Karaoke, Baby!

Ok ok...this is another random thing to be thankful for...but I am really thankful for karaoke. I am not quite sure who invented karaoke, but it is basically the most fun thing out there. Last night at the Rock I had signed up to be at the karaoke station...and let me tell you, I haven't had that much fun in some time. My roommate Jamie has this game called "sing star" that is basically karaoke, but we only play it once in a while, and nothing compares to having a crowd of high school and middle schoolers out there just staring at you with blank expressions on their faces. It was fun, and it took my mind off of life and everything going on. At one point, my partner Mike had to say "Roxy...give the kids the mic..." and i was like " i like hearing myself talk into the mic..." a little too much one might say... :) . I should have studied broadcast journalism and become a news anchor or someone like that...what the heck am i doing as a Volunteer Coordinator? Just kidding! Today I am thankful for karaoke and the many laughs (and tears) it has brought into my life these past 22 years. I would like to give Jess credit for the picture posted above. Thanks for being my photographer! P.S. For all of you out there curious..today WGTS is not playing the BEST Christmas music...or maybe I just listened to too many students butcher (as did i) some pretty amazing Christmas songs, and now I am just sick of them! But today I am still thankful for WGTS...specifically "The Family Name Game" that they do...my dream is to one day hear my name on the radio and tell my mom to call and get me some free Chick-fil-a!

I promise I am thankful for a lot of things...

So last week I went to Tampa with Chris for Thanksgiving. It was so wonderful to get away from the crazy hectic life up here in D.C. (and the cold weather) and go down South to the SUN, and warm weather. It was nice to spend time with Chris' family and best friends. It was just so much fun. I am so thankful for his family and friends. First, I am thankful for Chris' family because they are big! My family consists of me, my mom, my step dad, and my real dad. Usually my time is spent either with just my mom and step dad, or its just my dad and I. So it felt good being surrounded by a lot of family. Chris has 4 siblings and 3 of them are teenagers, and 1 is 10 and he is the cutest boy EVER!!! Also, Chris' best friends are his friends from elementary school and they are seriously the funniest guys EVER. I mean, I think Chris is really funny, but these guys are hilarious, and I just love them. I am thankful that all of his family and friends were so warm, and loving. They made me feel welcomed and I had so much fun with them. His mom is so sweet, she kept refering to me as her "daughter in law", and then one day his step mom kind of kidnapped me and took me downtown and it was just so much fun. She bought me some really nice Christmas presents and she also kept calling me her "daughter in law". That made me smile and laugh. They are crazy and fun, and I just love them and am thankful for them. I feel like they are the large, fun, down to earth family that I never had.

Also, I know I have only written like 5 ish blogs or something like that and I already wrote about this...but I seriously am a HUGE FAN of WGTS 91.9 (again....i know what a freaking loser, who even listens to that station...I DO!) but I am so thankful for them because they are playing the nice Christian CHRISTMAS music. None of that crappy stuff, good music sung by Christian artists...I listen to it at work, in the car, at home, in the shower, everywhere. I think come Christmas, I will be Christmas music-ed out, but I am very thankful for Christmas music because seriously...almost EVERY Christmas song makes me want to cry because it is so beautiful because it talks about Jesus' birthday. Gosh, I am such a cry baby. I cry about everything. BUT I LOVE CHRISTMAS MUSIC!!!!!!!! AND CHRISTMAS!

Another thing that I am thankful for is King's Hawaiian Bread...has anyone ever had it? My mom used to eat it a lot but I never ate a lot of it until this Thanksgiving, and seriously...it is the MOST delicious thing EVER! Its so yummy and soft. I could eat 6 rolls and still be hungry for more. I need to be careful though, thats how the pounds sneak up on me!

Also, I am thankful for one of my role models/mentors...Patti Sutherland. She is one of the most wonderful woman I know. She is such a servant. She knows the Scriptures so much and so well, and she is just so encouraging! She always lends a listening ear, and emphathizes with everyone she talks to. She has helped me so much post graduation just deal with life and the struggles that have come my way. She is like an older best friend that I know I can always count on for prayer, and for wisdom. I also love how much she loves students, boys and girls. Her passion for Youth Ministry is contagious and I just love listening to her talk. She is my role model because I hope to some day go into full time ministry as a Youth Pastor's wife, and just talking to her about the joys and struggles that come with your husbands job has been very helpful. I love her so much and look forward to every moment we get to spend together. She is a lovely lady and I pray and hope that everyone can be privalged to meet her, talk to her, and have someone like her in their own lives! Yeah P-Dawg!

Thankful for what I listen to on the RADIO!

Today I am thankful for Charles Stanley & WGTS 91.9. I know…how incredibly random! But every single morning I listen to Charles Stanley and 91.9. I listen to Charles Stanley’s sermon while driving into work, and I cannot tell you how incredibly powerful, and challenging all of his sermons are. I love getting to work and then going to www.intouch.org and listening to it from the beginning again! He speaks God Word, and always leaves me thinking, and wanting to hear more of his sermons! I love love love Charles Stanley, and really believe that he has been given a gift from God in teaching!

