I am a proud Clemson Tiger, born and raised in the south, lover of all things pink, orange, and preppy, fan of college football and basketball, preacher's kid, daugher and sister in a loving family of 4, talk with a southern accent, hoping to be a pharmacist, college senior, about to move to Charleston, SC to go to pharmacy school for the next four years. Join me on my adventure through life as an undergrad/grad student living and loving the southern life.


"And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them..." -Jeremiah 32:39



Friday, May 28, 2010

Costa Rica reflections

Studying abroad in Costa Rica last fall was hands down the most incredible and life-changing experience in my short life thus far. I think about my time there every single day - the people, the places I visited, the delicious food - and long to go back.

I've been thinking a lot about why this experience was so memorable to me and why it was so incredible. Here are some reasons that I have come up with:
  1. I was daily seeking the Lord and His will by spending time studying, praying, reading, and thinking. Every morning I woke up and before I ate breakfast, I spent some time reading a devotion. I would write the main verse down and the main points from it, and then I would jot down my own thoughts and interpretation. I was evaluating, changing, and growing daily. The more time I gave to this and the more I devoted my heart and attention to it, the more aware I was of the Lord working powerfully in my life and helping me along the way. Throughout my life I would say that I have put time into having quality devotions and quiet times, but moreso in Costa Rica than any other time, I poured my heart and soul into it each day. It made such a difference, and it made me more aware of the Lord's presence everywhere.
  2. I lived every single day without regrets. I seized nearly every opportunity thrown at me, looking for ways to see more and do more and learn more. And it definitely paid off. I had such an enriching and full experience, and I have no regrets. When there was doubt or uncertainty, I fought my hardest against the desire to be lazy and complacent and looked for and found more.
  3. The Lord gave me amazing friends and an amazing host family. At the University, at home, and around town, I made friends, made connections, looking to create, build, and maintain relationships with so many people. I invested time in these people, and they invested time and love into me as well. When I think about all the incredible things that I was able to do, I realize that everything was so incredible because of the people around me. I met so many different people from all kinds of backgrounds, of different beliefs, and each of these people taught me different things about myself and about life in general.
  4. I was out of my comfort zone, away from my family and friends and my home and school, in a completely new environment. My limits were tested, my environment and surrounding culture was changed, and I learned to adapt and change as well. Being away and being alone taught me how much I need God. This may perhaps be the most important lesson I learned while living in Costa Rica. I depended on Him every single day. Depending solely on the Lord helped me to recognize his power and his love and his sovereignty more than I ever have before.
  5. While in Costa Rica, I had no job and no cell phone. No organization meetings, no big expenditures. I lived a basic and simple life. And I loved it. I experienced so much less stress than I normally do. And I could tell a huge difference - physically, emotionally, and spiritually. My face cleared up so much. I wasn't always concerned about huge tests or assignments or having to go to work or do the things that my normal day-to-day life requires. Food was always prepared for me. My laundry was done for me. All I really had to do was go to school during the week and travel and play on the weekends. I loved it!
Re-adjusting to my own culture and lifestyle that I have had for the past 20-something years has been so difficult, and sometimes I still do not think that I have completely re-adjusted. I know I shouldn't do this, but I compare many different aspects of my life to Costa Rica and think of how wonderful life was there. I long to go back daily. Don't get me wrong though, I do love being home, with my family and old friends, doing many things that have always been a part of my life.

And sometimes I wonder if I will ever have experiences that are equally as wonderful as that experience in Costa Rica was? Was that the pinnacle of the experiences that I am to have? Is there more left to be seen and done?

I am beginning to realize that though I may not be able to completely repeat my Costa Rica dream life, I still serve a God who is able to give and show me more than I could ever dare to ask for or imagine (John 10:10). My prayer is that the Lord would give me the strength and willpower to serve him fervently and seek His will in such a way that my life becomes like the Costa Rican experience every day- no regrets, no looking back, full of joy, and unforgettable.

Friday thoughts

1 Timothy 2:9-10
"I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety....with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God."

Proverbs 31:20
"She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy."

As women, we need to have a Kingdom-focus instead of a me-focus.*

In everything she (a wise woman) does - from the way she dresses to the way she orders her day - she seeks to delight in Christ and put His beauty and excellence on dispay. Getting love, getting a guy, getting "stuff," or getting her self to the point where she feels "self-actualized" isn't her overriding goal. Enjoying and glorifying God is. She focuses on building His kindgom - not on building her own.*

The Girl-Gone-Wise understands that regardless of whether she is single or married, her overriding purpose is to display Christ and to be busy with the kingdom work that He has for her in that season of her life.*

I'm still here. There must be something God wants me to do today.*

*From Girls Gone Wise by Mary A. Kassian, published 2010



Thursday, May 27, 2010

thoughts for the day

“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.”- Acts 20:24

"So, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation whatsoever to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you keep on following it, you will perish. But if through the power of the Holy Spirit you turn from it and its evil deeds, you will live." - Romans 8:12-13

"And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God...He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing what is right." - Titus 2:12-14

Monday, May 24, 2010

Thank-You Notes

I have written many thank-you notes over the past few years. I wrote quite a chunk just after graduating from high school, after many birthdays, and have another round of thank-you notes under my belt after graduating from college a few weeks ago.


