Home Sweet Home

I'm home. Expect consistant blog updates for the next 2 1/2 weeks since the internet is fully accessable. (this is where Kim has her victory dance)

I like to drive from Tucson to Tulsa. People think I'm crazy. I don't really care. It takes about 22 hours because there's always a 2 hour nap in there somehwere. That nap usually takes place righ when I cross the Texas/Oklahoma border. I feel silly stopping there because I'm only 4 hours from home... but if I don't I will die. My mom watched this thing on dateline or something about how driving while sleep deprived is just as bad as driving while drunk. Don't think I didn't hear that at least 4 times.

When I was rolling into town I talked on the phone with Emma for like the last 15 minutes as she waited for me in the front yard. It was adorable. Her face made me tear up when I turned on her street. She was waiting for me at the stop sign and ran beside my car while laughing into the phone.

Then I walked into the house and the boys were in their room playing so they didnt hear me walk in... so I was in the kitchen with Nik talking and the boys walked in to ask her something and they just stopped and stared at me for a split second then screamed and ran to hug me. It was super cute. Man, I've missed those kids.

Then Payton came over with my brother and she saw me, screamed and ran to me... but then saw Nikki on her run over to me and hugged her yelling "Aunt Nikki Aunt Nikki!!!!" and then stopped caring that I was in the room and she hasnt seen me in 5 months. haha..... oh little Payton.

Anyway, I'm home and it feels great. I can't wait to see my best friend.

Merging, Weddings and New Hair. Selah.

So I went to a meeting today with the leadership team I work with and the leadership team I will soon be joining. Our senior pastor at the church(CityEdge) I work for is leaving and heading back to work for a church in Coweta, OK. so, our church plant is merging with another church plant in town. Make sense? Are we still considered a church plant when we've existed for a year? anyway... CityEdge is merging with Epic so I officially work for Epic church... well, starting tomorrow.

I'm really excited about the change. I think its going to be very good for our church. I'm so pumped to work with Jake, the pastor of Epic. I think there's a lot of exciting possibilities for the future.

Speaking of the future, I'm coming to Oklahoma soon for a nice long visit. May 24 I will be leaving here and heading that way. And I will be there for about 2 and 1/2 weeks. It will be good. Ive really been missing my family lately.

I will see these silly faces in about two weeks..... I can't wait.

I'm typing on a computer that is missing its backspace key. It sucks.

I colored my hair... I'll post a photo.

I look silly here... but atleast you can kinda tell what it looks like.

here is a photo of me with one of my best friends, Kelsi. She is getting engaged soon. We're all excited. I need to start gettin' my run on. I gotta look good for a January wedding.

There's Been a Mistake-- I Burn With Passion

Today was a good day--- long--- but good. I was in a 6 hour meeting today with other church planters talking about the future of our churches and where God is directing us. The meeting was emotionally exhausting, but it was so awesome. The entire thing was just so Christ-centered. It is so encouraging to be in a room of people that are so broken over this city. 

I went hoping some questions would be answered and I left with even more questions. ah well... I should have known that would happen. I just want so bad for my life to honor God. Someone asked a question today. They said, "do you ever just want to move back home and go to school and be a normal college student?" and I thought, "no." I mean, the moving home stuff sounds pretty sweet, but I was not created to be a normal college student. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I was not created for that. I was just listening to some old school worship music and I was so broken by the song One Pure and Holy Passion. 

Give me one pure and holy passion

give me one magnificent obsession

give me one glorious ambition for my life- to know and follow hard after You

To know and follow hard after You

to grow as you disciple in the Truth

this world is empty, pale, and poor compared to knowing you, my Lord

Lead me on and I will run after You

This is so my heart right now. God will provide. I'm trusting and resting in Him. 

Concerts and Tattoos

I went to that Hawk Nelson, Jeremy Camp, MercyMe concert last night. It was really good. I felt bad because I'm not the biggest CCM fan... and I think a lot of Christian concerts are just corny and semi-ridiculous... but it was actually really good. And it got me thinking. I'm really glad God made musicians/artists. People complain about them all the time-- at least the circles that I'm in(which is weird because I'm surrounded by artists... so essentially they would be complaining about themselves....?)-- but I'm really thankful for them. They just have so much passion and it's cool to see them get so excited about the gospel. It just spreads like wildfire. I love it.

