Small town summer.

What a summer at home looks like to me.  

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Where Do You Find God?

Laura at Along for the Ride has this wonderful link up [where do you find God]

Everyday we find and experience God in some of the most unlikely places. 

Each year I find God in Montgomery, AL
in the eyes of children. 

Our church along with a few others, partner with the Community of H.O.P.E church in Montgomery, AL.
H.O.P.E.= Helping Others Prepare for Eternity.

Our trips send us to one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the state.
I don't know if anyone has ever been to South Alabama in late July but let's just say 

I've seen the devil walk around sweating.

Heat index of 110, 100% humidity

we pile off the buses at 8:00am and start planning for the day.

we are greeted by open arms

after several years of going we have bonded with the community 

and have been given protection, so to speak

In the past we have faced adversity from adults in the area.

They do not like for us to speak to the teenage boys,
because many are at an age whether they either have to break away and
choose a new life or join a gang to "survive"
we are providing HOPE for these boys and showing them another way
On my first trip we sent the guys from our Youth group to go start a game of basketball.
That afternoon they came running up shouting "We Won FIVE!"
We thought they meant games,
We were wrong.
They WON FIVE lives.
Five young men gave their lives to Christ that day.
In a gym, during a water break on a Thursday afternoon.

quickly the whole community saw that we were there to share love

we help by providing groceries, clothing, and ministering to the children and all adults that will come around.

and the highlight of the trip is always on Saturday.

We hand out backpacks, lots of backpacks

Full of school supplies. 

Some of these children have never started school with a backpack,
much less one that is full of school supplies
they protect the crayons, paper, and pencils as if they are precious gems,
because to those children they are.

 We also hand out Bibles to anyone that wants one. 
Usually we try to use it as an opportunity to read the Bible with them as well.
Once I sent a Bible home with a child, and he carried it with him the entire time we were there.
He said it was the only book they had at home, and his mom had been reading it to at night, 

and his older brother wanted one too!
His older brother's name was Titus, 

He read the book of Titus.
Can you imagine reading the Bible for the first time and seeing this:
^"4 To Titus, my true son in our common faith:
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior"
- Titus 1:4

We know when we read the Bible, God is speaking to us.
But can you imagine actually seeing your name, I think I would take it to heart even more. 

I know in other countries/ areas people are in greater need. 

But any ministry that adds to God's Kingdom is equally important. 

It breaks our hearts when we pull away on Saturday.
We have kids climb on the vans and chase us down the street. 

Its a 4 hour drive home and its the most somber 4 hours ever.

Imagine two van loads of normally energetic youth, in silence

We find God when we look in their eyes,
when we share our testimonies,
when we hear the stories of salvation

when we lead someone to Christ.
We keep in close contact with many of the other mission team members, and area churches
we really find God when we receive updates of new church memberships,
baptisms, 

and the continued outreach that is occurring in a community that we have grown to love,
support, and defend as if it was our own.

Why? because when we are there they become part of Our family. 

'When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
- Matthew 9: 36-38

Love, Drugs, and the Music City- Richelle

When I saw that Kelly was doing SYUL-Singles, I just knew I had to tell everyone about my lifelong best friend Richelle.
She is 23 originally from Northeast Alabama and currently lives in Nashville, TN.  Richelle is a pharmacy student at Belmont University. I do not want my poor writing to take away from her awesomeness so I will just give a list of all her greatness.

-extremely clever

-college boy sense of humor

-loves all things Auburn!

- big family, and loves them all!

-loyal to a fault

-intellegent

-she could easily be a history professor

-has the BEST sense of direction, honestly she is better than a GPS

- can talk sports like a man

- completely confident, not a touch of cocky

-always helping others
-great planner

-never stops smiling

the most important ideas to take away about Richelle are: she is a kind hearted, true Southern belle, who is waiting for an amazing man to be part of her life.  A man with goals, dreams, and ambition to watch football with on Saturday, and laugh with all week long. 

For more info or to contact email me {wpbarrentine at gmail.com}

The Simple Things

I just love the link up Jesslyn Amber has going on every Thursday.The Simple Things.after this week I needed a reminder of all the Simple Things I love.

-The way Bama fights for attention over the computer, phone, other people.- little kids at VBS praising God and singing out loud with their sweet little voices.
- not feeling guilty for having an off day.
- rockstar Lexie, she now plays guitar and harmonica all with stage effects.
picture a 2 year old kicking, jumping, spinning, and head banging.- everything Lexie says these days, she is at such a funny age.
- going to the movies during the day with my two favorite babies.- Cars 2- knowing I will see Scotty in less than two weeks- fireworks stands- afternoon storms that roll on by. - the quiet peace of a summer afternoon- tomatoe sandwiches and sweet tea on the front porch listening to the wind chimes.- the smell of the neighbor's pipe tobacco that he has smoked for 60 years -old people in love.

#27 Class Reunion

It is finished.
Yes Over.

