Another year has come and gone. I think for sure that this has been the fastest year in my whole life. I can't believe it. Anyway, at the end of last year I made a blog. I wanted to be able to post at least once a week. That was my goal. Well, I have failed. I started off strong, and then I just dropped it completely. I started getting really busy with school, a new job, and a new house. BUT! I did post my first post on here as a recap of what happened to me throughout that year. I want to do that again this year. I like to keep tabs on the things that have happened in my life from year to year. So...here it goes. My life. 2012. Major points.
1. Multiple friends had new babies! Baby Cameron, Baby Brynleigh, Baby Rylin, etc
2. I turned 21!
3. I went to Vegas over Spring Break!
4. I lost 3 of my senses for months at a time. I could not smell, taste, or hear for a while. SO not fun, but memorable.
5. I fell away from a few friends. Not on purpose, we just all have different lives and sometimes even though you TRY to keep things on a good path, they stray. It takes two to keep the relationship, not just one.
6. I made awesome NEW friends. I LOVE people and I have been content with the group of friends that I have had for a few years, but every now and then someone cool comes along and I bond. I may have met them in 2011, but we became best friends in 2012! I plan on keeping these around for...well...the rest of my life. Not sure if THEY know that, but, surprise! You're now stuck with me :)
7. I got to be in another spring show at SCC (Once Upon A Mattress). I take those memories and moments and hold them dear. I always have. That theatre department is struggling hardcore right now. I always treat shows like they could be my last.
8. I went to a bajillion 31 purse parties! Lol. One of my best friends Taylor started selling 31 products, and when she first started...I went to like a party a week. No lie. But all of those parties were memories. It about more than just the purses. It's bonding time. (I know, I know, LAME)
9. My baby cousin graduated from high school and started college. She's the only cousin that I have that I've continued to be close to my entire life. She's the very first one that started calling my Bri-Bri! It just makes me feel freakin old!
10. My little brother turned 18! What the poo! Talk about me feeling old. There it is again. He also grew what I like to call a Mexican mustache and got a two pack...instead of a six.
11. I taught group piano lessons for a month in the summer. It was really the first time that I had ever been left completely alone in a room full of children. I had to learn day by day, make mistakes, and decisions. It was in the school that I grew up in, but it was all new to me. I would say that it made me a step ahead in school when I started teaching the 3rd graders for my Block II at SEMO.
12. Some "old" married friends celebrated their 1st anniversary. Woah! I was in a wedding and then BAM it was a 1st year anniversary. Time flies!
13. I stuck with my usual tradition of going to Beulah Jr High Alive as a sponsor. I feel like that place has such a special place in my heart because I was saved there. I just haven't stopped helping out there ever since I reached the age limit where I was too old to go.
14. I saw some other AMAZING shows/musicals. Kevin! Dude was rocking it this year in the show world. Legally Blonde was my favorite of his.
15. I moved out of my parents house and to Cape Girardeau. MO. This was different. Not really terrible. I actually made it up till Christmas before I ever had a day of homesickness. This was because I was snowed in at my place with no friends or family and only work for a week.
16. I finally made it to see The Lion King on stage. Best. Show. I loved it SO much. I would see it again and again...just like Wicked.
17. I started working my very first job in retail. This has been a roller coaster of experiences. I worked really hard as a sales associate for 4 months and right before the New Year I was promoted to a Key Holder/ Assistant Manager. It shows that when you have a positive attitude and you work hard, even when it sucks, things can turn in your favor. Yes, I had to work all of my Christmas Break, and I still have to, but on the plus side, I am making a lot more than I was. I'm saving up for when school starts back, and I have to drop back down from Full Time to Part Time.
18. Now for some BADs. I made my very first zero on a research paper at SEMO during this year. It was dreadful. I will never forget the feeling and the looks of disappointment. That day of finals was a terrible one.
19. I also made my first C in college in this year. That zero on the paper mentioned in the latter caused me to have a C in the class instead of an A. It dropped my gpa and made me feel like poo.
20. I also lost a loved one and some other people that I knew this year. My paw paw went to heaven that same week I had terrible finals and a zero. It was the worst week of the year 2012. He always supported what decisions I made and what I wanted to do in life. When a few major people in my family thought "music and teaching" wasn't going to be enough for me, he told me he was proud of those things. He gave me his guitar and said that he knew I would make good use of it.
21. I also had loved ones in and out of the hospital. My great aunt had a heart attack...that same terrible week that my paw paw passed away and my grades sucked.
