My Heart Is In Africa

I'm so glad that God led me to Birmingham. I really think that God has designed my path through Birmingham for me to really get a grasp of what I'm here on Earth for and what my life is all about. I attend an amazing church led my an amazing young preacher with a heart for the nations.

I've definitely had a heart for missions since I was a teenager but I never have had the direction to do what I'm called to do, which is make his glory known in Birmingham and throughout the world by making disciples and sharing the gospel with as many people as I can.

For a while now, I have wanted to go to Africa. Last summer, I wasn't able to go to Africa but I did go to Honduras and got a glimpse of the needs that are out there. This summer I'm hoping to go to Africa. There are several avenues through which I can go, so right now I'm just trying figure out which avenue is best for me.

Anyway, I say all that to say this. Today at church, we had the most amazing service. We had a presentation from World Help, an organization that exists to fulfill the Great Commission and the Great Commandment through partnering, training, helping and serving, especially in the unreached areas of the world. They also have a foundation called Children of Hope where you can sponsor a child. World Help works mostly with areas in sub-Saharan Africa, trying to raise awareness and garner support for the HIV/AIDS epidemic that has taken its toll on Africa and affected on more than 15 million children.

Here are some facts about the World Help and the way that AIDS is affecting Africa:
- 15 million children have been orphaned by AIDS, a number that is expected to increase to 40 million by 2010. Every 14 seconds, a child is orphaned by AIDS in Africa.
- A monthly sponsorship gift of $30 provides food, clothing, education, and most importantly, a Christ-centered focus in a child's life.
- $25,000 provides one home to impact 12 orphans.
- $50,000 provides two homes to impact 24 orphans.
- $100,000 provides an entire Village of Hope to impact 48 orphans.
- Evangelical Christians are the least likely to aid efforts like these and only 3% said they would give to an organization like World Help.

Our worship today was led by the Children of the World choir, who not only were precious, but the choir was made up of about 15 orphans from several different countries. One young boy was from Uganda. His family had to leave Uganda and live in a refugee camp. Every child knows Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior and that says a lot about this organization considering where thy come from. That shows that World Help is not just about helping these countries. It's about first and foremost winning people over for the sake of Christ and his desire for the world.


I encourage everyone to go check out the website. Get involved with this organization in some way. Get involved in any organization like this. Here a list of others:

- Invisible Children
- Blood:Water Mission
- Mocha Club
- Save Darfur

I know there are so many more out there. Get involved. Do something. If we don't, who will?

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:40

Like Aunt, Like Nephew

My Thanksgiving was somewhat surreal. It was our first Thanksgiving with our little William, Mississippi State pulled a huge fourth quarter comeback out of their hineys, and LSU lost to Arkansas (of all teams) in three overtimes. Oh, and thank goodness Auburn beat Alabama. Now the only bowl the Tide and the Rebels will be going to is the toilet bowl. Au Revoir, Coach O!

I was so excited to be there for the Egg Bowl. Thanks to my friend Tony, my mom and I got our hands on some fantastic tickets on the 45, about 30 rows up. As we sat there in the stadium, we couldn't believe what was unfolding in front of our eyes. What was going on? Who was this team out of the field? Well, finally at about the eight-minute mark of the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs decided to start playing and put together some amazing plays on both sides of the ball to comeback and get the Golden Egg back in Starkville.

On the way home, my mom and I listened to the LSU/Arkansas game and couldn't believe what we were hearing. I have to say that that if I wasn't a Mississippi State fan, I'd be an LSU fan. And I guess I am anytime the two teams aren't playing each other.

Anyway, but I was so excited to get to spend a few days with my new nephew. I'm quite a bit obsessed with him and I think I'll probably start becoming like Heather and LT are with Henry.

My nephew will be a month old on Saturday and it's hard to believe it. With all the time I got to spend with my little William, I've noticed many things that he does just like I did when I was little, that neither his mom nor his dad did. Here is a small list of things that we have in common:

- He sleeps with his butt in the air.
- He's jaudiced just like I was so he's quite yellow and will inherit his aunt's dark complexion.
- He also sleeps with his hands either up by his face or covering them.
- And he sleeps unlike any other baby I have ever seen. He goes to sleep easy and is hard to wake up.

