Gator Football Pictures :)

The crowd parted and there was my friends Libby and Ashleigh! So random to run into them in a crowd of 90,000 Gator Fans!

This is me and Curtis before our hike to the stadium for the Miami game. I love this picture because it accurately describes our personalities!
I love Jessie Burgess and she loves Gator Football, this is one reason why we get along so well :)

...so it's been awhile

I just realized this week how long it has been since my last blog post. I guess between everything going on with work, school and church I just never thought about it!

Speaking of work: We have been super busy the past few weeks with almost all of our clients calling daily FREAKING our because of the market. Yeah, the market has really made my job harder the last week or so. I understand every one's concern with their IRA's and investments, but really there is not much we can do other than move your money to a fixed account. However, no one seems to like this option because then they are not going to make any money, but they are guarantees a certain interest rate-a low one. So basically, everyday we are fighting with senior citizens that have worked their entire lives for this money and are not being faced with the threat of loosing it or parts of it due to a falling economy.

School is another story! I started my internship with Libby a few weeks ago doing mostly Family Law in Orange Park, and that is going really well to date. We have both been really busy with our lives so we have not gotten to spend much time together, but working together one day a week gives us an opportunity to catch up on each others lives :) Plus, I get to learn at the same time!

Church is great! I starting going to Southpoint Community Church several weeks ago, and have really enjoyed it. We just finished a series called 'One Month to Live" which was outstanding, and this week a new 4 week series is starting that is based on the Rocky movies. The church is great and I am meeting new people there every time I go. One of my best friends Ben goes there, so he has been able to introduce me to some people. Also, I have been getting involved with a non-profit organization/ministry that was started by a guy at SCC; Chance Craven. The organization is called itsChance, and I encourage you to check the website or myspace to see everything this organization stands for. www.itsChance.com and www.myspace.com/itsChance I am sure you will be motivated and encouraged to make a change and advance the kingdom of Christ!

That is really all the recent happenings in my life since my last posting. Oh, well I have to mention Gator Football! The season finally started with a game against Hawaii. It rained, and there was no escaping the water so we were all soaking wet the entire time! We kicked off tailgating for the Miami game (also a Win!!!) which was great! I will try and post some recent pictures for you to enjoy!

In Him,
Em

How things change...

Today is eight months exactly since Grandpa passed. I cannot believe how much time has passed, on one hand it feels like forever and on the other it feels like a week. Things have been moving pretty quickly this year-my life has changed so much since December. Opportunities keep presenting themselves that I never thought were even remote possibilities. I have grown spiritually in so many ways! In November and December my life was completely devoted to my family and spending time with them, then suddenly the family fell apart so to speak. Sure we are all still very close and involved with each other lives, but the thread that held us all together is gone. So, what do you do when someone that required so much of your time is gone? How do you cope with the loss? How do you go in their bedroom? How do you do anything?

These were all concerns I had for weeks, but now I know what to do. I have learned to depend completely on the Lord for all my needs. Through Bible studies this year, so many things have stuck out and helped shape my testimony. While I miss Grandpa everyday, and it is never the same pulling into his driveway and not seeing him-I am grateful for the experiences I have gained in losing a second father. My life has changed in so many ways that I know he would be immensely proud of me and who I am becoming. Grandpa was always the one who told me to do whatever I wanted to, and that I would be able to do it with the strength of the Lord. When I look back at pictures from this year or think about all the traveling that I have done-I know he is not in the pictures, but Grandpa was there with me. I am sure the girls on the road trip would agree with me, how else would I have been able to fix the door on Jessie's CRV? (LOL)

With the help of the Lord, I have been able to reshape my life this year. My friend have been an awesome support group and a great source of encouragement throughout everything. I love you guys more than you know, many of you are like brothers and sisters to me! Thank you all for challenging me to step out of my box and do new things...It has been a wonderful experience and I am excited to continue on the road he has paved for me. Whether that means moving to Chicago, joining the Peace Corps, going on international Missions, or just staying in Jacksonville to advance his kingdom-I am ready! I am so thankful for all the opportunities I have been given, and the ones yet to come. Please keep me in your prayers as I continue to follow his Will.

Love to all, Emily

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4: 8,9