22. The last thing I can think of right now is I had to learn how to remain calm in times when I was SO irratated with people. These people were usually not at school or work...but...closer than that. I'm glad I had my best friend/ roommate Kirsten so we could rant together.
That's all folks!
Hopefully I will continue to have time to Blog every now and then, buuut, I can almost promise you that I won't once school starts back. I'm coming up on my very last semester on classes. No more sitting in classes after this. I'm closing the gap. But! I have to make it through 10, count um, 10 classes before this is all over. I'm finishing them all at once while working part time as a manager. This will be my life. Am I ready???
And that's what Breelynn Believes...
Monday, December 31, 2012
Monday, February 6, 2012
Do Not Fear! Listen & Obey
"God is the one who began this good work in you, and I am certain that He won't stop before it is complete on the day that Christ Jesus returns." -Philippians 1:6
I talked in my last blog about going out and doing things. You know? I said that we as Christians should refuse to sit around and wait for someone else to do what God has called us to do ourselves. So, we get the message. Go! Work! Do things that are helping to further the kingdom of heaven. Help to lead people in the right direction. It may not happen in the snap of a finger. In fact, it may even take years and years before the person or people that you are witnessing to will decide to follow Jesus. But does that matter. Nope. Sure doesn't. It may even make all of those years of being there be an even greater blessing to you. I have to say that it was to me. I have a very close family member that I've tried and tried to get to just start going back to church. I'm going to call him/her Mickey. I thought to myself, if I can just witness to Mickey, then they will see that the emptiness they feel can be filled with Jesus. So, I prayed of course. I actually started praying about Mickey going back to church at the age of probably 12. I am currently turning 21 years old, and they just up and decided one day that they wanted to start going again. When that news was relayed to me...I wanted to jump up and down and scream. But I stayed calm outside...and had a party inside. The point of my whole story is, when I talk about this person and how I tried to help for years...I cry. I do. I love these people. I have so many family members that are super close to me and they don't know about Jesus like I do. They're the hardest people to get to talk to...even though they are around me all of the time. I'm saying to hang in there if you've been working on a special person or people for a really long time. Keep with it. In God's perfect timing, he'll change their heart...and their mind while he's at it.
What is it that keeps people from talking to others and sharing? Well, most of the time it's fear. I know that's what it is for me. Fear or rejection. Fear of failure. Fear of fearing as a matter of fact! Something that no one really knows about me is that I like to read people stories. I love reading to my babies. Not literally mine, Abby and Claire, and soon to be Sam. I love to read to them. I loved it when I had the chance to go to Caledonia and read to the kindergarten class there. I just really enjoy sharing stories with people. I'm currently reading a novel for school called "Like Water For Chocolate" and I'm almost finished now, but I absolutely would have LOVED to read it out loud to a friend or someone who would want to listen. So! Point of all this reading story rambling is that I should tell stories like Jesus told parables to help spread the gospel and also help bring people to Jesus. You know? At Reach last Wednesday this is what Adrian was talking about. I've really been thinking about it, and I think I would/could be really good at it. God tells us over and over in the bible that we have no reason to fear.
"Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" -Isaiah 41:10
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go"-Joshua 1:9
"The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me"-Hebrews 13:6
So, we need to stop being so afraid of every little rejection or let down that "may" happen. Are you afraid when you cross the street? You just "may" be hit by a car. Are you afraid to walk? You just "may" trip and break your ankle. You know where I'm going with this. I'm most definitely saying all of this stuff to myself too. I'm as guilty of being a scaredy as the next guy. I've been recently asking God to give me something...a chance to help. I've been all about the "helping" lately. Well, I had just asked God for a chance to help, and I got a text message from a dear friend asking if I wanted to go to Joplin, MO on a mission trip. I was in awe! I wanted to go, and in my mind I thanked God and didn't even hesitate to tell him that I wanted to go. But before I agreed, I needed to check with one thing...my school schedule :P So, I pulled out my planner, and wouldn't you know it! I have mid-terms that same week! I was like, are you kidding me?? Why is it that God would give me the opportunity and then take it away within a minute. I thought about it, and then it came to me. Have I actually been listening? Have I been obedient? I really haven't been. I've started examining myself every day at the end of the day and there are a couple questions that I always ask myself. 1. What did I do today to help further God's kingdom? 2. Where could I have done something, but chose not to. I went through my lists in my head and I see now why I'm not allowed to go. I need to try and work on some of the smaller things before I get to do the bigger things. If I'm not doing those, then how can I be ready for the week long things? Listen and obey, I'll start doing it today. That is something that Abby learned at school and she shared it with Charity, who then shared it with the congregation on Sunday. Think about it.
