Thursday Thirteen

Since everyone has done this one, I guess I might as well do it too! Here are thirteen things that you might not know about me.

1. I used to play the cello. Then I gave it up to be in the color guard. Then I gave that up to do summer missions. I am not a quitter, I promise.

2. When I was ten years old, I felt that God wanted me to be a missionary.

3. I had to have my birthmark removed from the left side of my face when I was very little because they didn't like the way it looked. I think they called it "precancerous" or something like that.

4. I didn't get that creative gene that my mother or my sister have. I think I got the uncreative gene. Is that possible?

5. I am really, really bad at making decisions. I can "think" something to death. I can try to make a decision and then I think about it too much, and I change my mind and then I think about it more...and it is an endless cycle. I am currently trying to make one major decision and I am a little frustrated.

6. I like being a twin. People always ask me what it's like to have a twin, but I guess don't know what it's like to NOT have a twin. We were so close when we were younger. Momma said we had our own language and we were into everything. And from the stories I've heard, I don't think we made life easy for anyone.

7. I am horrible at keeping in touch. I have met so many wonderful and amazing people in my life, and I stink at trying to keep in touch. It's not like I forget about people (I think about you all of the time!) I just can't seem to remember to send a letter, email, or call. I will work on that.

8. I like my eyes. They change color though. Some days they look blue, some days green, and others they look gray.

9. My husband and I started talking online. Yes, we went to high school together and had Geometry class together when I was in 9th grade and he was in 10th grade. But we didn't start dating until my senior year and he was already at Anderson. He IMed me one night to talk to me, and we met at the football game later that week, and have been together ever since then. I guess you could say we are one of those internet couples.

10. One day when I have the money and the time, I would like to have cello lessons again.

11. I am a hopeless romantic. I love sappy love songs, sweet stories, and all of that mushy-gushy stuff.

12. Twelve is my favorite number. It was Brad's baseball number, and the date that our anniversary falls on. (November 12th was the first date that Brad and I went on, after the football game, of course.)

13. I am learning to "like" myself. This is something that I have struggled with for a long time. Whether my eyes are blue or green, or whether I am creative or not--I am a daughter of the King. He made me in His image. I am trying accept myself how He made me, and not be who I think others want me to be.

Two of the world's best combinations...

Chocolate + Mint = Yummy

Red + Pocketbook = SUPER Fabulous

Who am I kidding? I LOVE anything RED!!

And well, Andy's Mints are just the best!

Why am I sharing this random little tid-bit? Well, it just so happens that MY husband is the best husband in the WORLD! He had to run to Target tonight to pick up another pack of highlighters (yes, I did just say highlighters...evidently he can't study without them) and he came home with not one, but two sweet gifts for me! I remember a couple of weeks ago when I casually pointed out that super fabulous pocketbook to him. I think I said something like "Ooh, that would make a cute surprise for someone special!" I noticed the other day that they didn't have it anymore. But leave it up to my precious Bradley to find it for me! I guess he thinks I am special. Wow, I love that man to the moon and back!

Thanks sweetie, you're the best! I love you!

Guess What...

Guess who came to my house this weekend?

At first, she was a little was shy, and basically didn't remember her Auntie Lib or Uncle Brad.

Then Uncle Brad made her laugh, and she started to warm up to us again.

If you look closely, you can see those bottom teeth!

Here she is posing for a few pictures before church.




She had fun playing in the bathtub.

She is pretty cute, but she is 100% Brock!

She also gave Uncle Brad some good lovin'.

We had so much fun, but we were so very sad to have to send them back to SC!

You know you are in seminary when...

For those of you back in good ole D-L-W, you will probably understand when I say that the shopping here in Raleigh, NC is like a culture shock compared to the shopping at little Westgate Mall. So this weekend, as Brad and I went browsing around the mall with our new friends, here is part of our conversation that made strangers turn their head and stare...

Libby: Wow! This store is like modern-day Babylon.

Brad: You better be like Daniel. Lets get out of here!

