2012

Wow! Can you say, 'it's been forever' since I have blogged? Yes, you can. :/

It's now 2012 and I, like most, have some resolutions for this year.

-run a half-marathon. I'm going to sign up for it next week! I'll be running at the end of October.
-after straying from a reading plan, I'd like to actually read the Bible in one year.
-surrender the anger I have when driving to the Lord.
-eat healthier to be able to run my half-marathon.
-simply be thankful for what I have in this life--a family, friends, the sun rising and setting each day, etc.
-cut back on things I don't truly need--e.g. the coffee from Starbucks or those last minute items from HEB.
-call family more often--I call my parents daily, but I want to be in contact with my extended side, as well as Tyler's.
-spend time listening to the Lord. Set aside time during the crazy busy day to truly hear from Him.

What are the resolutions you have put before yourself for this year?

My latest...CRAFT!

I found this really simple tutorial on how to create crafty, homemade bags! I thought I would give it a try and I'm so glad I did!

The bags are so simple to create and a BLAST to decorate!

Here are two of the three I've made so far!

This one is for my sister-in-law, she'll be a sophomore at Tech!

I hope she likes it!



And this one if for baby Iris that will be joining the Roberts family in ONE month! I'm so excited!



I wrote scripture on the back of hers and I hope they like the way it turned out!

Grace

This summer, I've been interning for the youth group at our church. It's been a BLAST!

These last two weeks, we have been discussing the life of Jonah and how he ran from the Lord. It's funny because I realize that I do the same thing. No, I don't hop in a boat and flee the country anytime the Lord calls me to do something; however, I do have other boats that I hop in that lead me to sin rather than run toward the Lord. Last Sunday, we asked our girls to identify some of the boats that they use to run from the Lord and it was really powerful.

This week, we discussed God's grace toward Jonah. Chapter two is Jonah's song to the Lord, his praise, and prayer.

Verse 6: To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, LORD my God,
brought my life up from the pit.

7 “When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, LORD,
and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple.

8 “Those who cling to worthless idols
turn away from God’s love for them.
9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the LORD.’”

The verse that hits me the most is verse 8: Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God's love for them. Who would be willing to turn from the Lord for some silly idol? I now realize that it's because of God's grace that we are able to turn from the idols and trust in the Creator of the Universe. It's because of His grace that we are given life and life to the fullest. It's because of His grace that I have another day to live and glorify Him.

I have been reading this book written by Jenna Lucado, called "Redefining Beautiful." The whole book is written so that young girls will realize what is holding them back from understanding that God sees them as 'beautiful.' It's such a powerful book and it made me realize that there are certain idols that we hold on to: vanity, fitness, etc. We convince ourselves that we are doing these things for all the right reasons...'oh, I workout all the time to remain healthy' or something to that nature. I am guilty of it. I know I am beautiful, the Lord sees me as truly beautiful and I am not willing to turn away from God's love over some silly idol, such as TV or sodas or fitness.

What are your idols? TV, the computer, fitness, vanity, your friends, yourself?

Once you have identified them, it's much easier to (step-by-step) hand them over to the Lord.

Cap10K

Well, Courtney and I made it! We survived the 10k...which is very impressive for myself because I could only run 3.5 miles before the race! :)

A picture of us before the race...


During the race...we MIGHT be in there, we aren't really sure. There were 35000 people running the race.



After the race! :)



We are champions!


I will honestly tell you that I enjoyed the race! It was awesome and I want to do it again! I feel as though, because I have accomplished this, I can do ANYTHING! We finished in 1 hour and 9 minutes. Next year, I will beat that. I am determined.

On another note, as Courtney and I entered our last mile of the race, Courtney asked me to be a bridesmaid! I was so tired and so excited at the same time. It was awesome and I cannot wait for October.

My next athletic endeavor will be a triathlon. Does anyone want to teach me how to swim properly?? I can keep my head above water, but swimming correctly isn't something I learned as a child. :/

Spring Break

During this week, I've been doing a lot of this...

And this...


Have I mentioned that I am NOT a runner?! I've signed up for the Cap10k that is in 2 WEEKS! Can I even run 3 miles without stopping? No. Will I still give it my all? Yes; however, I chose Homer to represent myself because that's how I probably look while running. Exhausted. Tired. Ready to give in. I guess I'm going through sporting phases. I gave running a try and apparently my body can handle 3.1 miles and then poops out on me. :) We'll see how the Cap10k goes!

I'm ready to move on to another athletic thing...like cycling! Tyler and I now both have mountain bikes. We've been trail riding, which is AWESOME and if you've never gone you MUST GO! It's incredible and exhilarating! My next physical goal will be to trail ride around Austin.

Life as we know it...

is good!

I am LOVING life.
I am LOVING this warm weather.
I am LOVING realizing that God is truly righteous and His standard for righteousness is one that I will never meet on my own; however, because Christ became sin, I can meet those righteous standards! It's incredible and awe-inspiring. I do not know how I could possibly know that and not feel humbled.

