I Got Lotta Lotto Love (Sara T.)...

Oh the state fair of Texas. It only comes once a year. I cannot contain the excitement that my heart has for the fair!! I have gone since I was very young. I love the smells, i love the fried food, I love big Tex (even thought he doesn't talk anymore, I don't hold it against him), I love it all. But I can honestly say that my favorite part of the fair is:

***The Paul Adams Game Show***

Some of you noobies might be wondering "Alyssa, what is this game show?" Well, I will tell you. It is the best, free game show that I have ever been a part of. Let me start with back story:

When I was younger, I would always go to the fair with my family. One year my parents and sister and I stumbled on to a loud-talking, big-gesturing, sparkle jacket-wearing man with a microphone. As is common for anyone who spots a Elton John wannabe, we ran to watch. We were quickly enthralled with the sights and the sounds of the Paul Adams Game Show. It is a interactive game show where audience members had a chance to win free Texas Lottery tickets. Well to make a long story short, my dad got on stage and won 10 lottery tickets. Since that day, I have wanted to get on that game show...which leads me to today:

Kent and I have gone to the fair together two years running. Last year we made it to the show and got carded both times. I don't guess we look above 18, but look at us:

I am strong enough to hang onto a giant wood pole and he has a stach. Show me 18 year old that can do that!

Anyway, we never once got on stage. So when this year rolled around, he and i were determined to make it to the stage. We brought my roommates and friends a long too. We had built it up in their minds. The fact is that the game show is as good as you are willing to make it. I guess Kent and I have just made it really GOOD! We get to the show kinda late and therefore sit all over the area. As we are waiting for the show to start, Kent, who is behind me, gets carded. I was stoked, I thought for sure a year had made me finally look my age. However, shortly after, I got carded and Kent got carded a second time (sucka!).

Finally the show starts. Paul comes out in all his glory and the games begin. The second game, Paul goes into the audience and picks random volunteers. Although i was winking at he furiously (joke) he went to the next row and chose Kent!!! I felt as if i had just won the lottery already. He was just picked along with 10 other people to go on stage. From the crowd I gave him hand signals of what he should pick, it didn't work out and he walked away with a lotto ball cap.....that is it. We thought our dreams were over, but least he got onto the stage.

It finally gets to the last game, I knew this because my neighbor told me, and I am just enjoying the experience.

The final game is a game like Deal, Or No Deal. The lady picks a 35 ticket case leaving the 100 up there. Paul in all his brilliance offers to give half the tickets to the audience. The numbers role and without any forethought the number board reads 23

I jumped up and laughed and high-fived and got 50 tickets...f. r. e. e. that spells free, lotto tickets for me baby...Well shortly after, the game was over and perfect strangers were congratulating me. I stood in the street with the tickets and then it hit me: I have no idea what to do with these. Everyone gathered around and tried to explain what to do, but they don't play the lotto either. So i grabbed my neighbor and she showed me how to do it. I won 10 dollars that night (thus why i started typing in green) and around 10-12 lotto tickets for the next day.

I woke up and went to a gas station to see what I won off of those tickets, but after looking inside, i was too embarrassed to go in and ask. So i drove to another gas station and walked in, but then walked right back out because i saw people i knew. So i grabbed 75 cents and bought a newspaper so i could look for myself. I had won 5 more dollar on a bonus ball. However, I was too scared to go redeem the dough, so I gave it to Kent as his cut.

I had won $15 free dollars. There is a wonderful lesson in this though. Out of the 50 one dollar priced tickets, i had only made $15 dollars. Therefore, the lotto is not profitable, but

..From Paul Adams Game Show
it is great!

The act of awaiting the unexpected...

The title says it all for me. Rather than giving a long intro of what I am about to say, I am just going to say it:

I feel that God is preparing to show me something big in regards to my life. God is about to throw me into something completely unexpected and something that I already feel completely unprepared for. I can't explain the feeling I am experiencing currently. I just know that it is a gentle tug on my spirit to be ready and looking.

In the meantime, I am just going to continue in the Love Journey and try to seek God at every turn.

Prayer would be lovely...

Attempt at combat...