And that's what...Breelynn Believes
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Help!
“Do not be interested only in your own life, but be interested in the lives of others” –Philippians 2:4
Help. What is the definition of help? I looked it up, and help means “to give assistant to”. I’ve been struggling with the thought of “helping” others for this entire week. As Christians, we are supposed be interested in the lives of others…just like the verse says above. We each have been called to help. We are part of a priesthood of believers. We represent God’s love in this world. I recently realized that there are people in my life that God wants me to reach out to that no one else will. All of us have those people. Think about it. One of the things that I like to say to myself is what about those Christians who barely have what they need to get by? They are called just like I am. How can you help someone else when you can barely help yourself?
“God can bless you with everything you need, and you will always have more than enough to do all kinds of good things for others” -2 Corinthians 9:8
That answers that. In fact, every question, every excuse that I make, God answers me clear as day. We can’t do everything, but Christ simply calls us to do our part. Most of us are not even doing that much. I’m as guilty as the rest. The same thought process is going through all heads…”Someone else is taking care of that. The church is going to help. Someone else will stop. Their families are there”. You know what? If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one! There is no rule saying that you have to take on the whole world all at once, all by yourself. God says, “Feed the hungry and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon”—Isaiah 58:10
The big thing that everyone has a problem with is obedience. No one wants to listen. So…the church is not the building. I know people say that a lot, but I feel like the majority does not understand what that means. The PEOPLE are the church. YOU are the church. Every one of us needs to start right at home. Be an example in your family. Show God’s love. They are going to notice that you are different and they’ll wanna know why…that’ll be the perfect time for you to tell them J Of course pray and read the word. There is no way to fully grow in Christ if you don’t. THEN! Be intentional in looking for ways to get involved and help others. What gifts and talents did God give to you? Don’t say you aren’t good at anything because being a good cook or a musician is not the only thing in life that is considered a talent. What is a passion you have? Now…turn that into something to glorify Christ with. It’s your life...God’s gift to you…Now what are you going to do with it??
Time is something that we can never be sure of, so don’t wait. Don’t say I’ll do it tomorrow…do it now. Christ is counting on us to carry out his purpose in our lives. How we respond to that is on us. Refuse to sit around and do nothing. Refuse to make one more excuse. “Is anything worth more than a soul?”—Mark 8:37
Sometimes I, I just want to close my eyes
And act like everyone’s alright
When I know they’re not
This world needs God, but it’s easier to stand and watch
I could pray a prayer and just move on
Like nothing’s wrong
I can hear the least of these, crying out so desperately
And I know we are the hands and feet of You oh God
So if You say move, it’s time for me to follow through
And do what I was made to do
And show them who You are
But I refuse
I don't wanna live like I don't care
I don't wanna say another empty prayer
Oh, I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
I could choose not to move
But I REFUSE!
--Refuse by: Josh Wilson
And that is what...Breelynn Believes
I don't wanna live like I don't care
I don't wanna say another empty prayer
Oh, I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
I could choose not to move
But I REFUSE!
--Refuse by: Josh Wilson
And that is what...Breelynn Believes
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Come To Me...
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” –Matthew 11:28
Are we ready for some random rambling? Well, ready or not…here it is. Sometimes bad things happen to good people…not sometimes, a lot of times. Does that mean that they are being punished? I believe not. Does that mean that they deserve what happens to them? I believe not all of the time. It just happens. I have heard of some terrible things that have been happening to people who do not deserve to go through what they are, and some of which are people I love dearly... Haven’t we all? But this verse above is a good way for everyone to just let it all go and get some rest. Nicole C Mullen sings a song about this and the lyrics are great. They say…
Are you looking for someone to be gentle
With your broken heart your shattered dreams?
And are you searching for someone who'll be faithful
To you no matter what life brings?
Well I know the maker of the storm the sunrise
He is both the lion and the lamb
He is strong enough to shake all earth and heaven
Yet meek enough to take me as I am.
He says come unto me
All who are weary
And I will give you rest
Bring what hurts
Bring your scars
Bring the load that you carry
And I will give you rest
Are the clouds above your head oh so heavy
Bursting with showers of despair?
And do you struggle under more then you can carry?
Has life given more then you can bear?
And would you like to trade your failures in for victories
Like piles of ashes in for piles of gold
And can you fall down like a child who is helpless
So he can pick you up and make you whole
With your broken heart your shattered dreams?
And are you searching for someone who'll be faithful
To you no matter what life brings?
Well I know the maker of the storm the sunrise
He is both the lion and the lamb
He is strong enough to shake all earth and heaven
Yet meek enough to take me as I am.
