Hey y'all! Hope all is well in every way possible... things are going pretty well for me! :)

Well the reading update is kinda like this... Due to being insanely busy the past couple of weeks, I'm just now finishing the Hobbit and starting onto the first of the Lord of the Rings books, The Fellowship of the Ring. I'm still not sure which is my favorite book yet but I DO know that the first of the LOTR movies was probably my favorite! Can't wait to get into these books and enjoy the story all over again...



I don't know about you but I'm having a REAL hard time staying focus on the here and now and not trying to think about how in less than a month I'll be out on my own (again), living in a new place and meeting new people (again but this time at Toccoa Falls) and pursuing my dreams and passions as a teacher and missionary! ^.^ I do know also that when one does this, doubt and other questions come to the forefront like "Should I quit my job and if so, can I find a job there?", "Will people like me?", "Am I really going in the right direction?" Right now, for some reason though, the excitement and sense of adventure this choice brings me seems to be trumping these doubts like they're nothing! So I'm going on... Also, my mom suggested that I should start looking into graduate programs. Right now, all I know is that I want to continue my studies in history... maybe I should do Asian history? And maybe even do it... overseas?! :D Who knows, we'll see.



Well besides the Hobbit/The Lord of the Ring trilogy books, I'm reading two books for my quiet time: Crazy Love by Francis Chan (OMG! Its incredible... everyone should read this book. If you read no other book of his, read that one!) and Faith & Doubt by John Ortberg (again, another awesome book)! In Chan's book, like with all his books I've read, its messed me up some inside... in a good way. Its made me rethink my actions and thoughts about how I treat others, especially those that have hurt me the most, especially those who are close to me when they do it. I'm still reading through it and its still helping me in so many ways!
Now with Ortberg's book, its messes me up in another way... which is also good. In his book, he shows how any and every Christian has doubts and its fine and in fact, its great! Being a Christian doesn't mean you have to rid yourself of doubt... I'm sure even Mother Teresa and the Pope had it from time to time. Its all about which you choose to follow in the end and which ever you choose, you choose based out of certain convictions that you not only were taught but that certain "beliefs" that you yourself have come to believe and developed, whether you realize it or not, can actually be completely opposite of what a Christian is suppose to believe/follow. Its really awesome stuff... really makes you rethink and take inventory of your actions, words and... well, beliefs! Highly recommend it! :)

Well that's it for now.. I'd like to give a quick shout out to my little nephew, Jarrett who will be 4 this week! Happy birthday Jett! Hope y'all have a great week and I hope to see and hear from y'all soon! Later days!



~Jeanne;)

~Courtesy of redlion1961 on Flickr

Hey there everyone! Hope the summer is treating y'all well and y'all are getting out, seeing family, vacationing and all that fun stuff! :)


~Courtesy of Suzanne Williams Photography

With summer already being about half way over(>.<... sorry for the reminder y'all), I can't help but begin to start focusing on the things coming this fall: new school, new people, new opportunities and new friends to meet! This year I'll be starting into my junior year (yay! Over half way done!) and will be starting into a new program rather than the history one I was in at Atlanta Christian College: Bachelor's of Science degree in Secondary education focusing on history with a minor in cross-cultural studies and a TESOL certification (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages). Hopefully with this dream degree of mine I'll be able to do a few of the things my heart has passions for: history, teaching and missions. I can't wait to get back on the mission field and I know exactly where I want to head: somewhere in the Asia continent! :)


~Courtesy of Anninreallife.wordpress.com

Well as some of you might know, I'm a serious bookworm and when I get into a book, I SERIOUSLY get into it. Unfortunately though due to working, cleaning and helping take care of kids, I'm not able to read as much as I wanted to. Although I have finished the entire Narnia series I have tried to finish the Hobbit/LOTR series and it hasn't been easy. But I will finish it, no matter what, by the end of the summer! >.< Fortunately, I have found a book or two to read during my quiet time and right now I've been hung up alot on Francis Chan's stuff. After reading "Forgotten God", I've wanted to read more of his stuff and luckily I have gotten a hold of a copy of "Crazy Love". Even though I've only read the first chapter, its amazing! My mom is also reading it right now and she loves it too! I can't wait to read all of it... :)


~Courtesy of blog.ephemeraleternity.com

Well I'm not gonna lie, my friends: I've had a pretty rough few weeks. I've dealt with quite a few different things about myself, my life, my family and others and it hasn't been easy! I've had to admit to myself alot of things I didn't want to and begin working through stuff I didn't want to touch! After all is said and done, a few things I have been reminded will remain the same and always will:

1) No matter how perfect I may think something/someone may be for me, God usually has better things in mind/planned for me.

2) Nothing/No one is worth sacrificing the dream/passion God has placed in your heart. Period!

3) Whatever God has given you, if it isn't stewarded properly, He can and will take it away.

4) If you don't learn how to live with yourself and be content, then you will NEVER be able to live with others (especially those who you truly want to be with).

5) Anything/Any one you might try and make plans around and with, if it isn't a part of God's plan, it will hurt separating from it/them(like untangling your heart/mind from a thorny and prickly weed that has ensnared it)

It smarts when you realize that most of these truths were things that you thought you knew and believed in until they come back to you in new understandings and in new issues/circumstances you encounter (I know they did me). They aren't easy to fully learn and understand the first time around so that's why God takes you through them, again and again, until you do get it.

Well that's it for now... again, I hope you all are having a great summer! Take it easy when you can and I hope to see ya soon! Later days! ;)

~Jeanne;)