Anyway, I had a fantastic weekend and I hope yours was the same. Can't wait for my 10 day vacation at Christmas.

Thank God for Autozone

(Posted without pictures because Googling on Samford's wireless takes an act of Congress.)

So I slept in Sunday because it had been a long week and I knew I could go to the 6 p.m. service at church, which at my church is the same as the 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m., just with about 200 people instead of 2,000.

Well, after I had gotten up and got going, I decided that I should go to the grocery store while I could and while I was in the mood. So I get in my car, put the key into the ignition, turn and....nothing. I press the gas and try again...nothing. Are you kidding me? My battery is dead. This has never happened to me at a time when my dad is not more than 5 miles away. Actually, it's never happened to me...ever. Plus, my roommate isn't home, the guys next door are gone, who do I get to jump me off. So, I call Dad to get his opinion. Here's how the convo went:

Dad: "Yello."
Me: "Um...I think my battery is dead."
Dad: "What makes you think that?"
Me: "Well, my car won't start and I have plenty of gas and oil and when I turn the key, nothing happens."
Dad: "Well, yeah, that usually means your battery is dead. So what do you want me to do about it?"
Me: "I don't know."
Dad: "Get someone to jump you off."
Me: "No one is home."
Dad: "No one is that Mayberry neighborhood of yours is home? Nobody?"
Me: "Well, maybe the people across the street are."
Dad: "Ok."

So thanks to making friends with the three families across the street through babysitting, I was lucky enough to find a neighbor husband at home with jumper cables.

So, he hooked his car up to mine and my car started right up. I, then, proceeded to Autozone to get a new battery and received very good help.

With that said, I'd like to say that I'm very thankful for Autozone. Actually, I'm very thankful for lots of things. So, in light of the holiday season, I'm going to take my cue from LT and list some things that I'm very thankful for.

The most obvious:
- Jesus Christ, my Lord, Savior King, Creator, Redeemer, everything
- My incredible parents who have never failed me and would do anything to give me what I need.
- An amazing, talented sister who is so inspiring it's ridiculous
- The best brother-in-law in the world; he's the brother I never had
- My beautiful nephew who I get to see in less than 24 hours.
- The bestest best friends ever, LB (Lauren), Casey, Bethany, Kyle just to name a few
- Awesome family including grandparents (living and dead) that would give literally everything they had to spoil their grandchildren
- A job I live even though it takes up every minute of my life
- The most amazing church, which I'm thankful that God has used to show me what I'm here on this earth for -- to declare God's glory by making disciples of all nations.

The little things:
- The breath of life
- ICEEs
- home cooked meals
- peanut butter M&Ms
- rainy days when you can just lay in bed
- having use of all my senses
- new friendships
- cookie cake
- mexican food
- shrimp fettuccini
- Mississippi State
- my talents
- TV
- wireless internet
- cellphones
- my car
- my iPod
- dates with my Dad
- spending the day with my sister
- going to Mississippi State games with my mom
- education

There's more where that came from but the game is starting now so I have to go.

Heidi...The Nun

“I like to read a couple books at once. I was reading the Princess Diana book. I’m reading a book about Chicago and the mob. Right now I’m also reading the Bible, beginning to end. I’m very religious. That’s how I’ve gotten to where I am.”

Very religious, huh. Engaged to your live-in boyfriend (who by the way treats you like crap and doesn't respect that you actually WANT to work for a living) and backstabbing friends. Sounds like the Godly thing to do to me.

But hey, props to the girl for being interested. Maybe something really is changing in that little heart of hers. Just get rid of Spencer. Or at least take him to church.

HE'S HERE!

