Weekend

I wonder why I have this blog. I'm pretty sure no one reads it, except for Lauren every now and then. (Thanks Lauren). Hmm...oh well, I guess my life isn't that exciting for people to want to read about it.

I'm going to write about my weekend anyways. :)

• Friday - My wonderful friend Carlye Carpenter sat with me out in the Junction from 1 to about 4ish. We got to catch up on each other's lives and enjoy the beautiful day. Hutch came by right at 5 to help me actually put our tent up. So glad I have friends that will come and help me with things. That night, me and Andrea Rodgers went to the men's basketball game. It was really fun and we're looking forward to the next game. After that, we went to Pancake Fest. Now, I've been hearing all this stuff about Pancake Fest and how amazing it is and yada yada. Well, I'm here to testify that Pancake Fest is, in fact, AMAZING. It was so much fun. Three different kinds of pancakes, a stage outside with live music, tons of friends, a pancake eating contest, I mean, the works. Great job Sycamore Boys! I can't wait for the next one.
  
• Saturday - GAME DAY! Mamie Shannon from Philadelphia, MS came up to see me and come to the game. We spent the summer together in Nevada. It was great to see her and talk with her again. Will picked us up and we loaded everything out to the Junction to tailgate. This was definitely the best tailgate we've had this season. Again, that awesome girl, Carlye, made us some BBQ and it was marvelous. We had a great crowd of friends and had lots of fun hanging out and playing Ladder Golf. I'll be happy next year when Will doesn't have to leave to go do his Jumbo-tron business. So Mamie, Andrea, Reed Jones, and I sat in the Student Section for the Alabama game. It was a terrible game, but we had fun. After the game, we all met up back at the tent and hung out some more. Also, one of my best friends from back in the day came for the game, Kristen Mathews. She and I have been friends since 3rd grade, but she moved to Alabama in 7th grade. She and her boyfriend, Tim, came to Starkville. It was so so great to see them again and talk and catch up, which we did a lot of.
  
• Sunday - Mamie left me that morning, it was sad to see her leave. I tagged along with the Drawn Together Band to Mathiston to hear them perform. I got to take pictures of them and record them, too. I loved it. They had a banjo, a mandilan(?), a violin, an upright bass, a piano, and guitar. It was just like some good ole blue grass Christian hymns. I loved it and so did everyone else. That afternoon, me, Will, and Ashley Farris went to Aberdeen for the Christmas Open House. The Christmas atmosphere and being back home was great. I loved showing Will and Ashley my town. There's just something about a good ole Southern hometown where you can't walk into a store without knowing people. I am truly a Southern girl, and proud of it. That night, Ashley and I went to Calvary Baptist Church. After the message from Perry, we had plenty to talk about. I am so blessed to have a friend like that in my life when we can talk on a subject and have the same feelings and just be able to share anything with her.

So all in all, this was probably the best weekend I've had since being in Starkville.

Now, how about a few pictures from the weekend?

Me and Andrea at the basketball game.

Me and Matthew Witbeck, one of the Sycamore boys that hosted the Pancake Fest.

Some of us girls at the Pancake Fest.

Me and Mamie in the Junction!

The girls of the Big Green Tent.

Our traditional tailgating picture. :)

This is the infamous Kristen Mathews.

Me and Ashley being goofy at the Open House.

BTW, it's a big hassel to get pictures on this thing. Maybe there's an easier way to do it and I just don't know about it, but this has taken me FOREVER!

How are you?

"How are you?" Such a simple question. In most cases, the person asking doesn't really care about how the person really is. It's just small talk, really. However, when the person being asked the question has an answer other than "Oh, I'm good" or "Things are fine", this question almost stings. The person really wants to tell them what is really going on in their life. How their heart is breaking, how they feel so alone, and insignificant in the world, how terrified they are of the future. But we don't do that, do we? We tuck all that inside, smile and tell them what they want to hear: "Everything is going good."

So, in that case, "How are you, Claire?" Honestly, it's been rough for a while. I have given everything to God. All that I have going on is in His hands. However, I know that satan is at work. He can take all these things, even though I have turned them all in to God, and keep bringing them up in my mind. He does this with every little aspect and let's it build and build. I finally had to break down, turn down the music, and say aloud "Satan, in the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, get OUT! Get out of my life and quit bringing me down. Stop taking away my joy and strength."

Now things did not instantly get better after that. However, God is helping me through everything. Throughout all of this I have had the attitude of "Okay God, what are you trying to teach me?" I have been keeping my eyes open for something from Him. I might not know what I'm supposed to learn until a later time. I am fine with that. God helped me through one of the major complications this week. And I praise Him. I've been praising Him through it all.

I was sure by now, God, that You would have reached down

and wiped our tears away

stepped in and saved the day.

But once again, I say amen

and it's still raining.

And as the thunder rolls,

I barely hear you whisper through the rain,

"I'm with you"

and as your mercy falls

I raise my hands and praise the God who gives

and takes away.

I will praise you in this storm.

And I will lift my hands.

For You are who You are

no matter where I am

and every tear I've cried

You hold in Your hand.

You've never left my side

and though my heart is torn

I will praise You in this storm.