California.....

So as many of you know, For Christmas this year we were blessed with an opportunity to come here to California and stay for this week. And well... We're here! 

It's so absolutely beautiful, too bad its raining. However our trip went well, We managed to only run into  some snow and we made it to San clemente at 230 On Sunday Morning. 

Our little condo is cozy and we have the most spectacular veiw of the ocean out our front window. 

Pictures are to come. 

Needless to say, I'm having fun.

One Whole Year....

I Really Like The End of the year. Like Alot! It's such a great time where everyone is reminiscing, planning, and making decisions on what they want their next year to look like. If anyone knows me, they know I'm a planner, so aside from all the reasons to eat a whole whack of junk i also get to plan, think and ponder. That's my favorite.

This year has been so fantastic that it may be hard for me to put into words So i figure i'm just going to put it into point form to make this easier for ya'll to read.
The Highlights of 2008 Or From This Time Last Year Are:

• December 26th-Brandon and I Officially Became a Couple
• March 16-23ish - Fusion's Youth Missions Trip to Mexico, Phenomenal Time.God was at work hardcore that week and it changed us forever.
  
• June 26th-Brandon's Grad and our 6 month.
• August 2-3rd - Tofino Surf Trip; Pretty much an amazing experience.
• August 26th - 16th Birthday, Drivers license, doting upon me and 8 month.. Need I Say More?
• August 27th - First Date Ever. Thank you Brandon...
  
• September 2nd- Last First Day Of School .. EVER. (Did I mention ever?)
• October 4th - Brandon's 18th Birthday. The first of his that we've celebrated together. As well as his Stinken' Hot Tattoo.
• October 22-27th - California/Bethel Trip. Probably the most amazing week of this year. Wow.
• November 14-16th - Consumed: One. It was amazing, Astounding, alarming, and any other A name you can come up with that's good. So amazing.
  
• December 19-31st - Christmas in California. Hasn't happened yet but i know it will be spectacular!
• December 26th - Brandon And I's One Year.
  
• December 31st - The start of a new year.

That is Just a brief overview of this last year, And I can't even convey the change God has been doing this year. The only way i can even hope to make you understand is by telling you some things that I am really looking forward too in the upcoming 2009.

• Brandon Moving Up Here
• Brand New DEVO BOOK. Yes. I am excited. The Message Remix: Solo. Embrace it.
• Getting to use my new planner compliments of Samantha Millar.
  
• Gen:Unleashed
• Encounter Weekend
• Mexico 2009
• Trip to Scotland
  
• GRAD 2009
• 17th Birthday
  
• Consumed 2009
• God's Continuous Provision and Blessings in my life and in the lives around me.
  
• Possible Engagement....
• More Music and Increased Worship Capabilities and Experiences
  

And a new year to learn, love, live, and laugh with my family and friends. Thanks you guys for an amazing year.

Sickk...

So I Haven't been feeling very well for the past few days. In fact I even ditched out on church; which doesn't happen often. My throat has been uber sore and nasty, and mom even made me stay home from Randy's Party last night. {Sorry Randy, Happy Birthday Anyways Bud!} So i stayed home and went to be early-ish and took some gravol to sleep through the night; only to wake up, go to a mirror, open my mouth and find my worst fears come to life. I Have Strep throat!
I HATE Strep Throat!

&&did you know that the bacteria that causes strep throat also causes flesh eating disease.

Needless to say I will not be licking, or get ANY spit on my cuts. haha {Not that I would anyways cause that is just gross.}

Should There Be Limits on Freedom of the Press........

I just really wanted to write something, cause I'm cool like that.

I'm not going to write about tree decorating, cause everyone does that...
And I don't really have anything super new to blog about. However... My boyfriend is still moving to Courtenay, and it's been such a God thing that he has been able to, with confirmations left right and center, it gives me allowance to be EVEN MORE excited than i was like .. two days ago.

That being said it is 24 Days until he moves here. && It's also 12 Days Until my family leaves for our trip to California over Christmas. I am very excited because.. we got our Disney vacation planning packet in the mail last week and now I'm very excited cause i love Disney stuff. and even though we are only there for a day.. I'm still pretty stoked.

