Wisdom

Last night I attended a women's ministry event that was so cool. The theme of it was "Churcy Do's and Don'ts". The set up was really cool too. We had five older women, one as old as in her 90's, the others were in their 60's and 70's. These women sat up in front of all us younger women and just shared their wisdom with us. There were questions that varied anywhere from "Should we wear skirts in church?" to "How do you get your children to be respectful in church?"
The wisdom that these women had was just do amazing! I have never seen such Godly wisdom from a woman. Sure from a man (I can name plenty of pastors who have a ton of wisdom), but never from a woman.
The next four years that I'm here, I just want them to pour into me and I just want to soak up their wisdom and godliness. It was so refreshing and just really amazing!

"Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God."

~Titus 2:3-6

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

I just got home from work a little bit ago and I am absolutely drenched! It has been raining all day, and I have been working in the drive thru all day. I have been in back drive, and for those of you who are wondering, that is the first window that you come to and give your money to pay for your food. Well anyways, through the pouring rain of course everyone has their windshield wipers on. I've never paid any attention to this what so ever. But as the water is swushing and swashing through the the wipers off of the windshield, where does that water go....? Apparently right through the window of back drive!!!! Imagine me moving with the motions of the windshield wipers collecting money trying to dodge the splashing water!
At one point this one lady customer and I, as I was waiting for her to gather her change together for me, I had my window closed and she had hers closed as well. We just looked at each other and she says, all big eyed..."Are you ready" We both throw our windows open at the same time, and she quickly hands me her change. Of course it was timed right in time for a gust of wind so the the downpour pours on us!
One last funny rain story from the day:
Keep in mind me dodging the water splashes from the windshield wipers. This one poor older women that I was waiting on, was handing me her money when she says, "You sure are getting wet today." Having no clue that it was HER windwhield wipers that were soaking me! It was just so funny how she was completely clueless about how I was getting wet!
Lesson learned: Please turn off windshield wipers whenever you are going through any drive thru in the rain!

Mouse Trap!

This may seem gross, but we have had two mice living with us from the time we moved in. A couple nights ago Dan and I were on the couch watching a movie when all of a sudden I see this little guy run across our kitchen floor. I of course screech! Dan gets up, grabs the broom and begins his search. The brave little creature runs out again and stops in front of our trash can. And just sits. Dan instructs me to quietly get some sort of a bucket. I grab my cleaning one. And he's able to cover it over! We can't just leave it there, so Dan and I search for a big, flat item to serve as a lid to pick up the bucket and carry the mouse out doors. Of all things, we use one of the kids books! But it served it's purpose very well!
You should've seen the sight! Here's Dan and I in sweats and slippers walking down a very steep hill to the dumpster - cause I insisted it be waaay away from our home - Dan holding the bucket with the book covering it and me with the broom for some reason walking down this steep hill! Too funny!!

We resume to the couch with our movie, and about a half hour later.... I see ANOTHER MOUSE running across the kitchen floor. Well, by now we're pros! We had that thing within just a few minutes and Dan very kindly walked it down to the dumpster.

No more mice!!

Life in Pineville

Hey Guys,

Ok sorry again for the long delay in updating this thing. Life is beginning to happen and things are becoming busy. It also doesn't help not having the internet at home yet.

So, I got a job! I was actually really excited about it at first, not so much now though. It will actually become a training management position! (if I stay there) I'm totally stoked about the idea of training again, but this is where I'm working.... McDonalds. yay. It totally sucks! I feel like I'm 17 again, working with a bunch of immature people and in a very gross environment. It's no fun. Even though I may be able to train again, I think I will continue looking for other work.

