BLOGGING!

Well here it goes…my very last blog for my Journalism class!

Blogging, Blogging, Blogging...

What is it all about???

For me blogging is a way to let my brain flow out into writing.  I am fully aware that no one even really reads my blogs...except you people that have to :), and maybe Eric once and awhile! lol That's totally okay with me though!  Blogging is kind of like my own journal, and who ever wishes to have a taste of my thoughts, and the things that excite me, and the things I am passionate for...well you are welcome to read! :) Probably not too exciting though lol...anyways, I am a really really fanatical fan of a blog called Green Wedding Shoes!!!  This blog is just for fun, as well as for different photographers to get their name out there and also for people to get lovely ideas for their weddings and engagement pictures! :)  O I just LOVE it!  I think for most people blogging is just a way to get their thoughts across and to speak their opinions in a place where they can say basically ANYTHING they want...which could be a bad thing or a good thing!

Blogging can also play a big role in writing.  It is a great way to brush up on your writing…something that I seriously need!  It is also a great way for people to look at your writing style and experience to see if they would potentially want to hire you for a job! Therefore not only is blogging just ever so FUN :) it is also a really fabulous way to practice practice practice!  Also if you are a super talented blogger you can even find yourself a job!  BLOGGING! Who would of thought!...maybe pretty soon people will be looking for professional texters! :)

Hooray for blogging!!!  

LISTEN!

^{John 10:27a} My sheep listen to my voice…

God commands us in his Word to listen to His voice and what He has to say to us…sometimes this isn’t as easy as it sounds. Listening to God’s voice means putting our selfish desires aside; it means NOT listening to what WE believe is the right thing. As Christians we are to have a relationship with Christ, this means letting His words speak back to us. Sometimes it is so easy to find ourselves asking God for this, and asking God to do this in our life, and asking God to help us in this situation, and not stopping to hear what He has to say back to us…I am guilty as charged. Would you ever call your friend and once they picked up begin to talk and talk and talk not giving them a second to say anything that they want to say, and then once you are done saying what YOU wanted to say just hang up? NO, because that would be silly…so if we wouldn’t do it to a friend, why can we so easily to it to our Savior? One thing that I constantly have to remind myself of is to just slow down once and awhile and LISTEN!

In God’s Word we are not only commanded to listen to His voice, but to be still…

”Be still, and know that I am God.”

Be still is to calm our hearts and to get rid of all the worries and business of life, and to soak in all that God has for us. How are we to hear what God has to say if our hearts are not still to listen? God speaks to us through our heart and our mind; if both of these things are constantly going and going and never being still then we will never get a chance to hear what God needs so badly to say to us. The Lord also speaks mighty things to us through His word, so be constantly reading the Bible and there is NO doubt in my mind that He will not speak to you through his Holy Word…Don’t get me wrong, I struggle with listening to God’s voice just as much as the next guy; here is just a friendly remember to be STILL and LISTEN!

Love never fails

Well, Valentine's Day is over and it was such a beautiful day! I must admit that I am a big sucker for Valentine's Day, and I love celebrating love. :) Today Eric and I went on a nice little picnic.

It included fried chicken, strawberries, chocolate covered cherries, sparkling pink lemonade, and GIANT mini golf!

It was such a perfect day for a picnic! A little bit later we went to the movies to see what every other couple in the world saw today…Valentine's Day! O my goodness, such a cute movie! EVERYONE stop what you are doing and go see it right now! After the wonderful movie we had a nice dinner at Yard House. Not to mention that Eric made me the cutest blanket with owls on one side and peace signs on the other! Two of my favorite things! :) What a thoughtful fiancé I have! Haha Today was just a wonderful day to get off campus and relax. Today is also such a great day to remember what love really is. Christ gives us such a beautiful definition in His Word…

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

1 Corinthians 13 gives this amazing definition of what our love should look like in our relationships in our life, and with our Savior. So even if you are one of those people that hate Valentines Day and would rather crawl in a hole all day, remember that February 14th is a day to remember what love really is and to celebrate what a great thing that Christ has given us.

