Mr. Gus

Ladies and Gentlemen, may i have the great pleasure of introducing you to our living room friend. He was once well behaved and is known to be of the praying sort. To whom he prays or what he preys is yet to be determined, however. I think we shall call him Gus...
Now Gus, here, first came into our living room through the fireplace. I suppose he figured it to be the safest way to enter, knowing that we wouldn't have a fire going in September. He spent his days and nights there and was happy. We were not so sure what to think of our new house guest but couldn't bring ourselves to kick him out just yet. Until.....! It was Labor day and all was well in our living room, but little Mr. Gus was not content in his tiny abode. He apparently needed to explore.

He crept out of our fireplace and up onto the wall. I was busy doing homework and allowed him to wander for a moment. In between homework i was cooking a pasta salad, which required a great deal of my attention. Going in and then back out of the room on multiple occasions. As i was re-entering my living/dining room i set my glass of juice on the table only to see out of the corner of my eye green claws grasping towards me! I, being of the jumpy sort, looked down, realized it was not my imagination and jumped back screaming.
Mr. Gus is not as friendly of a house guest as we had originally thought. I even tried to shake his hand and he threatened to eat me. I do not believe he is the religious type of creature we believed him to be. However, he was rather close to my homework, making me think that he was the intellectual type or perhaps the dog type, either way my homework would get done or i would have a legitimate excuse that my "pet" ate it. After much deliberation, and many threatening looks from our temporary and once harmless house guest, i decided i would release him back to his real home and told him to call next time before he came for a visit.

~Me

The Ramblings In My Head

So, i had a sudden burst of i-want-to-make-crafty-things this week. It involved buttons and some help from my roommate. Some friends of mine had been talking about doing a craft night and buttons were thrown into the mix of possibilities. So i went scouring the internets to see what kind of crafty button ideas i could find and came across quite a few. One of which i loved and decided to test out. It's a button bouquet, which i found here.
I looked for a salt shaker to put mine in as well, but we had an empty vase sitting on our shelf which i thought would add a some color to the ensemble of vases & bottles. Assembling it all didn't take too long, plus i had the help of my roommate, YAY! Here is our finished product... TA-DA!! Note the cute little girl that G.C. made...!

In other news... ok, well maybe it's not news, just more of the ramblings in Josie's head sort of stuff. So last week I went to the palmer home with G.C. and found wonderful things. I love vintage clothes, especially when they fit and are SO adorable. I also found a really cute old ceramic mug, its faded white on the outside and yellow on the inside. Love it.

We had bible study last night for the high school girls. One showed up. I was content with that. I like to see the way HE moves and speaks even among such a small crowd of people. If you're there and you're searching HE will be found. But it's the searching that is required and often so overlooked. We cannot always expect HIM to come to us, we have to meet HIM halfway. The journey and the discovery -- it's what makes my heart glad.

The "J-Birds" as my grandmother likes to call us grandkids, all went out to my parent's house for labor day supper. I LOVE IT WHEN MY MOTHER COOKS, OH MY GOSH! That had to be one of the 10 worst things about moving out...that and dad's banana pancakes -- MmMmMm! Anyway, we had supper and then competition arose over who was better at N64 Bond. I won't give any clues to who dominated or who was better, but fun was had by all...oh yes.

College football season has begun yet again. MSU is crazier than ever and the fans are still just as die-hard, even though you'd think they know better by now. Perhaps it's for the better that they have some good 'ol team spirit still, maybe it's the liberty they have to bring those cowbells back into the stadium that makes it more lively and exciting. Who knows. I got to go to the first game, which we actually won -- woot! I will leave you with these pictures and the piece of information that i am wearing fleece pj pants and a hoodie in September in MS, yes i am kind of hot. Don't judge... i love you too.



~ME

Picture Perfect

Have you ever watched one of those claymation films? Such as Wallace and Gromit or Gumby? They are so intriguing. These people took the time and had the patience to make a whole village of people with buildings galore, animals, and an abundance of plants. What i find even more amazing than these people's craftiness is their willingness and patience; set up the first shot, move it a hair, take next shot, move ever so slightly again, next shot... And the process repeats until you have a half-hour long film or so that probably took weeks, if not months, to make. The process is one of insane dedication, even when something falls over or turns the wrong way, the clay makers continue on with their feat. They can shape and mold their village or group of people into whatever and whomever they desire, add or take away and even re-mold if need be. Claymation people amaze me.

However, HE amazes me more. I am the clay and HE gets to mold me and shape me in any which way HE chooses. Not only that, though, but HE also gets to choose how HE shapes the world around me. The people I meet, the places i live and everything in between, HE gets to shape it all. I don't get a say in that, the people around me, the situations, the world, it is all HIS to make what HE will of it. The only part i can have influence on is myself. If i choose to resist the molder of the clay then i'll probably end up as a mess of mush until i quit being stubborn. If i am never willing to be molded into anything that is past my comfort zone then what good am i to the rest of my clay world? I cannot be a stationary object. Nothing is accomplished when you yourself are unwilling to take a different road or to be molded into something new and beautiful.

