2013

Well, 2013 has been my favorite year of life yet - by far! I am not where I want to be, but I am extremely happy at where I am now and what the future looks like at this point. I wanted to share some highlights from this year that made it my best year yet!

1. I began at American Airlines on December 3, 2012 and just celebrated my one year anniversary with the company recently! I stuck through probation, never called in sick, got two raises, and met some wonderful co-workers.

2. In January I flew to Tampa, Florida to hang out with my friend Sara for a weekend. We spent time catching up, tanning on the beach, and relaxing.

3. In February Nick came to visit in Dallas for 3 weeks. We got to know each other a lot better and traveled all over the DFW metroplex. Mavericks game, Dallas Stars game, Cowboy Stadium tour, dancing at Red River, out in Uptown in Dallas, walked around downtown Dallas in the day, Fort Worth Stockyards, walks at night, the movies, and etc. We also stayed in a suite at the Grand Hyatt in New York City and had an amazing time.

4. I became good friends with people I worked a cart business with and made excellent money there, unfortunately in July we had to stop, but we are still friends! I had great times going out to Rangers, Cowboys, and sports events and getting to see them all.

5. In June I flew to Australia for my second time to visit Nick! The first night we stayed at the Four Seasons in Sydney since we had an early flight to catch to Melbourne the following morning. In Melbourne we toured around, saw an AFL (aussie football) game, stayed in an awesome suite at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne, ate at cafes, went to the casino at night, and etc. We then did a road trip on Great Ocean Drive to see 12 Apostles and the beautiful sight down there. It was by far one of the most beautiful sights and we had so much fun singing in the car and going to beaches. After we flew back into Sydney I stayed with his parents and met his family! They were extremely kind and I loved talking to them and getting to know them.

6. In July my family and I took a vacation to Chicago! We watched fireworks from the Navy Pier, got deep dish pizza from Gino's, spent time on the beach, did tours, and took a river cruise one night.

7. In July I also flew to San Diego to hang out with 3 girls I did not really know. I had a blast with them and getting to know them! We snorkeled with seals in the bay, tanned on the beach, went out to eat, went out in downtown San Diego one night to have drinks, and rode bikes on Coronado Island.

8. In August I took my dad to London and Scotland for his birthday. We went to a church service at the Westminster Abbey (where royals get married and coronation takes place). It felt like one of the most holy places I had experienced, you really could feel God's presence in there. We also saw the London Eye, Tower of London - went in the castle as well to tour it, parliament, Buckingham Palace, British Museum, and got rained on in the cold. The service is very rude in London and people were not friendly, but still a nice time. Scotland was beautiful and I loved the accents. We saw Edinburgh Castle and did two ghost tours! There is a pub every other place, so witnessed some goofy drunks at night as well.

9. In October I took my mom to Seattle, Washington for her birthday! We stayed downtown and did a boat cruise around the area, saw Mount Rainier, Pike's place, went to the first Starbucks ever, the fish market, glass blown museum, and etc. We had a good time - on the flight there I also saw a meteor flying from the sky that was beautiful, blue and green!

10. In November I went back to Australia for the 3rd time for 3 weeks! I stayed with Nick in his new place just outside of Sydney and got to help decorate it! I just wanted to do normal every day things with him this time, so we went for walks, went to the beach, went shopping at the mall, watching tv and movies at home, went to see the hunger games, and to animal parks nearby. While he worked I cooked dinner for when he got home (which will be #11). His parents came up to visit one day and got me a very nice gift and took us out to lunch. I also visited Cairns and snorkeled on the great barrier reef,  went sky diving, hiked through the rainforest, and relaxed on the beach.

11. I learned to cook fairly well this year! Last year I burned things or they tasted absolutely terrible... haha. I have a list of dishes I can successful make and I hope that list continues!

11. I turned 23 - I didn't do anything for my birthday, but I was okay with that. I learned that being patient brings far better things. I always felt a birthday was a special time for each personal, and me personally, I like to spend that day with someone close to my heart. A week later I found Nick would visit in just a few weeks, which leads me to #12...