It might be common knowledge to most people by now, but we as girls have a tendency to need to group up to do things. If you don't believe me just notice the next time you go to a movie or a meal with a group of ladies. I can almost guarantee that we will visit the bathroom in a cluster. It isn't that we fear danger lurks in the public restroom facilities or even that it is necessary to have two or more girls to be successful in the restroom. It is more (as far as i can understand) an unspoken rule in the book of life known as I am Girl. Suggestion to the wise: don't question it because you will more than likely receive an unsatisfying reason that makes the thought that you just wasted your breath quite frustrating.

All that to say, I know that I too am a participant of this unspoken rule. Therefore, i tried to combat the need for a cluster of girls by going to a movie, in the theater (i will proudly add), by MYSELF. I know this seems ridiculous and even unheard of, but be assured that i went to great lengths to make sure i didn't fail on my first attempt at combat. I made sure to go to a movie and time that would warrant the fewest amount of people.

Before you start judging me about the fact that in bathrooms i want to be surrounded by girls, but in movies i would rather be by myself, let me explain: In my mind, when there comes a time where i am forced or (in my case) choose to be by myself, i would like the fewest amount of people (especially girls) to see me. When a lone female is spotted by girl clusters, you can bet that she is being judged by the unspoken rules of the book stated earlier. I don't want to be a disappointment. Therefore, the fewer the better.

Now that we are all on the same page once again, please continue with me. Along with going at a time with few people, i also tried to make sure i was a little late. Tried being the operative word in this case. Because to my dismay, the movie started 10 minutes later than i thought it did. Therefore, instead of being late, i was 5 minutes early. This equaled 5 minutes of me sitting in the dead center of the movie theater shifting at every sound of potential movie goers coming to join me. Luckily, these days movie theaters put advertisements as well as trivia questions on the screen for those that get there early and have nothing and no one to keep them occupied until the movie starts. I continually checked my watch. I was down to 1 min before the movie started when 3 high school boys walked in.

Picture this scene: Me sitting in the dead center of the theater (by myself, may i remind you) staring as the screen replays the cycle of ads and trivia. They walk in and look around the theater and comment: "wow, busy theater. We should probably sit right in front of the only person in here." (i want you to notice the word "only". Yes, i was the only person in there, but knowing that fact and hearing someone else acknowledge it creates completely different emotions in me. Needless to say, it wasn't a positive feeling). I tried to play it cool (cause i kept telling myself that it was cool to go to a movie by yourself) by saying: "That is fine, but i am not going to move my feet." They proceeded to sit in the exact row behind my head. I feel this was done on purpose. (What purpose, i have no idea. I could never admit to trying to understand the mind of a high school boy). A few more couples (sad) came into the theater in the remaining minute and then the movie started.

I had been waiting for this moment since i walked into the theater. I thought that the movie starting and the lights dimming would make everything okay. However, i suddenly noticed the fear i had to move. For some reason, the fact that people were directly behind my head made me not want to move any part of my body for fear of judgement.

Yes, i do realize how dumb it is to think that. However, at the time it was a quite logical response to the situation. I really don't want to be judged right now by you, the reader, either!

So the movie played and finished with little movement or readjustment from me. The lights went up and the credits started to role. Now the fear of leaving and everyone else (besides the three high school boys) knowing i came by myself hit me. So i stayed in my seat pretending like i really wanted to see who wrote the music in the movie (that is always the last thing in the credits). I even moved to the edge of my seat a little to make my interest in the credits more believable. Finally, i got up and left the theater when i deemed it "safe". After reaching my car, i analyzed the situation to myself (because remember, i was alone). I can say, that i did feel a little bit of success, but it hadn't quite hit me yet.

I later looked back on my experience. I broke the unspoken rule in this situation. I mean, who wouldn't feel a sense of accomplishment after that. However, i will freely admit that i did it once and don't plan on doing it again any time soon. All i can say is i did it and it

...Was successful.

This day is...

I don't know about you, but weather has a huge affect on my willingness to want to do things. Therefore, today I woke up without the bright ray of sun peering in through my corner window. I rolled out of bed and looked in the mirror. Needless to say, I felt exactly like this:
This is my neighbors cat. Poor thing! Although it has a lovely rhinestone in crested collar, it has next to no back fur! Yes, this is how I felt.



