current events >> OCTOBER

This past month has been spent out here in the west. My parents and I and a few other people from our church have been working at a church in New Mexico on various projects. I've worked with this church and some of the people in it for the past couple of years with BPS and it's always a joy to be out here and able to help with their ministry to reach the Navajo's. Things are going well and we'll start to wind down and head home in a few days. Thankful for friendships across the miles and like minded churches working towards the same goal!

ACCOMPLISHED>> Lots and lots of cleaning and organizing for the church and ranch here in New Mexico. We've just about transformed the whole upstairs of the church!

TRIED>> climbing my first mountain in New Mexico. This wasn't your typical mountain. It was a small mountain, but it was basically straight up and all soft surface. It was a 4 point hike, but we managed to do it. About 20 minutes to the top... and an hour or more down only because it was dark out.

LEARNED>> Well, this isn't anything new, but each day I do Scripture writing with my devotions. This month I spent the whole month writing out verses on prayer. It really just opened my eyes again to what a privilege it is that we have to be able to come boldly to God's throne!

READ>> Different By Design by Cary Schmidt. This is a really good book. Geared more towards teenagers, but still really good points about living the christian life. I also read What is Modesty by Michelle Brock. This is one of the best books I've ever read on modesty! She really approached the topic in a way that I think is so important, dealing first with the heart.

LOVED>> Working with Pastor Chitty and being under his preaching. He's from the south, served in the vietnam war, won purple hearts, and now he's been out here for 40+ years serving the Lord. He's got such a tremendous testimony and such a heart for the Lord... oh and he's got a thing for picking on me... but I like it ;)

GONE>> Shenandoah, VA for a little getaway with my dear friend. We stayed in a quaint little cabin, ate good food, hiked a lot, and most importantly sat on our rocking chairs on the back porch and talked and talked and talked some more. After that trip we packed up and headed to New Mexico where we arrived on the the 12^th of October. We've also made two day trips to Colorado and visited Ouray and Silverton.

PLANNED>> a trip to Missouri right after Christmas... if we can get all the details worked out.

CREATED>> If making food is an art, then I've created a lot of pies, and cookies, and brownies, and meals. You can be the judge of whether that's art of not.

PHOTOGRAPHED>> I had one family mini session the day before we left. Other than that just pictures of mountains, stars, sunrises, and sunsets.

STARTED>> making lists for Christmas present ideas... is it really already this time of the year?

LOOKING AHEAD>> NOVEMBER

+ put up the photoshoots that I've fallen behind in posting

+ start Christmas shopping

+ catch up with the people I've been away from the past few weeks