His faithfulness compared to my unfaithfulness to this blog.

As I sit in my room with bare walls and half of my furniture moved out, I can't help but feel sad as my first year in Austin comes to a close. I'm in awe of what the Lord has done this year in my life and in the lives of others. I'm amazed at all of the changes that occurred this year, and looking back, I wouldn't change anything. A year ago I did not really want to leave home. I was comfortable at community college and I had a large group of friends at home. I love my home and am thankful for my family. I'm thankful for the relationships that were built through community college, and the friends that I still have there. Honestly, when I graduated from high school, I wanted to go away to a 4 year university, but obviously the Lord's plans were better and more in depth than I ever thought possible. I had the opportunity to go to the country of Georgia twice because of the people the Lord put into my life at community college. I never would have had that opportunity if I would have gone off to a university freshman year. I became so comfortable at home that I was scared to leave. I was scared of the changes....and there were so many changes....but the Lord is faithful. As soon as I decided to come to UT, I started praying for roommates,ministry opportunities and friendships. The Lord has given me so much more. He has put into my life students from all over the world. I have met students from countries that would be dangerous for me to travel to. The Lord gave me grace to endure the difficult times and the ability to push on and make friends. He is faithful. From the moment I started looking for a place to live after accepting admission, I saw His faithfulness.
I do admit that I have changed a lot this year, yet I believe it's for the better. I'm more confident in who I am in Christ and who I am as Taylor. One of my friends and I were talking about how funny it was last August when I first moved to downtown Austin. I was so naive- I had been home schooled, then community college, and then I practically was thrown into downtown Austin. What a journey it has been.  I do admit that I am scared of what comes next. There are so many things that I want- like getting married and getting into graduate school, having a family, missions, but the truth is that I have currently have no one to marry and I am dreading the GRE with all of my heart and the entire grad-school application process, ....BUT THE LORD IS FAITHFUL! I  trust Proverbs 19:21 "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."
This verse is my constant encouragement that I can plan all I want to, but "whatever my God ordains is right." I have learned that there is no point to worry about things like getting into graduate school, or getting married, or going to live in another country for Jesus, or anything else, because My God has already ordained it. I am so thankful for his faithfulness, unlike my faithfulness to this blog- which gets attention once every four or five months. His faithfulness endures and is constant, thus I trust and know the One who holds my future and I trust the plans that He has for me.

Writers block...thats my excuse for letting 5 months pass and not recording any of it.
poor blog. Tonight officially ends my spring break, probably the most uneventful week of my life, but I'm glad it was uneventful. As I hear other students discuss their trips to the beach in Florida, I will think about my couch and the time I spent watching "How I met Your Mother" and "Like Crazy".

....oh, and I'm still not to sure how I feel about "Like Crazy"....

Actually, I did a little more than lie around on the couch during the break...the most eventful part of the week occurred when I helped a hoarder clean out her garage...I made some $ and I realized that when I grow up, my garage is going to stay empty and my children's toys will be thrown out frequently.
As I was going through boxes in her garage, I found an autographed picture of the Brady Bunch (best show ever) and I also found some teen bop magazines with JTT on the front which brought back a childhood memories. By the way, where is JTT now?
                                     

Finally I can breathe again. I am done with tests for the week. I have been stressed out this week trying to make sure I have studied enough, I do believe that this week has been one the least social weeks of the semester.
Some exciting events this week:

- The air conditioning in my apartment has been leaking for who knows how long...and it will continue to leak until the repair man comes. My roommates and I tried living without it, but when I came home from school yesterday and couldn't breathe because it was living Hell, I gave in and turned the air on.  Repair man...funny story, I tried to talk with the owner of the condo who is supposed to send the repair man, but the owner is very Polish. yes Polish, like the Polish Cyclist in Georgia ( a story for another time)...sadly, I did not understand his Polish English very well...so I'm not quite sure when the air conditioning will be getting fixed...

- I met a baby on the bus this week named Conan- after Conan the Barbarian...I'm not quite sure why parents would name their child after such a character but whatever floats your boat....

-Cafe Medici is my favorite spot in Austin. Every time I go in I see someone I know, which impresses me.

- I saw three out of the four people I know from Tomball College in a week. Considering I go to a school of 50,000 students, I'm impressed.

- My professor commented on my elephant necklace that I bought on the streets of Tbilisi, Georgia by saying, " I hope that doesn't mean your a Republican." Really? I have learned that it is better to not discuss politics.  I have also learned that I live in the most liberal place in Texas. JESUS FOR PRESIDENT!

- I'm not quite sure if I have just become immune to the weirdness of Austin, or if the weirdness is dying down. I'm guessing it is probably that I have become immune- which disappoints me to no end, because I need things to write about on my blog.