I tried to battle the weather by making everything an adventure this morning. Don't ask, it is just a little game I often play with myself in an attempt to trick my mind into thinking that everything is so much fun.

It wasn't until i went home for lunch and I looked out the window that let me down this morning, that i actually realized how beautiful and wonderful of a day today is. Right out my corner window are these:

I have affectionately entitled them "the most whimsical plant/flower that I have known"


Some might argue that i should have been able to realize and appreciate this day by the sheer fact that I woke up and didn't have to think about breathing. This is very true, but some days I feel that I just need a bit of a kick to the senses.



... oh so wonderful

Simply Lovely

Last week in my constant travel, I attempted to have the most wonderful day. Now that doesn't mean that it has outshined past days, but I just wanted to take a day and make sure every part of it was lovely...this is what came out:

X I ate lunch by myself and didn't have anything on my table to keep me busy. I simple looked people in the eyes and smiled and looked up and around at all the things that surrounded me!

X I wore a light scarf and enjoyed every second of the wind that blew it into my face, eyes and around my head

X I allowed my mind to fantisize about the idea of owning a flower and pie shop called Petals and Pies

X I tried to smile at every single person that looked at me

X I filled my day with all things green: Green scarf, green shoes, green bag, green starbcks drink

X I saw the Waco Waver (a homeless man that walks around Waco all day everyday and just waves to everything that he sees with a huge smile on his face) It makes me smile just thinking about it

These were just a few things that filled my lovely day. I feel like the loveliest part was knowing that I have a Captivating God that prepared all of those things for me to enjoy that day because He longs for me to be captivated by Him. :)

Simply Lovely.

A worthwhile endeavor

Tuesday was a wonderful day!
After I was finished at the church, I was able to go to my current house and enjoy life. As a result, I grabbed "Same Kind of Different as Me" (a book that my mom had encouraged me to read).


Back story: For the last few months, well lets say the last semester, I have had this weird burden on me. My college home is not located in the wealthiest or safest part of Dallas, but it is great. Therefore, on numerous occasions I have seen, run into (in person, not in my car), or driven by several homeless people. Every time I do, I feel so burdened. Being a girl, i am constantly told that it is unsafe to go by myself to talk with or pick up anyone sitting/standing on the side of the road. However, I am not one to always care about being safe. That is probably a dumb way to live, but I don't really like being held back from experiences especially when I am drawn to do something.

So I read this book from chapter 1 all the way to the end on Tuesday night. I could not put it down. I think i went through every single emotion during the reading of this book. I cried... a lot (probably not surprising), I laughed, I got upset, and became more burdened for the homeless. I have been carrying around the effects of this book for 2 days now. This fits so closely with my love journey. How can people be affected by someone who loves completely, with real love? The Lord has just been braking my heart for the homeless...and oh how it stirs my passions for the Lord even more.

I don't know what all this means or why I am even writing my thoughts here. I just wanted to share a little of what has been consuming my thoughts.

I encourage everyone to read it.

Adventure... thanks to EZ Food Mart

It felt like any other college station visit, until...

Morgan, Josh ("B" from now on), and I were getting restless at the griffin residence (faith's house). Therefore, we decided to go on a walking adventure (or at least that is what we told ourselves). Morgan and I both thought that a walking adventure meant we would walk, but we found out we were wrong when B asked who was going to drive. Morgan and i both left our keys inside the house that B had just locked. Ergo, B drove.

*You might be wondering why i am giving all this detail. It could be because I like making the readers of this blog read way more than they have to in an attempt to help to combat illiteracy in America, but actually it is because this is the main factor that our adventure hinged upon. For if B hadn't drove, we wouldn't have needed gas. Furthermore, we wouldn't have gone into the EZ Food Mart and never experienced our adventure!

