crazy cat lady.

I never in a million years thought (with all the dogs I own) that I'd become a crazy cat lady, but alas, I have. It's so different owning a cat as compared to living with dogs. For starters, you know that you don't own a cat... it owns you. Lumos, or as Mama C calls her, "Lucifer", is quite the handful. She tackles tails, paws faces, and scratches anything valuable, including skin. The other night she took to making home in the hutch, and had nothing to say to the rest of us.

it's finally Christmas, and i'm home.

A little emo-Christmas music for those of us who enjoy Christmas but struggle with that holiday sadness for whatever reason. 

baby, it's cold outside.

It's official. We are back in the arctic tundra. The girls and I were a bit shocked by the falling snow and stark cold over the past few days. We have all acclimated to the sunshine summertime weather of Carolina, and are still a bit resistant to change. It's been hard enough to give up sweet tea, pecan pie, and Chic-fil-a, but now our beautiful and always perfect 75 degree weather too? Well, we'll get through by enjoying the wonderful holiday season and the beautiful scenery of Woodbury, Minnesota. The girls have been paws on when it comes to decorating our lovely abode and they look quite adorable doing it!

We have been so blessed to enjoy beautiful Christmas' up in Minnesota, snow and all. While we miss Carolina somethin' awful, we are grateful to be surrounded by friends and families, and lots of wonderful memories.

they're gettin' hitched!

Come October 12, I find myself addin' a brand new sister to my already large collection. Kelly Farris wooed my brother, in all his geekdom, off his feet and now he's takin' her to the altar. This makes me so incredibly happy because there's no one more deserving of love in this world than my brother. From the moment I was born 26 years ago, he has fulfilled the role of brother perfectly.

I've never understood the sisters who gush that their brothers are their best friends and they have been inseparable their whole life and blah blah blah. No...my brother gave me the entire big brother experience; from beating me up to holding me down to making fun of me to ignoring me.... to teaching me how to read to protecting me to surprising me with kindness at the most random of moments to being my hero when I needed one the most. He was not my inseparable best friend growing up... he was what he needed to be, my big brother.

Lee and I went through something that apart from being brother and sister, bonds us together forever. I have often thought of my own sadness at the absence of my father at my wedding. Selfishly, I have never stopped to think about the sadness my brother must feel with the date of his wedding growing closer every day, and our dad so untouchably far away. Dad would be so proud of you Lee, and he would be so happy and joyous for this moment in your life to have come. He will be there, watching us both, sharing in this experience with us, in ways we can not understand.

I love you so much Lee and this couldn't happen to a better a person.

"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh' ? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."

Matthew 19:4-6

Click here for more information on the Carver-Farris wedding!

If we are the body...

Tonight, as I left my amazing, amazing church, the Summit, I felt so lifted by the Lord and filled with the Holy Spirit. I hugged and loved upon my best friends as they got in to their car. We spoke about joining the church choir and other ways to get involved. The sermon had spoken and resonated so deeply within each of us. I just knew anyone who touched me could feel the love of Christ radiating from my skin, my bones... my soul. I hopped inside my own car and headed for home. I sang along to our local Christian radio and worshiped loudly and proudly. My ego had me thinking I was a vehicle of the Gospel, and my pride solidified my ego.

As I arrived home and started to rush in doors to escape this cold night, I was stopped by a neighbor who was headed out.

"What are you up to Allie?"

"I just got home from Church."

"You go to Church?"

"Yeah. I try to go every weekend with my friends."

"Oh, I had no clue you were Christian."

I was absolutely mortified, astonished, and worst of all... embarrassed.  What did he mean he didn't know I was Christian? Certainly, I was kind and giving, and I must more often than not follow in the footsteps of Christ with my actions. RIGHT!?? SERIOUSLY??!!

We said our goodbyes and I continued up the stairs. Each step feeling heavier than the last as my mind raced. I was so taken aback by his comments, and so utterly embarrassed that I couldn't make sense of any of my thoughts. I came inside my house and started to make dinner. I mindlessly began chopping vegetables and turning on the oven, and so many unimportant things... the entire time thinking of the events that had just occurred... when it dawned on me.

I was embarrassed  I was mortified. I was astonished... but for entirely the wrong reasons.

Again, my pride and my ego got the best of me. Yes, I want to be known as a Christian and a follower of Jesus to my friends and family, and those I come in contact with. But it should not be for my own glory, my own pride, and my own comfort. I should want these things because it helps to glorify God, it helps to spread the Gospel, and above all, my actions and words should bring others to Christ. In the wounds of my vanity, I was still failing to glorify and praise Christ. I was still thinking of myself and my reputation.

I want my future actions, words, praise, kindness... all to be for the glory of God, and none of it to be for my own selfish pride. None of it matters in regards to my reputation or what I am known for... None of it matters for me. I must make sure that I am bringing praise to Christ, I am winning souls for God, and I am spreading the Word of the Gospel.

If I open my heart. If I listen. If I pray... the Holy Spirit can and will work through me to make all of this happen. I need to remember that none of this is for me... It is all for Him.

Lord, help me to remember that while I am a unique individual, so is everyone else. I struggle with being easily frustrated and easily irritated. I must remember to approach all situations and people with the same compassion, love, and understanding Christ shows me on a daily basis. 

you must allow me to tell you...

While cleaning my house tonight, I decided to play one of my favorite books on iTunes, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. It's simply splendid. Every time I read the book or watch the movie (Kiera Knightly or Colin Firth's version are both incredible!), I sob violently and dream of my own Mr. Darcy walking toward me at sunrise in a field. However, I quickly come to reality when I realize I'd look half as charming as Kiera in a pair of lawn gnome pajamas and a NC State sweatshirt. Until I can roam the English country side in a gorgeous peasant dress and beautiful leather boots at 5 AM like it's no biggie... I'll stick to beautiful photos and memes.