Where Positivity meets Practicum

As a Freshman in college I started out my year eager to begin classes to help me reach my goal of becoming an Elementary Teacher. Quickly I realized that the younger children were the ones that I wanted to work with and also transferring schools would lead me to be behind if I stuck with Elementary Ed. At Appalachian I found Child Development and begin to fall in love with the courses that I was taken. As a Sophomore I can remember studying all about the developmental stages and becoming so fascinated with it all. I was so excited for this career path, but that excitement quickly dwindled away as I started my Junior year.
As a Junior the course work that I was enrolled in was designed more toward Early Childhood Teachers and I did not want to be teaching, I wanted to work with families. This was my goal and this is what I was sticking too. I was getting so excited for the Summer because I had a 200 hour practicum where I thought that I was getting to work with a Parent Educator, but was told last minute that it was not acceptable. So I allowed them to place me in the practicum cite of their choice...because there was no other acceptable cite for them.

After a week of frustrations, unreturned phone calls, and things going back and forth, I was just tired and fed up with the whole situation. This made me loose my joy for the five weeks that were about to take place. Though I do not want to be in a classroom I realize that sometimes we have to do the work that we dont want to do in order to get to where we want to be. Through tear filled eyes and hour long phone calls with my mom the night before day one, I decided that I needed to choose positivity in order to gain some sort of experience through this process. 

It was up to me to gain these experiences that I needed, not anyone else, and no matter how much I talked about it nothing was going to change my location or the amount of hours. I just had to suck it up and do it. This morning when I woke up, I stood in front of my mirror as I was putting on my make up (as I do many days) and told myself "you can do this," you have been around children so many times in your life, this is just one new experience. As I walked out the door of my apartment I grabbed my positivity. 

Now that day one is completed, and I came home wiped out smelling like baby wipes, covered in sand from my head to my toes, and experiencing the biggest amount of snuggles a girl can get I dont want to leave my positivity at day one. I want my positivity to continue through all five weeks. I want to improve in my interactions with the children, I want to gain so many different techniques, I want this to be valuable. I dont want to leave the same way I came. 

Each day I will continue to learn, grow, and experience new ways of doing things. Each day I will take a little something and make it better. I will be better with each new day than the day before. And when I complain I'll remember to bring my positivity with me instead of my negativity. 

Mindy

my people

I thought that this past semester I was going to have more time to Blog again, but just as quick as classes started so did the papers, projects, tests, and then final exams leaving me no time to squeeze in a brief time to sit on my couch and enjoy a favorite television show, much less blog.
I am learning in life that I am going to have to make time for the important things. I cannot possibly read every bit of material that they hand me in each of my classes without spending the whole entire day in the library. I for one know that I have to have a life. I have to have relationships with others to keep me sane. And this semester though I tried to focus on my school work, I really tried to look at my relationships. People that felt like I had brushed them off, I made extra time for them. People that I spent a lot of time with I spent even more time enjoying that community together. It is in a community that we grow, we thrive, and we find out more about our own selves.
When I think about these people I think about my current summer interest "Grey's Anatomy." Christina tells Meredith that she is her person in one of the earlier episodes (where I am currently at in the series) and during the finale last night Meredith tells Christina that she is her person. I look at my life and I try to picture who my person is, but I can not picture just one, except I picture a group of people. I picture several people who are "my person" to get me through the day. I have that person who is the encourager, I have the person who is always a phone call away, I have the person who is always there, I have the person who always listens, and I have the person that I can always count on to make me laugh.
I know for one that I could not have made it through some of the moments of this semester without the people that were by my side. These people were there for the happy moments and my sad moments when all I wanted to do was lay down and cry with some Ben and Jerry's. These are my people. These will be the people that I will continue to build relationships with throughout the years. These are my people who I will be at there weddings and they'll be at mine, I will cheer them through mother/fatherhood, these are my people who I will grow old being friends with.These are my people who I know have my back (literally). These are my people who I know will always be there.   Its such a wonderful feeling to have people like this.

Do you have your people, in your own lives?

Peaks, Pits, Praises, and Prayers

Being a girl in this century I am a LOVER of Pinterest. If I could create the prefect house, its there. If I could dress children I dont have I have there clothes, bows, and halloween outfits all picked out. If I could design my perfect wedding without a budget I have a board for that too. Now life is not like a Pinterest board, and I probably will never master the art of making my food look as cute as theirs does even after following the step by step instructions, but Pinterest is good for something. A few months ago I stumbled across this picture:

Under the picture was a description of what you are to do with this journal, and it made me want to start one that day. Now I have yet to start one but with this new thing where I am going to start blogging more again I have decided to start it now. Each week I will share a Peak,Pit, Praise, and Prayer for my day that day or maybe that week. So here we go.