Morgan and I walk into the EZ Food Mart at the same time while B is getting some gas. Morgan started walking around, but i wanted nothing to eat or drink so I decided to live love to the guy behind the counter (meaning i was going to talk to him). He mumbled something about the weather. I took this opportunity to mention that we were about to embark on an adventure because it was so nice. I offered my condolences to the fact that he was having to work and couldn't enjoy the weather. However, he expectantly informed me that he would be off work soon and could come join us at that time. (i kinda stepped back and smiled and said "oh, well uhuh.") The counter man got quiet at this point because B walked in. I began following B and Morgan through the isles in order to look busy! Finally, they both decided on quality food items that could only be found at an EZ Food Mart and proceeded to check out.

I wandered over to the $12.99 dvd rack. There was pride and prejudice at the front of the rack, so i decided to flip and see if there were anymore good movies. After two flips of the rack i saw a dvd of the murder of Saddam Hussein. That should have been my first clue to stop flipping, but it wasn't. I flipped right to the adult section of the rack (if you know what i mean). With a "oh, no" i quickly slammed the rack shut and sashayed away. The counter man responded with a "I have to sell all sorts of things here" To which I responded "Oh, no, I understand" This was accompanied by awkward silence. The counter man then informed me that i could take one if i wanted. Suddenly fearful that i would be thrust into some underground realm of shadyness if i took one, i politely replied "No thanks, that is ok"

Immediately following this Morgan tapped on the glass for B to see what was under/behind the counter. Although i didn't see what was behind there, i saw both of their faces. Furthermore, as soon as we "escaped" the EZ Food Mart, i asked them about it. The informed me that said cabinet was full of an assortment of pipes and bongs (I am pretty sure most of you can guess what those are used for). We laughed for a while and continued on with what we had intended to be a walking adventure!


+ = BAD IDEA
*Special thanks to EZ Food Mart and B's lack of gas in his car.

...add this

to my love journey.

I feel that one thing I have realized is love has to be able to love even if it isn't reciprocated.

Love in any form is not real love until it can still love without reciprocation. It is unconditional... so it ceases under no conditions.

This was perfectly exampled by Christ.

So how now can I live love to people who don't reciprocate?

Sometimes I wonder...

...what love really is.


I have had a lot of time recently to read books. I am currently reading two: Emma and A Love Worth Giving. This has placed the question of love in my mind in almost every situation. What does it really look like. How can I live it. Can it be lived.

Really these things have occupied my thoughts. Being in Brenham, I have had the opportunity to show and experience love in very different ways. I still haven't figured it out yet, but I am on my quest to understanding it.

The reason I write this is because at this very moment the pastor and his wife are talking to a woman who wandered in to the church asking for help.

We get a lot of people like this that come in asking for help. In fact, on Sunday, a girl came to church and started talking to Merritt and Leslie. She had gone to another church first, but that church had told her to come to our church because they didn't think it would be good for her to stay there that sunday. This just burdened my heart. What is the mission of the church, if not to help those in need (spiritually, physically)?

I know love is more than the physical. I have been taught that love is a choice (usually in terms of eros love). I think it is also an attitude. I guess you choose to adopt a loving attitude. I want to strive to love like christ. Agape love.

I guess you could say:
...I am on a LOVE JOURNEY.

Reunion...

...With my new friends. I guess since I have had them for two weeks now, they can just be referred to as "my friends." I am actually sitting in their coffee shop. We just finished discussing what we feel is the future of LOST. This last episode centered around my accented friend Desmond.

We can all agree that we are more confused than ever, but we have so much fun throwing around our theories. Friday tradition...i think so!!!