In the days of computers and e-mails and BlackBerrys and what-have-you, I think that thank you notes and hand-written notes have become less and less common. But I think that knowing that a person took time to write any kind of note (thank you, just to say hi, anything) is very special and not outdated at all!


With that in mind, I thought I would go through how to write a thank-you note!


Here are six easy points to remember:


  1. GREET THE GIVER
    Dear Grandma........
    Acknowledge the person(s) to whom you are writing the note. Who doesn't love to hear their own name?
  2. EXPRESS YOUR GRATITUDE
    Thank you for the fur coat that you gave to me for my birthday.
    Mention what you were given here.
  3. DISCUSS USE
    The winters in Charleston are very cold, so I will wear it a lot when winter comes this year.
    Say something nice about what you were given and how you will use it.
  4. MENTION THE PAST, ALLUDE TO THE FUTUREIt was great to see you at my birthday party, and I hope to see you again soon.
    If it’s someone you see infrequently, say whatever you know: ‘Mom tells me you’re doing great at Stanford, and I hope we cross paths soon.’ If it’s someone you’re in regular contact with: ‘I’ll call you soon, but I wanted to take time to say thanks.’ If it’s some errant family member you have little or no contact with, simply go with ‘You are in my thoughts and I hope you are well.’
  5. GRACE
    Thanks again for your gift.
    It never hurts to say thank you again!
  6. REGARDSLove,
    Tonya
    Keep it simple. Wrap it up.
Other tips:
  • Use a blue- or black-ink pen!
  • HAND WRITE your notes!
  • Do not include any news about your life. The thank-you is exclusively about thanking somebody for their kindness.
Information from http://www.themorningnews.org/ - "How to Write a Thank You Letter" by writer Leslie Harpold.
Site: http://www.themorningnews.org/archives/how_to/how_to_write_a_thankyou_note.php

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Summer reading

This summer, I am taking some ME time. Some necessary R&R. This past semester I somehow managed 27 hours and by the grace of God I graduated on time!!! Another story for another day. Anyway...I am taking this summer OFF. No summer school. No steady job. I am taking some time for me! I plan to spend loads of time with family and friends and my boyfriend, working at church camp, going on a mission trip, going to weddings, etc.

One of my FAVORITE down-time activities is reading! Usually during school I don't have a lot of time to read. I prefer to read when I have more free time, because I tend to read books only in a few short days. With that being said, I have already made it through my first summer read - South of Broad by Pat Conroy.


My mom bought this book for me for Christmas, and I got to read it a couple of weekends ago. I went with my boyfriend and his family to see one of his sisters graduate from college, so there was a lot of road time and a lot of down time, and I was able to read the entire book in a weekend. I have heard good things about Pat Conroy and his writing style, and of course, being a southerner, the fact that his stories are set in the South greatly appeals to me! This book is set in Charleston, South Carolina, perhaps my favorite place on earth (other than Costa Rica, of course)!!! So I knew that I had to read this!

The book begins in the late 1960s and spans nearly 20 years into the late 1980s. Without giving many plot details away, I will attempt to convey a couple of my favorite things about this book:
  • As previously mentioned, the setting is what drew me first to this book. Charleston, South Carolina and all its southern charm and sophistication are a wonderful backdrop for any story. If you are familiar with Charleston at all, I think that you will be even more intrigued by the story and its landmarks, places, streets, and even Hurricane Hugo in Charleston and the entire Charleston area.
  • The reality of the story in terms of its exploration of both joy and sadness, good and evil make for an interesting read. Many novels have everything going right for the characters, or may even throw in something more realistic like a loss or death without really going into detail. But this novel explores some of those other realities of life - loss, death, homosexuality, fear - in detail. It really gives you a full picture of what is going on in the story and how it affects the characters and their minds.
It is difficult to summarize without giving away book information, but take my word, this is a wonderful book. If you don't mind some 'colorful' language, then take a chance and give this one a read!

Monday, May 3, 2010

target wish list

I just got these shoes by Miss Trish last week and I LOVE them!


And I do love both of these shoes by Cynthia Vincent for Target:






weekend wrap-up and giveaway

I am (un)officially D-O-N-E with college (it won't be official for me until my diploma is in my hand)!!! As an undergrad, at least! I turned my last papers in on Friday and now am just waiting (im)patiently for final grades to be posted, which must be done by tomorrow for graduating seniors. Now the graduation countdown begins til Friday morning at 9:30 am!

I visited Cordele, GA this weekend for a bridal party pre-Cinco de Mayo fiesta for my friend who is getting married in July! I will do a whole separate post about that because I actually have TIME to do lots of posts now!!!!

It's a rainy day here in Tiger Town, and I am still in bed. This is the first time I've been able to do this in a while! Welcome back to my life, laziness!

Also wanted to let everyone know about an awesome giveaway by College Prep going on right now. Check it out here!!! College Prep is one blog that I read every day and this giveaway is great!

Have a marvelous Monday!