He says come unto me
All who are weary
And I will give you rest
Bring what hurts
Bring your scars
Bring the load that you carry
And I will give you rest
Are the clouds above your head oh so heavy
Bursting with showers of despair?
And do you struggle under more then you can carry?
Has life given more then you can bear?
And would you like to trade your failures in for victories
Like piles of ashes in for piles of gold
And can you fall down like a child who is helpless
So he can pick you up and make you whole
This song sums up what I wanted to say. I’m actually job hunting currently, and I have to say that it is a burden to me. I guess I didn’t realize that there was going to be a chain reaction that comes along with not having the same place of employment…but it did. Why was that? Well, I’ve came to the conclusion that it is because I made these “plans” for what was going to happen within the next 3 months at least. I know better than to plan even that far ahead and then get set in plans that I have made for myself…Those plans have all changed. Apparently God has some different plans for me that I thought I was going to plan for MYSELF. Yeah. Wrong. Anyways…that’s a side mark. What I was going into was the fact that this is my current burden. It’s very small compared to the burdens of many others that I know. This is sad but true. So, I’m not complaining. I just wish I knew how to make the “giving up” of burdens an easy process…not only for me, but for others too. A wise woman once gave me a lesson about laying down your burdens, and she compared it to putting things into a recycle bin on the computer. If you want to get rid of something, all you have to do is delete it and it goes into the recycle bin. It is deleted from your sight, but not from your computer. Why? Well, it’s still IN the recycle bin…So; the next thing that you have to do is right click on that bin and delete all of the things that you once deleted before. Then there’s a question…there’s always a question… it is “Are you SURE you want to delete all of the material in the bin?” Well. Crap. This is where the problem always arrives. When God says that he can take all of your burdens and give you rest, you say YES! Delete them. But they’re not completely gone until you bring what hurts, bring your scars, bring the load you’re carrying, and GIVE them away. It’s like the question…Are you SURE you want to delete all of your burdens, or do you want to keep them for a while, feel sorry for yourself, let others feel sorry for you, wallow around in them, etc. I’m just going to end with a few words from the song…
Are you looking for someone to be gentle
With your broken heart your shattered dreams?
And are you searching for someone who'll be faithful
to you no matter what life brings?
With your broken heart your shattered dreams?
And are you searching for someone who'll be faithful
to you no matter what life brings?
Are the clouds above your head oh so heavy
Bursting with showers of despair?
And do you struggle under more then you can carry?
Has life given more then you can bear?
And would you like to trade your failures in for victories?
Bursting with showers of despair?
And do you struggle under more then you can carry?
Has life given more then you can bear?
And would you like to trade your failures in for victories?
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” –Matthew 11:28
And that is what…
Breelynn Believes
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Happy New Years! A New Beginning...
"Give thanks to the Lord; His love endures forever"- 1 Chronicles 16:34
2011 has come and past, and 2012 is here! This is something new that I'm going to try out, and I'm pretty excited about it. I've always liked to write, and blogging is going to give me a chance to do that. So! To start this adventure off, I am going to recap on my year. From the little things, to the bigger things, God has blessed me and I wanted to share how...warning...this will be long.
Jan 11- I started off my New Year in 2011 with a church service and a birthday. One of my best friends, Sarah, has a birthday that starts off the friendly fun for the year. Last year we didn't have a "party" per say, but if you ask her, she'll tell you that it was still fun. Sarah, Darcy, and I all went to Paducah. What did we do you ask? We went to eat, went to the Dollar Store, went to DQ for ice cream, and then ended up at the park. That may seem a bit lame, but it worked for us. Bigger isn't always better. Sometimes the simple things are just as fun. There was a lady and her kids that were at the park that day, and she had a conversation with us about "staying young". She thought that we were all still in high school and that we were skipping classes. When we informed her otherwise, she continued to tell us that we were awesome and that we should stay young at heart like we were doing that day.
Feb 11- In February of 2011 I had my 20th birthday. It was great. I didn't wanna do much, so I just had an extreme game night at my house. Megan, Sarah, Taylor, Kirsten, Josh, and I played games all night and had ice cream cake! That was good enough for me. I love it when we can all get together. It doesn't happen often because we all have jobs and lives, but when it does, it's always great. At the end of February something else exciting happened...I got to go with my sis Clarissa and the girls to get bridesmaids dresses for her upcoming wedding! That was an experience in itself, but in a good way...promise.