knock knock jokes

So as I was driving to Brenham from Waco this weekend, I had an epiphany in the car. I often get epiphanies at random solitary times, so I wasn’t surprised by the arrival of this one. However, generally when one gets an epiphany, it is about some monumental thing. Well this time it was about knock knock jokes. I don’t believe them to be real jokes anymore. I feel they are just a ploy for you to demonstrate how funny you think you are and how not funny everyone else thinks you are. If you break down a knock knock joke you can discover a few of things. 1. When has an object or a phrase ever knocked on your door? I can pretty much say never for me. I don’t run to the door at the sound of a knock to find an orange sitting there. I ask “who’s there?” and he says “orange.” Maybe you are different and may I say potentially a bit crazy. 2. When has there ever been an object or phrase that has a last name. “Oh you say you you are orange, ah well I know a lot of those, you would be Orange who?” Now I know these are jokes and they don’t have to be realistic by any means, but they are rarely funny. 3. I have discovered that the “(insert object or phrase) who?” part of the joke isn’t even necessary. Someone could say “knock knock” “who’s there?” “(insert object or phrase)” and then the victim could just as easily say nothing in response and the joke would still work. The “who” part of the joke has little importance. The only real importance I could discover in that line is the joke teller is making sure the victim is really understanding the main point of the joke. It is almost as if the joke teller is saying “OK I am about to say something I think is really funny, but you might not find it funny unless you truly understand the word that this joke centers around so go ahead and repeat my central joke word followed by ‘who’ and get ready for my matchless laughter.” I have decided that next time someone offers a knock knock joke to me and we get to the “who” part, I am going to just nod or say “..uh uh” as if to induce them to press on. 4. Finally, I have discovered that the real point of the joke is to show someone else how a word or phrase can be interchangeable with another word or phrase. Couldn’t this all be accomplished by saying: “hey buddy, listen how this word or phrase can be turned into another word or phrase, isn’t that nifty?” I feel you could get the same response.

Just putting that out there. With that being said, here are some jokes for your reading pleasure.

Gifts

That i don't have...

So I have tried, many times to create masterpiece after masterpiece on microsoft paint and have been unsuccessful with it.

this just upsets me BECAUSE when i ask my Rachel friend to explain what a t-bar lift is with a picture she comes back with this and shows me up with an example drawing....oh woe is me and my lack of microsoft paint gifts!

New Friends

My mom and grandparents came to visit me yesterday because it was Presidents’ Day (well not because…that would imply that I am a president or something, but because they had a day off due to the holiday). While we were walking around downtown my mom spotted a coffee shop that advertised free internet. I decided to come back later and check it out. I went back and walked into the most precious coffe shop slash store of things that I had seen. I got a coffee with vanilla and cinnamon and used the internet. All of a sudden I heard one lady say to the other “Did you see LOST this week?” I casually jumped in with “I just had a conversation about this (with merritt)” We proceeded to discuss LOST and I caught up by watching the last episode which I had missed due to the conference. OMG it was incredible. After I watched it, we all started throwing out theories and thoughts. I had to shortly pack up my stuff (because it is only open until 5:30), but before I left, the ladies told me that I would have to make sure and come back every Friday and discuss with them what I had seen. This just excited me so much and the ladies were so fun and outspoken. I am so excited about the potential to go and “hang out” in the coffee shop in the future . This def made my week!

*details on my conference weekend to come…don’t fret

It's BONUS blog day

So surprise surprise it is bonus blog day. I bet you didn't know that. Due to the fact that i have been searching youtube for videos for three days, i decided to share a bit of my world. Here are two videos that have provided me so much joy in the long days of online video searches. BLAM: here comes your bonus

Irish music: Intoxicating:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-JAP7Kf1cI

Angry young teens: so true: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAPIQJ3mFZQ

SWEET!!!

Girls Night

My first annual Brenham girls night was a success. Those in attendance included: myself and…. Ann Hathaway. A certain James Macvoy made an appearance on occasion. Yes that is right.

Girls night consisted of me with Brenham made blue bell ice cream and

Becoming Jane.

As pathetic as this might sound, I actually really enjoyed myself and might even make this a Tuesday night tradition.

Memories...all alone in the moonlight

So I like pictures, i normally look through people's blogs and stop only when there is pictures. Because of this, i am posting some of my favorite pictures from my college experiences. I was going through them last night and they make me giddy!

Who can forget 80's Day! That was so wonderful and even more wonderful because only we knew it was 80's day! (thanks sara for the garb)

Backpacking(top). The group after a night in cardboard boxes with little food (we look rough)

The first day of sun of last spring. We dressed in red and took pictures.

(top) Me in Rwanda, Africa. The little boys were so happy to have a picture that i could make them copy my every face. Great fun for both parties!
(middle) First experience of fall '07. We always find useless ways to spend money. Masks: $3.99 (pack of 3). Feathers: $2.99 (a bag). Jewels: $1.99 (a color). The stares we got while walking around like that: priceless!
(Bottom): Elise's final project. It was raining everyday. We made the most of it!

