What Adventures Await

Christmas Blessings.

aimeemo — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 02:01:16 +0000

So for the drama that is my family it is mass chaos at Mom’s house no matter whether you got my sister and her kids living with her or not. It was going to be a tight squeeze but I made plans to come home for Christmas and just find a corner to sleep in. Not ideal, but for a couple nights it would work. I get a call on my way into town from my Mom’s neighbor whom does a lot for my mom along with his wife. They also invest quite a bit into my niece and nephews. This community really surrounds and supports mom and her helping out with the economic downturn and the fact my sister has been unsuccessful to find a job here in Tyler.

To say I am not thankful for Mr. Rick and Ms. Nancy would be amiss. They offered a spare room and an airmattress for me to come sleep on which for I am grateful. May God bless them for their willingness and giving what they may think to be so little. It is a blessing to have them in Mom’s life.

Dear 16 year old me….. a letter from 12 years and a bit from the future

aimeemo — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 23:29:35 +0000

I was inspired by Spirit magazine on my flight to Houston this morning. There were several famous people who wrote letters to their 16 year old-selves offering advice if they had it back then… so it got me thinking what would I say to myself and this is what I have come up with.
Dear Aimee,

You are 16 now and if I could offer some future advice about the coming years I hope you would take it. First off just say no to putting “Sun In” your hair. It will not make you go blonde it will make your hair go orange. It will take a while for it to return to its natural brunette stage. Believe me you are beautiful as a brunette. Don’t change a thing unless you get it done professionally. Next, you may not know it but this will be your last year in Lawton as well as your last year with your father. You may think you know where you are going and what you are doing but your dad’s death will change everything for you. I am serious when I say this, spend more time listening to those old war stories because you will slowly lose them. Also go fishing this year with your dad. Don’t put it off because next time will never come. Also its important that you remain faithful to some activities but ease up a bit. focus on 1 or 2 you don’t have to be so busy every night of the week. Also that chemistry class you will take will be your last. you really won’t want to be a chemist so its ok to enjoy the class and look to becoming something else. Lastly, take more time to exercise. Your health is important and if you don’t have to fight it as much in the future I know we would appreciate it.

I can’t believe you won’t know these things but take each day at a time. Praise God, seek him, ignore the stupid boys who will come and go. and Enjoy the ones who aren’t so stupid who recognize the true beauty of who you are. I urge you to keep these in mind. Most of all God comes first no matter what. Praise him in good grades, awards, and the crappy times where you feel utterly alone. His word is more powerful than any quote you may find.

Lovingly yours,

Aimee

Update on the goals

aimeemo — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:46:20 +0000

Since I eloquently wrote this for a friend I figure the masses could read it much of the same. Here goes to more adventures:

The latest Is that I have completed my license exam (which you already knew that) and today I took my jurisprudence exam (fancy word for ethics training). I am submitting to the board this month for my license for my LPC-Intern. I have to have a counseling supervisor before I submit however I do not currently have one. I will have to find one that I think is a good fit. I do have some contacts since I have been in the field for a good chunk of time. I will have to see if one lady will be willing to take me on and of course make sure she is current in doing supervision.

Here comes the difficult part. I have to find a job and/or time to do my counseling hours somewhere. I am unsure as to what that looks like and frankly it freaks me out. I spent an entire year balancing my current job and a practicum and it drove me a bit batty. This may or may not cost me $$$ that I do not have. Always good for the girl who is trying to get out of debt. Ha!

So please join me in prayer about finding out where God is taking me and what that looks like. Whether its a new job that is flexible for me to donate my extra time out or a job that will provide the hours for me to meet my license requirements.

Do Not Mistaken this Strength as My Own

aimeemo — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 22:23:48 +0000

I know you look at me and wonder in awe at the exterior strength I somehow have beheld for so many years. Do not mistaken it as my own. I look and seem like things are perfectly in control and have a great balancing act between life and work. This is not my strength. It is clearly on loan.

The strength you so poignantly point out is not something I really have. I am weak. I am fragile and often cry myself to sleep.

This strength you see comes from God. I have learned over the last 28 years that I do not have to be in control. I have fought this idea for a while and finally gave in. Thankfully I learned this now instead of 28 more years from now. This strength was given to me because God carries me through life’s struggles and frazzled moments. I may freak out from time to time cause I looked down and didn’t see what was holding me. Forgive me of that. This strength is not my own. I have to constantly look to what is attached. This strength you see is clearly permanently attached to me while I remain on this earth. I am a work in progress and am not complete until the return of the King.

This strength is bigger than me. It surrounds me, encompasses me and from time to time is exuded through me as I hold my own in struggles, support of others and Do things all by myself. Yes this strength isn’t mine. Please recognize that and be patient with me as I am on a mission. You can have this strength too.

Seek him. He gives freely of his love and asks us to lean upon him. His strength is made perfect when we are weak. God is good my friends.

Do Not Mistaken this Strength as My Own.

Isaiah 40:28

²⁸ Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
³¹ but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Adventures of the future.

aimeemo — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 22:47:41 +0000

Recently I took my license exam for becoming a counselor. If that does not sound daunting let me correct you and tell you otherwise. Especially to be faced with theory questions at 9am. I cannot express what was on the test because I am ethically bound, however, lets just say it was a booger. I now have a few other steps to take care of to officially have the license in my hot little hand. This costs money and will come with timing no doubt. As I relish in the fact I passed and what the future looks like it It becomes apparent that jobs are scarce for therapists let alone ones for provisonal licensees. I have not made plans at this time to leave my job or anything so let me make that clear. I will still be working where I have for the last 4 years until another job is procured. At that point it will have to be a job that will allow me to work around it and get in my counseling hours. I do not want to spend an entire 5 years just to get contact time. That’s absurd and I do not have anything limiting me at this point. Hopefully the job itself will be in counseling however I will be realistic and recognize this may not be the case.

