me & parking services don't get along...

I'm sure you guys remember when my car was towed in the first week of school...well the saga with the UCF Parking Services continues.  On Tuesday, November 4th, my friend Shateria and I went out grocery shopping.  When we came back, I parked in the 24 hr zone because it was closer and we had a lot of groceries to bring in.  Plus, I knew that I'd move my car because I had to take everyone to Wesley in about 5 hrs.  So later that day, a bunch of us walked out to my car and left for Wesley.  There was this (what I though was) stupid advertisement thing on my windshield so I put my wipers on and tried to get it off.  I damaged it pretty well but it stuck on there.  I guess I forgot about it and left it when I parked my car in the regular parking lot after we returned from Wesley.  

Well...Jaclyn and I leave this morning and she gets the mysterious paper off my windshield.  And what is it?  A parking ticket!  I thought it might be because I was touching the line.  BUT, they charged me with parking in the 24 hr lot.  I only parked there for 5 hrs, and therefore do not deserve a $50 parking ticket.  I appealed the ticket and am waiting to hear back on their decision.  Grr..

I don't know why I had to go into such detail, but it frustrated me and I felt like everyone should know.  Haha.  Other than that, life's been great!  November is the fabulous month of music, as there are so many great concerts!  Thursday night, Becca and I saw CAB, Plain White T's, Dashboard Confessional, and Panic at the Disco at our homecoming concert.  Friday, Anna and I saw Transmit Now, There for Tomorrow, Straylight Run, and...Anberlin!  Anberlin was my favorite.  It was a good time...even with all the dumb mosh pitters that kind of ruined being on the floor.  Once we returned, we went to WalMart and then got shakes until about 2:30.  It was a great weekend!  And tonight is the Wesley Tour where I'll get to see the guys of Access 218.  Should be fun!  Then there is this weekend where we get to see a bunch of other people.  Gah..so much!

So..I'll see all of you this weekend!  :)  

Brit

Time flies...

I absolutely CANNOT believe that it is already November.  Gosh...

So...an update on my life.  

• Wesley Retreat was two weekends ago...and what an amazing time.  I got to know a lot of people in Wesley and had tons of fun while doing it.  God revealed an area of my life that weekend that I needed to give up to Him completely...
• We got back and went to Wesley Tuesday night.  Well...let's just say that God continued to speak to my heart about that specific area.  I finally listened and let the past anger and frustration go.  I got things off my chest that had been weighing me down and it feels great!
• Last weekend I went home to vote and spend time with family and friends.  I got to spend some time with my family and then went out with friends to bowl on Saturday.  Oh my...what is there even to say about that?  I think I'll just leave it at the story where Jim bounced his ball across two lanes and then Cathy accidentally almost chucked her ball back and Emily.  Priceless.  Oh, and we hung out in the parking lot of Starbucks after they kicked us out and had an interesting time there as well.  The weekend ended wonderfully with a much needed lunch between Emily, Rhonda, and I.  Rhonda's got quite the challenge ahead of her but I'm confident she's going in the right direction.  
• I had  a major procrastination moment yesterday.  This weekend was so fun that I just ran out of time to do my 750 word paper on the Cuban Revolution...well, I started that at midnight last night and it was due at 9:00 this morning.  By God's grace I got it done within an hour and am still awake today.  Woohoo!  Never doing that again..

So, in case you were just dying to know what I've been up to...there you go.  Tonight should be fun.  I'm going to Symposium (well that's not sooo fun), then a Wesley intramural flag football game (go Woah Man!!), then to a movie night at the Arena with my neighbor who I'd never met before today, then to Matt's for dinner, and then to play Manhunt all around campus at 11:00 PM.  And then the election is tomorrow and I'm watching the results at Matt's place.  Gah...sleep?  Who needs it?  

;)

Brit

Just catching up a little...

Haven't updated in quite a while...so I just figured I'd bring up a few interesting things that have happened here lately:

* We stated a series called "At War" with Wesley last week.  It's absolutely incredible and I cannot wait to hear what comes of it in the 3 weeks it'll be lasting for...

