner. Trust me, you'll need it.
Exercise at least twice a week. It will catch up with you if you don't.
Be a healthy eater. Sure those Oreos look great and taste divine, but that doesn't mean you have to eat half a pack.
Be open-minded to the people you meet and the experiences you encounter. This is the most important piece of advice I want to give to you. College is all about embracing different things and different people. You are going there to get an education. Be educated in different cultures and in new experiences.
Don't get married in college. Your friends do not have the money to pay for multiple bridesmaid's dresses, shoes, wedding gifts, lingerie presents, and bachelorette parties.

I'm looking into my options for being a teacher. I know I don't graduate until May, but the sooner I research all the options, the better informed I will be about what I truly want to do with my Education degree. I have had advice from family and friends about Teach For America. I did a little research on it this afternoon and I like what I see. However, I feel a little uncomfortable going to teach in an inner city, high poverty area, but I think it's due to the fact that I'm not used to being around it. I'm not opposed to teaching in these areas by any means. It is something that I will be praying about. It would mean stepping out of my comfort zone entirely, but isn't that what serving God is all about? Another option that I have considered is Teaching English as a Foreign Language. I can go to Prague and study to teach English as a foreign language. Once I complete the 4 week program, I would be certified for a lifetime to teach English as a foreign language. If I choose to not teach once the program is complete, I can still do it when ever I would like. The school works with you to ensure that you get a great job in one of the many countries in the world. Either option would be a wonderful experience, and I can do both, but I'm not sure which one I'm being called to do at this point. I ask all you readers out there for your prayers as I start to think about where God wants me to be and what He wants me to do with my degree. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Peace and Love,

Laura Kate

God Moments

2010-04-13T17:01:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting at the Wesley foundation on the porch swing. One of my most favorite places to be on this Earth. It's a place where I like to sit and reflect. Today is no different. I was studying for the Praxis II that is coming up in a couple of weeks and I look up and the sun is setting. For some people the sunset isn't really that big of a deal, but for me, today and everyday, the sunset is a Godsend. I just sat here on the swing and took it all in. The fact that our God created this beautiful thing for us to look at each day is just something so wonderful I can't even fathom. As I'm sitting here I realize that I'm not worried about being productive. I'm taking in the sunset, the sounds around me, and the occasional silence where no cars are passing by, which is a rare occurrence given that this is a university campus.

Today was different. I'm not even sure how, but I feel God in a way that I haven't felt Him in a long time. I'm happier today and more content since last Tuesday where I was in such a weird mood that nothing was going right. I'm finally letting go of the worries I've had because I know for sure that God is going to take care of it all, and I have no need to worry about that.

My God moments occur when I least expect them to. But then again, that's how most God moments are. They usually occur when I'm with my family or sitting at the Wesley. This past Saturday was no different. I had the wonderful opportunity of keeping my cousin for the day. It's one that I rarely pass up. To see the world through a child's eyes is so humbling and innocent. I took my cousin to the Drill Field and we strolled and blew bubbles. The kid loves to push her own stroller, so I carefully helped guide her down the sidewalk as she pushed. At one point she stopped, looked at me, took my hand off the stroller and said "No, no". I had to smile at her need for independence, so I let her push the stroller by herself but I stood close behind to make sure it stayed on the sidewalk After a few failed attempts of her strolling off the sidewalk, she looked to me for help and we continued to stroll down the sidewalk with both of us pushing the stroller.

As I was driving her back home I thought about how we as Christians are sometimes like children who are gaining their independence. We like to think that we can do it all by our self, take control of our lives, etc. We let God guide us to certain points in our lives, but then tell Him we can do it ourselves, and like any Father, He steps back and allows us to do it on our own, but He stands close by. When we go a few steps and realize we need guidance, we look to Him and He always helps guide us back on the "sidewalk". There's never any "I told you so's" exchanged. It's simply a matter of picking us up and brushing us off and saying "I love you, follow me".

That's really all that was on my mind tonight. I usually don't like to post things unless I have something meaningful to say and tonight I did, so here it is.