Other than that:
-The new Britney Spears Cd is Phenomenal
-I have a theory Exam on the 13th {Pray, Pray, Pray}
-I found the most profound verse on love last night.. {Song of songs 8:6-7; Check it. The Message is the best}
-Brandon Is looking for jobs, and hopefully that goes fantastically well.
-Youth group is on Wednesday night, And i am all too excited.
-The Parents of My Kids {That I Babysit} are home today so that means I get to go to work this week and I am very excited.

And that's all i have to say about that.

Ps: That title is the next forum post deal I need to do, Answer back .. haha

BIG ANOUNCEMENT

Okay, So at least it's really big Announcement for me. And I haven't been allowed to share this with my friends yet.. soooo

Brandon (pictured ... Isn't he Pretty?) My fantastic boyfriend, Is moving to Courtenay this coming January and I am SO SO SO SO SOOOOO Excited. &&It's been such a god thing that he can come up here. So I'm really excited to say in 28 Days he will be a Courtney Dweller.

Disneyland.. And Beyond!

I'm going to DISNEYLAND!

Me and my family are taking a week long vacation to California over Christmas and i'm pretty much, more excited that I've ever been about anything. PERIOD. yes, I need a life.
But seriously, I get to go on Christmas day and too top it all off, I GET TO SEE JACK. they have this really cool "Christmas" theme and Jack is obviously the main character. I will visit him in his haunted mansion, see the below sign, and it will be awesome.



&& to top it off, We'll be there all day long. And we'll get to see the place decked out at night. Pretty rad? I think so.

Bedroom; The first update.

Some of you may know how much i complained about my boring, dull, and drab bedroom. However recently I've started getting the Ball rolling on finishing it (Obviously, I'd like my room done before i move out) So a couple of weeks ago I got the paint, and some fantastic accessories to start on it. I hope to have it finished.... maybe by spring? Here's The Progress So far:

My Bedside Table, Repainted, New Drawer Pull, and that lovely candle Holder above; Pretty Spectacular. Also, My Bed, made. With New curtains, and that fantastic cork board.

My Walls went from a camel tan to Bold Terracotta, Pictured by my bed. And Winter Squash, Pictured around piano.

Here is my one "winter squash" Wall, with my piano and some of my pictures.
My Fan-freaking-tastic new chandelier.

It's really not as epic in a picture, But I'm sure you can kind of understand my
excitement.

Anyways, That's just a brief update. I hope that soon I'll have my fantastic shelves, and more of my pictures hung. I'll update then!

Bread...... FALLING FROM THE SKY!!

Ohmigoodness, folks... Are you ready for this!?


So, Following the direction of the fantastic speaker Ira Parmenter, I'm am blogging about bread, Which is so obviously falling from the sky that I cannot contain it. Wow Is my God good. Consumed was amazing. && I'm not just saying that out of obligation. It was spectacular.

Now I all know that there is about 50,000,000 or so blogs about consumed right about now, But i couldn't help it. Consumed was fantastic; At first, i had been so lost in the busy-ness and the jobs and obligations and the overwhelming feeling of having to be perfect, that I felt just couldn't let God move in me. Especially on stage. But quite simply, by Saturday night, I Don't know if it was the sheer exhaustion, or me finally giving in.. But I was so rocked by God; I could hardly stand. I was playing keeys heaving over, hardly able to stand and I didn't feel bad, or out of place, or incorrect. It just felt.... Amazing. God's hand touched so many lives, and has definitely fanned the passion inside me for worship, prayer, and the breaking off of age gaps and age "restrictions".
I don't mean that in a "Let 12 year-olds do whatever they want" sort of way, But honestly, && If i'm terribly wrong please give me some feed back here. But why shouldn't Teenagers be able to pray openly with adults without feeling inadequate, why shouldn't teenagers be delivering one another from pasts and prophesying over one another, Why shouldn't teenagers lead one another {Again I am not saying lead themselves, But under the influence of a higher authority} Why shouldn't 17-19 year olds get married? Why shouldn't we be a generation that knows how to do these things!?! Why don't we bother to get inform, Ask && Learn. Why don't we read books and research those things, if nothing else but to have a greater understanding of them. Wouldn't it be great:


Just think, Wouldn't it be great if we actually used the church as the resource God has given us. Why not, right? God has given us a family that has experiences so vast, that all we need to do is ask, to be informed. Just ask, to be counselled.