I love memories. I noticed a common theme: dressing up makes perfect memories!

Small Town = adventure

So last night after coffee and conversation with a lovely new friend, i got to drive around. Because Brenham is rather small, I was able to see most everything around. :)

I drove down town to try to find a store and there in front of me was a delighting sight. In a building that was completely open on one side, there was a bunch of little boys dressed in all white. They were in the Karate class! They were so cute kicking each other and holding their balance. I laughed out loud for a long time. It was just so cute to me. I drove down a one way street the wrong way just so i could get back and see more.

I have decided, i am signing my kids up for KARATE!!! That is just so cute to me! Look --->

They are so intense!

That was my adventure for the night can't wait for more!

Loneliness

I have been pretty lonely lately. I have people around me and things to do, but no one that really really knows me and that equals a bit of lonesomeness. Don't feel sad for me, though. I was talking to my dad last night and was telling him about my life here in Brenham. One thing I was telling him was that my television only got one station, but now that one station doesn't work. We laughed and joked about it.

Well this morning my dad called me to offer me some insight. He pointed out Paul. Right before Paul had huge spiritual revelations and experiences, he was in prison. He was in a place of solitde. This was so encouraging to me for many reasons. I am ready for God to do big things in me and i know this will be an important time for him to do that. I already see God at work. Yesterday, I didn't go in to work (merritt was feeling sick). So I was able to run a lot of errands. God really started showing me things about myself. Things I need to work on and things that have changed in me for the negative. Although knowing how you suck is never fun, God gave me such breath and encouragement after He was done. That time yesterday felt like house cleaning. I feel so light and at ease today. All I can do is smile.

What an incredible God we serve. There is so much joy in seeing how small you are compared to a God who is so HUGE!!!

My future does not include an office

So this is not an excuse to keep me out of often mundane tasks, i really think God is trying to tell me i am not gifted for office work...and i am not complaining!

A couple of years ago, I was using a paper cutter to trim down some items for children's ministry when i accidently sliced through my thumb and thumb nail!

Today, i was putting 3-punched pages into folders when my finger slide right down a brad and sliced me pretty deep.

I think this is a sign: my future is not the office!

Thank you Jesus!

My new life (for a little while)

I now live in Brenham.

The thought of living by myself has scared me since I found that out back in December.

After 4 days of living by myself, I am not so much scared as I am bored!!! I went to bed Monday at 10pm. That hasn't happened since the summer when it is important to go to bed early otherwise you will be dead. The fact was, I had no idea what to do with myself in a small town.

Well this will no longer be an issue. I am getting a roomie as of tonight. She is an aTm graduate that is now helping with a mission organization here in Brenham. After meeting her for like 3 secs today, i think we will get along fine.

A few interesting stories:

I worked with the youth group, of the church down here, for the first time last night. Believe it or not, i was super nervous. I was afraid that they wouldn't like me. Not only would i not have friends my own age, but youth kids wouldn't accept me. However, luckily this wasn't the case. While preping for a game we were about to play, they were asked to write their names down on a piece of paper that I gave them. Well the Jr. High boys gladly offered to write their numbers down for me as well. :) oh young boys...and lack of fear! During worship, a 7th grade boy went to the youth pastor (jeremy) to ask if he could go to the bathroom. I laughed.

Luckily there is a starbucks here. I have been there twice thus far. One time the overly friendly counter guy offered to make me a special drink. It was good. I feel like i made a friend. Although i didn't really, he was nice and that made me happy! I went to starbucks again today and drove through. A lady helped me and then took my order and then a young guy popped his head out of the drive-thru window and our conversation went like this:
Guy: Hey, so your just waiting on your drink?
Me: Uhuh yes
Guy: You having a good day?
Me: Uhuh yes
Guy: Oh here comes your drink, almost ready
Me: Super great
Guy: Ok here you go
Me: Thank you very much
Guy: Ok well you enjoy
Me: Thanks (as i start to pull away and roll up my window)
Guy: Ok have a nice day and stay warm
Me: (halfway gone and out of things nice to say)

hahaha...It made me smile
That is all i got currently. I forgot my password until just now (well until i made a new one)

Later from Brenham