Peace and Love,
Laura Kate

Weekend

2010-03-04T09:12:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, I had the incredible opportunity to attend Statewide Wesley 2010. For those of you who read this and are not sure what that is, it is a retreat where different university Wesley Foundations come together to glorify God and have fun with each other. This year we were blessed to have Todd Agnew as our worship leader. He talked about worship a great deal and what it means to truly worship. (I think he read my blog post on that very topic, because he basically said everything I talked about! :) Totally kidding on that one.) We also were able to participate in the Stop Hunger Now Program. Stop Hunger Now is an organization where groups can come together and package meals for children who are in areas where starvation is one of the leading causes of death among children. Here are a couple of facts about hunger :

25,000 people die every day from hunger and related causes.

Every 6 seconds a child dies because he or she is hungry.

There are other facts listed on the Stop Hunger Now website, but those two are the main ones that stuck out to me. No child, or person for that matter, should die because they do not have enough to eat. We produce enough food in this world in order to feed hungry people everywhere.

In participating in the program, we were able to package 16,000 meals that will be sent to places like Haiti. 16,000. That is a lot of meals and a lot of children that won't go hungry. If you're reading this, I encourage you to get involved in this program somehow. It is something that I am extremely passionate about. I am part of a Hunger POD (Practicing Outward Discipleship) at Mississippi State University. We are bringing the Stop Hunger Now program to the Wesley Foundation on campus March 28th, though it's not limited to just Wesley Foundation attendees. We are working on fundraising and are still planning some details.

Things are going well. God is working in my life and I am in awe of the things He has done. He has blessed me with wonderful friends, old and new. I have been praying about ways I can help the world and I feel that He has called me to help with hunger-related ministries. I like doing good for people and I love serving God that way. It constantly gives me a reality check and I realize each time that I have everything I need. I have clean water to drink, I have a roof over my head, and I plenty of food. Everything else is just excess, things I have but don't necessarily need. That's a word we say often: Need. Think about that for a bit.

I'll post more tomorrow.

Peace and Love,

Laura Kate

A Rainy Day...

2010-02-06T10:45:00.000-08:00

It's raining. Again. I should be going to bed right now because I've been walking around in a daze all day. This is what 18 hours of school does to you. I've been doing a lot of thinking (what else is new?) about the future and what it holds, and here it is: I'm looking at moving to either Birmingham or Kentucky. Two great places. Both hold opportunities of being able to get a teaching job. Pray for that. :) I know I still have a year, and plans can change. My plans most likely will change, because it's me.

I'm still in the process of finding web hosting site to host my photography website. So if any of you readers out there know of any good ones, your help would be greatly appreciated.

I like doing photoshoots. Wait, let me rephrase that: I like being the one to operate the photoshoot. I don't like being photographed, for some reason that is completely unknown to me. I just like being the person behind the camera. A few Sundays ago I got my sister (my built in model) and her friend (who absolutely LOVES doing my photoshoots) together for a little session. It rained all morning, but the sun eventually made its appearance around 1:00. My sister and her friend are two of my most favorite people to photograph, together and separate. When they are together they are so much fun, they just feed off of each other, which results in some really awesome photos. I'm not a fan of posed pictures, though sometimes I have to resort to them. I like my photography to be "in the moment". It's about capturing the essence of that person in a specific moment. So, as promised, I will leave you with a handful of the photos from the shoot.

Spring is around the corner...

2010-01-27T07:48:00.000-08:00

I can just feel it. Last week it was GORGEOUS outside, and now this week it is cold, cold, COLD! That's Mississippi weather for you. The semester has started, and it is beginning to get a little crazy. Projects due, events to plan, photos to edit, papers to write, etc. I'm dying to edit the photos from my photoshoot Sunday, but right now my poor computer is in the shop, so the photo editing will have to wait. I'll post a handful here when they are finished.
Speaking of computers, I'm looking at buying a MacBook Pro. I've heard wonderful things about them, and since I'm serious about starting a photography business, I feel that it is neccessary to have one. I took the next step in creating my photography business. I designed and ordered my business cards. They arrived last week. Now it's all a matter of distributing them to places that have wedding and baby registries, as well as friends. I have a meeting Thursday with a friend of mine about shooting her wedding. I hope all goes well! She's told me a little about what the wedding party will be wearing and I'm super excited about the details! It will be a beautiful and fun wedding!
Class is about to begin, but I will post more tomorrow evening!

