Week 4.

I'm a little late on this post as well. Finals took over my life until 8:45 this morning. And now I'm free. And it's summer. I can't think of a better way to start a blog post on blessings.

Anyways, I drove to Jasper last weekend to take a carload of junk home from my dorm, have a quiet place to study and write papers, and to spend time with my mom for Mother's Day. Well, none of that really happened. But it's okay. Because:

1. I got spend time with Julianna Hallman, Nikki Swindle, and Julia Lightsey. Although we were in Jasper and didn't have a THING to do, it was nice. Contrary to popular belief, laying around doing absolutely nothing can be quite productive. (Well, they may not feel that way, but I do.) I cherish heart-to-heart talks, and I usually have some pretty dang good ones with them. And it was so nice to check myself and reevaluate before going into one of the most stressful weeks of my life.

2. I was able to volunteer in the tornado relief of Sipsey, AL. I know I wrote about the tornado damage last week, but this is something our state is going to be dealing with for months, if not years. To be twenty minutes away from my own house and see other houses completely ripped up and thrown across hundreds of yards of land is astonishing. I am so blessed to be healthy with two arms and two legs that enable me to go out and help people pick up the remains of their homes. I am so ready to volunteer more now that I'm out of school. (This is my plug for the tornado relief. It will seriously give you a whole new perspective on things if you go out and see and help these people in person. Donations are wonderful, but there are people out there that have still not received assistance in cleaning up all their debris. There were people in Sipsey with signs posted in their yards asking for help. We have a mission field right in our own backyards.)

But the group I was with spent a lot of time on one man's yard. His house was completely gone, and what was left was scattered from its foundation to the woods. But despite losing everything he owned, this man was still praising God. He explained that he was so thankful to be alive and those earthly things meant absolutely nothing. He also told a story from years ago, where he was in a complete freak accident at work and should of died, but God had other plans for him. And now, he's still here and has lived through one of the most deadly tornados in history. Even though he has absolutely nothing left besides the few salvageable things we found for him, he is still praising and glorifying the Lord. He said, "I don't know what it is, but I know he must have some big plans and purpose for me. I haven't figured it out just yet, but I will one day." What an inspiration.

 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33

3. I am thankful for my mother. And not just because it was Mother's Day this Sunday, but sometimes we do need the reminder to show them how much we love and appreciate them. As many times she has embarrassed me or picked on me, I love that woman. She goes above and beyond the role of a mother. She has faced a lot more than some people will see in their entire lifetime, and she still seeks God's guidance and finds the positive in every situation, knowing it is all a part of His timing and plans. I hope to become half the woman she is.