Love like crazy.

WELL. Where to begin?
Our house is all underway, now it's just getting it livable. My mom and me are going to start painting this week so we can get the kitchen cabinets in hopefully in the next week. In order to close on it, we have to put toilets, cabinets, and a stove in. I don't quite understand why you have to have a stove, but not a refridgerator, but okayyy. lol
So we should have it by the first of august, which means our highest hopes have been confirmed.. we can have Caitlyn's baby shower there, which is SO exciting. :)
Now we are just waiting for the 'good-to-go' signal from the mortgage person so we can start fixing it up.

My CNA test is on july 16th so pray that I can pass it and get a good job. I'm a little worried I won't be able to find one. I really hope I can get one at the hospital my mom works at but we'll see. I'm just happy to have it on my resume for PA school.
My sister and two cousins and I all went to see Eclipse the other night. I was surprised how much better the third one is from the first and second. I was impressed! And we also had tons of fun. When you get my family together (even just us) it tends to be a ball of fun. haha we definitely all decided that Jacob is WAYYY better then Edward in the movie. by a long shot. LOL

Guess what tomorrow is? July 4th. Which usually I would be more excited, but i'm not. That means that meme has been gone for a whole year. I can't believe it. Whenever I go by her house, it almost feels like it isn't true. It's like I can tease myself into thinking she's not gone. I just wish it were the truth. I'm trying to think of it positively. I keep reminding myself that she's gonna watch the fireworks from the best seat in the house with grandpa clarence. It makes it a little better.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!
Oh, and here's a scripture I came across the other day that I loved:

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

Matthew 7:13

Much love & sunshine,

Caila Lanell

I need your strength to feel this weak.

Well, this past week I've been super busy! From cleaning and organizing for the realtor to come put our house up for sale, to more organizing and cleaning that the realtor told us to do to show the house. I've had to pack up most of my closet, and I have to admit..packing STINKS!
Everything is looking good as far as the new house goes, we're just hoping to be moved in by August 7th in order to have Caitlyn's baby shower there. Their estimated closing day is July 20th, and then of course we have to put in cabinets, sinks, toilets, etc. We'll see!

On top of all this, I've had to start planning her baby shower. Which has been pretty crazy. I have to hand make 50+ invitations. They are gonna be super cute invitations but totally time consuming.

I've been trying to keep my head looking up and postive, Lord knows we need some of that around here. haha It's just hard sometimes when things try to frustrate me so badly. I just can't believe the audacity of some people. I try to keep myself in the reality in order to never be so naive. There are people who tell you what you want to hear or they tell whatever makes them look good. I just wish the people I care about wouldn't fall for those stupid lies. I always try to think about what my meme would do in those situations and how she would deal with it. It's so hard to deal with it the way she would. She always knew how to deal with any stressful or frustrating situation with such grace and calmness.

I was reading Lifestories again last night and I came across a couple excerpts that was like a brick wall in my face. I love when sometimes you get on your high horse, and you come across something or someone that brings you back down to your level. & the way Mark Hall put this, definitely did just that.

"As with Bethelehem, Jerusalem saw Him in Person, but He wasn't enough. They wanted more. They wanted signs, and He responded with plenty, though not enough to fancy their wandering hearts and itching ears. They had a picture of God they wanted, but the God they wanted was a political ruler."
"What's more, America has been blessed into agnosticism. I'm not blaming God; it's our fault. We Americans have taken God's immense blessings upon the most Christian nation the world has ever known and allowed these blessings to make us fat and happy. Oh, must we ever be happy!"
"...We let temporal concerns shape what we believe is most important in life, but our desire for happiness undergirds it all."

So true! It made me realize how much we, including myself, push aside God for happiness like He isn't enough. While all the while, He is PLENTY! He should be the one we're are striving for, and happiness will follow! Just think, knowing that you will be going to that blessed promise land, isn't that enough to make you over-joyed with happiness??
I've met SOOOO many people that question my priorites. I would give up anything if it means doing what is right in the Lord's eyes. That is what makes me happy. Are those good enough priorities for ya?! lol


Anyways! Just thought I'd share that tid bit of info with you, whoever you may be. Just something I found interesting and wanted to share. Off to bed, Good night!

Much love & sunshine,
Caila Lanell

Luke Bryan - Rain Is A Good Thing

Luke Bryan is amazing! and a total cutie ;) Really love this video and song! =)

And we hoped for the best, & let go of the rest.

So tonight is WNHS graduation and i'm going to see one of my best friends get his diploma (i.e. freedom :P) and also say the closing prayer. I cannot tell you how excited I am to see him do this! I'm so proud of him, graduating as class chaplain and being such a wonderful role model for his friends. It's gonna be a wonderful night =)

It got me thinking about where I was a year ago. I can honestly say that my life has changed the most in the past year then it ever has. Everyone says that your life FLIES after high school. Oh boy, they were right. I'm feeling oldddd! lol
Everything is different. It seems like even my state of mind has changed since then. and it wasn't even the graduation that caused it! It was life all of a sudden my future played out differently then i was expecting it to and then 'BAM' life hit me smack dab in my face. haha!

Hopefully tomorrow I will be at the beach soaking up the rays. as long as Florida doesn't decide to be unpredictable and rain all day! :/
I'll be able to enjoy it. Everything is looking good for my family and hopefully I'll be able to post some REALLY wonderful news on here by the end of this week. Keep your fingers crossed!