How long is it going to take us to see that we are the 'works of HIS hands'? We are absolutely nothing but a glop of mush until he picks us up and begins to slowly shape us into what HE wants us to be. I don't want to be that stubborn piece of clay, i know that.

I just made myself a grilled ham and EXTRA cheese sandwich... it was d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s! Craving -- satisfied. Labor day is coming. This means SHOPPING! Plus no school and no work. Double bonus. I am excited. Also, i am so ready for autumn to arrive in full blast; radiant colors, lovely weather, splendid wardrobe options and all. Boots, scarves and cardigans, yes please!


These are my new favorite shoes. Love at first sight.

~ME

Ze Coffee Iz Good

Feeling the need to update my blog, but i may or may not have anything interesting to say. I'm good at rambling, i know that. So, let's go.

It's been a good week. School on Monday, traffic was insane. Passed a wreck on the way to school. My Western Civ. teacher has a gorgeous voice but he is a bit of a rambler, but maybe that will change as he gets the hang of things. He is new. Also having a class with Delo = supreme delight. Makes me not think about my hunger pains at lunchtime so much because i have someone to chat with. Also because we compete on pop quizzes and bet food. She is bringing me goldfish next class period. ;)

Bible study was on Thursday. Woke up that morning extremely unprepared. HE came and we chatted and i felt better after that. I love it when HE shows up at bible study too. I never know what i'm saying when i'm saying it nor afterwards. It's like i blackout, but not really, which i take to mean that HE is the one doing the talking. This makes me feel SO much better. We also made snowflakes after class. Black ones. In August. Awesome. We also decorated them with glitter. They were to signify how even in our most uncertain and difficult or dark situations we are still supposed to shine and not be so consumed with our own problems. Break out of the pity-party that you've thrown for yourself so as to allow HIM to take over and shine. Plus! snowflakes are all different, just like our circumstances, lives, backgrounds, and situations. Black, glittery snowflakes FTW.

So apparently my friends and i attract cops. Or maybe not. Either way, they find us. Last night we had a surprise party for my little bro at the winery near the campus. It was dark and so we decided to play sardines. Kids + dark + hiding = way fun. However, Fancy winery building + silent alarms = cops getting called. We were all hiding, waiting for the last two people to find us when we see headlights and jokingly say it's the cops. Turns out it was fact. After the cops called all 15+ of us out of our hiding spot and explained to us the deal-eo and left the kids seemed thoroughly impressed with the party. Cops being called = best birthday party ever. It was quite hilarious.

I have City Bagel coffee and it is sooo yummy. Be jealous. My day is looking rather full. Prayer walk, breakfast, work, dinner, movie, yay. Busy is good. Thursday is my day of rest. I love Thursday dearly -- it treats me well.

~ME

"I Shot The Sheriff, But I Did Not Shoot The Deputy...."

Wake up.
Get coffee.
Head to school.
Sit through 3 classes.
Eat lunch at the parent's house.
Head back to my place.
Listen to fun musics.
Get pulled over.
Get a ticket.
Arrive home.
Laugh.

Two words: speed trap. At least the police officer was a pleasant man. He wasn't gruff like some can be. We had a lovely little conversation and then he told me to "slow it down and have a good night" even tho it was 3 o'clock in the afternoon. I told him to do the same...then realized that is his job to say that, not mine, or at least not to him. It's automatic response though. True fact. Well, you live and you learn and sometimes, if necessary, you repeat and learn again. Ticket #2, lesson #whoknows.

Weekend equaled lovely. Grill-out at my place, friends, laughter, booze--wait what!, and apples to apples. Apparently I suck at that game. It's sad when the only card you get is out of sympathy and reads "complicated." I am so special. Also, the boys in our group have a mean appetite...holy smokes. Can we have grill-outs like that more often, yes please? <3

Oh also, my boyfriend got me flowers and they are so lovely. YAY.


I had a giant to-do list for this afternoon, but my ambition and motivation for doing it got swiped after getting that ticket. ha Eh, it can wait till tonight...

~ME

Flickering Light Bulb

Woe is me. Worthy is HE.

I have been studying a lot in the Psalms the past few months, mainly because of the bible study I am leading and firstly because that's where I had been studying even before that came about. In the Psalms David talks a lot on the goodness of God and how much HE has done for him even though David had as many downs as he did ups. David writes about his struggles and then rejoices. David writes about his failures and then praises HIM. David pours out his heart, broken or full, and worships HIM. It's so repetitive yet somehow we fail to see it. We see the brokenness, the pain, the wanting, the waiting and the agony that David experiences. Do we see, however, David's love for God, his joy, or his embrace of the Father's discipline? Do we see God's goodness to David even when he messed up or when he was on the mountain top? God is fully present and constantly teaching us if we'll just learn to focus on what's truly important.

