Long time, No post.

So...it's been a while. I don't have any cool excuses like school or vacation or anything like that. I just didn't have much to write about.
Justin just got done cutting Jack's hair. It's crazy how much hair a 2.5 pound dog can have. Lately I have just been working and going to church. That's about all there is to do.

We have been in our new church for about a month now. I love it! With the new building, I decided it was time for some new beginnings, so Justin and I joined an adult bible fellowship class for marrieds-30. It has really opened my eyes to the bible and how it can really help in any situation. On Sunday, my heart was humbled when Mike taught us about how it isn't always about us. I know, I should have known this already, right? Well, I did, but my heart really ached when I realized what I could be doing to be more Christian like in society and in church. There is a woman in our class who is really inspiring. She is going through a really rough time trying to get her husband imported here legally from Columbia. There is a strong possiblity that he could be forced to go back to Columbia for 10 years to finish the process. This is something that I will never have to go through so I can't really imagine what she is going through, but I do know that I couldn't spend 10 years away from Justin. He is what brightens my day when I am having a bad one. 10 years of bad days would kill me! Anyway, to continue my story...we all gathered around her to pray for her.. two people prayed aloud and then she prayed. But when she prayed, she didn't lift up her own prayer requests, she lifted us up as her spiritual family, she prayed for the staff at church, she prayed for us in the class that all of our requests were answered. Wow...talk about taking the focus off of oneself. She really inspired me.

So now I have this "church camp attitude" but I plan for it to stay for a lifetime.

Thanks for reading!
Meg

Customer Service.

Begin rant.

The guy that is getting so much publicity because he freaked out on a loud speaker and jumped out of a parked plane with two beers.....is an idiot. I've seen him referred to as hero, a guy who just had a melt down, etc. Why is this guy a hero?? Because he stood up for himself? No, standing up for yourself would have been "I'm sorry ma'am or sir, let me help you" not cussing the customer out over a loudspeaker. Ugh. The people who think he is a hero don't take customer service very seriously. I have worked in customer service for a little more than 6 years now, and I know that no matter what your home life is like or what a customer says to you, you slap a smile on your face and do your job. Later, when you are alone, you let off some steam. Or if you are me, you call your best friend or husband and vent until you can't vent anymore.
This guy should have never been in customer service if he couldn't handle a little remark from a grouchy passenger...if that was even the case. Give me a break. I know that being a flight attendant isn't that glorious and you probably don't get treated like you deserve most of the time, but you suck it up and do your job with a big smile on your face. No customer is worth getting fired over.
There are people who are meant to work in customer service and people who aren't. This guy is one of those people who was not meant to work in customer service.

If you can't handle the heat, then get out of the kitchen.

End rant.
Thanks for reading!
Meg

Homosexuality vs Heterosexuality.

I don't usually post two blogs in the same week. But I have read a few things this morning that sparked my interest. I always get on a celebrity magazine website and see what Hollywoods problems are today. An article was posted yesterday about Portia de Rossi and Ellen Degeneres. They have been married for two years and Portia is taking Ellen's last name. Many comments were posted saying "congratulations!" and "I'm so happy for them!" Don't get me wrong, I love Ellen Degeneres! She's hilarious and very entertaining. However, I do not agree with her lifestyle. Hate the sin, not the sinner, right? Many brave people commented on that article talking about how the Bible states that this lifestyle is not appropriate (for lack of better words). It bothers me that the people who get on there saying "congrats" and "I'm happy for them" think that they are righteous for accepting the gay/lesbian lifestyle and then when someone else gets on there and states a different opinion, they are ridiculed and said to be "close-minded" and "judgemental". There is a thin line drawn between truth and judgement these days and that really bothers me. Just because someone states the truth, they are being judgemental. The truth, according to the Word, is that an appropriate marriage is between a man and a woman. Anybody can sit and say, "Yah, but who was the Bible written by? Man--who are sinners." Yah, but the New Testiment is a series of speeches and stories by Jesus himself and about Jesus when he was alive. So if I sit down and write a book about my father, and someone reads it thousands of years later, does that mean it isn't true?
I don't want anyone to think I am a judgemental person, because I'm not. Some people will sit and read this blog and say, "yah but you sin, what makes you so different from Ellen and her wife?" The difference is that I admit that I am a sinner, I asked God to forgive me, I know that I will spend an eternity in Heaven celebrating with Jesus! Ellen and Portia, I'm sure are GREAT people, but if they don't recognize their sin and recognize that Jesus is our savior, then they will live a happy life on Earth, unfortunately, they will not spend eternity in Heaven. There is only one other option.
Sad, but true.
Just remember, there is more evidence that Jesus Christ was alive and that he was God than the fact that George Washington was alive.
Christs tomb is empty.