My prince has finally come! My nephew, that is. He was due on Nov. 9 but he made his appearance a little after 3 p.m. on Oct. 31. He was 8 lbs., 2 oz. and is 21 inches long. He's ALL legs! He's already been declared a basketball player by his father. He's precious and I'm so thankful for the little bit of time I had to spend with him Wednesday and today before I had to get back to Birmingham for work. Thanks to all the people that were there to help out -- Uncle JoJo who helped deliver, Mrs. Tamara who helped out with the nursing staff today, sweet Rosanne Nichols (and fellow Kappa Delta) who was my sister's student nurse, and Tammy from church who helped yesterday with getting settled in the room. My sister is in the hospital until probably Saturday because they had to do a C-section. Please prayer that she'll continue to have a smooth recovery and that getting into the groove of things (such as feeding and lack of sleep) will also go smooth.

I'll leave you all with some pictures. I can't wait to go back at Thanksgiving!

He's so beautiful!

Dad (Boompa), Mom (LiLi) and Me (Auntie Katie or KK) and William

Presh!

He's posing!

A fantastic week

I had a fantastic week and an even more fantastic weekend. However, my week didn't start out fantastic at all. I'd been quite stressed and overwhelmed with having to plan to host the conference cross country championships. Tuesday had not been a good day because of uncooperative and noncommunicating cross country coaches but the day soon turned around when my volleyball team beat the number one team in the conference as a blogged about in the last post. Well, after the match, the team had been signing miniature volleyballs for their campers that had come to see them play. I told my coach that I would like one signed by the players to commemorate the big win because it had been a great end to a pretty much long and sucky day. Well when I got to the office the next day, I found a regular sized ball with everyone signature and a note that said, "Thanks for all you do. We hope today is better." How sweet! I love those girls. I hope I'll be around next year to continue to get to know them. Here are a few pics of my ball.



So then my week got better as the Red Sox kept winning and the my MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS beat #14 Kentucky! That made my Saturday. Also on Saturday, my roommate and I hosted a Pumpkin Carving Contest at our house. We had lots of yummy goodies and fun friends over and we had the most creative pumpkin (the pumpkin throwing up its guts) but our friends Emily and Gina won with the tree pumpkin.

Then to cap off the great weekend, the Red Sox won the World Series, with Papelbon (the Bulldog) striking out Seth Smith (the Rebel and the mean boy from the pool when I was little) to get the win. It was great! I also was able to check something of my List of Things To Do In My Life as my best friend Bethany came down from Knoxville to go to the Ben Harper concert with me. This guy is so incredibly talented and just has the best voice ever. It was in the Alabama Theatre which is beautiful and has the best acoustics. I'll leave you with a little collage.

Sextuplets? Mm...no thank you.

My new favorite show is John and Katie Plus 8. It documents a couple who has had two sets of multiples -- first twins and three years later, sextuplets. Although, I love kids, especially cute babies, and hope to have some of my own one day, I am not, nor will I ever be, interested in having six at one time. (Unless the good Lord above sees it fit that I can handle it. I mean, He is in control here, but I digress.)

My cousin had twins a little over a year ago (after going through much of the same processes that the Gosselins went through) and she's got her hands full with just two! I can't imagine have two and then having six! Eight children all under the age of seven. No way Hose! Talk about stress!

Anyway, I do have to say that I admire them, as well as all parents of multiples. God definitely has handpicked you guys to be the parents of these children because it has to take a special person to raise multiples. So mad props to all of you multiples parents out there (including the ones that I know, cousin Angie, Jenny Manning Holloway). You are my heroes!

Onto another one of my new favs -- Colbie Caillat. I love love love this girl's music. Yesterday it was so yucky outside and I thought to myself, this would be a great day to just lay around the house and listen to some Colbie Caillat. However, with my job, I don't get the luxury of laying around the house very often. Maybe twice a season. Maybe. Anyway, Ms. Caillat has been compared to the likes of Jack Johnson, some saying she is the female version of Mr. Johnson; with which I would have to strongly concur. She's just got a fantastical soothing voice and great lyrics. Go check her out and I guarantee you will fall in love.