Peaks:

• I got to eat lunch with a High School friend that I havent seen in six months. We've both been away at college and had a lot to catch up on. We didnt even realize how long we had been sitting in the same place.
• I am growing so much in my on walk with Christ by being pushed to plan bible studies for 70 girls in my sorority
• I am soaking up so much family time that I can hardly stand it. I have missed my family while I was away at school this semester

Pits:

• I found out that Chick-fil-a is taking their Cheesecake off their menu and if you know me Im a lover.

Praises:

• Some of my friends have been struggling with a decision-they made the decision they thought was best, and its going to work out.
  
• Seeing all these boys step up and say that they want Godly women in there lives!!! (check out the live31 movement if you havent already) This warms my heart knowing that there is hope for me, my friends, and my family when finding someone to share our lives with.

Prayers:

• Prayers for me. I have some life decisions about where Im going to be doing internships, and practicums. These locations impact my future career and I want to go where God is leading me.
  
• Prayers for a friend who's steeping into a new stage in their life.
  

I hope you will join me in the Peaks, Pits, Praises, and Prayers of your own life. It really is good to stop and reflect on all the wonderful things God has given you and things that you can see as a pit but change into a peak for him.
Love,
Mindy

Should a Wiser One Take My Place?

Now that I am growing up I am starting to fully understand the importance of Christmas and the everyday lessons we can take away from this season. Christmas is not about the presents, its not about shopping and trying to provide outlandish gifts for our family. Christmas is about love.

When looking at Christmas I like to look at Mary the Mother of Jesus. This Girl must have been pretty awesome. Mary was a normal girl around my age (20) probably a little younger. She was living out her NORMAL life, engaged to Joseph, but God still used Mary. God used this NORMAL girl to do something unbelievable. God used Mary to carry his son. I can only imagine the fear that Mary must have felt. She truly let God be in control of the situation and put 100% faith in him.

In doing my blog reading today I came across this quote that truly captures what God wants us to take away from this Christmas season. "Christmas is not as much about opening our presents as opening our hearts" (Janice Maeditere). As we continue to this new year we need to really open our hearts to the things God is showing us. Through the opening of our hearts we can truly experience the gift of Christmas, the Gift of Jesus being sent to this earth for you and for me. Mary's heart was open to the position God wanted her in. Open your heart to where God has you today, and really seek his direction for your life in this coming year. There is not a wiser one to be in the position you are in, because God has you exactly where he wants you to be.

I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas.

xoxo,

Mindy

Tis the Season

Tis the season for hustle and bustle.

Tis the season for Christmas vacation.

Tis the season to celebrate Christs birth, family, friends, and love.

Tis the season for me to start blogging again.

I have just finished my first semester as a Junior. I had all major classes except for one. Lets just say THANK YOU GOD I got through this semester. It was a struggle grade wise, but it taught me a few things, and this semester also brought me a few new things in my life.

This semester taught me that its ok not to make all A's. No matter what my grades are, I am still going to accomplish my goals. There is always going to be that one class you just dont grasp, that one professor you just cant stand, and those tests you just cant seem to pass no matter how much study time you put into them. But one thing is still true. I am still going to graduate ASU. I am still going to find a job (crossing fingers) helping families be the best they can be for there little ones, and Im still going to have an awesome support system behind me telling me that I am going to get there.

Though this semester started off on shifting ground I did not know what God had in store for me. I became Prayer Chair of my sorority, and have grown so much closer to Christ leading a bible study each week with a group of girls. I am so excited about this semesters book bible study that I can hardly stand it. It is going to be great! We are going to be reading the book "A Jewel in His Crown." I know we are all going to be challenged to live a life of excellence that we are called to this semester.

This semester also brought me 35 new sisters! I am so excited about having that many new sisters and I love them all to death! They are a great group of young women and they all have a great passion for God. It is so awesome to see how excited they are about being apart of SAO. It reminds me just how excited I was when I first joined, and the reasons why I want to be apart of this group of girls.

I also was blessed with two very special littles. They are the best! (I know I am a little biased) But seriously these girls are great. They both are very talented and both have a great relationship with God. I am thankful to call them my SAO family. I knew it from the start of things that I wanted these girls because of the bond we shared. We already have so many stories, adventures, and laughs that no one would ever understand.

One more thing the semester brought me (and Im probably going to get "in trouble" for blogging about it) is a guy.Meet Marcus. I was not looking for him when I found him, but Im very thankful that we took the time to get to know each other. We fit together very well and we support each others goals in life.