New Year, New Beginnings

2010-01-02T21:02:00.000-08:00

As I take a look back on the year of 2009, I can honestly say that I don't regret anything from the past year. It's amazing to look back on the past year of your life and realize how much you've grown. I don't feel like a grown-up, but I am. It's a funny thing, really. As children we spend so much of our childhood wanting to be "grown-up" that we grow up too fast. We forget to experience and savor all the joys of childhood, yet when we are finally "grown-up" we spend our lives wishing for more simple things rather than the complexities that adulthood brings. But yes, I am a grown-up. I do grown up things like live in an a apartment and pay bills. But how do we really define "grown-up". For me being a grown-up isn't about paying bills or living in an apartment. Being grown-up means having a sense of self and knowing what you stand for. It's about taking risks and chances throughout life, but also knowing when to settle.
This past year, I took chances that I never, in a million years, thought I would ever take. I'll confess this one- I actually let someone know how I felt about him. Let me tell you, that was probably one of the scariest things I have ever done in my life. I had debated back and forth about whether I should do it. But then I thought, "What's the worst that can happen?" So I did it. The outcome wasn't what I intentionally wanted, but because of it, we have become better friends. Was it scary? Sure. Do I regret it? No. Apart from the above mentioned, this year held a lot of "firsts". I got my very own apartment with just enough space for me. It's small, but it's cozy. I went out of the country for the first time, and that was such an amazing experience. My photography business is going well, and though right now I can't put a lot of time into it with being a full-time student, God is unveiling many opportunities where I can use my love of photography.
My wonderfully amazing family expanded even more this year with the arrival of my new twin cousins! It's really amazing what God can do with your life in a year. I have met some really amazing people through being a youth counselor and being an active member of the Wesley foundation on campus. He has blessed me with some pretty amazing friends and I am constantly thanking Him for it. Overall, I have to say that this past year was good to me. I have so much to be thankful for, as we all do. We are alive and we get another year to serve an amazing God who loves us the way we should be loved and the way we should love other people: unconditionally.

Peace and Love,

Laura Kate

It's Christmas Time!

2009-12-22T08:55:00.000-08:00

It's 3 days before Christmas, and I'm happy to say that my shopping was done right after Thanksgiving. I've read in various news pieces that with the way the economy is right now, people are buying fewer gifts this year. For some that may be a big deal, but for others it's not. For me, it doesn't really matter. The way my family is, my sister and I were always taught that gifts weren't the main theme of Christmas. Sure when we were kids we had presents under the tree, and because we were younger we were probably more focused on the gifts rather than the actual meaning behind Christmas. As we got older, though, we learned to focus on the meaning of Christmas and time with our family rather than the gifts.

No family is without Christmas traditions. With my mom's side of the family we all get together, usually the afternoon of Christmas day, have lunch, and open gifts. We always have 2 of the younger kids hand out the presents. For a while it was always my sister and me, but now it's the younger ones. Once the presents are all handed out, we open the presents from oldest to youngest. The same goes for my dad's side of the family, though it goes much faster because there are only 3 grandchildren. Growing up, my sister and I always had "sides" of the tree. Each year we would switch sides. Don't ask me how we remembered who had what side each year, I have no idea. On Christmas eve, we would exchange family gifts. My sister and I would give our parents each a gift from each of us, and each year, my sister and I would open up 2 gifts from under the tree. We always knew what the gifts would be. Each year, my parents would give us 2 Hallmark ornaments. We used to get the Barbie ornaments and Madame Alexander doll ornaments,but as we got older, the ornaments we got were more of a reflection of who we are.

If you know me, then you know that I am a family oriented person. As crazy as my family is, and as much as they drive me crazy, I love them and I love to spend time with them. There is a family picture at my grandmother's (my mom's mother) house that was taken in front of Rockefeller Center in New York City. It was taken about 5 years ago. We drove to New York, and let me tell you it was a LONG drive. There were arguments and laughs and every other emotion one can experience while in the car with family on a 14 hour drive. Back to the picture, though. In that picture, my sister and I were the only grandchildren. Since that Christmas 5 years ago, my family has grown. My aunt and uncle adopted a little boy, who is so sweet. My other uncle got married and they have 1 little girl and 2 more little girls who will be here December 29th, if not sooner. It's amazing what God can do in a family in 5 years. Christmas is always a fun time with my mom's side of the family. We are a big family. My grandmother's house always has the pitter patter of feet, and there is never a dull moment.

So now that I've shared my Christmas traditions, I'd like to know what your traditions are. I'm leaving to go Oxford tomorrow and staying until Christmas eve. I hope each of you has a wonderful Christmas. Spend time with you family and take time to ponder on how truly blessed we are to celebrate the coming of Christ.

