Pocket full of change.

Change. I like it, for the most part. It keeps you on your toes. And from getting too comfortable. What's changed, you might ask? Well..

• We moved from Seminole to Safety Harbor
• I changed my mind on what I was doing for school about 203859059 times
• I changed my blog
• The Gawlowicz's, my family, moved to Auburndale or Winter Haven, whatever it is called. =]
• We are watching Libby for 10ish days. Ahhh.
• Most of my friends have moved into apartments, farther away.. =[
• And the most important change, I have switched churches, and now attend RidgePoint. I love it there. I am challenged in a totally different way. Check out the podcasts.
  

And even though this summer has had its ups and downs, I wouldn't change any of it. So thank you to everyone who has been part of the change. 

Grilled PB&J

Hi. My new summer goal is to learn how to play the guitar. In less than a month. I already know how to tune my guitar, so I am heading in the right direction. Yay.

It's been a good couple months (and by couple months I mean half a year) since I updated.. so let me fill you in..
January = Winter Retreat 09. Michael Gentes's dad passed away.
February = Sennit passed away. My grandpa passed away.
March = Grandma passed away. I turned 19.
April = GTD Retreat. Started dating Ben <3
May = First year of college donedonedone!!!! Sophomore now!

Summer has been quite the summer. I got a tattoo! Started working out. I chopped my hair off and dyed it dark brown. I stopped working out. Went to StudentLife 09 and was a leader =]. Moved to Safety Harbor. VBS week at church. I cut my hair again, got some highlights too. VBS at the Ridge Center. Ah!!! Put some random pink streaks in my hair. Started working out again. Made spaghetti. Made grilled PB&J!!!! Last Sunday morning at FSCC. Last Alive (Maybe?). Last Pipeline (Maybe?). Excited for this Sunday. =]

And in less than a month I start my second year of college. Should I stay or should I go now...?

Christmas Break.

A full month off from school was definitely needed. I think this is the most I have enjoyed any break. The first two weeks I was at home, hanging out with friends and working. Christmas Eve rolled around and Jason Purvis, Alyson, and I met up to go out and feed some of the homeless in downtown St. Pete. I wish I knew how to link a blog, but check out Jason's to get a glimpse at the night. I can honestly say that was the BEST part about break. I look forward to doing that monthly -- even twice a month. I am pretty sure the next time we plan on going out is Friday the 16th, later on in the evening.. around 9? Anyone is invited to join. =]

On the 26th I flew out to PA for twelve days!!! I got to see snow, TWICE! It was a great time to relax with people I am really close to. Basically family. 19 people in one house -- awesome. Watching a pickle drop on New Years. Going in the hot tub with Laura and Lisa in 20 degree weather. I made so many memories on this trip I will never forget! Sadly on the 7th, Laura and her mom took me to the airport. I wasn't ready to go back, but my toes were frozen.. so I needed to! Cristina picked me up from the airport, with a surprise in the bathroom. KAELI! =D I don't think I have ever been that excited to see someone =D

Now I am packing up and moving back in to Unit L. Hopefully this semester goes a LOT better than last semester. I already know it's starting out better... 

Keep Sennit, my Poppy, and my grandmother in your prayers. Sennit is in Texas starting a new treatment for his cancer tomorrow. My Poppy is recovering from his second surgery on the 31st, contemplating what to do next for his heart. And my dad's mom is having physical and mental problems, forcing her to be kept in the hospital with no diagnosis as of yet. So please pray for them.

Spring Semester 09 starts now. Remembering G^3.

I'll try to blog more during the semester too =] 

To fail, or not to fail?

Thanksgiving Break.

Break - [intrans.] stop proceedings in order to have a pause or vacation.

One of the many definition for break, and obviously the teachers never understood what it meant! I have so much homework -- online tests, quizzes, papers, projects, speeches -- that this should not be considered a break! Although I didn't get out of bed til one today.. So it is somewhat a break.

I have had a bunch of chill time since I am not all stressed out about school. I know I should be working on homework, but I am a professional procrastinator. In my millions of hours of sitting on my bed staring at the walls, I have been reading a LOT! One of the books is by Mark Driscoll, and the other is like a devotional book one of my unit mates let me borrow. Awesome! 

One of the devotions is titled Failure and God. If you don't know what my biggest fear is -- it's failure. When I came across this devo, I skipped it and when on to the next one. I tried to read the next one but my fantastical mind couldn't stop thinking about the failure one! Ugh. Dumb mind. So I figured I would go back and read it... Good choice. The first line is, "Failure does not mean God has abandoned you; it does mean God has a better way."

WHATTTTT?!?! Crazy! I don't think I have ever really thought of failure like that before. It is kinda comforting, if you know what I mean. God redirects our steps to get us to His goals He has set for us and His plan.. so our "failure" is because we are not getting what we want done or what we want.. but really that doesn't matter anyways. I don't know if this even makes sense, but I know what I mean, and it's really awesome. 

Of course I don't want to fail. I hate that. But now I am seeing it in a different light. Instead of my biggest fear being failure -- it should be not following God's will, and losing sight of it. If our faith is genuine, there is no need to fear failure in my opinion. Even if it seems we have failed, it's important to do what is right.. not for ourselves, but for God

2 Corinthians 13:5

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you -- unless, of course, you fail the test?

When it's cold outside, I've got the month of November...

Maybe not quite how the lyrics go, but close.
Time for a quick I-don't-want-to-do-homework-right-now break.

I didn't want to get out of bed today because it was so cold. Or maybe the fact that I went to bed around 3:30 am and my alarm was waking me up at 7:30 am. Either way, I did not want to get up. At 8, I failed my bible test. At 9, I was late for chapel. At 10, I was dazed and confused during English. At 11, it was my third time being asked if everything was okay.. I guess it's apparent I am crazyyyy tired. Pressing on..

