Creativity and Cliques.

     I've noticed that I like to alliterate in my post titles. Just a quirk I've noticed.

     Last night we had a church event called Creative Night. Our youth group met and then broke off

into different groups based on what we wanted to do creatively. The groups were music, drama,

tech, art, and dance. I joined the music group, and we were split up into even smaller groups. Half of

us went with Brian Opperman, and the other half went with Sean and Brett Killingsworth. I had the

pleasure of working with Brian, who studied at Hillsong and was part of their worship team for the

past few years. We were given Psalm 63: 1-8, and he just told us to write what the Lord was telling

us. By the end of the night we had a song! I wrote the first verse and the chorus, Brian wrote the

second verse, and Lindsey wrote the bridge. I'm so excited to see where this project is going to go and

how the Lord is going to use it!


     Today in class I heard the following conversation:

Jordan:: You know those posters for that church event? I just realized those are for my church!

Kenzie:: Oh really? When is that? I think I might go...

Jordan:: You shouldn't go. My church is really cliquey and no one is nice.
    

     This honestly broke my heart. How bad is the Church as a whole that it's own members are saying

"don't come here"? We as a body of believers should be inviting people in, not turning them away.

Homeschooling, Homecoming, and Hotrod.

      What a month it has been! School has gotten better, it's not great, but it's better. Here's a small recap of the things that have happened in the past few weeks...

1. I'm writing my research paper on homeschooling (creative topic choice, eh?).
2. Auditions for Cinderella have come and gone, and even though I didn't make this show, I'm so excited for all of my friends who did! I know it's going to be an amazing show.
3. I joined drama club today! Our first get together is this Saturday at one of the seniors house. We are doing a drive-in/barbecue/bonfire. It should be quite a lot of fun.
4. This past Friday was Nixa's homecoming. I went with an awesome guy, and enjoyed hanging out with my crazy friends. I sure do love them...
5. I'm watching Hotrod for the first time right now, and I must admit, it's kind of cracking me up.

       Sorry for the short post, but I have an English paper to write! Have a great week! :)

Hard.

Life is hard. School is hard. Friendships are hard.

You know what isn't hard? Having faith.

I hate school. I hate being surrounded by crap all day. I hate sitting in a classroom for 7 hours and feeling like I'm not learning anything. I hate that I hate it. All I want is to be a "normal" high-schooler. But I'm not, and people don't like that. I feel like people are judging me because I don't like their normal. But, you see, that's what they've been doing to me for the last 8 years. Making fun and judging my normal. I feel as if I were coming from public school to homeschooling, and I didn't like it, then that would be fine. However, that's not the case. I still don't know if I'll continue going to school. I'm strongly considering going back to homeschooling, but I'm still praying about it.

Through it all though, I have faith. I have faith that the Lord will reveal His purpose to me. I have faith that no matter what, His hand will be evident in my life this year.

Will you pray for me to follow God's plan? Will you pray for me to realize who my true friends are? Will you pray for me as I strive to do everything in the name of the Lord? Thanks, friends. It means the world.

Ramblings and Whatnot...

I'm halfway through my days of work this week! I worked yesterday and today, and I work tomorrow and Tuesday. After that though, I'm off for almost three weeks! My working buddy, Kristen, worked her last today, because she is headed back to Baylor for school.

I ordered my backpack online yesterday. That was weird. I haven't had a backpack since the second grade. I still have a few things to pick up before school actually starts, but I'm getting excited!

Our student associate, Jessica, is taking a new job as a 6th grade reading teacher this fall. I am so excited for her as she starts this new journey, but she will be greatly missed.

I'm hungry. All the time. I don't understand it, but I eat like a grown man.

This post is awkwardly short, but I'm going to take a nap. See you later, blogger world!

One Giant Post.

This post is going to be obnoxiously long.

CAMP:

Seriously my favorite week of the year. This year was especially great! Sean Killingsworth and his band came to lead worship, and Matt Atherton brought the message each night. I loved hanging out on the dock with my closest friends, and then watching them act like crazy people on the tube! The worship time was incredible as usual. Overall it was an amazing week!

CHICAGO:

Amazing. I swear we ate our way through the city, but then we walked it off afterwards.

Here's a list of the places we ate:

-Gino's East Pizzeria
-The Melting Pot
-The American Girl Place
-Bubba Gump's
-P.F. Changs
-Buca de Peppo

I told you we ate a lot. Ashlyn and I successfully navigated all the airports with no issues, although we were a little confused trying to find our luggage when we got to Chicago. We went, we saw, and we conquered! Well...sort of. Lots of food, lots of shopping, and lots of quality bestie time.

CAMP REUNION:

The most incredible worship experience I have ever had. At 11:45 on Friday night we started our midnight session. Daniel was only supposed to play a total of four songs, but the Holy Spirit had other ideas. People started getting up and sharing what they were struggling with and we could pray for them. I had the amazing chance to talk to two incredible girls and was so excited to hear what the Lord is doing in their lives. Then, we all gathered in a clump and started praying aloud for each other and for our church, and then we stayed in clump and worshipped like never before. Get this, we didn't stop until 2 a.m. The Lord did CRAZY things that night, and has been working ever since.

ASHLYN AND KAITLYN'S BIRTHDAY:

 Saturday night I had the privilege to celebrate with some special ladies. Ashlyn and Kaitlyn had a combined 17th birthday party with a Tangled theme. It was so fun to spend time with some of my best friends and hear how their summer has been.

Well friends, this next month brings a big change...school. On August 14th, I will start my first day of high school as a junior. It's really exciting, and mildly terrifying, so please pray for me as I do my best to spread the love of God throughout NHS. That's all I've got folks...

Oh The Places You'll Go...

It's adventure time here in Emilee-land! We leave for CAMP tomorrow, and then a mere seven days after we return, Ashlyn and I are jetting off to Chicago. Don't worry, we will be supervised, but we are flying up a day later than Lori, Ash's mom. The two of us trying to navigate the airports, especially the one in Chicago, should be very entertaining.

I am so excited to get to experience the Windy City for the first time. Lori is working during the day, so Ashlyn and I will be hitting up the Magnificent Mile for some hardcore shopping. Then at night we will probably do some sight-seeing and other things. I know it's going to be a great trip, and I'm excited for some girl time with my best friend!

I'm headed up to the office today with the other apprentices to help with last minute CAMP details, so I'll update when we get back! Prepare to here some great stories!

Hey-yo.

Hey, uh, remember me? Yeah, it's been a while. I'm sorry I left, but I'm back now. I just needed some space. Don't worry, I didn't meet anyone else. It was me, not you.

The past fifteen days have been a blur of work, church, pool, sleep, repeat.

My ankle has been swelling up again, so here's to hoping that it goes away and I don't need to have it checked out.

It is so flippin' hot here, ya'll. Like 102 degrees hot. Hello humidity.

I am flat-out exaughsted. All work and no shopping makes Emilee a tired girl. I'm almost, gasp, ready to be in school so I will have fewer hours at work. I know, I'm crazy.

Speaking of school, OH MY WORD friends. I have a month and a half of freedom left. In case you haven't noticed, I'm kind of freaking out about it. I just keep repeating "the Lord will fufill His purpose for me". Right now it seems like His purpose is me losing my mind, though.

It's only 11 days until CAMP with rbcstudents! I am so excited and ready for a great time with God and my best friends! Pray for our group to be awakened towards Him.

I can be in the worst mood ever, and this song will instantly make me happy. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWNaR-rxAic