Crushed and Created

I love this song.

Crushed and Created
By Caitlyn Smith/Sara Groves/Gordon Kennedy

Looking back on the things that found me
Places I would never choose
The same things that both haunt and heal
My demons and my muse

We are crushed and created
Melted and made
Broken and built up in the very same way
What I thought I could handle
What I thought I could take
What I thought would destroy me
Leaves me stronger in its wake

And there are times that I’ve underestimated
Both the grief and goodness found in something new
Where one thing dies, something else can be created
And though it’s truth you find, it’s innocence you lose

I’m not the me that I started with
My friends say my eyes are brighter
I’m not the me that I started with
I’m freer, and I’m wiser, and I’m stronger…

It leaves me stronger

Click to listen :)

Expired Milk

I have to admit something. I pretty much refuse to drink/eat/use anything after its expiration date. Not a couple days after, but the DAY after. I heard on the radio some mom talking about her daughter having a similar problem. The mom was like, "Honey, that date isn't a magical thing that automatically makes the _____ untouchable". Well mother I don't know. Yes it does.

So last week I bought a gallon of milk...with an expiration date 4 days away. My mom told me that I better drink all of it because she was tired of throwing away expired things. The night before the day of expiration came and there was still half a gallon left. I told my dad about my predicament and asked if there was anything I could make that would use A LOT of milk. He said yes, went to the store, and came back with stuff to make flan, tapioca, and chocolate pudding pie. He made the flan.

The next day I get a call from my mom, asking if the tapioca mix and chocolate pudding pie was on the counter so I would stick to my promise to use the milk. Yep. She got me. I can't even be sneaky with that lady. So I made the tapioca and the chocolate pudding pie.

Text from my dad: "this tapioca is sooo good it reminds me of my mom's!!!"

Text from my mom: "mmm...you rock at making tapioca and chocolate pie!"

Apparently it took a gallon of almost expired milk for me to find out that I'm not a COMPLETE failure in the kitchen. Compliments from the parents=success.

Songs on My Heart

I have so many songs on my itunes, and honestly all I've been listening to is Needtobreathe and a bunch of worship songs. The following are the ones I put on a cd to play in Shasha (mah car). I highly recommend looking them up on youtube or something and giving them a listen. :)

A Mighty Fortress by Christy Nockels

How He Loves by Kim Walker

Awakening by Chris Tomlin

Your Love Never Fails by Chris Quilala

Hungry (Falling on My Knees) by Kathryn Scott

Desert Song by Hillsong

You'll Come by Hillsong United

Glorified by New Life Worship

Healing Is In Your Hands by Christy Nockels

You Gave Your Life Away by Paul Baloche

You Hold Me Now by Hillsong

Hosanna by Hillsong United

Lead Me to the Cross by Hillsong United

Enjoy them. I do. They pretty much speak truths about God that I constantly need to hear. I'm in my car so much that it only made sense to put them on a cd!!!

Broke College Student.

That may or may not be one of the dumbest titles ever, but not far from the truth at all. Anyway. I'm currently trying to finish writing my support letters for the fall. IT IS SO DIFFICULT. Why? How do I completely express who I am, what has happened in the past 3 years, why I'm so drained, why I feel like I should be at Focus, etc., in such a SHORT amount of time. I feel like I need a three page letter for this thing. Seriously. I wrote a rough draft and got it to fit on the stationary I want to use (I'm a huge fan of pretty paper. hello I'm an art major.) and now my mom is sitting on the patio revising it. At first she had a red pen out but I was quickly like, ummmmmm please don't remind me of high school with a grading pen look-a-like. So she grabbed a blue one.

Anyway. I always use so many words to express myself, so trying to say a lot with a little is pretty much super difficult and frustrating but kind of exciting at the same time. Thank goodness one of my best friends has an English degree. She will be getting a phone call shortly. :) The adventure to Colorado in the fall has officially begun. It's going to happen.

John 3:30

Wishes

I just went through some old notebooks, and found a list of things I want to do in life. Some I've already accomplished, some are in the near future, some will be just pure amazing if I'm able to check off the list.

• Graduate with a Bachelor Degree
• Go back to the Czech Republic on a second mission trip
• Visit Greece & Italy
• Get a photograph published in a "coffee table" book
• Get a photograph published in a magazine
• Live in a state I haven't lived in yet (I've lived in Texas, Oklahoma, Indiana and Illinois)
• Go legit camping
• Go skiing in Colorado [December 2008]
• Take a cruise in the South America region
• Work at summer camp in Colorado
• Pet a giraffe
• Obtain a wedding planner certificate
• Photograph engagement shots for friends
• Photograph a friend's wedding
• Design a wedding invitation
• Take a train somewhere other than to downtown Chicago
• Pay off my student loans
• Visit Ireland
• Visit Australia
• Go scuba diving
• Go on a mission trip to a 3rd world country
• Work at summer camp [Kanakuk K-2 Summer 2008]
• Go to the Sears Tower [Summer 2009]
• Try snowboarding
• Successfully ski down a black/blue diamond mogul run at Winter Park without stopping, sitting, or falling. It's gonna happen.
• Give a friend a hair cut
• Learn how to drive manual [August 2009]
• Buy my own car
• Kayak on a legit river
• Experience Times Square on New Years Eve
• Find giraffe print fleece and make footie-pajamas
• Work in a coffee shop
• Read the Bible cover to cover
• Travel Route 66
• Go to the Grand Canyon
• Get my associates degree [december 2009]
• Go on a road trip with my sister
• Go on a road trip with my best friend
• Have an upsidedown Christmas tree
• Visit the art museums in Chicago

I have another list somewhere else. But for now, get a glimpse of what I want to do. :)