Robbed in Texas

The summer after my freshman year in high school, my family and I joined a group from our church on a mission trip to the Texas-Mexico border. Our church supports a couple missionaries there - John and Margie Lezotte. I think that's how you spell their last name - it's close, at least. We went there to do mostly puppet ministry (from what I can remember), but also share our testimonies ... put on a Vacation Bible School type deal for various churches and schools just over the border. I can't remember what part of Mexico, or I would tell you. It's crazy to say this, but it's been 10 years since that trip ... a whole decade since I was a freshman in high school. Wow.

Anyway ...
We spent a good deal of time in Texas as well. We stayed in some houses that John and Margie have on their property. One day, while we were out on our missions projects, the house my family was staying in was ROBBED! If you've ever been robbed, you know how violating it feels. It was weird ... and kind of eerie. Everyone was okay (probably 'cause we weren't there when it happened) - that's important - but Wes and I did have a few of our things stolen. Wes had his backpack stolen, and the robbers took my purse, which had $70 in it. Bummer. I think I remember the exact amount because John persisted in paying me back the money. It was kind of a weird experience. If you ever stay in a desert area near the Texas/Mexico border, you might not wanna leave your purse laying on your bed, full of money ... even if your doors are locked. Not too smart on my part.

GVB on the FLOOR!!!

After I went to my first Gaither Vocal Band concert and sat a mile from the stage, I knew I had to go again ... but get closer seats - FLOOR seats. And I did, buddy ... I did. One night earlier this year, I piled in my car and drove to Indiana Wesleyan University for another marvelous GVB concert. It was awesome! The drive was short enough that I could go to the concert and get back home in one night - no hotel costs. My ticket was half the price of the previous concert I was at. My floor seats were 3 rows from the stage. And it was ALL Gaither Vocal Band - ALL David, Wes, Michael, Mark, and Bill. Wahoo! No Homecoming crew to hog the night. Man. And they were so good! I nearly cried several times 'cause the harmonies and the lyrics were so amazing. If you've never been to a GVB concert, you need to go. Put it on YOUR bucket list! Seriously. Heck! Just go youtube "Because He Lives Gaither Vocal Band" or "Sinner Saved By Grace Gaither Vocal Band" right now.

Really good stuff.
I heart Southern Gospel music! :D

Team Jacob is no more ... for me anyway

So my friend, Maggie, and any of you readers who are apart of "Team Edward" will be happy to hear that I have officially switched over to Team Edward from Team Jacob.

But what's funny is I arrived at this conclusion after reading a totally unrelated book --- Christy. Hahaha! ... I don't know if you know the Christy story - Catherine Marshall's book about her mother - a young woman who went to the back woods of Tennessee to teach impoverished children in the early 1900s. Well, the book (and her real-life story) presents Christy with a choice between two men - a young preacher (David) and an older doctor (Neil). I see lots of similarities between Jacob and David and lots of similarities between Edward and Neil. I recently finished reading Christy, and I found that my original choice (David) is lacking - a lot. I'm so bummed 'cause he is not as cool in the book as he is in the TV series. And the same goes for Jacob - he's not as great in the books as he is in the movies. I will say I still like David and Jacob. But ... I think I've officially switched to "Team Neil" and Team Edward.

The more mature, more together, more selfless guy needs to be with the girl. And I think that's who I want for ME as well. And they win in the end anyway.

Hahaha! All of that to say ... I am for Team Edward, and my friend, Maggie, is thrilled. Just don't tell my friend, Hannah. ;)

A bit of a revise ...

MICAL'S BUCKET LIST .... good stuff.

#1 - Go hiking in New Zealand!!!

#2 - Run a mini marathon

#3 - Read through the Bible in my favorite translations - NIV, ESV, and NASB

#4 - Learn to play barre chords on my guitar

#5 - Learn to swing dance (CHECK!)

#6 - Marry an oober godly guy!

#7 - Homeschool my kids :)

#8 - Take a 3-day solitude trip! (CHECK!)

#9 - Visit my sponsored child in Bolivia

#10 - Read all of Mere Christianity and The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis

#11 - Take a BBF trip to the Bosom Buddies Cottages in Nova Scotia with Emily!!!

#12 - Be a waitress (CHECK!)

#13 - Visit all 50 states!

#14 - Go to a Gaither Vocal Band concert (CHECK!)

#15 - Learn to Country Line Dance

#16 - Take a hip hop dance class

#17 - Go Hot Air-Ballooning

#18 - Ride a jet ski

#19 - Get some Bible training

#20 - Have a quiet time with Jesus in front of the Appalachian Mountains (CHECK!)

#21 - Be a summer camp counselor

#22 - Stand outside in a lightning storm!!! (CHECK!)

#23 - Make a nature calendar with the photos I've taken (CHECK!)

#24 - Get FLOOR seat tickets to a Gaither Vocal Band Concert!!! (CHECK!)

#25 - Visit Big Sky, Montana

#26 - DANCE on the Ellen DeGeneres Show!!! What? Oh, yeah!

#27 - Eat some New York Pizza

#28 - Go to the Iowa-80 truck stop ... the largest truck stop in the world!!!

#29 - Go to Europe with Hannah Baker!!!

#30 - Write a book ... yes, that's right - a BOOK!

#31 - Visit Juliet's house in Verona, Italy

#32 - Go to London, England :)

#33 - Pass the Praxis!!!!!

#34 - Become a school teacher

#35 - Read all of the Twilight Saga (CHECK!)

#36 - Buy a drink at the SoZo cafe' in Jasper, Indiana

#37 - Listen to the wind blowing through the columns at the Parthenon in Greece

#38 - Go to Sitka, Alaska

#39 - Stay on Monhegan Island off the coast of Maine

#40 - Go to Loocachooca, Arizona to visit the Navajo reservation there

#41 - Do something BIG - something out of your comfort zone

#42 - Have a picnic on the grassy hills of Ireland

#43 - Gain an eternal perspective - Colossians 3:2

#44 - Go on a cruise

#45 - Become a "gold level" dancer :)

#46 - Learn to truly accept who I am

#47 - Record a CD in Uncle Mike's music studio

#48 - Find out more about my heritage

#49 - Collect as many different colors of crocs that I can!

#50 - Get a manicure (CHECK!)

#51 - Take a fourth trip to Bogalusa, Louisiana

#52 - Visit all the mountain ranges in the U.S.

#53 - Rent a cabin by the lake for a couple of days

#54 - Spend an afternoon on the beach of each of the Great Lakes

#55 - Drive 1-81 - Northern New York State to New Orleans or vice versa

#56 - Take on a food challenge (Man vs. Food)

#57 - Learn the Quick Step

#58 - Eat a cake truffle

#59 - Visit Sherwood Baptist Church - church that put on Fireproof, Facing the Giants, and Courageous

#60 - Read the book, Christy (CHECK!)

#61 - Visit "Cutter Gap," Tennessee (CHECK!)

#62 - Ride on a train

#63 - Discover a dead hero ... in other words, read some biographies

#64 - Find a modern-day hero for myself (CHECK!)

#65 - BE a hero!

#66 - Read through the Bible in a year

#67 - Believe without seeing (John 20:29)

#68 - Read Desiring God, A Hunger for God, and Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper

#69 - Learn the dance to "Thriller"