Everything isn't perfect, but I would probably be freaked out if it WAS! :P

Much love & sunshine,
Caila Lanell

"Have you been holding on to what this world has offered?
Have you been giving in to all these masquerades?
It will be gone, forever gone.
It will be gone, it will be gone
Let this old life crumble, let it fade.
Let this new life offer be your saving grace."

Blackout.

Does anybody hear her?

So I was reading this book I got a while ago and never finished and came across this very interesting excerpt. The book is called Lifestories by Mark Hall (lead singer and songwriter for Casting Crowns). I strongly recommend you read it if you haven't already. The book tells the story behind some of their songs which is remarkable because every single one has a prominent meaning. Which is one of the reasons I love Casting Crowns so much because they still mean something. So many bands just write and don't think.
Here's the excerpt from the chapter on their song "Does anybody hear her?":

"Girls are being told lies about who they are when, really, they're princesses. They're priceless, but they're being told by the world:
You're going to have to sell yourself.You have to present a certain look and act a certain way. These people over here expect you to hold this look and lifestyle a priority, but that group over there says you must do something different to get what you want. And if you can't pull it off, and keep everyone happy, you don't belong. You'll be rejected, you won't be happy, and you'll be a nobody.

Girls constantly have to sell themselves to everyone, or at least they're made to feel they must, and the ultimate fallout is usually painful. Their need for approval and for someone to tell them they are OK is sometimes worth more to them than their self-respect."

Amazing huh? Oh and guys, that was a MAN saying that stuff. Sometimes I hear stories of what girls have done (not gossip, although we're all guilty of that) and I wonder "what was going through their heads?" I try to think back before I knew Jesus as my savior. Before God 'completed' me (Mark Hall also speculates on 'completion" if you might say in this chapter also) and how much I let the world's viewpoint weigh on my choices. I still, unfortunately, let the world sway my choices, and everytime I do, it's never good. People look so much for approval and completion from everyone else they forget who they truly are. Mark Hall put this into a billiant perspective, and I read that excerpt over and over again. IT'S SO TRUE, IT'S CRAZY! haha

He goes on to say this:

"We believers tend to maintain at least two "bad" lists. I'm an expert at it. If someone does something on one bad list, we're willing to restore her, love on her, pray for her, circle around her, and escort her back into the fold. But what if she does something on the other bad list? Then everybody needs to just back away and try not to get anything on them.
I often remind myself: If I imagine the person with the worst reputation ever, I'm only two or three bad decisions away from being that person, Those of us who keep lists should examine our hearts, our pasts, and our habits. May Christ's love overwhelm all of our preconceived notions."

It's so frustrating to see other believers like myself judge someone like Mark Hall illustrated. Granted, I'm guilty of it also, no one is perfect. I can't stand seeing believers like myself seperate themselves from non-believers like he said "to not get anything on them." If you seperate yourself from the people that need help the most, who is going to be there?? Making a cliche of believers helps no one, not even yourselves. When you close yourself off to the world, you're closing yourself off from being a witness for God. Not even closing yourself off to non-believers, but rather people who make mistakes that to you, shouldn't be made. WE'RE HUMAN. Don't confuse yourself and think that just because we have accepted Jesus as our savior means that we are above everyone else. We are undeserving of being saved; we are sinners. But God is gracious enough to offer salvation. Be humble, don't hold yourself on a pedestal.

Anyways, I wanted to share these excerpts with everyone because they we're so astounding to me. The fact that he was so blunt and straightforward. Most people are afraid to say these types of things because they may offend someone. If you haven't read Lifestories before, you really should! =)

Much love & sunshine,
Caila Lanell

I could really use a wish right now, wish right now, wish right now.

Have you heard the new song Airplanes by B.O.B ft. Hayley Williams? If not, you should. It's pretty darn amazing. =)

SO. I've come to realize that I really miss blogging. SO, here comes the blogs! Which is a good idea since a lot of changes have come my way and are continuing to head this way.

Here's some of the changes that have happened since my last blog.
1) I'm returning home to finish school at UNF. Contrary to popular belief, not because I "couldn't make it" away at college. It just so happens that I have had some opportunities reveal themselves that happen to require me to be at home; which everyone knows, I love my family, so I can bear to live with them for now. :P
2) I will be an aunt to a little baby boy in august; which is quite exciting considering I never thought I would ever have a neice/nephew. God works in mysterious ways.
3) My family is moving from our home of 15+ years. I know, no more bonfires in the boondocks. My parents are meeting with the realtor tomorrow to put our house on the market and we are hoping to hear back about the house that we have set our eyes on any day now. Say some prayers that it all works out, because we desperately need to be closer to civilization with everything going on.
4) I finished my CNA (certified nursing assistant) class last week and hopefully will be taking the state exam and, hopefully, beginning to work at Mayo (where my mom works) in a matter of a month or so. My mom is trying to get me a job on the oncology floor at Mayo, which is to say the least, a dream come true. I'm interested in getting into the oncology field and this experience will be like no other. God definitely opens doors.


WOWSA. I think that is all for now. I'm sure there's plenty of more but I just spring cleaned our house in one day so i'm pretty darn exhausted. I'll post again real soon! Thanks for reading, whoever is out there...

Much love & sunshine,
Caila Lanell

I know the journey seems so long,

You feel you’re walking on your own.

But there has never been a step,

Where you’ve walked out all alone.

Troubled soul don’t lose your heart,

Cause joy and peace He brings.

And the beauty that’s in store,

Outweighs the hurt of life’s sting.

~There will be a day: Jeremy Camp