Much love and peace.
Laura Kate

It's A Beautiful Day

2009-09-28T13:44:00.000-07:00

The sun is shining today, making it an absolutely beautiful day compared to the weather here the past 2 and a half weeks. It makes me happy, as does my one class I have today being cancelled. Another thing that makes me happy are birthdays. Mine is tomorrow. I'll be 22. Just typing that number gives me a weird feeling, but in a good way. These past few days, I've been taking a look back on my life. I've been looking at the way past events and experiences have shaped me into the person I am today. It's weird, really. There are many people who, when asked the question "If you could go back and change anything about your life, what would you change?", they would start naming off things. But there are those who, when asked that same question, will look the person in the eye and say "Not one thing." I'd like to believe that I am one of those people. If someone had asked me that question 3 years ago, I would have named off everything I could think of that I would change, but now I realize that past events have made me the woman I am today. I know 22 is not old, though according to the 9th grade girls I teach, I should be getting married by now. :-) I can't help but smile and laugh at that. For so long I've wanted just that, but lately I've been enjoying my life as a single woman. I know the right person will come along eventually, so I'm not really that worried about it as I have been in the past.

But back to why birthdays are something that make me happy. I truly believe that birthdays are wonderful things. My family has always made a big deal about birthdays, which is why I like to make big deals out of them, as well. It is a day to celebrate the life of the birthday person, whom ever it may be. Many people view it as "just another day", but it really is another day that you are alive and can live your life abundantly with the people you love.

I have discovered online sample sales. I'm doomed. Well, not quite. I just bought my first sample sale item. A pair of $45 designer aviators for $10. I'm pretty sure that was totally worth it. Online sample sales serve the same purpose as sample sales in places such as New York City, but can reach a wide variety of people. Many websites are "Members Only", but you can still sign up and have your name put on a waiting list. When a spot opens up, your name is put on the Invite List. It usually doesn't take very long. For most of the websites I signed up with, it only took up to two days to get my name on the list. Many of the websites also offer incentives for members, things like $10 credits for every person you invite who signs up. I'm posting a link to one of the websites I really like. It's called Gomatta Girls. This link is my invitation to those of you who read my blog and those of you who just happen to come upon my blog. Take a look through it, if you like what you see, then buy something if you want to, or just sign up to recieve their daily deals. Invite other people, so that you, too, can get a $10 credit for each person you invite. :-) http://www.gomattagirls.com/invite/77779198

Saturdays In August

2009-09-04T15:04:00.000-07:00

There's this little cafe, The Little Building Cafe to be exact, within walking distance from my apartment. I've always passed by it when driving, and my first thoughts are always "I should stop by there sometime." Last Saturday I did just that. I left the Farmer's Market, my camera in hand, and strolled on down to Little Building Cafe. From the first look of the outside, the color of the building draws you in.

See what I mean? It just calls you in saying "Come in. Have a cup of coffee, and sit down for a while." I went in and ordered a cappucino. When they asked me the infamous question "For here or to go?" My automatic response was "For here, of course." They lady working was so friendly. I found a table and sat down. When I'm in new places I like to sit back and take in my surroundings. One of my many favorite things about this cafe was the light fixture (chandelier maybe?) that was at the front.

Unique, right? This cafe had such character, from the light fixtures to the tables. Not to mention the intersting display of art on the walls. I'll have to find a picture of the said art. The art consisted of 2 different chair halves put together to create a whole chair. I'm not sure what the artist calls these wonderful and unique masterpieces, but for the sake of this blog, I'll call it "chair art". The chair art is really ingenious. There were so many things I loved about this cafe. Take the tables for example.

So colorful, modern, with a twist of unique! I want to have one in my small apartment! The side I was sitting on was a long bench that extended down the back wall. Very crafty. On the back wall were unique decorations such as the clothesline with clothes pins attached.

I really loved the creativity of these decorations. I'm not sure that I would have thought to use clothes pins as part of the decor in my cafe (if I had one). Beautiful work.

So there you have it. I have fallen in love with this cafe and all the charm that it holds. There will be future posts where I will share what's going on in my world of photography.

Worship...