Habakkuk 2:4...the righteous will live by faith. How amazing is the Love of Christ, that He would tie His name, fame, and character to my sin that held Him to the cross! Praise God. I can trade in my filthy rags for His royal robe!

Life is busy...

And it's overwhelming, but God is good!

One of our friends took an awful spill over the Christmas break. At one point, we really did not feel as though he would make it through; however, relying fully on the Lord and knowing that He is the ULTIMATE healer, gave us a peace.

Through continued prayer, God has healed Paul in miraculous ways! He's not fully recovered yet, though we know he will be soon! It makes me so happy to hear just how good God is! :o)

I can't believe in such a short amount of time a life can be so close to being gone and then in the Lord's timing, that same life can be restored back to the glory of the Lord! How cool to think about that!

I am feeling...

CRAFTY!

Which is wonderful since it IS the Christmas season! I will post pictures of the things I craft, as well as some how-to information (that is, if I'm feeling THAT super crafty..I mean, I do want to rest over my break, as well!).

More to come...

Christmas Season

I LOVE it and we have a house that actually allows us to have a GOOD sized Christmas tree in the living room! Granted, it isn't a real tree, but we love it nonetheless!

The other night, Tyler pulled the tree out and we just watched the CMA Christmas Concert and rearranged our house to accommodate this large tree. It was a wonderful night and it was something so simple, enjoying each other, our tree, our home, and the season of our Savior's birth!

This is the season of giving; giving life, love, and joy to others! I want to be THAT kind of giver this Christmas season. Prayerfully, I'll be able to give these things to my students and allow them to see the importance of what it means to give to others. I want to be the life giver that God intended for me to be; that means opening up my home to others, baking for others, being hospitable, and knowing that it's all for the Lord and not myself. I don't desire for this to be a season of selfishness, rather it's a time of giving.

Christ is our life giver! He IS the reason for the season of giving!!!

24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. --Acts 17: 24-25

He gives us "life and breath and everything else." How does that NOT induce a heart of praise?!?! He gives us everything we need. For that, I will praise Him. For that, I can give to others. For that, He deserves my life and all that I can give.

Psalm 15

Wow...talk about mind-blowing!

Psalm 15
A psalm of David.
1 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?

2 He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart

3 and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,

4 who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the LORD,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,

5 who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
will never be shaken.


My goodness. Do I ever strive to be a person that can dwell in His sanctuary? Or live on His holy hill? If I'm doing this, my whole life must change. There is no way that living a life that pleases the Lord will not contain these characteristics!

When reading this, I feel as though I have power in the Lord while doing these things. I know that

Teaching Stuff

I've been blessed with a third grade teaching position in Elgin and I could NOT be more excited!!!! :) God is truly wonderful and I have decided to surrender my whole school year to Him since He has blessed me with a classroom, life, and another day to bring praise to His name!

I know that all things will work for His good and I can't wait to see what that is and with what kids and all that jazz!

Patience

It's summer. I'm a nanny. :) I enjoy it; the girl is going into 5th grade. There are days that I come home and I LOVE it and then there are other days that I come home and HATE it.

She'll make up songs about how much she hates me, she'll give me death stares, she'll even tell on me to her parents, and things of that nature. All the while, she really does like me. Having this happen to me several times, I have realized that the Lord is teaching me patience. This summer, I will be learning patience and how to wait on the Lord.

He is showing me that life may be difficult and I may not have all the answers, but I must be patient. I must wait. He has everything in His hands; life operates on His time, not mine. Although there are times that I recognize this and blatantly desire the opposite. Why? I am a planner. I like to know where I'll be in couple of weeks. Although, I know that my life is not my own. I am owned by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He holds the world together! And I am not patient enough to wait on a job, even though I know He has it in His hands. I need not worry. I need not be anxious or antsy. He has my best interest at heart. He desires better things for me than what I could ever possibly imagine. I will TRUST in that, I will HOPE in that.

I find rest and peace in knowing that His hands hold my life together. The fact that He loves me enough to even hold my life together astounds me, for I am one of millions. I am but a grain of sand, and He cares enough for me to have my best interest at heart! How incredible!

God is good!

Epic Float Trip

The float trip some friends and I took yesterday was the catalyst for Summer 2010!

We took, what we thought was going to be a 3 hour float, and completed our course in 6 hours. :o) Although it sounds crazy, it was enjoyable. However, my body is now burned and loathing me. (I look at the soon-to-be tan, and realize that it will be over soon!)

This summer, all the while looking for a teaching job, I will be babysitting and doing some childcare work! It'll be a good summer: floating the river, swimming laps with Anika, loving on kids, and interviewing for teaching positions! Tan LaRae...have you EVER seen that?!? Nope. But you will! And I look forward to the excitement that this summer will bring. I know that I'll fill my time with books and running and eating tons! S'mores and fun will be had by all!