Finally, just some things that have really made my week. My beloved Red Sox have made it to the world series. I'm counting on them to make my year with another world championship this year.

Also my volleyball had probably the biggest win in our coach's career last night as they defeated our conference's No. 1 team, Jacksonville State, in three games. Three games! That's unheard of. It's best three out of five and our team has been known to blow some very important two-game leads. We have also been known as the team to sweep. Plus, Jacksonville State is our in-state rival and conference rival and the team that we have the biggest love-hate relationship with. Off the court, we like them. On the court, not so much. However, and I hope I don't jinx them by saying this, my team has somehow become a group of rock-star athletes and have had a fire lit under their butts and have played the best volleyball of their lives so far. So yay for my girls. It really turn a really bad, long day yesterday into one of the best days I've had here at Samford. Yay!

I want to leave you with a little dancy jig from Jonathan Papelbon. I guess if you just about lead your team to the World Series, you can do whatever you want on television. The fans love it so, whatever works.

Birthdays, Baseball and Big Thanks

First I want to wish a Happy Birthday to three of my best guy friends in the world.

Happy Birthday Kyle! His birthday was Friday and is lovingly called "Kyle Gras." Kyle is obsessed with everything New Orleans and insist on having king cake for his birthday cake every year. I can always count on Kyle for a free trip to the Cheesecake Factory when he's in town and he's really the only person in the world that understands my complaints about work. Oh, and he loves the Bears and Mississippi State and hates Ole Miss and Alabama as much as I do.

This a very old school pic of me and my oldest best guy friend Drew. It's from when we were the leads in Bye Bye Birdie in high school. Drew is the best friend a girl could ask for. Such a gentleman and he took me to prom my junior year after I reluctantly dumped the jerk I was dating. He's way sensitive and he understands girls a whole lot more than any other guy I know...even though he doesn't think he does. We've been through a whole lot together. Some major ups and downs and inbetweens. We are pretty much so alike that we could be twins. And we've made a deal that we will marry at 35 if we aren't already by then. Drew's birthday was Thursday and I really miss celebrating with him. His birthday always fell on Mississippi State's Homecoming for some reason so we always had a blast celebrating with my four other guy friends that he lived with.

And last but certainly not least...



Sweet Chris! His birthday was also Thursday. He doesn't look very excited in this pick but that's probably because it's probably the last game of an eight game day at the SEC Basketball Tournament. We've experienced just about every SEC event together and suffered through grad school together...although he's still suffering. We also worked together in ITS or The Center for Teaching and Learning (as it is now known) at MSU as GAs. He's one of the sweetest guys I know and he loves Mississippi State sports just about as much as I do.

Yay for birthdays!

Next I just want to say Go Red Sox! And yay for sweet Jonathan Papelbon. As I type, I'm watching Paps, try to close out game two of the ALCS for the Red Sox. I have to say, I loved the Sox way before they called Paps up but my love grew even stronger when they did. I would love to see my BoSox get to the World Series again, so Let's Go Sox!

And lastly, I just got home from viewing the movie "The Kingdom." You know, the one with Jennifer Garner and Jamie Foxx about the FBI agents that go into Saudi Arabia to take down a gang of terrorists. All I have to say is "wow". I went with my roommate Kelly who works with injured soldiers all the time at her workplace, Lakeshore Foundation. She's heard story after story from many soldiers and said that it was a great depiction of the things that they say. I would have to agree. It really was a great representation of what our soldiers go through and it makes you want to hug and thank every soldier you come in contact with. So I just want to say a big "thank you" to every soldier out there that has fought for our country, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also in the Gulf War, Vietnam and all other wars. I also want to thank their families. That couldn't be an easy thing to do to see your loved ones going off to risk their life for yours. It takes an amazing person to do that and God bless each and every one.

What do you use you super power for?

I felt compelled to share this for some reason. I hope you are blessed by it.

by Jon Walker

"For even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than pulling you down, I will not be ashamed of it. "(2 Corinthians 10:8)

My son came home from middle school the other day and told me there'd been a reward-day-type assembly, where some neat stuff was given away. Then a teacher put all the student's names into a bucket for a drawing to determine who would win the biggest prize of all!