12. Nick had been really sick with a chest infection and still managed to come to Dallas to see me on his holiday from work for Christmas vacation. We did the normal things, but it was the perfect was to end 2013 for me! I am thankful that he is always there for me and always has been. We are like two peas in a pod even though we are complete opposites. He is a finance and math nerd that loves running, action movies, and Star Trek and well.... I am me! I am thankful God meant for us to meet because he truly has changed my life, and I couldn't imagine life without him now.

13. I am glad that God has answered so many of my prayers this year. I have learned that God's plans are so much better than my own. If I have to fight for something over and over then it is not in God's will - God's will gives me incredible peace. I no longer live in fear, anxiety, or worry. I feel love and can give love, I hope, I have faith, and I laugh. I can't believe I went so long turning away from God and trying my own thing as if I knew what was best. Living life in the dark with people who live for the darkness was the worst mistake of my life and brought me down to my lowest. I know 2013 was only a stepping stone at what God is doing in my life and I push on for Him. It is a lifelong battle, but I know which side to fight for now.

Thank you God for 2013.... for new friends, Nick, traveling, a job that gives me the ability to travel for next to nothing, for saving money, for setting goals, and for finding joy in Your Will.

I am more than ready for 2014!

Love,

   Lauren

Recent Photos! 

Christmas Time

I hope everyone has a blessed Christmas this year with their families. Remember that most of us live our lives for ourselves throughout the year, but this time of the year is here for us to sorely celebrate Jesus' birth and how it lead to saving our souls. How Mary was blessed with a baby and lived off pure faith until the messiah came. Sometimes it is hard to have faith in life, but as I think about how Mary must have felt it inspires me to always keep the faith. If an angel appeared and said she was having the son of God, then had to tell others she was a virgin and was to give birth to a baby named Jesus it must have been difficult. While pregnant a woman should also be taken good care of to ensure the health of the baby. Mary traveled around and on the night on her birth did not even have a place to lay down. She ended up giving birth in a manager surrounded by animals - the king of the world born in a barn.

If you have forgotten where Jesus was born and the life he lived, remember it this Christmas. Many of us think we need fancy cars, clothes, houses, and status. None of that matter. God does not care who all you know, what you drive, what house you live in, or what you look like. He wants your heart - not part of it, but all of it. He wants you to love him through faith and obeying Him. Words without actions are dead, and that is not something a Christian wants to hear on judgement day. No matter what you have done in your past, may you be a light to the darkness in the world - the one who lights up a place with Godliness instead of the one who makes the room dark from sin.

As for my personal life, I got an australian delivered to Irving, TX for Christmas this year! Nick had been working so hard and was really sick, but he still flew 17 hours so I wouldn't have to wait until February to see him again! The best gift ever is being around someone you love. He is so wonderful for sacrificing his time and money to visit. So bring on the cowboys this Sunday and all of the other activities we will be doing!

Merry Christmas & God Bless!

Love,

    Lauren

Duck Dynasty - Speaking Out in Truth!

It is very infuriating how Phil was suspended from A&E's television show Duck Dynasty for him voicing his beliefs in an interview. As someone from the conservative side which does not support the gay lifestyle, we have to hear about it on a daily basis. Work places, the news, parades, and groups formed to promote the lifestyle. It is not just myself that is speaking on behalf of this matter, but a vast majority of America that still does not and will not agree with this lifestyle. No - I do not want to see man on man in gay parades wearing speedos while the city decorates everything in rainbow. I don't want to hear about it at work or especially be criticized for what I believe in. If a community of people decide to believe otherwise then fine, so be that, but as for myself... I do not want it shoved down my throat. How does that make me or others who have the same views as I do hateful, non-christian, idiotic, or homophobic? Phil clearly stated he would never treat another person differently because we are all God's children, as the same would go for myself. People cannot pick and choose what they want from the Bible - it is not like ordering off a menu.