Hope: Haiti

Tragedies happen all the time; when sin entered into the world so did horrible things such as earthquakes. Haiti was hit with a 7.0 earthquake that killed thousands, injured many, left houses completely destroyed, orphaned children, and dramatically changed the lives of the people in Haiti. When I think of this horrible thing that happened it breaks my heart. I can’t even imagine how I would feel if something like that happened here in Riverside.

Christ does everything for a reason

Maybe it was to stretch the faith of people in Haiti, or maybe it was to give people in Haiti no choose but to cling to Him, or maybe it was because us as Christians too often find ourselves in the comfort of our apartment or of our University and Christ wanted to give us a wake up call that there our people out there besides the people in our own little bubble. We will never know why Christ does things such as this earthquake. I do believe that a tragedy such as this gives Christians opportunities to show the love of Christ here on this earth. Thousands of people have taken the trip to Haiti to help in whatever way they can, while others have donated their money to help in this disaster, also it has given Christians the opportunity to get down on their knees and pray for these people of Haiti and thank the Lord for the life and the comforts that we have here in the USA. However we decided to handle this situation, as individuals, is all different, but I believe that Christ does things such shake the world so that are faith is shaken as well. Christ does not want a bunch of luke warm Christians running around; He wants us to be completely on fire for Him, and if this earthquake caused even one person to cling closer to Him then this earthquake was well worth it in the Kingdom of Heaven!

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28

God is doing good things through this tragedy for those who love Him!

NOT just another Christmas break...

Christmas break. What to say? It was a lovely time to spend with my family, and to be able to relax, no worries, no stress, no alarm clocks, no homework, and no work. Let's cut to the chase though. This Christmas break was by FAR the most exciting Christmas break I have ever had! Why? You might ask, because I am now engaged!!! :) Yes ladies and gentlemen I will soon be Mrs. McFarland! Has a nice ring to it doesn't it? :) December 22, 2009…Eric and I were spending the day in Laguna Beach. We ate a nice lunch and then decided to go for a walk along the beach “Treasure Island.” As we were walking a mysterious message in a bottle appeared on the shore...they don’t call this place Treasure Island for nothing. :) I picked it up and read the amazing note inside. The note ended with this, "p.s. I have a question to ask you." As I turn back to look at Eric he is on one knee and asks me to marry him. I thought about it awhile, wasn't really sure...NOT...I of course said yes immediately!!! After he proposed he had another surprise for me. We got back in the car drove a bit; Eric then tells me I have to blindfold myself. We continue driving, and I have NO IDEA where we are going. We finally arrive to my surprise; he takes the blindfold off, and SURPRISE! It is a room full of my family and friends ready to celebrate the big day with me! Best Christmas break ever? I say YES!

Did I mention Eric got a secret photographer to capture the moment! :)...Thanks Enoch!

Our friends celebrating with us at "my surprise" :)

November 19th???

11 days until DECEMBER!!!

do you know what this means???

11 days until...

-My favorite month!
-Christmas songs!
-Spending time with family!
-My 21st birthday!
-Movie nights watching Elf!
-Eric and I's one year! :)
-Trip to Las Vegas!
-The end of the semester!
-Christmas lights!
-Christmas Trees!
-Baking cookies!
-Christmas shopping!
-Fires in the fire place!
-Santa hats!
-Christmas parties!
-Decorating!
-Gingerbread houses!
-Snow!
-and sooooo much more!!!

thinking about it makes me teary eyed...no joke! :)

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

fa la la la la la la la la

work...

Bored, BORED, BoReD, Booooored, BbBbBbored, bored, borrredddddd, BORED, BORED!!!!!!!

Borrrrred,

bOReDDDDDDD, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored

BORED!

BORED ROCK!

BORING!

BORED OLDFOLK!

YAWNNNN!

BORED LION!

BORE!

BORED PANDA BEAR!

BLEH!

BORED GIRL!

BORED!

BORED DOG!

BORED!

BORED LADY!

BORED!

BORED MAN!

BORED!

BORED CAT!

BoReD!

BORED BABY!

bored!