Jesus Calms the Storm

As much as I don't want to talk about this, I know I have to. I know I have to get out everything I saw the evening of April 27, 2011. So here it goes.

At 3:30 pm on April 27, I was in the Alpha Chi house working on a final project for one of my classes. The semester was drawing to a close and I was swamped with exams, projects, and presentations.

4:00 pm- My fiance calls, "Hey babe, I just got off work because the weather is supposed to get bad."

"Oh okay, I really don't think its going to get bad like the weathermen are saying. I mean, there is nothing on the radar for Tuscaloosa. I think its all south of us."

"Yeah, your probably right. I think I am going to go to the gym for a bit and get a workout in then we can hang out."

"Are you sure you want to do that? I mean, the sirens will probably go off and then they're just going to keep you in there for no reason."

"Thats true, I'll just come get you and we will go out to my house and hang out."

5:00 pm- I am at my fiance's house, talking with my mom on the phone, when I heard the sirens. I told my fiance to turn the TV on. An image of the twister ripping through Tuscaloosa stared us back in the face. Not sure what to do, or which direction it was going, we just stared at the TV in shock. Soon after, the power went out and a train-like sound grew louder and louder. Thomas's house did not truly have a safe place to go for a tornado. About 2 minutes before the tornado hit, his neighbor came over and told us to get in the basement. I ran from house to house. I remember standing in the yard and seeing the tornado. I mean, it was right there in front of me. Probably the distance of a football field away. I don't know how the wind did not suck me into the storm. I remember the wind being unbelievably strong. I fought my way into the neighbors house, and ran down the basement stairs, Thomas and his roommate following behind me.

It was over in about 10 seconds, and an eery, calm sound replaced the raging train of before. We walked out of the neighbors house, and this is what we saw:

My fiance's house. Where we would have been during the storm.

The neighborhood. After the storm, we ran through all of the neighbors houses to make sure no

one was injured.

This is University Blvd, in Alberta City immediately after the storm. We immediately ran through these neighborhoods doing search and rescue. It is difficult to see, but further down than the picture shows, victims were laying down in the streets, fighting for their lives. The screams and cries I heard in this moment, I will never forget.

This is looking down into the area of major destruction. This street was where we found an elderly couple. The man was critically injured. I found the wife dead.

More pictures of my fiance's neighborhood.

Pictures nor words can describe what I experienced that evening. I have been struggling with why God chose for me to live, and why so many poverty-stricken people lost everything. Why didn't the storm choose me? I am fortunate to have my friends unharmed. But my heart and my grieving are with the citizens of Alberta City. I don't know why God allows these things to happen. I get so angry when I think about all the innocent people I helped find their family members. They don't deserve this destruction, the heart break.

To this day, I can still hear the sirens in my head. I can still see the face of the elderly woman dead, the young lady with her leg completely off, the baby found in the rubble, the teenage boy convulsing in the street with his family screaming for help. The eerie sunset that settled over the crumbled city of Alberta. The ambulances trying to get to the victims, the policemen running to me for help. The middle aged man trying to find his cousin, telling me his nickname was "Bossman" while I yelled it out and lifted up what used to be the walls of his living room, searching for any clues that a man once lived there.

I don't know what God was thinking when he just let this happen. But I do remember feeling His presence in that moment. He gave me the strength to endure those hours.

The night prior to the tornado, I read Mark 4:35-41. It is the passage of when Jesus calms the storm with his disciples. I can remember thinking about how powerful storms, and natural disasters are, and how God controls all of them. I used to always think of weather as the closest thing we can compare to the power of God. Even the storms and winds obey the Lord. God was preparing my heart and I didn't even realize it.

Two nights after the storm, my fiance and I were talking about everything, trying to make sense of it all. And I don't think we can make sense of it. I found myself only believing in God, because if I don't believe in Him, I have nothing else to believe in, and no hope for anything. Sometimes I think faith comes down to that. Believing, because there is nothing else that makes sense.

Captivated: 10 Little Happies

Captivated: 10 Little Happies: "Life is too serious as it is, how about some light hearted fun stuff? One of my favorite professors told me to 'make a great day, everyda..."

Creative Ways to Get Active!

It is amazing how exercising can seriously turn your day from being mediocre to great! Being a nutrition major, of course I am obsessed with exercising and eating heathy. But this is only because I know and feel the difference in my mood and body when I do so. Yesterday, I was having a pretty crummy day, I got really anxious about a test on monday, along with projects that are being assigned. I decided to let some steam off through an outside run for just a little bit, then get to studying. As I was running, I did not check my watch often to see how long I had been running. After what didn't seem that long, I looked down at my watch and had been running for ONE HOUR! I was seriously running one hour off of pure stress that had built up throughout my entire week! It was incredible. I cannot tell you how good I felt when I was done.

I love physical activity, but I thought it may be helpful to give some tips on creative ways to get active, and have a longer, healthier life!

1. In between commercial breaks of your favorite show (i.e. The Bachelor), go up and down your steps until the show comes back on.

2. Don't pick the closest parking spot at Walmart, park farther away and walk just a little bit.

3. If you like dancing, put on your favorite song and dance for thirty minutes! Burns tons of calories!

4. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Classic.

5. Power walk!

6. Take a zumba class! These are incredibly fun and you don't even realize you are working out!

7. Get an exercise group going. Getting fit is more fun when you have friends along for the ride.

Hopefully, this may help you get motivated!