Mar 11- This was the month when my last spring show while being a student at SCC happened...Hairspray! What can I say about Hairspray except that the show was a way to go out with a bang. I remember wanting to do it, but not knowing if it would be possible because of our "ethnically challenged" casts. Me and a few others stressed to Tim that it could be done, and well...it happened! Oh! Something else about Hairspray...I was forced to find and push out some "black from within" because I was a Dynamite in the show, and I also had to dance on the black side! What do ya know ;)
Apr 11- This was the month that I went for a meeting at my new school, Southeast Missouri State University, and set up my classes for the fall. This was a bit of a nerve racking thing for me to do. I didn't want to think about leaving SCC just yet because I was comfortable. I'm only human, and I do admit that I get very comfortable after being in a place that I like for a while. Change is scary to some. I happen to be one of those. Then something fun followed that helped to get my mind off of my schooling for a while...Clarissa's bridal shower! It was also great. The stuff that we went through to make it as nice as possible was worth it in the end for sure. I just love to tell the story about how I have a Sams Club card today just because of this shower. Haha. It was the day before the shower, and one of the other bridesmaids informed me that we had no food at all ready for the party, even though we had planned. I had a little bit of a freak, called Kaeley, loaded up, and we went to get the food right then. I got a Sams Card that day, and the picture on the card is beautiful...not! Oh! I'm pretty sure that we made it in and out of Wal-Mart that day in 8min. How does that happen? Idk, but I could probably never do it again. The shower was beautiful, and Clarissa and Adrian were as happy as can be. Winning! AND! I still made it back that day in time to go to Vienna High School to see my little sister's musical ;)
May 11- This was the month when one of my journeys in life came to an end. I graduated from SCC with my Associates of Arts degree and over 32 hours worth of just music credits :) Mission. Accomplished. I was pretty stoked that I finished in 2 years with a 3.9 gpa while being a "music" student. It's just that many take 3 yrs...or more...to get all of the gen eds and music stuff finished. BUT, I owe this accomplishment to a few other people besides myself. The majority of my teachers at Shawnee were great. I was also given some advise from a few friends :) But even with the feeling of accomplishment came the feeling of grief. I even questioned myself..."Did I rush?"...That was just my nerves speaking. I didn't rush through; I just didn't think that I was ready to move on...that involved change. Without the SCC student worker job anymore, I was on the hunt for somewhere to work that was close to home. My first interview for the summer was at the Bluff's Family Restaurant at the Grand Chain Lodge. I didn't have any experience in food service, but I was willing to give it a shot...Right around this time, my friend Adrian started a youth program for Wednesday nights at Caledonia Community Church and he named it "Reach". This was the beginning of a great program...
Jun 11- June was a VERY eventful month. It started out with a trip to Chicago! The drama club at SCC took a trip to Chi-Town right when the month started. It was a highlight of my summer. I had never been to Chicago, even though I was born in Kankakee, IL. It was an adventure. My favorite parts were: Getting to see Peter Pan in the 360' theater (outside!), Going to a Second City comedy show with the group (hilarious), Eating a Ed Debevics (look it up), and Seeing Sue (the dinosaur). L.O.V.E.D it. The good news just continued to come as a came home. Right when I got back, I found out that I was hired on at the Lodge! That was another new adventure to come. Then I found out that a foreign exchanged student, who I last saw in 2004, was coming home! This was very exciting news for me. I love this girl, and we hadn't seen each other in years. I was 13 yrs old when she left and here I was 20 yrs old when I finally got to see her again. I spent some much needed time with her, and the highlight for that was taking her to see Bridesmaids in theater. THEN. Something very cool happened. I got to watch my big sister get married to the love of her life. These two are the perfect Christian example of how dating should be. If they only knew how many of their friends looked up to them for an example...well...that might scare them or make them nervous...or make them feel like their being watched...mwah ha ha. Just kidding. But yeah, great experience. I'll never forget June of 2011.
July 11- From June on the weddings began. I had 3 more couples that consisted of my friends get married throughout this year. Next was Lindsay and Brad's at the beginning of July. Right after that wedding, I went to my favorite summer spot...Beulah Jr High Alive Church Camp. I met one of best friends at that church camp 6 yrs earlier...Hannah. Hannah and I have been partners in crime at that camp since I met her when I was 14 yrs old. She's been around that camp since she was in dippers. In 2011, I got to be the Sr High Staff Director with the Girl's Dean Hannah as my right hand wo-man :) I had a great group of high school girls, who were there to help serve the Lord by helping to serve the Jr Highers. I was blessed with new friends, and fun times. I don't have favorites, but, Jessica and Bailey were a hit. These girls were fun to be around and good to work with. Bailey is actually an inspiration to me. She is actually deaf, but with her hearing assistance, and her awesome skills at reading lips, I went a full day without even noticing. The best part was probably my face when her and Jessica told me. Great! And to finish out the month, I got to go and visit Megan and Sarah in Florida! They went down 2 months earlier on a mission trip to help spread the word in Tampa, and I missed them so. It was a family trip/visit, and it was great!