"I know you're only supposed to use special powers for good," my son said, "But if I had special powers, I would have been tempted today to stop time just before the teacher called out the winner. And I would have slipped up and put my own name in her hand."

My first thought was, "Wow, that really would be cool!" - but then, out loud, I agreed that special powers should only be used for the good of others. As the great theologian, Spiderman, says: "With great power comes great responsibility."

But then my A.D.D. brain start pinging like a pin ball wizard running wild in the arcade. (OK, I'm showing my age.) It occurred to me that, as Christians, we do have special powers. In fact, we have the most special power of all planted deep within us: the Holy Ghost, spirit power of Jesus Christ.

Paul, the Blind Man of Damascus Road, refers to this special power when he's speaking of his role as an apostle. He said the power and authority that emerged from Christ's spirit within him was given to him to build others up, and that it should never be used to tear others down.It's possible you could render the Greek: "With great power comes great responsibility!"

The Spirit of Christ lives within us and, as faithful stewards, we're to use the special power that flows from him to build up rather than pull down. In a sense, Oswald Chambers speaks to this when he teaches that, when God shows us the faults of others, we're to use that knowledge to intercede for them and not to criticize them.

That's a pretty hefty truth to carry, and I think the weight of it is one reason many of us struggle to keep it balanced on our shoulders. When we see other people's clay feet, our first response should be to go to our knees. Too often, however, we shrug off the weight of truth in order to free our hands for finger-pointing.

What's the difference between building up and tearing down? Consider these contrasts:
· Greet people with the positive vs. Open with the negative
· Point out what is right vs. Magnify what is wrong
· Expect excellence vs. Expect perfection
· Listen intently vs. Don't listen at all
· See the individual vs. See the stereotype
· Applaud positive changes vs. Say, "You'll never change!"
· Acceptance vs. Rejection
· Respect vs. Ridicule
· Apology vs. Blame
· Forgive vs. Shame
· "You can do it" vs. "You're hopeless"
· Promises kept vs. Promises broken
· Unconditional love vs. "Strings attached" love
· God interprets circumstances vs. Fear interprets circumstances
· Point toward things above vs. Point toward problems
· "He's a child of God" vs. "He's a problem to be dealt with"You have great power

How will you handle the responsibility? Your heart speaks through your mouth - [Jesus] went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.'" (Mark 7:20-23 NIV)

Meditate on what comes out of your mouth on a regular basis. Talk to God about what that reveals about your heart. Praise the Father and encourage his creations with your tongue - "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. (James 3:9-10 NIV) Encourage vs. discourage - Go through the list of contrasts above and rate yourself on each item.

What does your rating reveal? What'cha gonna do about it?

So Katie...what annoys you?

I'm taking my cue from Marty's list of "dislikes" and am making my own list of "annoyances". I've been quite annoyed this week so I've decided to vent with a list.

Here goes...in no particular order:

- When people don't clean dishes or take out the trash or turn off lights.
- Ben and Gavin throwing the football over my head while I'm in the zone writing a story.
- People who park in spaces that aren't legal spaces.
- People who talk on their cell phone while driving when it obviously inhibits their ability to pay attention and drive responsibly.
- Obnoxious Alabama fans.
- Weedeaters at 7 a.m. in my backyard.
- Long Walmart lines at 11 p.m.
- Self-checkout close at 11 p.m.
- Alarm clocks...hate them.
- Those stupid little Democrat stickers that have a blue dot on a red backgroud that say "I'm a little blue dot in a big red state." Get over it. Move north.
- Sazuki Man commercials
- Sazuki Man himself
- The MTV show NEXT (Puh-please! What a waste of air time!)
- Crickets
- Paris...Hilton
- Britney Spears news...lock her up in a rehab facility and don't let her out until she's singing praise songs
- Coaches who have no personality and don't know how to communicate

Ok...that's all I have for now. I'm sure I'll have an addendum later.