Thanks for reading!
Meg

Life.

Nothing crazy has happened lately. Which is good! I am really content with life right now, which I love. This last week, part of the Downs family came into town to spend their yearly week on Beaver Lake. I love them! We got to hang out with them last weekend and this past Saturday. They are always a blast! I also got to hang out with Miss Laura (our cell group leader from High School). She took us out on the boat and we floated around for a while and then went tubing. It was a blast! She is so much fun to hang out with.
We also had our first service at our new church location yesterday. It was really different but really nice! I welcome change with open arms. Pastor Wes preached about Destiny and about Moses and his destiny. I am a nerd so I like to compare things to movies to put it all in better perspective for me. I realized that Moses' story is reflected in the movie "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time". You can think I am a big nerd, but it's pretty much the same story. Boy is adopted by a King (or in Moses case, Pharoh), it is boy's destiny to help save the world. POP is a great movie--it also helps that my favorite actor plays the lead :0).
Last week, Justin and I rescued a puppy. It was completely on a whim but I am so glad we did it. I recieved an email at work about how there was a 7 week old Welsh Corgi that was partially blind and was scheduled to be put down if a home wasn't found. Well this little puppy found a home with Justin and me. His name is Chance and he is the laziest/funniest/sleepiest dog ever and the best part is that he gets along with Captain Jack great!
So there is a look into my life lately. Nothing too exciting.

Thanks for reading!
Meg

Love.

If you have been on facebook this morning, then you already got a glimpse into how this really bugs me...
A little over a year ago, I stood in front of many people and vowed to my husband that I would be there until death do us part. Is there something wrong with that? According to Cameron Diaz...my vows are "bullsh**". I recently read an article where she said, "Who would want to be with the same person for 80 years? Why not break it up a bit?" (By the way, you can read this article on usmagazine.com)
Um...I would LOVE to be with my husband for 80 years. When I was "dating around", if that's what you want to call it, I was on a mission to find a soul mate. Why waste your time just dating for the rest of your life? When I found Justin, no one else and nothing else mattered except that he was happy and I was happy and I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with this one, amazing person! Yes, he frustrates me and yes we fight and argue...but that doesn't take away the love that I have for him! Marriage means fighting for him when he's sick and when people don't treat him right. Marriage means loving him even though he has flaws. Marriage means commitment.
Later in the article she states, "Have someone for 5 years and another person for another 5 years..." To me, she is saying, "find someone, lead them on, toy with their emotions a bit, and then leave them." After 5 years, you get attached to that person, you believe that person loves you and cares about you, and if they leave, you feel like you never even knew that person. I've seen it happen and it's heartbreaking! If I were to live until I was 70 years old and started sleeping with people when I was 16 years old and only stayed with one person for 5 years at a time I will have been with about 11 people. In 2009, there were approximately 464,623 people in NWA. The statistics show that 9 males per 100,000 have syphillis. If I were to sleep with my 11 people, there is a pretty good chance that I could get syphillis. Yes, Cameron Diaz, these statistics make me want to sleep with a new person every 5 years.