Have a great day!

10 Little Happies

Life is too serious as it is, how about some light hearted fun stuff? One of my favorite professors told me to "make a great day, everyday". These are little things I came up with that make me smile in my day. Maybe you can come up with a few "little happies" of your own:

1. Waking up to the smell of fresh coffee.

2. Getting exactly $20.00 at the gas pump. $20.01 just isn't as good.

3. Outstanding parking spots.

4. Jumping in rain puddles.

5. Finding a really good ballpoint pen. They are rare!

6. Putting on a shirt right out of the dryer.

7. Ladies, what can be better than a good hair day? (Maybe a "dang I look good in these jeans" day)

8. While paying for your extensive list of groceries, you manage to swipe your card and/or pay cash and put it back in your wallet BEFORE the cashier gives you the receipts and your change.

9. At a crosswalk, pressing the pedestrian walk button 3 times just to here the beeping noise it makes.

10. The amazing feeling of flipping your pillow to the cold side in the middle of the night.

So lets turn our negative nancy attitudes and make a dang good day happen shall we? Even if we have to rely on even numbers at the gas pump to make it happen. Take these "little happies" with you and make a great day!

-MET

Holiday Season

My family is coming in today for the holidays and I am so excited! This year, we have two new additions to our family, my nephew Camden, and my fiance Thomas! There is so much to be thankful for this Christmas.

My dad is so excited to have everyone home. He went out and bought a fire pit today just so we could have a bonfire and make s'mores. Mom and I have been to the grocery store 5 times this week trying to get all of the food ready.

Christmas break has been so fun and busy. Mom and I have been wedding planning like you would not believe. I have found my wedding dress, bridesmaids dresses, and booked the church! We are still looking at reception venues but I have started the guest list. I am trying to get as much done as possible before school starts back in mid-January. Well, Merry Christmas to everyone and I wish everyone a Happy New Year as well!

Going to the Chapel...

Today we booked the wedding date! July 23, 2011 is the magical day. I cannot believe this is actually happening. Booking the church really brought the idea home for me. I am ecstatic about the upcoming months of planning. Next steps include reception venues, bridesmaids, and wedding dress shopping. The wedding ceremony will be at my parent's church. The church is absolutely gorgeous. It reminds me of the church in the Sound of Music that Maria gets married at. I love it!

Also today, I went to the fabulous world of Walmart. But a trip here is not your typical trip when it is in Sylacauga. Before I walk in the doors of that forsaken place, I bet on how many people I will see while trying to get everything on my list. Today I bet 2 people. I actually saw 3. But I bolted when I saw them. Isn't it funny how sometimes when you see people you know you hide from them for some reason? I don't know about you, but I do it because I get tired of typical conversations. "OMG, hey!! How are you? What's your major? How old are you again? You have just grown up so much!" "How's the fam? Did you notice we got a new Burger King? Ain't that somethin?" You know I love it, but sometimes I just want to get in and get out asap. So that's what I did. As soon as I saw someone I hid in the opposite aisle, pretending to look at windshield wiper blades (yeahhh real convincing) until they were out of site.

After wonder world, I came home and did absolutely nothing. It was such a great feeling. All I did was look at reception venues and bridesmaids dresses! I am starting to realize how difficult planning a wedding is. Especially when it comes to people's feelings. I do not want to hurt any of my friends. But what I have found in this process so far is there is seriously only so much you can do to try and please everybody. Sometimes details work out one way and there is nothing you can do about it, even if you hate it. I want to be a "go with the flow" bride. Stressing over details is pointless. The bottom line is who your marrying.

Have a great week!

Birthday Blessings

My week of difficult tests and comprehensive exams is almost over! I have one test at 3:30 today and I will have nothing to worry about for the next month! Well, except planning the wedding. But I don't really call that a complaint. I cannot wait to get started on that right away! Well guys, today is also my 21st birthday. I was up late last night studying when I drifted off for a little bit (okay like 2 hours). In those 2 hours, I got to thinking about all of the amazing people the Lord has blessed me with in my life. Not only do I have an amazing family, but I have a future new family that I will be adopting as my own in the coming months. I could not ask for better in-laws. Also, I have two unbelievable counsels/friends. They are my pastor in Tuscaloosa and my RUF campus minister. These two people have helped me theologically and also in life. They have answered some of my most deepest theological questions and have helped me through hard times that are just a part of a Christian's life.

I have also been blessed with my wonderful sorority sisters. To have 250 other girls stand behind you and be excited for you on your birthday, engagement, or just getting a good test grade makes a girl feel on top of the world. I will never forget the friendships I have formed through Alpha Chi Omega and those relationships will remain strong forever. It is always amazing to me how so many girls, from different backgrounds, upbringings, beliefs, and personalities can mesh to form one awesome sorority. My sorority has impacted the University of Alabama in so many positive ways. We really are powerful women that can achieve anything. I will never forget the excitement of my sorority sisters when I had my candlelight, revealing to them that I was engaged! Everyone was so genuinely excited. I felt truly honored and blessed to have them be apart of this momentous occasion in my life.

Well, tonight is going to be full of fun birthday festivities and a little partying. Then tomorrow Thomas and I are going to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra and going to Muscle Shoals to visit his familiy. Can't wait!