"And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person's share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book." [Revelations 22:19]

Phil refers to the following verse that says that not only homosexuality, but sleeping with anyone except your husband or wife is a sin and that those who continue this practice after knowing the truth will not even in heaven. This is a very heavy heavy topic, but it cannot be ignored. I myself made the decision at 19 to not wait until marriage with my boyfriend at the time, something I do regret very deeply now. Assuming that someone loves you and that you will marry them should never be enough to give yourself up for another person. Involving yourself in sexual acts out of emotional pain, loneliness, or anger should never be enough either. There is a reason God tells you to wait until marriage with your husband or wife. Some people will learn the difficult way after sinning - maybe not until years later even. Pregnancy, STD's, miscarriage, the pain of splitting up with a lover, and having to tell the person you marry who all you have been with. It is meant to be a very special bond that God gave husband and wife. The only mentions of men sleeping with another man in the bible is in reference to sin, just as adultery and pre-maritual sex is spoken of as well. God still loves these people just as much, but Jesus came to earth to speak the truth in love. 

There would have been no point in Jesus coming to earth to save us for our sins if he has simply said, "Do what makes you happy - sleep with who you want, get drunk whenever you want, sure do this and that." No - God's focus is not for you to be happy 24/7. God's focus is for you to love and obey God, love your neighbor as yourself, and honor Him in your ways of life! That can be a person's number one mistake when trying to have faith in God. I used to be so angry at God for making my lonely and put myself in situations that hurt myself more than loneliness for a period of time would have done. In doing God's will, only that will truly bring you an unexplainable joy. Sure - we are all bound to make mistakes and go astray from time to time. We may have those nights where we say, "Oh one time wont hurt", but in the end... it does. When we stand before God on judgement day and he holds us accountable for everything we did in our life... how then will be feel knowing heaven and hell are reality and we will be going to one of those places? We get into heaven by loving God, and through honoring Him in our lives. If we only live to please ourselves or try to make others happy by pushing God away or demeaning what His commandments were then what will he have to say to us at the end? 

Don't waste your life living for the devil in disguise. The devil comes as everything you ever wanted, not as a man in horns. When you are tempted with things of the world and choose things such as premarital sex, drugs, stealing, belittling others, lying, perversion, fits of anger, depression, drunkenness, and a love of money - you are dealing with the devil himself. We all deal with the devil in our own ways... but we have to recognize how he tries to steal us away from God. The devil tries to steal me through if I drink alcohol or lust. Those are my weaknesses and I am not afraid to admit them. I recognize how I am tried to be lured into think that those are okay with God. 

Back to Phil and Duck Dynasty - do not let the devil lure you away from God's truth even if the media tries to put the roles in reverse. The Bible does state that such acts as sin and that man and woman should be joined together in marriage. Don't let the devil think he can win - stand alongside Phil and the Robertson family in Duck Dynasty for their sound biblical views and standing up for God's word!

You are always enough. Nothing you have done in the past could ever keep you away from all that God wants you to be. You are loved by more than you know and God has such a plan for you that you cannot even fathom it. Nothing you give up on earth will ever compare to what God has in store for you... so leave it all behind. Don't worry about things in this world, they will come to pass quicker than the blink of an eye. 

Ice Day!

I turned around from going to San Francisco last night and stayed in Texas for the weekend. Got some good videos sledding around in laundry baskets with my brother and our animals. I've never been a big fan of cold weather (I put on 30 layers when it gets below 40 degrees) but it has been a good day. I had green tea with my Grandpa and played with Queen over there and am getting to snuggle with Weezy and my cats while watching movies tonight and playing with my stocks. I may make some home made white hot chocolate as well. I turn 23 in just a few days... it looks like I will have to postpone my birthday plans with all the ice though. I don't feel like crashing my car or getting out in the freezing weather. Hope everyone else in Texas is having a nice ice day with their families! I love December! God bless.

With love,

Lauren