Aug 11- I started off August with a Taylor Swift concert in St Louis. Why? Why would I go to see Taylor Swift when I barely listened to any of her music, and I kind of made fun of her most of the time...well...one of my best friends Taylor, she loves Taylor Swift. I mean LOVES her. She was determined that I gave her a chance. So. I went with her, and had hopes that I would at least enjoy a song of two. Turns out...I like Taylor Swift a lot more now. Yeah, yeah, I know. It's just that the concert was way better than expected. She's definitely a performer. So there was that, and then I had to come home and get ready to start my next step...SEMO. The orientation that I was required to go to for new students...it sucked. I literally hated the whole day. It was full of incoming freshman, thousands of them, and then like 40 transfer juniors. The day was crap for me and it made me even more nervous about starting school a few days after that. But! I did it, and it was fine. The first day was long and nerve racking, but it only got better from there.
Sept 11- This was my "Big House" adventure month. On Chrysalis Flight #25, I wasn't asked to work anywhere specific, so I decided to try out with Big House...along with one of my favorite people, Kirsten. Megan was asked to work in the conference room on this flight also, and I wanted to be around when she gave her testimony in the Prodigal Talk. It was definitely one of the best flight experiences that I've had. I got to serve like I've never had to do before, and I also had my own time to talk with God and ponder about a few things in my life. Yet another blessing.
Oct 11- This was another month of weddings ;) Sheena and Ronnie had a beautiful wedding that I was blessed to be at, and then Rachel and Shane had another. It's something else to see a big group of your friends all get married in one year...it's also something else when a new baby comes, and that is what happened next. On Oct 26th, Samuel Aaron Frizzell was born. The next day, I went to see him and his parents. This baby boy is a perfect fit into an awesome family, and I'm super excited to be able to spend time with him, like i've been able to do with his sisters and parents. Oh, and I also went to a Miranda Lambert concert with Taylor in October. That was fun, but nothing beats the baby ;) haha. Something else that may seem small, but was super exciting for me was being able to take my Abby to a Disney Princess show. Taylor and I had just as much fun, or maybe more, watching Abby watch the show. She loved it!
Nov 11- November seemed slow compared to all the stuff that happened throughout the rest of the year. I did get the chance to help lead the music for a Rekindling Service at a church outside of Goreville. That was fun. Of course I had back-up ;) Adrian, Josh, Cham, and Ferf were right there to help me out when I needed it. I can always count on my "reach" fam to help a sista out. Thanksgiving was the normal family dinner and we even had a few new family members added in this year.
Dec 11- December was full of visiting time. Right when I went on break, I started my visits. I visited The Frizzells, My Grandparents, Clarissa & Adrian, went to look at apartments in Cape with Taylor, Josh, and Kirsten, visited and talked with Sheena, hung out with Megan and Clarissa, and did some shopping. All of which was much needed. Christmas time was good. I went on little rants about how people are crazy during the holidays, and how Jesus is the reason for the season but people forget, but besides those, things went well :)
"God can bless you with everything you need, and you will always have more than enough to do all kinds of good things for others" -2 Corinthians 9:8
I need to work more throughout this next year on just what that verse says...I had way more than enough in 2011, but how many times did I do good things for others? I'm embarrassed to say, not many at all. So, that is part of something I wanna do. I would also like to spend more time in the word. That is a big one too.
That is what...
Breelynn Believes
2011 has come and past, and 2012 is here! This is something new that I'm going to try out, and I'm pretty excited about it. I've always liked to write, and blogging is going to give me a chance to do that. So! To start this adventure off, I am going to recap on my year. From the little things, to the bigger things, God has blessed me and I wanted to share how...warning...this will be long.
Jan 11- I started off my New Year in 2011 with a church service and a birthday. One of my best friends, Sarah, has a birthday that starts off the friendly fun for the year. Last year we didn't have a "party" per say, but if you ask her, she'll tell you that it was still fun. Sarah, Darcy, and I all went to Paducah. What did we do you ask? We went to eat, went to the Dollar Store, went to DQ for ice cream, and then ended up at the park. That may seem a bit lame, but it worked for us. Bigger isn't always better. Sometimes the simple things are just as fun. There was a lady and her kids that were at the park that day, and she had a conversation with us about "staying young". She thought that we were all still in high school and that we were skipping classes. When we informed her otherwise, she continued to tell us that we were awesome and that we should stay young at heart like we were doing that day.