Don't get me wrong a class reunion is all fine and dandy.

See I have gained roughly 35 lbs since graduation.

And I really alienated myself from the majority of people I graduated with.

So I will be sharing no pictures from the glorious event.

I will say that it went well. We ate, we talked, we laughed.

We will all do it again in 5 years. 

#40 The Airport :)

The first time I ever flew was in 2008. 
Flying/Traveling with the Brown's is a bit nerve wracking.
Mom Brown is always in charge of passports, boarding passes, ids, where to go, what time, etc.

Well I'm a fairly independent one and not to fond of that.  Its a bit stressful to have to stop and hand everything out then get it back 10 times every trip and ask everyone if they have all their stuff every 5 minutes. It works for them, but not for me.

So I vowed that I would not make traveling so stressful.  So by now I have flown several times. 

Going back and forth between Alabama and South Carolina, it just made more sense for me to fly.  

Problem is I have to fly out of Atlanta. Like the big airport.

But I survived ALONE. I now have two solo round trip flights under my belt and proud of it.

Knocking out the 101 in 1001! #88

Okay so I may  not be exactly knocking it out.

BUT I am making some leeway. 

#88- Cooking at least weekly for Scotty.
Are you kidding I am cooking EVERYDAY for that boy, atleast when I am in S.C. 

Lunch is ready and on the table everyday when he walks in at lunch.
Supper is if we eat early, but if we have other things to do when he gets home,
We cook together... Loving it. 

I really want to start cooking more.
We are both picky eater, him more so than me.
I am trying to make healthier meals and help us to enjoy them.
I am gradually making smaller and smaller portions, until they are actually the appropriate size.
**Excuse the bad phone quality pictures**

 

Coming Home should include Valium

Let it be known that I typd this entire post on my phone as the events occured yesterday.  upon arriving at home I hit publish and it disappeared.

:/

It was much funnier when I was compiling this as it happened.
The emotion was raw and I was highy aggitated.

We've all seen Meet the Fockers

Well my parents are the Fockers. I am Greg/Gaylord or Whitney/Paige if we've formally met.

I have spent the majority of my life trying to convince myself and others that I am in fact adopted.

or raised by wolves.

My parents dance to the beat of a different drum. 

Don't get me wrong I LOVE my parents, and they are fantastic in their own ways but they are so ...... I don't think there is a word for it.

They live in their own world. Just a brief rundown of what happened yesterday.

I have like 5 frantic calls and texts from my mother at 1:00 pm.

Mom- "Where is your car battery?"

Me- I hope its in my car and why do you need to know?

Mom- Welllll I MAY have not turned your car all the way off this morning at work, and the battery seems to be dead.

Me- You MAY have?

Mom- Yeah I think I did.

Me- So you left my car "not exactly off" with the keys in it and the doors unlocked all day at work?

Mom- Looks like it.

*sidenote* this call takes place at 1:00pm my parents were supposed to leave at 2 to come pick me up from the airport. There are no jumper cables around at this point*

Me- Well my battery is in the back under the spare tire and stuff but I have a lot of boxes and school stuff back there, so you can just pop the hood and on either side of the engine there are remote poles you can attach the jumper cables to and it works just the same

Mom-  *dead silence*

Me- Mom??   I then realize she had hung up on me.

 She finally calls me back to inform me that she dropped her phone while emptying the back of my car out to get to the battery.

:) Again obviously I was raised by wolves.

Once that is taken care of I lug my 40.2 lb suitcase down 3 flights of stairs to catch a cab to the airport.

I have never ridden in a cab alone.  I've never paid and I've never spoken.  Lucky me got a chatty cab driver. A Vietnam Vet who discusss politics.  I have complete and utter respect for anyone who served their country but had no clue about anything he said. So I just smiled and nodded the whole way.

I am used to flying out of Atlanta, Nashville and large airports. Myrtle Beach has 10 gates and is the size of Wal Mart. Needless to say I was there 2 hours before my flight because I am ALWAYS at the airport 2 hours before my flight. (haha not really, funny story for later on that one)  Well I checked in, made it through security, and seated at the gate 1 hour and 45 minutes before my flight..... GREAT.

The Wal Mart airport I was flying out of had one store and that was it. So I read.... finished one book and started another..... Its 10 minutes until my flight departs and my plane still isn't there then I hear that dreaded announcement "Flight 403 with service to Atlanta has been delayed." GREAT.

It was only delayed an hour but My pops was almost to Atlanta at that point to pick me up. He gets lost everywhere he goes,  he travels with 2 GpSs and STILL gets lost everywhere he goes.

My flight finally leaves an hour and a half late and we fly through a terribe thunderstorm.  It looks like there is a strobe light on the plane as we touched down in Atlanta.

I finally get to the car and we get out of airport traffic and stop to get a drink.  I press the remote to lock my car and *nothing*

Pop- "Oh yeah your key thing quit working."

In February I spent $80 getting a new remote and getting it programmed. How did they break it already???