Ok, so due to the fact that I haven't written anything for three weeks, and I am avoiding doing homework right now, I am posting again.  A lot has been on my mind lately. I don't really like being the new person. I'm one of those people who likes to know everyone...I set a goal for myself to meet all 50,000 students here at the University of Texas at Austin, but unfortunately have given up on that goal due to the fact that it is almost impossible. Relationships. I like relationships. I like people. I'm sitting here in this coffee shop watching this guy and girl on a coffee date(the guy is doing most of the talking) ....yea I know...I'm creepy, but I love relationships. I like watching people interact and the joy they find being with each other. There are some girls in the  corner talking about dating and such...and there is one guy studying alone by himself who probably would like for me to come sit by him so that he won't be all alone (jk). 

Anyways....

I am a girl who believes that nothing happens by chance. I truly believe that each and every person I meet was someone placed in my life. I know the cashier at Walmart has little significance in my life, but i think he was my cashier for a reason. I think when I miss the bus because I'm stuck behind a herd of humans is for a reason. What if I ended up on a different bus and didn't get to meet the group of European tourists? Providence. One of my favorite words. I'm not quite sure where I'm going with all of this, but I just think it shows that everything we do is purposeful for the Kingdom, and that everyone you encounter you ought be Jesus to. I know that I'm not always in the best mood when the bus driver tells me to walk to the next stop so that I can get on the bus, or when the bus just drives past me and fails to stop...but what if I am the only Jesus that person ever meets? (not that I am Jesus, or close to being Him, but because He lives in me, I am called to represent Him)... Anyways, just live today encouraged that you are here for a reason and that the Lord puts you in exactly the right place at the right time :0) 

Falllalalalaaaaa...pumpkins & a ring

(NOT an engagement ring)
Thursday. My favorite day of the week.
Some of the greatest things about this week:
1.) Cafe Medici- 3 times. Delicious.
2.) I decorated my bedroom for fall- now there is candy corn everywhere and it smells like a pumpkin explosion-I will soon be carving a pumpkin.
3.) I met a girl who is in a lot of my classes who loves Jesus.
4.) The weather has been lovely this week- I wore boots for the first time this semester.
5.) The campus is becoming smaller. I have started seeing people I know at least once a day.
6.) Exactly one month from my 21st birthday was last Sunday :)
7.) This week has been the least stressful week since school started
8.) I have started working with international students and absolutely love it.
9.) Friday night I'm going to an Annie sing-a-long. What could be better?
10.) I ordered my class ring today. Pretty stoked.

Ok so I was driving back to my apartment, and as I was at the intersection, there was a horse behind me at the red light. It was a hilarious moment, just looking in my rear view mirror seeing a horse (in the middle of the city)! It was a good laugh :)

One month, One way Streets, and Chai

As I'm sitting here sipping on my Chai Tea Latte from across the street, I think about how much my life has changed in the past month. Today I have officially been here for four weeks-some of the best, yet loneliest weeks of my life. It is such an odd feeling to completely move to a different place where nobody knows who you are and what your about. No one has shared life with you in any way, and it is lonely. As time goes on the weeks keep getting better. The more people I meet, the better off I am. I am not much of a loner, I like company- the more the merrier. The Lord has definitely placed people in my life the past month, that I couldn't have found without His help.
Although I have been lonely, I do believe that I have changed a lot. Attending school and moving to a completely different place has shown me that I am capable of going anywhere. I believe I have more confidence in myself than I used to (but the city bus still scares me -refer to previous post). I like Austin, I like it a lot. I do agree that it is weird, but in some ways it is a good weird :)
Driving is different here than it is in Houston. One ways streets are everywhere. I would have to make the argument that the traffic here is worse than Houston's. I have been honked at (too much) in the past month. I'm finally catching on though, and I can get around without Carmen the Garmin for the most part. I also got to hang out with my cousin and his wife.


This week I have been listening to Derek Webb's song, "Faith my Eyes." I really love this song....

(here are some of the lyrics) But if I must go 
Things I trust will be better off without me 
But I don't want to know 
Life is better off a mystery 

So keep'em coming these lines on the road 
And keep me responsible be it a light or heavy load 
And keep me guessing with these blessings in disguise 
And I'll walk with grace my feet and faith my eyes 

I realize from this song that the places and people I love the most are better off without me right now. I'm supposed to be here. As a Christ-follower, I do walk with grace my feet and faith my eyes. I have no clue what the future holds, yet I trust the Lord has ordained my path, and that what He has for me is better than anything I could plan for myself. In the past, His plans for me have gone above and beyond anything I ever could have dreamed up!