Also, I am so thankful for WGTS 91.9 because it is a Christian station in the nation’s capital that is touching many people’s lives. I will be honest with you guys…I used to go through phases of listening to 91.9 and then getting REALLY sick of it because they would play “hit” songs from like Jeremy Camp from when I WAS A JUNIOR OR SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL! He has like 4 new c.d.’s since then. And I would get really annoyed because their musical picks were not the best. But then I thought this is better than any other thing I can listen to because when I listen to God glorifying music, I feel like my soul is happier, the Holy Spirit is like “ahhh…comforting music that glorifies me”. I also love 91.9 because they are listener funded. They have to raise support to keep doing what they are doing, so they are missionaries in their own unique way to the Washington D.C. area. I am so thankful for 91.9 because it encourages me throughout the day, they play Adventures in Odyssey in the afternoons, they quote Scripture throughout the day, and giveaway free Chickfila if your name is “Brendan, or Mark, or whatever name of the day they have that is never Roxy or Roxanna”.

the best gift ever (after salvation!)

Today I am thankful for the best gift the Lord could have blessed me with, and that is my best friend/boyfriend Chris. I am so thankful for Chris. I thank the Lord for him every single day! My life has changed for the better because Chris is in my life. He has helped me become a better person, and helps me strive to be a more God fearing woman. He is the most humble person I know. He has the best integrity of all the people EVER! He has a heart and passion for the teenagers, and loves the Lord SO MUCH! I never have a boring time with Chris. Every single moment that I spend with him is so much fun! Even if we are "fighting" I am still having fun (kinda) because I am with him.

He and I met at Liberty University. I met him my freshman year while going on a a trip with a ministry team called Youth Quest (a traveling ministry team that ministered to teenagers). The following year I made the team (Chris was already on it!) and became "Friends" with Chris. I put paranthesis around friends, because we didn't really talk a lot. The second semester of my Sophmore year, Chris went home to Florida for the semester. Then, my Junior year he came back, and we were friends with all of the same people. Then one night after campus church I needed a ride to the computer lab, and Chris was the only person that could/would take me. We ended up being stuck in traffic for almost 30 minutes (or maybe longer...it was a LONG time!). We both talked about other people that we liked. When we got to the computer lab we sat next to each other, and Chris just kept making me laugh (he is the funniest guy I know, or will ever know!). I am a sucker for funny guys, and I started thinking "Hmmm...he is kind of cute, he is kind of funny..." Not much happened after that, but we became good friends. Then the following semester we had a class together, and we spent a lot of time together. Chris would come to my job, and sit with me and play games with me. He was so sweet. Well I started to form a little crush (yeah right, it was a BIG crush) on Chris, but would go back and forth in my mind about the intensity of this so called crush of mine. A few awkward months went by, and then Chris and I finally admitted our liking of each other. It took a whole year for me to decide that I wanted to officially date Chris (I was stupid. I thought stupid things, and did stupid things). I had done somethings to hurt Chris, and he forgave me, and STILL asked me to be his girlfriend!
February 12, 2008 is when we officially started dating, and these past 9 months have been so wonderful. Chris continues to show me Christ's love and forgiveness and patience to me every single day. He is the most wonderful man I know, and I am so thankful for him. He makes me smile, he makes me laugh, he makes me annoyed sometimes too, but who doesn't?! I feel like I could write pages and pages about why I am thankful for Chris, and how wonderful he is, so I will stop now...but he is AMAZING! I hope that all of my girlfriends can have a best friend/boyfriend as wonderful, and selfless as Chris. He is truly a gem and I am more than thankful for him (if that's even possible...).

mi madre

Day 2:
I never thought I would write a blog about her, but today I am very thankful for my Mother. Even though she was not, and still is not the World's #1 Mom...I am thankful for who she is. I am thankful that she carried me inside of her for 9 months, and tried to take the best care of me for the past 22 years. If it had not been for my mom coming the know the Lord, I don't know if I would have. She frustrates me A LOT! And there are many things about her, that I try to model my life the opposite of, but a few of the things that I really love about my mom are: her sense of humor! She is very funny, and says the craziest, funniest things. Her fun spirit. My mom is always up for a good time, and has a wonderful sense of adventure. She is a very strong woman. Both physically and emotionally. Physically she is very much in shape (she can lift for than 5 lbs and the gym), and emotionally because she has been through so much in her life, and is still strong and courageous! Also many people do not have the privilage of having their mother still alive, and are not able to hang out with their moms, but I am very thankful that my mom is alive and I am able to "kick it" with her! I love Fatima Nahid, very much, and my life has been changed for the better because the Lord placed her in my life as my mother.

The start of a month of gratitude!

The other day my roommate Jamie invited me to join a Bible study she does on Thursdays with some really awesome women from my church! I was thrilled for the invitation because I have been looking for a consistent Bible study to do, and was really looking for fellowship with other God fearing women. The study we are doing is "Royalty By Blood", and I am excited because it is about our identity in Christ. Also, this month we are starting "a month of gratitude". Everyday we will write/take pictures/etc. of different things that we are thankful for! It will be a good reminder to not take little things, as well as big things for granted!

Today, I am very thankful for the seasons! I think it is so wonderful that the Lord gives us seasons (nature-wise) and even in our own personal lives. It reminds of the verses in Ecclesiastes 3:1-9. "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven." I really do not like when the weather gets cold (summer is my favorite), but I love the fall because I love looking outside and seeing all of the beautiful colors of fall. I love bright colors, and I just enjoy looking at all the colors of fall that the Lord has created. So today, I am thankful for seasons, specifically the colors of the season of fall. Yay! :)