* Speaking of Wesley, I had lunch a few days ago with it's lovely Director, Katie.  She found out that I play bass and is going to mention it to the guy who heads the band up.  Apparently before I didn't talk to the right person.  So, if you would, please pray about that.  I really feel led to be involved in a music ministry up here!

* Emily and Anna came up for a weekend and we went to a Superchick show at the giant Baptist church (with it's own street.  woah).  It was fun.  Totally weird to use comp tickets and we felt kind of old being that it seemed to be a middle school girls conference.  It was a great weekend!  :)

* Today I went to the Food and Wine Festival at Epcot with Matt, Travanna, and Erica.  My oh my, the food is amazing!  The wine...I have no clue (but according to Matt and Erica it was not that great)

* I am being a bad student and am skipping class on Monday....because.....Senator Barack Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton will be in Orlando at a rally!!  I'm very excited.  Cathy is coming down and we're going with several people from UCF.  It shall be amazing, I'm sure. 

* I started (and finished) the first book of the Twilight series.  It's incredible.  If you haven't read it, read it-and only when you have time to read all day.  Yeah..it's that good.

And...I think that pretty much sums up my life for now. Amazing?  I think so.  

Love, peace, chicken grease (and yes, Anna, in that order!),

Brit

Clumsiness

Former President, Bill Clinton

Me furiously shaving shaving cream off of my balloon...we left quite a mess.  I wonder what people thought when they walked by us..haha

Shooting q-tips.  Quite possibly the favorite event.  

So I'm not sure about why...but for the past 2 months I have had like no sense of balance and have been more clumsy than I ever have in my entire life.  Examples include:  falling down stairs, tipping chairs over, falling over my feet randomly, etc.  It's oddly hilarious.  If this year goes by and none of my bones are broken it will have been a miracle.

These last few weeks have been fun, but nothing completely out of the ordinary has happened.  I guess the most exciting thing that's happened recently would have to be dorm olympics.  We had a much better turn out than last Thursday night (like at least 20 people) and had some seriously hilarious games, including shaving balloons (they had shaving cream on them), shooting q-tips from straws into cups, and pencil darts.  I think everyone had a good time...and we had lots of promises to come back next Thursday.  Now how dorm olympics will be topped...not quite sure about that.  

This weekend is family weekend up here at UCF, so my parents got in tonight.  We're going to some cookout with the honors college tomorrow and then to the game.  Go Knights!  :)  I should be starting my paper for comp, but am awaiting an email back from my professor as to whether my thesis is on the right track.  If I don't get one by morning....I'll just hope for the best considering the rough draft is due Monday.  Oh fun...

Oh dang!  By far the most exciting thing has been Bill Clinton coming to our school for a rally.  It was just really cool to hear someone speak who used to be President of our country.  Definitely an experience I won't forget.  That's all I've got for now.  Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!

Brit

Meditation...

As I mentioned in my last post, life is pretty insane for me right now.  So many changes...so many different things to think about/do.  Therefore I thought it was interesting that in our Freshmen Group they challenged us to do at least 15 minutes of meditating each day-simply sitting in the presence of God praying and listening for His voice.  

As I've said many times before, isn't it so funny how God knows exactly what we need in our lives?  Taking those short minutes out of my day seems to actually make more time to get things done.  Doesn't make any sense logically, but God has never been logical.  I wanted to share a scripture that I heard at Wesley last Tuesday that has inspired me.  

"A person's words can be life-giving water, words of true wisdom are as refreshing as a bubbling brooke." -Proverbs 18:4

Andy talked about a quote he had heard, and wanted to change it.  I totally should have brought my journal because I cannot remember who said it originally.  It is:  "The best thing about the church is the people, and the worst thing about the church is the people".  He talked about us at Wesley trying to erase the second half of that.  His entire sermon inspired me to be someone that people like to be around.  To be someone that encourages others, and looks at life in a positive light instead of being downcast all the time.  When I walk into a room and someone seems to genuinely want to get to know me and makes me feel like I'm important, it makes a world of difference.  It's so important to be loved, and so many people in this world have no idea what that feels like.  So my goal for this week besides doing my meditations faithfully is to love on people.  Make them feel like they are important and be Jesus to them.  