• Why Not, marry young? Sure, teenagers and young adults don't have the "years under their belts" or the vast experiences. But it's the maturity;; If we dont have that wealth of knowledge, someone in the church is going to && if we ever need a swift kick, good advice, or somone to just talk to, we'll have it. So why not start a marriage young, Why not grow, learn and love together?
• Why Not, Step in and pray regaurdless of who's listening? Age has nothing to do with anything in the kingdom of God. God knows you're maturity level and he knows you're intentions. Your words don't need to be big and fancy && you don't have to have 5 years experience before delivering people; You just need big faith.
• Why can't teenagers be leaders? I think it's the best time to start. You're young and growing and it's much easier to incorperate those "leadership qualities" when you're at you're learning and growing peak.
  

Why should teenagers be looked down on, Especially in the church. We are capable of so much more than people give us credit for. However, the reason they aren't giving us that credit is because we haven't shown them what we're capable of.

Aside from all of that;; I was like a proud parent this weekend because I got to watch my boyfriend grow and reach new heights and passions in his walk both in worship and in knowledge, and it was so cool to see. It made my smile and made everything that much more worth it.

I'd also like to take a bit of space up in here to thank Kelsey and Jason. Without them, my own passions wouldnt' have been renewed the way they were, Brandon's faith wouldn't have been pushed up that much higher, and all the lives that were touched or changed this weekend may not have had that experience. Not to say God wouldn't have touched lives without consumed. But it just wouldn't have bene the same. So thank you Kelsey and Jason for taking time out of your lives to put this on for us, so that our generation could be radically affected; You're the Bomb.

[It's Been Awhile...]

Sorry it's been so long. There has been sooo many things going on in life right now, that i couldn't even come close to comprehending writing on here. First off. I've recently found the "Follow This Blog" Button && Frankly, it has saved my life. Do you know how hard it was to keep track of all the blogs i read and continuously have them on the side thingy? No probably not, cause none of you are me... but it was TERRIBLE.

Anyways, on to more important matters... like CONSUMED!! Heck yes. Ohmigoodness, so excited! Not only is the entire freaking confrence going to be amazing, But i'm also on worship.. And that makes it 7 quadrillon times more exciting because.. I LOVE WORSHIP. And Not Only do I love to worship my God . I am so passionate about it that I think everyone should do it, all the time. So to get to be apart of the worship team for consumed, with my piano [which I might add, takes that 7 quadrillon and multiplies it again by 10 quadrillon] and just simply getting to worship God with so many other people from different places, different ages and different stages in Life; Is pretty amazing. Needless to say, I'm Stoked.

California, California, California!

Approximately 17 hours, 34 minutes, and 26 seconds Until I Depart for California.

Needless to say, At this point I am super excited. Not just because the lows predicted in Redding for the week are measly 11's-13's while the highs are in the mid 30's but because i have this underlying feeling that through all this stress and hassel God is gonna do something great! Not that he normally doesn't... But you get the drift. I'm just updating my ipod for the trip and i'm feeling more excited than i was about and hour ago. There's Just Somthing about updating my lovely ipod that makes me excited.

Haha;; Something to do with everything he'll come with me through, Me and my Beloved Timon.

Thanksgiving.....Phew.

First off;; Happy thanksgiving everyone.

Second;; I Love Thanksgiving. It makes Christmas feel just THAT much closer. I'd like to say my Thanksgiving went fantastically, however we celebrated it On the 12th (Sunday) instead of today. I Love just hanging out with my family, and typically there is always some great family moments. However this thanksgiving was superrr special because as some of you may know. My Boyfriend, Brandon Jamieson, Got Baptized this Sunday.

And other than that, I'm super tired and must enter my Mcdonalds Properties online so that God can bless me with 1,000,000,000 Dollars.

You Should All not play so i have a better chance at winning. Maybe save your properties for me?