2009-09-02T21:34:00.000-07:00

I'm a thinker. It's what I do. I'm always thinking about something. I either over analyze or under analyze and anything in between. In the past few weeks, I've been thinking more in depth when it comes to my faith and what God has shown me (it's quite a bit to be honest, but it's so wonderful to see what He is revealing to me). I feel this closeness that has been absent for a little while, and it's such a wonderful thing to be. I really think this blogging thing is helping me grow because I'm able to see how God is working in my life. The new school year has brought many new things. We have 2 new preachers at the church and they are simply wonderful. I do miss Jason and Stacey being there. (Even though she's my aunt and I get to see her on a pretty regular basis.) I'm in a new apartment by myself (love it!) and we are getting 2 new additions (my uncle and aunt are expecting twins!) to my already wonderful family. God is so wonderful and good. He times things just perfectly. So with all of these things, I am, of course, thinking...as mentioned above.

Over the past couple of days, I've been pondering on what it truly means to worship, and when we worship, are we doing so with our WHOLE heart? Although worship is not ever limited to just singing, and can be in any form and fashion as long as you are glorifying the name of God, the singing part is what I'm going to share tonight.

I'm always thinking about some thing or another, but worship and praise are always on my mind. I was at the Wesley Tuesday night and we sang one of my favorite hymns, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. During the song, I had a friend turn to me and ask me what the line "Here I raise my Ebenezer" meant. I couldn't answer him, and it made us both wonder if anyone else knew what it meant. Another question that arose in the song is the meaning of the word "fetter".

Now, before I elaborate on what either of these actually mean, I want to first make my point. Sometimes I feel as if we sing worship songs just to sing them. We don't actually take the time to take the words in and reflect on their meaning as we are singing them. I'm totally guilty of it, as we all might be at some point in our worship experiences. To me, it is so important to not only truly mean the words we sing, but actually KNOW their meaning, which brings me to the Ebenezer line of Come Thou Fount. Up until last evening, I had no idea what the word meant, though I had thought about what it from time to time. Once I had finished my research that took all of about 10 minutes, much thanks to Google, I found the answer to what I was looking for. Now I'm not going to go into all the detail that this site went into, but I will enlighten my wonderful readers with bits and pieces of what I found. The passage is 1 Samuel and it says this "Samuel took a large stone and placed it between the towns of Mizpah and Jeshanah. He named it Ebenezer—"the stone of help"—for he said, "Up to this point the Lord has helped us!" —1 Samuel 7:12, NLT. The explanation of the Ebenezer stone is that it represents a fresh beginning and it reminded the people of God's help and his everlasting mercy. It reminds them of their faithfulness to God.

Tonight we had our weekly praise band practice. At the end, my friend and I were walking to his car and I mentioned the above to him. He made a good point that the songs that we use in our worship at our church always have meaning. The songs should be engaging. They should be meditated on and thought about. For me, when I'm practicing or when I'm actually leading worship, the songs I sing have to mean something. The words have to be there and I have to focus on them, and if I have no idea of the meaning of specific words, how can I truly worship? I think things like this in songs need to be discussed, as in why this is in there or what it really means in the song. This gives the congregation some insight to why the song was chosen or why it is a worship song.

There's really no huge explanation to the word "fetter", except that it is a physical restraint used to keep prisoners from running away.
"Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee"
The word "fetter" in this context is not necessarily a literal binding, but a spiritual one. Many times we wander away from God, wanting to do things on our own and this line is us saying "Keep me close, because I don't want to wander from You, though I know I will."

I'm signing off for the night. I'm very tired, so much of this entire post might be redundant, and for that I am sorry. Go in peace, worship freely, love each other unconditionally.

LK

2009-08-28T14:26:00.000-07:00

Everyone is going places. As in moving to other states. Sometimes I feel trapped here. Other times, I'm perfectly content. I'm ready to finish school. Then move to New York City.

Okay, so the above statements were written yesterday morning, before my Bible study yesterday afternoon. Can I just say that God works in so many different ways? This afternoon Linda, the wonderful woman who is leading the study, introduced the book we will be working from during these next 6 weeks. The book is called Get A Life. It debunks the myths that we as women feel like we have to live by and things that we believe must define us. It's purpose is also for gaining a sense of contentment with the things that surround you. The cliche "The grass is always greener on the other side" is never enitrely true in most cases. We're always looking for something better than what we have. I still do want to move away and start a new life in a different place, but right now I need to learn to be content where I am. Moving to a different place is not a way for me to find that contentment that I desire so much. The point I'm trying to make is that we can't ever be content somewhere else, until we are content with the place we are at now. It's okay to want and desire things for the future, but until those things come along, and they will on God's time, we should enjoy the things where we are at now.