As far as what I've actually done this last week....basically had my nose in books with the occasional break for Wesley/Freshman Group/SAK Comedy Club/other fun stuff.  I still have tons of reading to do for Monday but I got a lot accomplished today which was great.  Tomorrow I have a Volunteer UCF event that goes along with my goal for this week.  We're going to work in a crisis nursery and spend time with the children there.  I'm very excited and will be sure to try and take pictures (if possible) and update on how that goes.  Sunday is church and more schoolwork.  I'm coming home next weekend to see everyone.  So excited!  

Love you guys!  :)

Brit

I'm guessing the craziness never ends...

Whew...I sure thought things would calm down a little while ago, but the craziness has not stopped.  I don't even remember what my last blog was about.  Oh yeah!  Getting excited about the amazing weekend.  I guess I should talk about that...

I went home Thursday (driving home by yourself is really boring, fyi) and went immediately to the Conners' to see Jesse, Kristen, and Trinia.  I was so overwhelmed I was in tears...it's crazy how you don't realize how much you miss someone until you see them again.  I spent a couple hours over there, and then came home to do laundry.  Oh what an exciting night.  

Emily and I left for Night of Joy the next day at 1:00.  The ride was awesome, with me hating the Earth and Emily loving walls.  Fabulous.  At Night of Joy, I saw Britt Nicole, Chris Tomlin, Barlow Girl, a song of Becca St. James, and Rush of Fools.  All were amazing!  It was so fun to hang out with Em and Anner.  We have so many stories that came from that short time...let's just say that I'll post a video that pretty much sums up our evening.  

As of now, I'm drowning in school work.  It totally stinks when two of your professors decide to make us finish books in the same week AND write papers on them.  I'm done with history, but still have to read 100 pgs of awfulness and write a paper by Saturday.  Yes, I know it's only Wednesday but...;)

I'll post some pictures from NOJ.  Hope everyone's weeks are going well!  I'm going to go hang out with some kids from Wesley tonight and pig out on pizza.  Yumm...

Love,

Brit

I'm so looking forward to this week...

I don't think I've been this excited for a week in quite a while.  Wesley tonight, "Iron Man" tomorrow night, home Thursday (to see Kristen, Jesse, and Trinia....yayayayayayayyaa), and then back up Friday with Emily to meet Anna at Night of Joy!  Saturday is the USF game; still not sure if I have gotten tickets or not).  Anna's taking Emily home on Saturday to spend some time with her family, and then coming back on Sunday to come to church with me Sunday night.  ;)

Let's see.  I'm trying to think of anything blog worthy in the last few days.  Sunday night, Chelsey, Jaclyn, and I went with my friends to a college aged ministry in downtown Orlando.  I don't even really have words to describe the service.  The music was amazing, the sermon inspiring yet challenging (all about letting Jesus be King over ALL of our lives, not just he areas we don't care about controlling), and then guys that we went with said that the sermon that night was the 'worst' they'd ever heard.  Mind you, when the sermons are amazing all the time, being the 'worst' is just really great...not amazing.  Something like that..haha!

I've got a lot to think about coming up here.  If you guys could just keep me and my decisions in your prayers, I'd sure appreciate it.  God has been/is so amazing in these past few weeks.  I'm going to Wesley tonight, and hopefully something about playing bass will come up.  Wow!  "Majesty (Here I Am)" just came up on my iPod and that was one of the songs I loved the most at Status.  Just wow....

Love you all, and can't wait for this weekend!  Oh, one more thing.  Please keep my mom in your prayers.  I knew that this time would be hard on her, but she's making excuses not to go to church...where all her support is.  She really needs that (even if it does remind her a lot of me being there).  Also just pray for my parents in general, as they are having to get used to being by themselves...Thanks!!

Brit