We finally get on the road to home.  He stops at every light red or green. We missed 3 exits.  All in downtown Atlanta. Oh and we were probally going 45mph at tops. GREAT

So we finally get within an hour of home and BOOM. We hit a deer. Yes like Bambi.  First thing my dad does is go check on the deer .
The deer that is in the middle of the road.

At night.

No streetlights.

No flashlights.

Oncoming traffic.

and of course a car comes flying up I am honking the horn and screaming bloody murder for my dad to get out of the road. 

My dad has had numerous back surgeries and walks like a toddler.

So after my small heart attack that occured as I watched that car fly by I hop out to assess the damage.

The deer is still alive and suffering and I have no way to put it out of its misery.

so I cry because me crying will some how help this little deer.

The next car finished off the deer and Im glad he didn't have to lay there and suffer anymore.....

My car is still suffering.

She is missing a headlight.

Half of a bumper

Half of a fender

and the hood is sitting side saddle.

But completely driveable if you take away the fact that the remainder of the fender was scrubbing on my brand new $600 tires. 

So we drove on home and hit a monsoon!

It has not rained here is like 5 weeks but I would bet it rained 3 inches while I was trying to drive down the mountain with my one headlight and scrubbing tires.

But  I made it home alive.

Where's my valium.

Stuff like this happens EVERYTIME I come home.

What I dislike about flying Alone

I'm a squirmer. To others I probably look diseased because I cannot sit still. But if its someone I know they realize its just my constant over caffenation.

I like comfort. 
I'm glad some folks can travel fashionably but I am not one of them
I prefer Mortality and Rainbows. Today I am also rocking a lovely Brad Paisley concert tee. Usually my travel partners look equally as sloppy as I.

I like to have someone with me so I can justify buying the $5 economy sized bag of M&Ms.

Magazine / book trades and discussions are also much mote insightful when they occur with someone other than an imaginary friend.

I'm a talker but completely and utterly incapable of making small talk with strangers so I am the one who gets caught awkwardly staring without realizing that I am doing it.

Carrying my own luggage is a struggle. I am pint sized and incapable of putting things in the overhead bin. Today I had to carry my 40lbs of checked baggage down 3 flights of stairs. Not a glorious moment.

I should not be permitted to travel alone I am a hazard to myself and others.

WILW

 

well well well.

First of all I am LOVING the Meet and Greet Link up at little bit of this and that.

She always has the cutest ideas.

I am LOVING that I am back in the blog world after my hiatus.

I really haven't been THAT busy but since I only see Scotty once a month

I like to be with him when I am here, not camped out with the laptop.

I am LOVING that our friends Ben & Kelly are moving to Charleston!

We have been all alone in SC and now we have friends nearby

if 1.5 hours away counts as nearby.  They came for a visit over the weekend and

we had a ball. Relaxing on the beach, hanging out and laughing.

I think I had forgotten how Lonely it is here sometimes.

I am LOVING that I will get to be with my  little man this afternoon.

He may have forgotten who I am by now. I've been gone for two weeks. 

I am LOVING that I get to see all my Girls this weekend.

Erica is getting married next Saturday so we have lots of wedding festivities this week.

I am Hating Loving that my 5 year class reunion is Saturday.

No one has a 5 year, I know.

We are just having a small BBQ. I really am excited to see everyone.

I am LOVING that VBS kicks off Monday.

I will be teaching the 7th-12th graders........:)

Big Prayers Needed.

I am LOVING a lot today. 

God is Good.

:)

Meet and Greet Link Up

I love this idea. Making friends in the Blog World is so exciting to me. 
Honestly I started blogging because I wanted to remember this time in my life for something other than the most stressful time either. 
I am terrible at opening up to others and hope that I can continue to open up more and more.

The Mr. recently took a job in South Carolina, so I bounce back and forth from there here to Alabama
frequently.  Not sure if I am coming or going most days so I like to blog to keep in touch with the friends I may not get to talk to as much as I would like.

The Mr. and I the night he purposed almost 1 year ago:

Looking like drowned rats.
Our Proposal

Other "Get a Good Picture of Me" Posts:

God-will-stop-you-in-your-tracks

ABC's of Me

Home is the place you just left

God-and-his-silly-sense-of-humor.html 

Okay so I don't have many popular posts...... 1 of my 3 readers is my best friend so she already knows all this.

The search term that linked to my blog the most was "Preston Dial Butt Alabama Football"
I find that both odd and completely hilarious. 

Oh I am Alive

I lived through my cruise.
Nothing will make you feel old and yucky faster than
being on a cruise with a bunch of Senior Trippers. 
The 18 year old kind, not the 80 year old kind.
Yeh it was sort of a bummer.
It was little Sis and me the whole time, so I had to pretend to be 17.
Not cool, could hang out with the Senior Trippers 17,
but awkward run down the hall knocking on doors,
prank calling
drawing on people
acting like I am 7
THAT kind of 17.
Yeesh, give me a break.