I have made a commitment to become more physically fit, as well as spiritually fit! What an awesome journey this will be! I'm going to start my running program again tomorrow morning and I will be watching Anika (in which we will go to the pool!), and I am in the process of eating healthier. This will be an adventure and I will keep track of it in this manner...logging what physical exercise takes place each day and then keeping track of making healthy snack choices. We'll see how it goes!

God is good!

DREAMS
by Langston Hughes

Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.


Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.



I LOVE this poem and I discovered it today in a meeting! I think I love this so much because it exhibits the reality of dreams and the motivation they bring to our lives! How important it is for kids to dream and dream BIG..and for adults, too! :o)

We NEED dreams. We NEED to know that there is something more out there for us! The reality of it is, God is all we need! Through Him we have great dreams and aspirations for He has given us desires, passions, and things that allow us to glorify Him in our daily lives! Through Him we dream BIG! Because we know that through Him ALL things are possible!

Mmmm, praise Him!

Jobs

I know that everyone graduating is in a job application frenzy right now, and it stresses me out; however, I know that the Lord will provide me with a job that He finds perfectly fitting for me! How awesome is that?! Yet...here I am, freaking out. Why is it so hard to let the Lord have EVERYTHING? I want to keep the little things, rather than hand it over to Him. I don't want that stress anymore because I know He's got everything in His hands...so why should I fret?

Yesterday, I was talking with my CT and there's a position opening up where I student teach. I love the idea of staying where I'm at: I love the administration, staff, and the kids! I have experience there, I know the people I would be working with...but is it where the Lord wants me? I'm not sure. I would love the position; however, I know that administration will look internally first for people wanting the job: other teachers, tutors, etc. And then they will look to experienced teachers, of which I am not. And then finally they will look for new teachers--that's ME! :0)

It's the whole hierarchy of hiring that stresses me out. I want the Lord to have this part of my life. I've been selfishly harboring it because I thought I could figure it out on my own. I have now realized that I successfully cannot handle the job situation on my own and I never will. I need the Lord to take that from me, so I won't mess it up. I don't wanna be in the way of wherever He wants to place me. I just want to be obedient to His calling.

I am asking for His guidance and direction, and discernment when jobs do come; and praising Him for being my provider! Graduation is just around the corner and I know that great things are to come!

Widget

New Braunfels Run!!!

This marathon...well, the half: one of my goals to dominate in October!!! =) 13.1 miles doesn't sound like fun, but I know that I have GOT IT in me to do it! I've never been a runner, but I want to be...so, slowly but surely I'm getting there--which is why I have until October to get my act together!

The Balloonist

I heard this at Tyler's graduation and thought it was rather comical! Enjoy:



A man in a hot air balloon realized he was lost. He reduced altitude and spotted a man below. He descended a bit more and shouted, "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him half an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."

The man below replied, "You are in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet about the ground. You are between 40 and 42 degrees north latitude and between 58 and 60 degrees west longitude."

"You must be an engineer," said the balloonist.
"I am," replied the man, "but how did you know?"

"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct, but I have no idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I am still lost."

The man below responded, "You must be a manager."
"I am," replied the balloonist, "how did you know?"

"Well," said the man, "you don't know where you are or where you are going. You made a promise which you have no idea how to keep, and you expect me to solve your problem. The fact is you are exactly in the same position you were in before we met, but now, somehow, it's my fault."

Couch to 5k...Here We Go!

Today marks the beginning of a new era: I resolve to actually ENJOY running! Crazy, right? Well...I found this half marathon I want to do in October and I feel like I should like running to run THAT much! =)

Regardless, I have started a nine-week program wherein by the end of it, I should be able to run a 5k without stopping! It's a cool thing...you start by mixing up walking and jogging and eventually leave the walking out!

Week one, day one = DONE!
Wednesday will be W1D2...and I'm pumped!

If you would like to join me or even try the program yourself, I found the workout here: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml?act=AFC-SocialMedia&Property=CoolRunning&Sport=Running&PageType=Content_Articles&Emp=TO&PostType=Profile_Link&Site=C25kfacebook&Dy=8_11_09&Note=C25kfanpagelink

I am determined to finish this program, run a 5k, work towards a 10k, completing that, and then train for the half marathon...and then FINISHING that! It is a lot, but I know that the Lord will be made great through all of it and I'm excited to see it happen!

Austin CROP Hunger Walk

I made a commitment to walk to raise funds to end poverty in our world! On March 6th, I will be walking three miles and want you to join me! If you are interested in joining me as a walker or donating, feel free to contact me! I would love for you to take part in the adventure with me!

The funds raised are allocated both locally in Austin and globally! Church World Service sponsors the Austin CROP Hunger Walk and assists 60+ countries in need!

Check out my personal page on the CWS website to see how I'm doing and all the latest on my progress! http://www.churchworldservice.org/goto/laraehumes