The best way to tell them...

Okay, so I have to tell my parents something that will make them flip out.
No, I'm not failing a class.
No, i'm not moving out.
No, i'm not getting a boyfriend.

I'm going to Boston by myself...to meet someone i've never met in person. For those who know my folks, this could be a sticky issue.
How best to tell them?

Scenario 1:
"Yeah, guys, i'm going to Boston. Of course Christine will be there. We'll just meet up with one of her friends."
Pros: they won't fuss.
Cons: I have to come back and tell them i lied.

Scenario 2:
"Yeah, i'm going to Boston. Um, well, you know how christine was supposed to come with me? Well, she couldn't exactly get a ticket, you know, she had to get one to Australia instead, and she's real busy. Yeah, i'm going to meet her friend up there. No, she's never met this friend in person..."
Pros: Well, i'm not lying.
Cons: They'll fuss. A LOT.
Scenario 3:
"Bye guys! See you Sunday!"
Pros: Short, sweet, and to the point.
Cons: I'll have to run out the house really fast to avoid interrogation.

I'm favoring #3 at the moment. Help!

Life and a friend's advice

I haven't had a lot of spare thinking time lately, so not a lot of blogging time. It's been a long, busy week, and there's plenty of work to be done this weekend. It gets a bit discouraging after a while, continually working, trying so hard to do better, to do my best, cram all this information in my head...trying to get through the required courses that i don't necessarily enjoy, and trying to really understand those that i do like, and in the midst of all that still carve out time for me...to read, to philosophize, and write. It makes one weary after a while, and this is about the time in the semester when everything hits all at once. But I must continue. I know I am supposed to be here, and the struggles will keep coming, and I will still on occasion be very distraught and stressed from all of them! Some of the best advice i have gotten in dealing with life, school and all it's circumstances, came from my friend Ashley... "just claim a verse! Hold onto it through all you face." So i heeded that advice...2 Corinthians 12:10. "For Christ's sake then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." and this one: 1 Corinthians 15:58, "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."

Kids just know better....

Special thanks to my friend Sarah for this one...
"I was doing some student teaching last week at a school near downtown. Lots of students had told me how awful it was, so I was worried about it. But it was great! This one little girl came up to me and said, "Miss Sarah, do you know why God died for us?" Not knowing whether or not I could answer, I just said, "Why?" and she said "so we can live FOREVER! Me and her over there, she's my friend. We're gonna live forever!" That brought a smile to sarah's face, and mine, too. Oh Father, restore unto me the joy of a child, and the joy of my salvation!

My Debut

So, not exactly the highlights of my weekend...just when i had batteries and the presence of mind to film. Just us silly girls hanging around. But it should give you all an idea of how ridiculous I am. And you aussies can hear how i speak. Hope it makes someone smile...

Travel Adventures with Carmen....nah, not catchy..

Due to the encouragement of Chris, Nancy, and especially my little sister Lauren, I'm going to try that whole travel host thing. I'm trekking up to Columbia this weekend, and i've got the camera ready. We'll see if i can do a little documentary. And maybe I'll do a little travelling in my mind, too. We shall see. What to name my show/book/ whatever?

Monday Night Date

Oh, I just love Monday nights now...because I have a date. Not just one, but two. On the travel channel, no less. 8 o'clock...Globe Trekker with Ian Wright (and oh, the accent!). 10 o'clock...No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain(and he's tall!). Gotta love it. You've got to love men with a spirit of adventure. I know, tease me all you like.

This is my real-life brother

I just now noticed this. That's a pic of my real-life brother, Carson, which he's used as a user pic for awhile now. I just wanted you all to know that this whole me being supergirl is not a joke. Because hey, superman is my little brother. (i know that doesn't quite mesh with the comic books, but whatever...I like to think that my little stories are entertaining:)

Running away again

Ah, another chance to break my routine! I relish these. I'm headed up to the Georgia Aquarium in our capital city of Atlanta. They actually have whale sharks and beluga whales in the aquarium. How neat is that. A whale in a glass tank. I'll also have a chance for some great intellectual stimulation from a friend who lives up there...over coffee, of course. Politics will be the topic at hand for her part, philosophy for mine, and religion for us both. What can I say, I'm a total nerd. But I'm excited.

For Steve

Steve-o, I just can't believe you're gone. You were my childhood hero. Oh the grief in my heart. Yet I look forward to watching Discovery's marathon screening of all your shows...

Do I taste like chicken?

How amusing.

Reflections on Rebellion

This is a journal entry that I wrote a few weeks back. I just read it again and thought would be a good way to reflect on life and decisions.
"This has been an interesting summer. I've learned a lot about humility since coming home. I, only through the Father's grace and guidance, suddenly saw, during my last couple of days overseas, and in the next few weeks after coming home, the utter rebellion that had been plaguing my relationship with God for the past few weeks. I was tempted not to think of it as such- I could have done so much worse, after all, I kept my standards high, and did not compromise my faith...but I did not demonstrate it either. My sin seemed so small... or even invisible... in the eyes of the world. But it was rebellion in the deepest part of me. My rebellion was in my mind. I allowed all the doubts and justifications about God and life that had swirled about in my head for so long to carry my mind away, trying to reason out my own ideas and discard all the ones I considered old-fashioned. Perhaps I was bored, depressed, when it all began. Perhaps it was unconcious. But I ceased to put as a priority my relationship with Christ, but rather wanted to explore my ideas, my thoughts, become "me", and decided not to search the scriptures for my answers, but use my logic and intelligence to carry me through. What a mistake. What selfishness, I realized, and what emptiness I found myself in. My mind kept me from doing my best and making the most of every opportunity. I was so humbled, and God renewed my spirit and the joy of salvation was restored to me. I am free!
Yet I still have so far to go! How can I know I will not stumble again? I long to have another chance out in the great big world- this time, I hope to do better. I must constantly remind myself that I am not here to please myself- or others- but fulfill my mission as an emissary of the King."

Have you ever felt this way? Felt that you had failed entirely? But been restored by the everlasting love of our Lord? Have you been given as second chance? How has He used you for His kingdom despite yourself?