CALIFORNIA HERE I COME!!

On October 22, Which is a Wednesday, I will be heading down with Candace, Myself, and three others for a 10 hour road trip to REDDING, CALIFORNIA for the last two days of the OPEN HEAVENS Confrence At Bethel Church. I am So incredibly STOKED. Plus, Right now the temperatures there are between 20 and 40 Degrees Celcius. {Yeah;; it is okay to be envious in this situation.}

That is all.

Madi

Consumed Worship And New Books,

Well.. It's been awhile.
This month has been busy and such with the ongoings off life, work, settling into school work and life. It's been a good month, but i'm glad to have it behind me (for the most part). It's been a month of struggling to actually become motivated for school, as well as readjusting to my dad being home and working two jobs, but now It's settled down and I am ready for the year. Some exciting things sinnce i lasted blogged about before i move on to my current ongoings, cunundrums and thoughts;

My Beloved 1991 Chrysler Dynasty, Pumba, is now insured and on the road. He still needs some work such as lubrication to his belt, a new windsheild, oil change, tune up and upgrades to his stereo and sound systems; But he is driving and he's amazing.

I GOT MY BOOKS. Now none of you have a clue what books, so i'll tell you. I have been waiting since Christmas of last year for the new Key Word Study Bible to be published so that i could buy it, but it didn't come out until August. So I ordered it off Christianbook.com a few days after my birthday, along with the student Bible dictionary and The Message// remix: solo (Devotional) And they Finally CAME! This is a larger than life momentus occassion and let me tell you, the Bible has never been better and I've never had such an amzing devotional. For 9.99 You Too can own this fantasmal 365 (-1) Day Devotional!

So, Moving on. Life is good. Just good. School is trying, Probably mnore cause its my last year and i'm dragging my butt more than anything. Piano Is fabulous, I'm learning so much and it's exciting. Work, Well... Work is amazing. So Good. God has blessed me so much with my new job and it feels really good to not be tight on money, at all and STILL afford my Europe Trip. And To Top ot all off: I, Yes me, Officially get to be apart of COMSUMED 2008 WORSHIP TEAM. HALLELUJAH!! I am so very excited about this; Playing for consumed has been my dream since Consumed 2005 Fall. YAY! So yeah, Bit of an update for you.

Now i'm off to play on the AMAZING church Grand Piano.

Back To Life as I Know It.

Hallelujah! School is in. Mostly everyone knows that this is my favorite time of year, The new books, School supplies, and multitudes of pens and notebooks are the best thing next to Heaven for a girl who lives her life with lists and schedules. Although this past like, 5 days have been rather busy and emotionally roller coaster-ish. I am ready SO for my school! It's pretty hard to believe that this is my last ever year in the crazy-ness we call high school and I'm not sure I'm ready to see it end. I mean, fo'show in has been some of the hardest and .. well most confusing year(s) of my life thus far, but it has also brought such huge amounts of growth and maturity into my life.

I still can remember when I was 11 (not that it was so long ago) and me and my best friend at the time, Chelsey, would talk about how great it would be to be 16, With our drivers licenses, our boyfriends (who would obviously adore us), Our Best friends, and then to graduate. Well, not necessarily in that order or all at once. But now, God has brought me to a point... that I remember so distantly dreaming of. Grade 12 (and Early) Graduating with some of my best friends (y'know who you are) Drivers License, 16, and a Boyfriend (who adores God.. ) and it's amazing.. to say the very least.

Yay for the start of school, and Whoo for the Graduating Class of 09!

Busy Busy Week,,

We All Know How Exciting it is to celebrate a birthday {although it means yes, we are getting older.} All the thoughts such as "Will I feel different?" "Will I look Different?" And ultimately ... "What Am I Going to Get This Year?!" {We are all human.} Flood our minds... && Needless to say, this was my birthday experience.

Most of you know, this past Tuesday was my 16th Birthday. && It was by far the BEST birthday ever. Knowing most of you are curious, Yes I Did Go In And Get My license; And passed with 91% and to top it off I also got to drive our families, VERY large, GMC Yukon. Wahhoo!
My Birthday mainly consisted of the constant showering of Madison with gifts, food, and attention.. I definitely soaked up every minute (it shows on the scale). With an extensive gift list, and the time and preparation my family put into my special day; I've never felt more like a princess.