Feb 11- In February of 2011 I had my 20th birthday. It was great. I didn't wanna do much, so I just had an extreme game night at my house. Megan, Sarah, Taylor, Kirsten, Josh, and I played games all night and had ice cream cake! That was good enough for me. I love it when we can all get together. It doesn't happen often because we all have jobs and lives, but when it does, it's always great. At the end of February something else exciting happened...I got to go with my sis Clarissa and the girls to get bridesmaids dresses for her upcoming wedding! That was an experience in itself, but in a good way...promise.
Mar 11- This was the month when my last spring show while being a student at SCC happened...Hairspray! What can I say about Hairspray except that the show was a way to go out with a bang. I remember wanting to do it, but not knowing if it would be possible because of our "ethnically challenged" casts. Me and a few others stressed to Tim that it could be done, and well...it happened! Oh! Something else about Hairspray...I was forced to find and push out some "black from within" because I was a Dynamite in the show, and I also had to dance on the black side! What do ya know ;)
Apr 11- This was the month that I went for a meeting at my new school, Southeast Missouri State University, and set up my classes for the fall. This was a bit of a nerve racking thing for me to do. I didn't want to think about leaving SCC just yet because I was comfortable. I'm only human, and I do admit that I get very comfortable after being in a place that I like for a while. Change is scary to some. I happen to be one of those. Then something fun followed that helped to get my mind off of my schooling for a while...Clarissa's bridal shower! It was also great. The stuff that we went through to make it as nice as possible was worth it in the end for sure. I just love to tell the story about how I have a Sams Club card today just because of this shower. Haha. It was the day before the shower, and one of the other bridesmaids informed me that we had no food at all ready for the party, even though we had planned. I had a little bit of a freak, called Kaeley, loaded up, and we went to get the food right then. I got a Sams Card that day, and the picture on the card is beautiful...not! Oh! I'm pretty sure that we made it in and out of Wal-Mart that day in 8min. How does that happen? Idk, but I could probably never do it again. The shower was beautiful, and Clarissa and Adrian were as happy as can be. Winning! AND! I still made it back that day in time to go to Vienna High School to see my little sister's musical ;)
May 11- This was the month when one of my journeys in life came to an end. I graduated from SCC with my Associates of Arts degree and over 32 hours worth of just music credits :) Mission. Accomplished. I was pretty stoked that I finished in 2 years with a 3.9 gpa while being a "music" student. It's just that many take 3 yrs...or more...to get all of the gen eds and music stuff finished. BUT, I owe this accomplishment to a few other people besides myself. The majority of my teachers at Shawnee were great. I was also given some advise from a few friends :) But even with the feeling of accomplishment came the feeling of grief. I even questioned myself..."Did I rush?"...That was just my nerves speaking. I didn't rush through; I just didn't think that I was ready to move on...that involved change. Without the SCC student worker job anymore, I was on the hunt for somewhere to work that was close to home. My first interview for the summer was at the Bluff's Family Restaurant at the Grand Chain Lodge. I didn't have any experience in food service, but I was willing to give it a shot...Right around this time, my friend Adrian started a youth program for Wednesday nights at Caledonia Community Church and he named it "Reach". This was the beginning of a great program...
Jun 11- June was a VERY eventful month. It started out with a trip to Chicago! The drama club at SCC took a trip to Chi-Town right when the month started. It was a highlight of my summer. I had never been to Chicago, even though I was born in Kankakee, IL. It was an adventure. My favorite parts were: Getting to see Peter Pan in the 360' theater (outside!), Going to a Second City comedy show with the group (hilarious), Eating a Ed Debevics (look it up), and Seeing Sue (the dinosaur). L.O.V.E.D it. The good news just continued to come as a came home. Right when I got back, I found out that I was hired on at the Lodge! That was another new adventure to come. Then I found out that a foreign exchanged student, who I last saw in 2004, was coming home! This was very exciting news for me. I love this girl, and we hadn't seen each other in years. I was 13 yrs old when she left and here I was 20 yrs old when I finally got to see her again. I spent some much needed time with her, and the highlight for that was taking her to see Bridesmaids in theater. THEN. Something very cool happened. I got to watch my big sister get married to the love of her life. These two are the perfect Christian example of how dating should be. If they only knew how many of their friends looked up to them for an example...well...that might scare them or make them nervous...or make them feel like their being watched...mwah ha ha. Just kidding. But yeah, great experience. I'll never forget June of 2011.