This Bible study is definitely what I need and it's come at such a good time in my life, because right now I'm so restless being in Starkville. I love it here, but I feel like it's a relationship that's gone on too long and I need something new. But when reading through the first day's study, I realized that God is using me in some way and maybe, just maybe, that purpose has not been fufilled to it's potential. When is fufilled, I'll know. I'm trusting God with this. It's hard for me to do that because in my earlier post, I admitted to be a control freak about my life, when in all honestly I don't have to be that way about my life at all. God knows what He's doing. He really does.

I'm going canoeing with MSU Wesley Foundation tomorrow. I haven't been canoeing in a really long time, and the last time I went, my paddle ended up far away from my canoe. It will be fun to see how this goes.

The First One

2009-08-25T20:38:00.000-07:00

The purpose of this blog is just to share what is going on in my life with people. My thoughts and rants, but also to share what God is doing in my life. I'll do a brief recap of how my life has been since this summer. My summer held a lot of "first-time" things. I went out of the country for the first time. (I guess you can call Puerto Rico out of the country, even if it's technically part of the US? For now we'll just say I went out of the country.) I went for a friend's wedding. It was truly a beautiful place to have a wedding. The evening of the ceremony, God's hand was in it all. From the love that surrounded everyone there to the beautiful sunset over the ocean. The pictures I'll put up don't do any justice to what it was really like. One of the first things that amazed me about PR was how friendly the people were. They were so friendly and wonderful to talk to. The concierge at the hotel always had a smile on his face as he opened the doors and greeted people. I remember having a conversation with him. He talked about his love for working at the hotel. He even mentioned that a couple of hotels from the States had offered him jobs, but he turned them down. His reason being "Every morning I can greet people here and look outside to what God has painted right here for me." I was amazed at his reasoning and it made me wish I could be more like that. Here was a man who loved his job, because he could interact with people and see God's creation right out the door. He said he didn't have a need for anything else. As he told me all of this I sat there and thought to myself "Why can't I be more like him? Why can't all of humanity be more like him?" I think that we always have to be doing something in today's society. We always have to be productive. I'm guilty of it. I plan everything and I mean EVERYTHING. I rarely ever just take the time to let God handle it all, yet when it all blows up in my face He's the first one I run to. I can hear Him say "I told you to let Me handle it. Here, this is how I wanted you to do it. We can fix it though, so don't worry." It's an on-going struggle that God and I have. I'm such a control freak about certain areas of my life, but I don't have to be. I want so badly to just give it all to Him because I do know, and I do believe that He will plan everything for me on His time. The PR trip really opened up my eyes to the things that He has put right in front of me to enjoy.

On a slightly different note, I now live by myself, in my very own apartment. I feel like a big girl. I really didn't think I could do it, but it feels exhilarating to know that I am capable of living on my own. It gives me time to think about everything: my life, my faith, my beliefs, etc.

I'm trying to simplify my own life. I no longer have cable. It's not a necessity. I'm actually happier without it. I mean sure, I miss some of my shows, but I have friends who TiVo things and we watch them together, or I watch it online. I try not to use internet as often when I'm at home. It's worked well so far. I'm becoming more environmental. I actually recycle. It makes me feel like I'm really helping the world, which I am, along with millions of others. I encourage anyone and everyone to recycle. It's a big deal. We get one planet. That's it. One. Be nice to it, treat it like you would your favorite thing.

I'm pursing my photography more. You can check out my photos on my site http://www.evelynkatephotography.smugmug.com. Look through the photos. Rank your favorite ones. You can even buy one if you want to, or you can just contact me and I'll be more than happy to take photos for you. I like it. It's fun for me. When I look through that lens of my camera, everything is good in the world. I see God's creations for what they are and so much more. He's blessed me with this talent and without His direction, I never would have found it. I praise Him daily for it and the other gifts He has blessed me with.

That's it for tonight, even though I have so much more to say. That's what this blogging deal is for though. Go in peace, and know that you are loved by a God who is so amazing and wonderful that He gives us second, third, fourth and so many more chances than we truly deserve.

Laura Kate