Apparently people don't understand how sacred marriage and those vows that you take during the ceremony are. I know that I am young and most people would think that I am naive, but I really think that if you promise someone that you love them and that you want to be with them forever, you should honor that promise.
Apparently morality isn't a priority anymore.

Thanks for reading,
Meg

New Beginnings.

So...about a week and a half ago, Angela and I started working out. That Saturday we decided that we were gonna workout everyday of the week, Monday thru Friday. Well, we worked out Saturday and Monday and then we both got busy. So, yesterday marked our first day of a gruesome workout schedule. Holy cow, am I sore! Anyways, I didn't get on blogger today to complain about how sore I am from working out. I got on here to address the fact that I know I am thin. I have always been thin and I think being active in sports really kept me as thin as I am. So here I am now, 21 and married. My job consists of me sitting on my butt for about 4 hours, going to lunch to eat a fatty meal with a coke, and sitting on my butt for about 4 more hours. 10 more years of this will definitely start showing on my physique...it already has. So when people come to me and tell me I don't need to workout, I could sit and argue with them for hours about how I am not happy with my body and how even the thinnest of people need to stay fit to stay healthy. So, I beg that people just leave me alone so that I don't have to feel guilty for being happy with the way I look.

On to another note. This last weekend, Justin and I took the 5 hour drive to Wichita, Kansas. I lived in Wichita several years ago and was devastated when mom told us we were moving. I have now lived in NWA for 10 years...and love it! It's probably the best thing that has ever happened to my family and I. Well last weekend, I decided it's probably time to go back and visit a whole different side of the family--my biological dad and his family. Well, we stayed with my Aunt and Uncle who we have been in touch with since last summer and they are so great! They were so welcoming and my aunt even cooked us breakfast which apparently she never does. :) Anyway--I have not seen my father in 5 years. Wow. It was time that Justin met the other half of my creation. Obviously, since I hadn't seen him in 5 years, visiting him was not at the top of my priority list...needless to say, I was a little nervous about this encounter. In the end, all was well and everyone got along...one big, happy family! It made me so happy because now I am comfortable enough to visit more often. Even though my dad and I had a spurt where we weren't talking, and with reason, it's never good to not communicate because you never nkow what could happen, right? And I can't give my Aunt and Uncle and cousins enough credit for their hospitality and open arms and I can't wait to see them again! So--here's to a new and happy beginning!

Meg

Blessings.

I recieved an email the other day that filled me with conviction.
The email was titled "What happens in Heaven when we pray?"
The email went on to explain that there are three working groups in Heaven. The first group is full of many Angels who work by recieving the prayers to God and sorting them. The second group is full of many Angels, again, who work by delivering blessings to those who asked. The third group is just one Angel and this section of work is called the Acknowledgment section. This is the Angel that recieves the thanks from those who recieved the blessings they asked for. There is only one Angel in this section because not many people send proper thanks for those blessings that they recieve.

Wow! It got me thinking. I pray everyday for my loving husband, my great friends, and the best family anyone could ask for. I often forget to send my thanks to the Lord for the apartment I live in, the job that I have, the clothes on my back, the food that I get to eat, the clean water that I drink everyday, the ability to read and write as a result of a good education, the freedom to say what I want and to read my Bible in public, the TWO cars that my husband and I have, the T.V. with cable that I have in my apartment, etc. I could go on all day about the things I am blessed with, so why don't I? Because I am a selfish human being that doesn't know how to appreciate anything because I am a sinful being.

This is one of the many things that I need to work on in my life. Conviction is a very humbling feeling that I am grateful for because now I can grow in my crawl with God.

Another point. I call it a crawl with God because I went to church with Angela on Saturday and her pastor, Andy, described it as a crawl because that is exactly what it is. Walking indicates quick, easy movement toward a goal. I would describe crawling as difficult and slow which is exactly what growing as a Christian is and always will be. Trusting completely in God is not easy and building a relationship with Him is even harder.

Thanks for reading,
Meg