Here are a few things that I have experienced with working at McDonalds for the past week and a half:

• I open, so I have to be at work at 4AM! Which means I have a 3AM wake up call. UGH! I thought the 6am drives to E-Town were rough.
• I've already overslept twice.
• I've answered the drive thru beep once by saying "Citizens Union Bank, can I help you?"!!!
• Do you ever pay any attention to the Heath Department Grading signs at any resturants that you eat at? Neither did we, until we moved to Pineville. About 80 - 90% of all resturants are Bs!! Including the McDonalds that I work at! EeEeE....... :/ But get this... the Mexican resturants are all As! WhooHOo!
• Smoking is allowed in the building, so I come home smelling like smoke every day. YUK!
• Swollen feet, from being on them all day. (I thought training in heels for 8 hours was tough, I at least got some decent breaks.)
• I swear more than half of our customers are missing half their teeth! Some will have just one tooth! How attractive! My Uncle Steve was totally right!
• Excuse my immodesty, but half the women I wait on are bra-less and sagging to their waste. (Uhhh... dress yourselves please!)
• I've had to seriously learn a new language! Lemon is now Leemn; Seven is now Svn; it's no longer McDonalds but MACDonalds
• I have seriously seen a truck full of cows come through the drive thru. Totally wish I had my camera for that one!
• It seems everyone has their tongue pierced. Seriously, picture Grandma. Yep. Tongue pierced.
• Pierced noses
• And this little part of your ear that looks extremely painful is also pierced.

• I think everyone I work with is lost. (Which honestly, scares me that God may keep me at McDonalds to use me. I don't wanna stay there.)
• There are a whole lot of hurting people. I know in Louisville there are homeless people and stuff, and there are hurting people everywhere. But to actually know them and work with them everyday and hear their stories, I'm telling you, it breaks your heart and makes you realize how blessed you are. I just want to reach out to them. It has definitely stirred a new passion in me.

I do love the view I see everday as I work in drive thru. It is amazingly beautiful to me seeing the fog rise up around the mountains every morning.

Campus life is great! Meeting more people and kinda starting to get connected with some of the other student wives. There are some amazing people here.

We've missed our walks here lately, it's been raining just about everyday for the last week. But the sun is out today finally, so I think when I pick up Zachary from school we'll hit one of the trails again! YAY!

Miss everyone so very much! Love you all!

~Nicole

Join me in the Gross Out, Freak Out!

This is a post that I had saved from about a month ago that I must have forgotten to post...

One thing I am learning living in the mountains, is that insects are a bit larger and scarier than in Shelbyville.

We walk in one night to lay Nicholas in bed and I see this enormous spider! ON HIS BED!!!! AHHHH!! :/ Of course I yell for Dan, however he is outside on the phone unable to help at the moment. So Zachary, my little warrior begins to plan out how we're going to get rid of this hideous thing. "First", he says as he takes off a shoe, "We can quietly sneak up on it," as he tiptoes up near it, "Then WHAM! We kill it with the shoe." He finishes by saying, "Don't worry mom, I know you don't like spiders, so I can get for you." Awe, my baby!!! He is so sweet!

As heroic as he was, I wouldn't let him near this thing.

We wait patiently for Dan to come in, about 10 minutes later. As Dan nears it, he begins cracking up in laughter.

It's a Grasshopper!!! Look at the picture upside down. Can you see it?

The next day Nicholas and I are having lunch at the kitchen table, when he begins to point up saying, "Spider Man, Spider Man!" I look up and see this...

Of course Dan is in class until 1, so we patiently await his arrival to get rid of this hideous huge mosquito for us!

In case you haven't figured out yet.... I don't do bugs!!

Family Fun

About a year ago, Dan and I discovered a new found hobby of hiking while we were on a trip in the Smokies. One thing that I was really excited about moving to the campus was knowing that there are all kinds of hiking trails to be walked.

With no time wasted, our second day living on campus we hit one of the trails. The boys had so much fun, and we discovered some new creatures.

Cool little bright orange lizard

The huge spider that Zachary just insisted we take a picture of. EeEwww..

We decided to go off trail a bit to get closer to the creek. Glad we did, got some cool pictures.

Moving Day, turned Night

So, today's moving day! I've left the office for the last time, we're packed and loading up the trucks heading out tonight.

Turns out, I thought what was just a little bit of packing left ended up making us not leave the house until... 10:00 at night! Oh my!

We didn't arrive at the cottage until 2 AM. The boys slept the whole way, which did make the trip a bit easier, but sure did make me more sleepy hearing them both snore the whole way!