Now that I am home I am enjoy laughs and lots of family time. I am so blessed to have a wonderful family. They are full of support no matter what I do in life. They provide me with a sense of understanding that God already has it all planned out so you should live your life and not worry about what anyone else thinks of you. We chase christmas lights hunting for the biggest trees, the craziest decorations, and even the lights that go with the music. I truly enjoy being home and growing up like I have. I am so thankful that I can call both of my parents and my sister my best friends and enjoy every moment I can with them during this break.

If someone would have told me how the semester was going to end up in August I would have laughed at them. I am truly thankful for every situation I've ever been put into because it has pointed me to the person that I am growing into. It is teaching me how to deal with different situations and how to grow from different things. I love looking at God putting the pieces of my life together and reminding me that He has everything under control and its not up to me. I promise bloggers this next semester will not be as challenging since I've gotten one behind me with all major classes and I'll make time to blog on a regular basis. Stay with me I havent forgotten you guys yet!

Love,

Mindy

Season Premiere

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF FALL!
Its one of my favorite times of the year. Yellow, Red, and Orange trees spread across campus bring smiles to my face daily. The crisp cool air that allows you to wear cute cardigans, boots, and scarves, and drink endless amounts of coffee-guilt free.
This year as I look at this transition to Fall, I being to think of my new season of life. This is not the season of singleness, this is what I like to call the season of Contentment. With this transition of the real seasons, my personal seasons are also changing. I have found it very easy since my last post to find contentment in where God has placed me in my life. I am hopeful, yet awaiting my time. I am happy for my friends and loved ones who have found their happiness and I use that as a way to personally grow until I meet someone.
"The thing I’m learning is that in order to fully experience the beauty of life, we have to be willing to trade where we’ve been for where we’re going." (The Single Woman) I have been through so much in the past couple of months. Places I never thought my life would go, positions I never thought I could do, and picking up pieces I thought I could never put back together. But God is one great healer and he "knows the plans." He is the author of my story and I have finally given him back his pen.
So with this season premiere of fall 2011, I plan to close the book on my Summer, and fully invest in what God is wishing to do in my life this year. I am going to continue my current obligations, and prepare myself for when its Gods time and also have a blast along the way.

Love,
Mindy

HOLD FAST

This past month God has just been hitting me in the face with things that I have been personally struggling with. No matter where I go I learn a little something that I can apply, something that speaks to me, or something that makes me go "MINDY that was SO GOD!"
The past few months have been a constant struggle for me to find contentment in God's timing for my life. I am such a planner that I want to take away the pen from God's hand. I need to give it back to him, because he knows so much more than what my two little eyes can see. I have had downfalls, shortcomings, and days I just want to give up. That is when God steps in.
I was home the other Sunday from college and a woman who's faith I admire so much told me "well hold fast God has something better in store." Those words were not just about my singleness. Those words were about my life. God has a great plan for it, and I have to give him complete control of the pen. As I look over my life, and where I want to go in the future I know what I want...but what is God calling me to do??? I can only find that when I hand back over the pen.
As I sit in my apartment doing my devotion night after night I have constantly read that we must use our singleness as a time of learning. Learning to carry out our current obligations. My obligation right now is to serve God, attend classes, family, sorority life, and friends. One of my devotions this week was on Rebekah and how she was able to meet God's appointment for her life because she was carrying out her current obligations. Rebekah agreed to marry Isaac a man she had never met after watering his servants camels. Rebekah and Isaac were miles apart during this time, the journey to each other was not an easy one. Rebekah went to this well every night so the night she met Isaac's servant was not anything out of the ordinary. Her willingness to help serve others put her in the right place at the right time for God to match her with Isaac.
As I try to relate this to today's world I realize that we all have our own camels to water. We all have those that we are called to serve according to God, and if we focus on our current obligations instead of our singleness than God is going to put someone in our lives at the right time.
I have been blessed with a wonderful roommate who is going through the same heartache that I am going through. She relates, she understands, and we laugh about our singleness (because what else can you do). Every time I am on the brink of having a meltdown she can tell. She knows my heart, she knows my desires about Love. Just like God. Though we dont like being single-we long for that intimacy, that friendship, and that love , its actually a blessing to have each other because we get to sit and talk with one another, we get to pray for one another, and pray for the others future husbands. We have many late night conversations, but last night we were talking about how God prepares your heart for your future husband or wife. My roommate brought up a wonderful point that I have reflected on the whole day. Though my mind may say "ok I want to find my husband," and I feel like my heart is prepared to meet him, God may still be working in that young mans heart. We have no clue where they are in there lives, so we must carry out our current obligations, be steadfast in prayer, and hold fast because God is going to bless us in so many ways. Now, I am not saying that my heart is prepared yet, because I know it is not. God still has so many things to work on in my heart to prepare me for that special man. But I know I must wait on the Lord, God's timing not mine. God's purpose for my life, not my plan.

Love,
Mindy