However my birthday has been only a small section of my week, as enjoyable as it was. This week I was also privileged enough to partake in the celebration of both my daddy and Eric's birthdays, The large (Atlantic) Lobster and steak dinner, My Daddy Coming home safely, My First date with my boyfriend Brandon, Work, and God's FABULOUS Provision... AGAIN!! Some of you may know that I was desperately hoping for an iPod Touch to take with me to Europe;; And I was certainly praying. Sure enough, God and my wonderful boyfriend blessed me with my glorius little friend without a name.
Needless to say, although most of my friends were all at camp getting smothered in God-ness without me, I Still had a pretty darn good week!

Here is a Brief look at my week:

One Year Down; a Reflection.

As my Birthday approaches [Yes, August 26th, feel free to send stuff to my house via anything!] I've really been reflecting on stuff God's shown me and brought me through this past year. All of the hardships, blessings and opportunities that I have been given to grow from Still boggle me.. . Thinking back on all this stuff has really brought my focus back to not only what he has done in the past year, but what he is doing in my life RIGHT NOW. Recently, as some of you may have heard, God's been revealing and proving his faithfulness and provision in my life. Last night I shared my tithe testimony at youth group; But that is only a small piece of this amazing story to date. Last Night I shared that through God's amazing provision, when I tithed, although it meant not being able to afford Tofino surf trip, God provided for me more than I could imagine. Most have heard of my new gig (job), and if you haven't; I have a job..... babysitting for two children at 15 bucks an hour {Which is such a me things it isn't ever funny} . Well, This job.. aside from making more than i thought i ever could babysitting, being able to afford tofino, as well as much needed jeans, shoes and over and above what i needed for school supplies; is absolutely perfect for me, with it's flexibility and very musical (And Artistic!) children. On top of ALL that I have not gone without money. Now, that may not seem exciting for some... but when you're saving to go on a trip, especially one such as this Europe trip, You're pretty much penny pinching the whole way. However God has blessed me a little bit more, and on top of saving, I'm not tight for money. This is such an amazing blessing because, as a teenager in her last year of high school, I don't want to be broke!

Needless to say i've been feeling a great amount of satisfaction in my pocket, but also in my faith. I am not the sort of person to doubt my faith, however we all go through dry spots, and this has swooped me out of my dry-spot completely, and I'm hoping to never go back. After all God's done for me, I don't know how i could.. but I'm prepared.
This is just a small list of Some of the provisions, opportunities and blessings God has given me this past year.

• An opportunity to get ahead in my schooling to graduate a year early.
• An amazing, supportive family (both church and my immediate family) to get through school, work and life.
• An opportunity and blessing to be apart of the church worship team and go up to Gold River.
• The opportunity to be a Student Leader in my youth group to grow and help others grow, as a family.
• Brandon, the Blessing and Opportunity I have to be in a relationship with him. It's both and encouragement and a challenge.
  
• Again, the opportunity to play in my Youth Group worship team, Oh How I Love It!
• The Blessing and opportunity to be able to both afford and attend the Fusion Mexico Missions Trip 08 {Tanning Will Never Be The Same Again}
• Amazing Bosses who are supportive and are willing to work around my Life Schedual and allow me to still attend my Churchh. =]
• My Amazing Church. End Of.
  

This past year has been such a whirl-wind of life, Provision, growth, Dreams, fulfillment, Love, and really figuring out where God wants me. I'm excited to see what this next year holds!

What Is Blogging....

Well; As some of you may know.. Tons of my friends have just started blogging. Now, Normally I'm not one to go along with fads.. but this one is different. I always kind of thought... "Well... Why keep a blog.. No one ever reads them anyways.." But when I got to thinking about it; Blogs are so much more than a tool for yourself. They're a tool for informing, connecting and communicating. So I've Decided to take up this blogging habit, Maybe more for myself than for others, so i can be held accountable in my walk and personal hopes and dreams as well as to let people into the very busy world of well... Me!