Jesus Rearrange

I think I have sat down at least four or five times and tried to find a cute and funny way to explain why I haven't posted in over a month but I kept failing miserably. I seriously had computer issues. I also had problems with the internet, and there are other excuses too. For example, exhaustion. I have been tired. I am sure many of you mothers probably just giggled, and thought to yourself, what does she have to be tired about, she doesn't even have kids! But seriously, there was one morning recently, when I was so tired, that I mistakenly used fingernail polish remover (with acetone!) as my facial toner/astringent stuff. Yes, I soaked my cotton ball in with the polish remover and applied it to my face. It burned like crazy, but luckily my skin hasn't fallen off, yet. And among other reasons, I kind of got hung up on the fact that January had come and gone, and I still had to update everyone on December.

More importantly, I kept feeling that there was something more significant than just geocashing and weight watchers that I wanted to tell everyone. Of course, I wasn't sure what that was, but I knew that I was not happy with anything that I was writing. Until the other day when God began to lay something on my heart. For those of you who don't know, I travel for my job. There are some days when I drive two hundred miles, so I really listen to the radio a lot! There are a few radio stations that I switch back and forth from. Over the course of a week, regardless of what station I was listening to, this song kept playing over and over and began to definitely pull at my heart strings.

*Another thing that you might not know about me is that I tend to totally jumble up the lyrics to a song. For example, this particular song sticks out in my mind when I was growing up. "If you don't know me by now" by Harold Melvin. I don't know why I remember this, I just do. BUT, I use to think that the words were: "If you don't know my by *nine*, you will never, never know me." I used to think, why is that man putting a time limit on that girl getting to know him?*

ANYWAY, I told you that, to tell you this. I kept missunderstanding the lyrics to this song that I had been hearing over and over. I bet you know the song! Here are a little bit of the lyrics:

But instead I draw closer through these times

So I pray

Bring me joy, bring me peace

Bring the chance to be free

Bring me anything that brings You glory

And I know there'll be days

When this life brings me pain

But if that's what it takes to praise You

Jesus, bring the rain

It seems pretty difficult to mess up something like that, right? Leave it up to me. However, it wasn't until I heard the DJ announce the title of the song that I realized I was getting it wrong. The title of the song is Jesus, Bring the Rain. Guess what I was belting to the top of my lungs as I was singing..."Jesus, rearrange."

Now, I will be completely honest with you. (I promise I will get to a point eventually.) It hasn't been easy since we moved. I half-way expected things to fall into place and for everthing to be just dandy when we got settled in here at the villiage. But it hasn't. Things haven't been easy or dandy. There have been some tough days. But I think it took a little rearranging for me to see that it isn't supposed to be easy.

It seems kinda silly when I look back at my mistake, but I think God was using my mistake to speak to me. For a long time, my prayer has been for joy and peace, a lot like the lyrics to the song. But as I was riding down the road singing the wrong words, here is what I realized God was trying to tell me. This is exactly what I need to lift up to God as my prayer. Rearrange! Rearrange my life, rearrange my dreams, my ambitions, my desires, my everything. Jesus, rearrange if that's what it takes to praise You.

When we lived in Lyman, we were comfortable. We had the perfect little house with our good jobs and we had our routine. It took God totally rearranging my life for me to completely rely on Him though. I know there will be days when this life brings me pain, but if that's what it takes to bring God glory, then I want Jesus to rearrange! This little revelation from God didn't happen yesterday, or even last week. It has taken me a while to realize this is what I need to share with you though. I might eventually show you some pictures from our geocaching adventure, and tell you that I have lost 12 pounds from Weight Watchers, but right now I want to challenge you to ask God to rearrange your life. I couldn't imagine what my life would be like if I was still in Lyman. I miss it terribly. But I would have never experienced the blessings and lessons learned if we hadn't obeyed Him, and given Him the opportunity to rearrange.

I am sure that there will be more days to come that won't be easy, but that is ok. I look forward to what comes after the rain. I really appreciate everyone's concern about what's been going on in our lives the past couple of weeks. I feel like I fell of the face of the earth for a while, but God was just doing a little rearranging. I hope I didn't seem too gloomy, but I wanted to be honest and real with you. I will try to keep everyone updated more often. Until next time, keep us in your prayers!