I've realized that over the past few months I have been having a 'woe is me' attitude about life. I feel sad, things aren't going the way I planned, I don't know where to turn next, I feel like such a failure, etc. When the attitude I should have had all along be that of 'worthy is HE.' HE has taken me along this road for a reason, HE has led me through the highs and lows on purpose, HE thinks more of me than I do of myself most days, HIS plan is better and that's the truth. I've started to see that HE likes leading us through rough spots when HE wants us to learn something, otherwise if it were on a smooth path we wouldn't get the point...literally. We have to be wanting HIM and in search of HIM, not an answer to why we're in a rough spot, but wanting to know 'what can I do to glorify YOU while I'm here.'

The speaker at church on Sunday had similar things to say about hard times and God's goodness. He spoke on finding God in the journey and not getting consumed with where you were on that journey. I've learned that's it's good and necessary to be expectant, but it's better to be wanting HIM all the more. If HE is in control and 'has given you everything you need for life and godliness' than we must learn to look no further than HIS loving eyes. HE will lead us down straight paths if we will just learn to hand over the pilot's seat. Easier said than done, I know. It takes discipline and a humble heart, but that's better, perhaps harder, than trying to do it on your own. It never works. Believe me, I've tried.

I suppose then that it is a God-consumed perspective that we must look at life through, otherwise we will most likely trip, fall, and have to go through the learning process again. So, pay attention the first time...

~Me

Tree Hugger

So i'm pretty sure that my new favorite thing in life is my tree. This tree makes me smile and it also kind of makes me want to be a literal tree hugger. It started off as a huge pvc pipe, a cardboard box for the base and cereal boxes cut up for the main limbs. Attach it all together with paper mache and love and you have created what Saucy thought looked like a baobab tree. See Comparison:

vs.

It is not a baobab tree. It is an oak tree. Promise. Anyway, after many much sticky hands due to paper mache it was looking more and more lovely. Jason then had the fabulous idea of getting real sticks from the back yard to make the smaller limbs; GREAT idea. I had run plumb dry on thoughts about how to go about that and it turned out so amazing. It was a very tedious process, but the results were awesome. See for yourself:

So you're probably wondering why on earth i made a tree. I don't make trees usually, as a friend said "isn't it God's job to make trees?" And yes, in fact, it is HIS job. I find it funny however that i made my tree out of paper instead of making paper out of trees. Does that make it a paradox? Anyway, as I was saying, I made this tree for my high school girls bible study class, as a visual aid of sorts. We are studying the Psalms and going through David Crowder's book Praise Habit, which is a great book. Psalm 1:3 says "He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers." And so i had this grand idea, or perhaps HE gave it to me, to make a 3D tree to provide as a reminder. The girls worked on it last night for hours and it turned out AMAZINGLY. Behold -- the tree!!

So, to say the least i am currently very in love with trees at the moment. I want a bumper sticker that says "i love God and i love you...oh and trees too!" But maybe not really, just kind of...

Making this tree with my friends reminded me a lot of how HE shapes and forms us along this journey. We don't start out pretty and we all have different parts that make us who we are, but in the end we turn into a masterpiece if we allow HIM to work and not get in the way. Struggling against the hand of The Craftsman tends to cause more damage than good and slow the progress of creating a work of art. Also, trusting HIM through the storms is easier because you know you're rooted in HIM, because you know you will stay firm and immovable. I think HE is so awesome and i like HIM for making trees and many much more things.

So, I went to go see Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World and may i say it was SO good. I was thoroughly impressed with the music, the acting and the way they pulled stories together. It was very entertaining and there was never really a dull moment. I think i may have to buy this one when it comes out. Also, I want hair like the main chicks -- except pink.

P.S.

I didn't start out on this journey with a backup plan. I knew where i was headed, i knew exactly what i was going to do and i had a pretty good idea of how i was going to get there. However, one bump came, i rode over it, but what i didn't see was the huge mountain that was waiting around the curve. Nothing has ever pounded me so hard in the face as this has. This one mountain is keeping me from my goals, it's keeping me from reaching my destination and causing me to fret and become disoriented along the way. Perhaps, though, my problem isn't that silly mountain, but instead it is myself. Perhaps i have the ability to move that mountain or even to step over it, but i do nothing about it. I keep expecting that mountain to move on it's own, to get up and walk off my path and set itself down in a field far away. That silly mountain wasn't in my plan, it wasn't part of my journey, or so i believed. Perhaps that mountain is there, not to keep me from reaching my destination but to teach me a lesson on this side, a lesson that i couldn't learn if i were to hastily cross its peak. I like to know the reasons behind things, tell me why this works and how and for what purpose, then i will understand more fully. But here i am, in the dark and in the waiting, left to figure out what to do with this huge mountain at my doorstep.


My sister and i drove back from Nashville today. We drove by the home of the eleventh president and stopped to look and take pictures. Yet another good reason why i dislike taking the highways or interstates; spontaneous stops! Also, i am a fan of road trips. Fun people, good music and a friendly gps. Yes, ma'am! Please can i go on more? Kthanks.

~Me