Happy White Glove Eve. This is the craziest week EVER. Tonight and Thursday show no signs of slowing down, but speeding up. Ahhh...

Dear God, since this is Florida -- can you please turn the HEAT back on? Please..?!?

Last night at Alive I was really thinking about what I am thankful for. I know it seems so cliche, but Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. =D

I am really thankful for everyone that has pushed me to where I am today. I wouldn't be going to Clearwater if I didn't have everyone's support, so thank you. I'm thankful for Beth and JJ being huge influences in my life. Basically, they are my parents. I love them. They are awesome.

Also, I am thankful for my mom. Crazy huh? I know, you never expected me to be typing this. Ever since I moved into CCC we have gotten along great. Whenever I go home we have really cool talks. She is opening up a lot and I love it. My Poppy was in the hospital and God used this event to make my mom realize things. I know she claims to be Catholic, but whatever she thinks she is, she has definately fallen away from God. She doesn't believe that faith and good works get you to heaven, but faith alone. This makes me believe that there are some saved Catholics, it just varies from person to person. I know there are some doctrinal differences, but everyone's view and opinion is different. Anyways, point of the story is -- I am thankful for my mom. She's changing. And it's awesome to see that. It's in the little things.. like texting me and saying she is blessed to have me as her daughter. And emails. Yeah.

In a way, it's still realllllly weird. I'm not used to it. But please pray for her.

Must get back to school work now. =[ TWO MORE DAYS, then a 10 day break -- so they say. It's actually 10 days to give you as much work as they possibaly can..

To die or not to die..

Capital Punishment. The Death Penalty.

Sigh. Ugh. Groan. Grrr. Okay, shall we move on...

Note: Some statements that are made could/will make you mad. It doesn't mean I believe everything I type... Just trying to throw both "sides" out there. 

One of the girls in my Communications class did a speech on capital punishment, pro death penalty. I listened to it, not fully agreeing, and then realizing I never reallllly thought about it like that before.

So -- for or against it? I'm not really sure.

Do we really have the right to make that choice in the first place? 

Florida is among the 38 states that believe capital punishment is the just punishment for a murderer. Our state is out there killing someone that killed someone else. How does that make sense? What message does that send:

We are murderers ourselves? 

Or we are protecting society, just incase they escape or get parole? 

Or we are saving money by not locking them up for the rest of their lives? 

More times than not, I am sure that the family of the loved one who was murdered doesn't feel any better when the murderer is executed. Who would really? Just because the murderer is now dead doesn't bring your loved one back. It doesn't change the hurt and the pain you've experienced. It's still going to be there, only now another family is going through what you went through, due to the death penalty. Yes, I know murdering someone is wrong and that person should be punished -- BUT -- killing in response? What about the eighth amendment? Cruel and unusual punishment...

But eye for an eye right.. it'll make criminals now think twice about committing a capital crime. We need to get justice. How can it be considered a "life-sentence behind bars" if the victim didn't even get to live out his/her own life. To serve justice, the person that ended the life of another person should have to pay with their own life in return. 

On the other hand, the death penalty is irreversible. Once it's done, it is done. Since DNA testing, numerous "murderers" were freed. They were NOT the murderers. They could have been killed for someone else's crime. How is that just? It denies an individual any chance of benefitting from new and improved technology that may provide evidence to later prove their innocence. 

So, where is the line drawn? Should we even have a say in killing someone? Or do we protect society? Our minds should be made up before it could happen to us or someone we know. We can't make decisions based on every situation or feeling or emotion.

"Are victims' family members really healed by the death penalty, or are they re-victimized by a criminal justice system that exploits their pain to keep voters happy and makes promises it cannot keep?" (About.com)

Seventy Days

Okay, I am horrible at updating. I realize this. No excuses.

School --

I love it! Although I am ready for Thanksgiving break! It is hard going to public school all your life then attending a Christian college, but I wouldn't change it for the world. All my classes are challenging, but hopefully I will be able to pull of good grades this semester. I already have my classes picked out for Spring semester and I am looking forward to it. 

Poppy --

My Poppy had surgery on his Aorta on 10th of October. He was finally released from the hospital yesterday, but still not fully recovered. He is not the same as when he went in. He can't barely breathe or do anything on his own. I was excited when they let him go home because I figured he would finally get better. Well, today he was rushed back to St. Anthony's because he stopped breathing. My Grama called my mom while we were all getting our hair done and said she almost lost him. I've never seen my mom that sad before. Needless to say, he his back in the hospital doing more tests. Please pray that if it is God's will he will get better fast. My Grama is a mess and it's put a strain on my parents -- missing so much work and paying for a lot of this. I just want my Poppy back the way he's supposed to be. =[ Bah.

China --

Over the summer I am taking a mission trip with my school over to China! I am super excited. It will be for 3 weeks, and serving in many different ways. We are working with some university students in teaching them about Christ and each one of us will lead our own bible study! Awesome. Also, we are helping out in a TON of different ways. I cannot wait to go over there. Mission work is my passion. My "heart beat" so to say. =D Only thing I am a little worried about is the expenses. 2,500$. Ah! But God will provide... 

Spiritualness --

My fantastical mind has been pondering somethings recently:

*Spiritual warfare. 

*Heaven.

*Also, can people of other religions be saved? Such as some Catholics.. Are there saved Catholics that will go to heaven, but they just practice Catholicism... or what? What about other religions. 

I love thinking outside the box.

P.S. I got my second holes done today! And my hair as well! Yay

Maybe it won't take me another 70 days to post..