I got tattoos on my wrists the other day. It hurt waaaaaay more than I thought it would. I got "Grace" on my left wrist and "Truth" on my right. In Greek. I love them. My best friend helped me. When I got to the shop with my original tattoo idea, my tattoo artist basically told me not to get what I was wanting because it would look like crap in 10 years. I'm glad I listened to him. I'm really happy with these. As soon as they heal i will post photos. They're looking pretty funky right now. 

I'm sitting in a coffee shop right now and I'm sitting next to these ladies who are all in their 40s and they're working on a class project. older women are always such overachievers when they're in college. They're so intense. There are 5 of them at the table next to me. I came here to relax... pff... that didn't happen. 

I don't like being stressed. I'm a fairly chill, low intensity kind of gal. Not these days. There is so much going on around me and so many though process going through my brain. I don't like that. I'm in need of some good 'ol serenity. 

I'm so glad Christ is so peaceful. His yoke is easy. I love that. 

ok I have to go to Costco. I hate that store. Let's hope this is  a good experience.

i'm doing this for you

Ive noticed that when I don't blong on a consistant basis... like every other day or so... I can't figure out anything to write about. I'm poor and cant afford internet at my house so that's why I don't write consistantly. I wish I did. I like going back and reading old blogs.

I was watching tv at my Kelsi's house tonight(because I can't afford cable either) and there was a program on TLC about a man with elephant's disease. Hey kim, it was the guy from Portugal. It was crazy. The whole time I was thinking,"I know that guy. I've sat with him. I use to live there. I went to that coffee shop all the time. I love that restaurant......etc..." It made me sad. I miss that place so much.

I'm growing out my hair. I hate this process. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to keep long hair while in hair school? Everyone is so "cut happy" and they just want to cut it right off. I don't trust any of those girls though. Taylor has ruined me for life.

I was reading through Isaiah 6 tonight and I was just overwhelmed by the gospel. Ya know, when you are truly in awe of God's holiness the things of this world don't seem to really matter anymore. I want to live like that. Man... lately I have seen so many people get so consumed by selfish ways of thinking. If they truly grasped to greatness of holiness of God those things would be like dust in the wind. But ya know, who am I? By no means have I overcome myself. Paul knew what he was talking about with that whole "die to yourself daily" stuff. Man it's hard.

I'm praying through some pretty huge things right now. But what's new?

High School = Boo

I'm currently sitting in the room with a high school couple. I could shoot myself. They are constantly bickering and saying "I hate you" and wrestling. Here is a pic of what I'm currently living through.

I'd rather scratch my eyeballs out.

Brianne... the girl in the photo above... thought the show CSI was real. Like reality. Like actuality. Seriously? Who thinks that?

and Bonanza. She thought that was real too. We then talked about how the time period is real... and the show is possibly based off real accounts in history... but no, Brianne. Bonanza is not reality TV.

wow. Thank you public schools. I need a cig.

Leave the Drama for Your Mamma

Today was a fun day. I went to lunch with the girls A.K.A. Kelsi and Julia. They're so much fun. I cut Kelsi's(the one on the left) hair last night. She has been growing it out forever and it's finally to the length were she wants it. Well, I cut it about an inch too short and she was sad that her hair was "gone". I cried. Don't tell her. she doesn't know. My best friend is right. She said, "hey.. it's good to be humbled every once in a while."

That smile up there is a typical Ramey smile. We all do it.

LifeGroup was so good tonight. We've been talking about prayer and how God answers them and how sometimes He doesn't. We talked about the different prayers we pray... so on and so on. I love how it ended though because it was like we came to the realization that everything we were talking about was so self-focused and not focused on the sovereignty and beauty of the Lord. So then we started talking about out favorite attributes of God and it was so beautiful. We were all smiling through our tears. Even the men. I love when men cry over Beauty. It was a great time. And we just prayed, telling God how beautiful and amazing and glorious He is.... and I just kept thinking "He loves this. This makes Him so happy."

I had a fantastic conversation with my roommate, Julia(the one on the right up there) about relationships. I came to the realization last night that I have never had a godly relationship. I've dated my fair share of guys...many of them--really great guys, but never have I been in a relationship where he has been the leader and we really seeked the Lord together. I'm looking forward to that.
this is us again. We were told to act like an animal. I think Kelsi is a pig. I'm a monkey. and I'm not exactly sure what Julia is... maybe a bird....?

I blame this picture on the fact that I'm a lightweight and had one drink which resulted in slight intoxication.