I have so much I want to do and achieve It is hard to decide where that will begin or even how. I can tell you that I am heavily relying upon God to speak thoroughly and clearly to me and give me the guidance to what is next. Each little step makes achievement and successful stories. There will be moments along the way I may not understand or can even fathom but I must keep pushing forward.

I am encountering new people, friendships, relationships each day and week and thoroughly enjoying my share in those relationships. I have neglected this area the past couple years and was parched for its return in my life. The Lord knew this and provided for me very well. I can’t imagine my life without some of these friends and would be greatly burdened if I had to live without them.
So these adventures whether they be for work, relationships, career or family. I will take the adventure head on. I learn, I grow and most importantly I learn reliance upon God. So there you have it friendlies my update. Keep reading, listening and leaning…on the ONE who knows you best.

Oh How He Loves us

aimeemo — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 04:24:03 +0000

Romans 8:31-32 says just that. He who gave up his son for us, how will he not give graciously ALL things to us with Christ. This just spoke volumes to me the past couple weeks. I have battled wanting my personal desires met and no movement. My eternal focus and priority were completely out of whack and quite honestly everything was pretty discombobulated. So I have set forth those desires before the throne of God and got my priorities straight. He wants me and all of me. He wants to pour out lavishly on us. So to answer how he loves us? Let me count the ways oh lord. I am sure there are more than the number of stars in the sky or grains of sand.
1. He loves us so we might love others.
2. He loves patiently and passionately.
3. He never gives up.
4. He gives us everything in Christ and continues to give us more than enough.
5. He loves us with discipline and direction.

Thus bringing us to my point. He loved me enough to gather my attention so I could get my eternal focus back on him. So how does he love you?

How to get a good workout when traveling

aimeemo — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 13:19:38 +0000

In effort to maximize your time and workouts beside to try this one on for size when traveling via airport. First be sure to wake up late so that you arrive to the airport an hour before your flight take off. Next carry two heavy carryons and a large suitcase. Ones you arrive and unload it is essential you pull the bags behind you while climbing up the hill while dodging other travelers. Even better run with those bags. Then after you go through security **Disclaimer: don’t run through security, unless you like being tackled to the ground and detained. **
Good now you have had your warm up. Once through security, be sure to have the flight at the very furthest gate. By now its 5 minutes til your plane takes off. Run! Don’t miss your meeting with dignitaries or your lawyer… The heavy bags work out the arms and back and the running does the legs. Onze to the gate and getting on the plane, big up those heavy carryons and carry them on til the last row of the plane where you get to lift them above your head and put them in the overhead. Be sure to struggle as this builds resistance. Don’t let the old guy help you wither. If you wanna get fit, do it the hard way. All by yourself. After all you got yourself into this mess you have to get yourself out.

update for the 21 day challenge

aimeemo — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 02:40:10 +0000

21 day challenge was a huge success and I believe we all were challenged to get in the word continually. Praise God. I am again up again for another challenge. Join me in prayer as I am committing to read through the book of Matthew and doing a vegetable and fruit fast for 1 week. I was challenged to 2 weeks however don’t want to push too hard.

In other news I am challenging myself to not given into soda or anything gluten filled. My body is a temple for the Lord and needs time to heal.

What emotions express

aimeemo — Mon, 30 May 2011 17:48:56 +0000

so as I sit and wait to board my second flight back to Boston, I can’t help bit to tear up as a dream from 10 years is coming to pass. I graduated high school back then and thought I am on a mission to meet people and love the right where they are.

The dream continued into my undergrad program of psychology and then into the last 5 1/2 years of work with people with intellectual disabilities. This latter I never anticipated but am truly thankful for. This rare and special population has taught me more than textbooks could ever encompass. Three years ago I applied for graduate school and two years ago I finally got accepted in. There in lies another story of perseverance. I began my journey with eyes wide open. I am even more open and continuously learning from everyone I meet. I head off to Boston with mom in tow for what is celebration of all my work. I can’t begin to tell you what I have felt from shock, acceptance, tears of joy and scared out of my mind. Yet I take it in. Feel and appreciate each emotion because they are a gift. They’re also fleeting. I trust in God because he paved the way for me. HR continues to be my constant.

I was challenged this week by my pastorto not satisfy myself with the temporary but to dream big God’s way. So what’s next you say? Well graduation and studying for licensure exam. After that who knows but God. Whatever it is it will be great. For now I take in the emotions and reflect on the stories.

Thank God for it all for He is GOOD.
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21 day challenge: Day 2

aimeemo — Mon, 09 May 2011 02:53:43 +0000

Yesterday started a 21 day challenge between me and my home group from church. we all have found ourselves in ruts and not being consistent in God’s word. I would say I am the worst of it. Just because that I have seriously be out of touch and communication. I have taken on reading 1 Corinthians reading a chapter each day. I hope to continue to reading throughout the 21 days daily and further that into my everyday day pattern. Speaking of which I should go do before the day ends.
I challenge you to do the same. A habit takes 21 days to create and 3 to break. Be focused, be diligent and your life will be better for it. Go read for 21 days of scriptures. God will move and change you. I promise if you let him.