Bucket List

I've decided to start a list of things I want to do before I die.  I'll add to it when I think of more things.  For now, here is what I've got.

1.  Visit all 50 states
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
2.  Go parasailing
3.  Visit Australia
4.  Visit England
5.  Go to Jerusalem
6.  See the Great Wall of China
7.  Tour the castles in Europe
8.  Buy a home
9.  Plant a garden
10.  Build something completely by hand
11.  Visit Paris and see the Eiffel Tower
12.  Go to Los Angeles\Hollywood
13.  Visit the Biltmore at Christmas and in the Spring
14.  Learn to swing dance
15.  Learn to surf
16.  Tour the White House
17.  Visit Boston
18.  Go to Memphis
19.  See the Golden Gate Bridge
20.  Visit the Mall of America
21.  Go to Disneyland
22.  Visit the San Diego zoo
23.  Visit Canada
24.  Ride a double decker bus in London

Prayers

Some of you know I'm in school for Medical Billing\Coding. Anyways, I'm nearing the end of my school, but I really need a full-time job before I finish. Also, I'm going to have to move at the end of summer\beginning of the fall. I'm not too concerned about the move since I've already had one person say I could stay with them (but it would be temporary and I need something more permanent). I really need a job that I will be able to live off of what I make so I'm asking for prayer in that regard. I've been looking and have probably applied for five or six jobs already so we'll see. Also, prayer that I make the right decision about where to live. My blog wasn't letting me post so that's why there's been a delay.

The Day My Car Died

I was driving back from Greenville last monday after spending Easter with my family. Anyways, I noticed the A\C went out and I thought that sucks, but I was close to home. Well, then my a\c comes back on and the check engine light comes on. I ignored it thinking I was almost home. (FYI, don't ever ignore that!) Then I noticed my car was slowing down. It didn't seem to have a lot of power. I looked in my rearview mirror and saw smoke. I decided to get off at the next exit and go to the gas station. I pulled off at 177 on I-26. I got to the top of the ramp and stopped and my car went dead. It wouldn't start. I tried calling my dad, no answer. I tried calling the house, no answer. I called my friend Michelle and she got her brother to come and get me. I called my dad again and this time he answered. I told him what was going on. Then I called AAA to get a tow truck. In the meantime, several people stopped, but I told them I didn't need help. AAA towed my car to the Car Care Center for free and Peco, Michelle's brother, gave me a ride home. Well, the next day, the Car Care Center calls and tells me I need a new engine. It's going to cost me $5,000! My car is worth $2,000 or less. So, now I'm getting a new car and I sold my civic to a friend who wants to try and fix it. I know it's weird, but I kind of feel a sense of loss. That car was my first car. I had it for the past 8 years almost to the day. I've had so many adventures in it. The song that keeps running through my head is American Pie. I guess the line in it that makes me think about it is, "drove my chevy to the levy but the levy was dry".

Life

I'm starting classes to get my medical coding certificate. I'm hoping this well help me get a full time job in the next year. I'm ready to just have a steady, stable income, which in this day and age is going to be hard to find. Anyways, I've been having fun editing photos in photoshop. I must say once I get started, its kind of hard for me to stop. I LOVE IT! I also bought a cupcake book. I just made brownie cupcakes. I have no idea if they taste good or not, but the batter was good. I made everything from scratch! I don't know if I've ever made a cake from scratch before. It was definitely interesting! Here's a picture of my cupcakes.

It's Been Awhile

I haven't blogged in awhile. I guess since I'm working now, I don't have as much time. I've been watching dogs for the past week and a half. I was at my friend's Michelle's house for a few days while they went to Disney. That wasn't so bad. I just had to let the dogs out into the backyard since it's fenced in. Not too hard. However, Trixie (their yorkie) managed to get through the fence into the neighbor's fenced in backyard and then couldn't get back to her yard. Since last sunday, I've been at my house taking care of my roommate's dogs. I've realized that I don't have time for a dog. It's an added stress that I just don't need. I've got to make sure I get up earlier so I can take them for a walk and then make sure I'm back at the house in a reasonable amount of itme to take them out again. The best part is night time, because then I just go out the front door with them and they usually go in the yard. No walk involved! I guess it's more stress on me since I work two jobs so I have to make sure I'm back at the house with enough time in between both jobs to take them for their long walk since I won't get back until after dark. Way stressful for me! I might could handle it with just Murphy (the larger, more well behaved dog) but Trudie drives me crazy. She can't walk in a straight line, constantly is trying to walk into the street and tries to eat the food that the construction workers have tossed onto the sidewalk. Too much to worry about for me! Then I have to pick up the poop and I feel like throwing up. It's not bad the first time, but when I have to pick up the second dog's poop, I smell the first dog's poop and it makes me want to vomit. Anyways, Carrie's coming home tomorrow. Thank goodness! Seriously, next week I don't think I would have time to do all that. I'm working both jobs almost every day. Now I'm going in at 3 on some days which basically means, I come home and change clothes and then leave again. Barely any time to sit and relax, but I need the money. I hate having to worry about money. If I could just work and have all my needs met and not have to worry about things, I think that would be wonderful, but that's not how life is.

Life

I've currently set my pandora station to the Praise & Worship one I created awhile ago. I was hoping that it would play Everlasting God, but no such luck so far. Anyways, if you read my blog at all, you probably know that I've been struggling a lot with what I'm suppose to do. I'm doing this Bible Study called "When Wallflowers Dance" by Angela Thomas. I have enjoyed it so much. Every day I read something that I needed to hear. This past week was about waiting and what we need to do. The first step was Abide (or remain). The verse she used was Abide in me and I will abide in you. I need to abide in God and not try to give into all the pressures I have on me. Instead, I need to entrust (step two) him with my worries\struggles\problems. Then I need to trust (Step 3) him. He will lead me to where I'm suppose to be. Step four is become. I need to become the woman that God wants me to be. Step five is prayer. I need to pray. The last step is stand. Just stand. I don't have to move but I have to be faithful and trust God. I'm going to try to do this. To abide, entrust, trust, become, pray and stand. I know that God will meet all my needs. Some of my favorite verses are:

Jer. 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you HOPE and a future."

Psalm 62:8 "People, trust God all the time. Tell him all your problems, because God is our protection."

John 15:4 "Remain in me."

Romans 8:25 "But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."

Hebrews 6:15 "And so after waitin patiently, Abraham received what was promised."

A quote I like:

"Wait on God and He will work, but don't wait in spiritual sulks becaue you cannot see an inch in fron tof you!" -Oswald Chambers

Fear and Worry

I've been struggling a lot lately with fear and worry. It seems to consume every part of my life. Fear of the future. Fear of not getting a job. Fear of getting a job and not being able to do the things that I've planned. Fear of failure. Fear of never getting married. Fear of having to move. Fear of the unknown. Worry about money. Worry about getting a temp job then not being able to go on my family vacation that's been planned for a long time especially since it could be the last one my grandmother is at. I've always liked to have a plan, but lately it seems I can't count on any plan. I know that I need to work on trust. Trust in God. Trust in others. I hate relying on other people. I always seem to get let down somehow. That's why I keep a lot of things bottled up. It's easier than having to trust someone else with it. I've tried trusting God with it, but I guess since I don't see anything happening, I feel like he doesn't care even though I know he does. I don't know what I'm suppose to do. Anyways, I'm doing this study on my own called When Wallflowers Dance. I just started week 2 yesterday. I really like it. The things that she says I can relate to. I'm like that's me. I had bought the book awhile ago and never read it. I have no idea where it is, but I am going to try and find it.