July 11- From June on the weddings began. I had 3 more couples that consisted of my friends get married throughout this year. Next was Lindsay and Brad's at the beginning of July. Right after that wedding, I went to my favorite summer spot...Beulah Jr High Alive Church Camp. I met one of best friends at that church camp 6 yrs earlier...Hannah. Hannah and I have been partners in crime at that camp since I met her when I was 14 yrs old. She's been around that camp since she was in dippers. In 2011, I got to be the Sr High Staff Director with the Girl's Dean Hannah as my right hand wo-man :) I had a great group of high school girls, who were there to help serve the Lord by helping to serve the Jr Highers. I was blessed with new friends, and fun times. I don't have favorites, but, Jessica and Bailey were a hit. These girls were fun to be around and good to work with. Bailey is actually an inspiration to me. She is actually deaf, but with her hearing assistance, and her awesome skills at reading lips, I went a full day without even noticing. The best part was probably my face when her and Jessica told me. Great! And to finish out the month, I got to go and visit Megan and Sarah in Florida! They went down 2 months earlier on a mission trip to help spread the word in Tampa, and I missed them so. It was a family trip/visit, and it was great!
Aug 11- I started off August with a Taylor Swift concert in St Louis. Why? Why would I go to see Taylor Swift when I barely listened to any of her music, and I kind of made fun of her most of the time...well...one of my best friends Taylor, she loves Taylor Swift. I mean LOVES her. She was determined that I gave her a chance. So. I went with her, and had hopes that I would at least enjoy a song of two. Turns out...I like Taylor Swift a lot more now. Yeah, yeah, I know. It's just that the concert was way better than expected. She's definitely a performer. So there was that, and then I had to come home and get ready to start my next step...SEMO. The orientation that I was required to go to for new students...it sucked. I literally hated the whole day. It was full of incoming freshman, thousands of them, and then like 40 transfer juniors. The day was crap for me and it made me even more nervous about starting school a few days after that. But! I did it, and it was fine. The first day was long and nerve racking, but it only got better from there.
Sept 11- This was my "Big House" adventure month. On Chrysalis Flight #25, I wasn't asked to work anywhere specific, so I decided to try out with Big House...along with one of my favorite people, Kirsten. Megan was asked to work in the conference room on this flight also, and I wanted to be around when she gave her testimony in the Prodigal Talk. It was definitely one of the best flight experiences that I've had. I got to serve like I've never had to do before, and I also had my own time to talk with God and ponder about a few things in my life. Yet another blessing.
Oct 11- This was another month of weddings ;) Sheena and Ronnie had a beautiful wedding that I was blessed to be at, and then Rachel and Shane had another. It's something else to see a big group of your friends all get married in one year...it's also something else when a new baby comes, and that is what happened next. On Oct 26th, Samuel Aaron Frizzell was born. The next day, I went to see him and his parents. This baby boy is a perfect fit into an awesome family, and I'm super excited to be able to spend time with him, like i've been able to do with his sisters and parents. Oh, and I also went to a Miranda Lambert concert with Taylor in October. That was fun, but nothing beats the baby ;) haha. Something else that may seem small, but was super exciting for me was being able to take my Abby to a Disney Princess show. Taylor and I had just as much fun, or maybe more, watching Abby watch the show. She loved it!
Nov 11- November seemed slow compared to all the stuff that happened throughout the rest of the year. I did get the chance to help lead the music for a Rekindling Service at a church outside of Goreville. That was fun. Of course I had back-up ;) Adrian, Josh, Cham, and Ferf were right there to help me out when I needed it. I can always count on my "reach" fam to help a sista out. Thanksgiving was the normal family dinner and we even had a few new family members added in this year.
Dec 11- December was full of visiting time. Right when I went on break, I started my visits. I visited The Frizzells, My Grandparents, Clarissa & Adrian, went to look at apartments in Cape with Taylor, Josh, and Kirsten, visited and talked with Sheena, hung out with Megan and Clarissa, and did some shopping. All of which was much needed. Christmas time was good. I went on little rants about how people are crazy during the holidays, and how Jesus is the reason for the season but people forget, but besides those, things went well :)
"God can bless you with everything you need, and you will always have more than enough to do all kinds of good things for others" -2 Corinthians 9:8
I need to work more throughout this next year on just what that verse says...I had way more than enough in 2011, but how many times did I do good things for others? I'm embarrassed to say, not many at all. So, that is part of something I wanna do. I would also like to spend more time in the word. That is a big one too.
That is what...
Breelynn Believes
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