But we made it. We are officially residents of Pineville, KY. :/

Catch Up

GHey uys. I had been making notes of things that I wanted to blog about. So let me do a quick catch up for you guys!

Will We Trade Our Dreams for His?
So, my last day at CUB was on the 28th. One of the hardest days. Anyone who knows me well, knows that I absolutely have loved working at CUB and what I did there. It was a true passion of mine. It has been very difficult to let go of it. (Actually in all honesty, I haven't let go of all of it just yet.) I truely loved teaching others and helping them grow. I am learning to trade my dreams for His. Sometimes I don't understand His timing in all this. I was informed by Devon, that I was about to be promoted to Training Manager. A dream that I had been striving for, working so hard for, and had to turn away from it. It is a for sure struggle, that as I'm learning, God is using this struggle to shape me into something.

1 Peter 5:10 ~ And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, afer you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

WHOA! It that don't bring you some comfort!!! That's good stuff!

Sometimes I don't get what He's up to, and I may not understand it, but I know and am still learning that He is God, and that He is able. He has called us to it, He will call us through it!

1 Corinthians 2:7 ~ No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.

My last day at CUB was so great! Devon planned a farewell luncheon. It was perfect! I felt so loved! So many people came. It made a very difficult day feel very happy and very special. I was suprised that I held up and held back the tears all day, that is untill I had say bye to Devon. Whoo, that was a tough one!

I have been very blessed to work somewhere and have a supervisor who has helped me discover my talents and passions!

Thanks to all!

Sorry Guys

Ok, ok, ok. I can feel all the strangles here! Sorry I haven't posted ALL week. I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, things have just been extremly hectic!

So, here we are. In Pineville. I am so more homesick than I imagined I would be. Really missing just being around people I know.

For some reason, I thought satan's attacks would end once we were here. Boy, was I in for a shock! I have to admit, I was becoming pretty bitter. (Partly why I haven't been blogging) I am becoming more and more worried and afraid due to the fact that neither one of us have yet to find work. I've even applied to Pizza Hut and McDonalds. Nothin'. I'm finding myself, instead of running to Him for comfort, I'm turning away from Him. Why? I'm allowing the evil one to have a foothold in my life and I've gotta quit!

We've just finished up a campus revival last night. And it was incredible. God finally broke me. I'm not gonna lie, I'm still struggling, but I feel peace again.

The pastor of the revival was Rock Collins. I have never heard preaching like this. There was some true shoutin'! It was great! Let me tell you a bit about Wednesday night.

2 Timothy 1-4
You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs - he wants to please his commanding officer.

WOW! Verse 3 really hit me hard. Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Am I being a good soldier? I think not.

Satan will use hardship to discourage us. Christ will use it to mold and shape us and prepare us! So DON'T QUIT!! Hold ON! PRESS ON!

Acts 20:24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

I think about Paul's suffering. 2 Corinthians 11:23-29
Are they servants of Christ? I am out of my mind to talk like this. I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, have been exposed to death again and again. Five times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?

I thought I was suffering?!? I've never been flogged. I've never been shipwrecked. I've never gone without a meal. Our money is running out, but it's not out yet. We still have plenty of food. Get plenty of sleep. I have recieved nothing but support through this whole journey. How selfish am I to be whimpering and whining.

You will never please the Lord if you don't live by faith. You've got to step out! HE IS ABLE! I don't know what He has planned for us, but by gosh, I know that He is able! And that's enough for me! When He calls, you just gotta go, cause He is able!

Man, Bro. Rock even preached on finances! God was just hitting me all over!

It was an amazing sermon!

Last night was incredible too. The sermon was on praising God. When was the last time you praised Him as if He was coming today? So afraid to open your eyes thinking He was right there in front of you? Man, I surely don't worship like that.

Read Psalm 150! Amazing!

After the service people just got up and started testifying! It was so awesome! We were there until 11 PM!!! I have never experianced a service like last night.

It's been a very tough week. God has a wonderful way of refreshing your spirit!

Thanks for all the prayers! Love and miss you guys!