just a few photos from the weekend.

continued.

so the moment that ya'll have all been waiting for. The great part of my weekend. Well lets just saaay that my favorite rap group (to all of you who don't know I'm a huge fan of underground rap music, meaning the not played on the radio) So one of my favorite groups called The Cool Kids performed for free at this event called College Day on the Parkway. I had the time of my life. I was standing in the third row in the pouring rain just waiting for them to perform. It made me feel connected to my friend Mallory and kind of sad that she didn't get to experience it with me, but it was the highlight of my weekend.
I also appreciated the GREAT conversation I had with this boy that I would have never thought I would have clicked with. My drama and tears just happened to come out at a random and awkward time, but at a good time as well because it gave me the opprotunity not to be scared and open up to this kid who I now consider to be one of my good friends.
This weekend was filled with a lot. I challenge all of you, to live in the moment. If you love something do it, if you get the chance to succeed in something DO IT!

One love,
a.

this weekend.

This weekend was a good and a bad weekend. It had both parts to it, meaning good and bad. First of all let me just get over the bad parts by stating...I HATE DRAMA. And seriously everyone is acting "so high school" to put it in the words of the people who are involved. From now on, don't involve me in your petty little issues, because quite franky I can't handle it. I'm an emotional person within itself and I have my own drama and my own problems to deal with and I don't need your little mess to add to my life. I'm here for you if you need to talk EVER dont hesitate to ask but DONT tell me about something and then expect me to do something about it, I'll give you suggestions as to what I would o but I will not do it for you. Let's just say this weekend was filled with tears and emotional breakdowns because I couldn't not handle it anymore!


Well I have to go to lunch
But just a little to think about before ya'll get to hear about my WONDERFUL parts of my weekend.


One Love,
Alleigh.

two in one day...I know

So last night, my friend broke my phone.

Yes, cracked screen and all.
Mind you this is the first phone I've actually personally worked for and spent my own money on. PISS ME OFF. Nothing that stupid AT&T can do about it, the phone in still under warranty because it is new but what the heck you can't do anything about it. I HATE THEM. What the heck is warranty for if when something like this happens and you can do a darn thing about it, HUH?!!? makes ZEROOO sense. I hate technology. And I would understand if my phone being broken was actually my fault then maybe I could deal with it and actually face the fact that it had something to do with me and to just cough of the 200 dollars to get it fixed...well it was even my fault. People should watch where they sit before they sit.



ps.
this didn't help.

woooah baby

Sooooo sorry it's been awhile since I've posted. Things are really beginning to move around here, with lots of school work and clubs and suuch.
I'm still enjoying school, still feeling homesick but LOVING it all the same
: )
I had my FIRST college exam yesterday, in what started off as the class I hated most but has now become the class I look foward most to attending, The Nature and Meaning of The Old Testament. My teacher is AMAZING, he's crazzzy. A little old man who actually knows what he's talking about and enjoys talking about it. It's gotten to the point where he feels comfortable with us that he jokes with us and we joke with him. The class is held in a little classroom made for about 20 people to fit comfortably, but of course Eastern being the way it is there are at least 40 students in my class. Mind you the room IS NOT air conditioned and it's just always hot but the lessons are so meaningful that I sit through the heat just to learn something new. The homework we have is challenging but honestly I'm beginning to think differently of the Old Testament and what it is trying to say.
Okay, well back to the exam, it was not hard but it was not easy. So basically I don't think I got an A on it but I dont think that I failed either, so for a first test that's not too bad. We'll find out tomorrow what the final grade is. But something far ya'll to ponder:

Using Genesis Chapter 1-11 who is the bible telling us that we are?

Just one of th essay questions that I had to answer.
I want some feedback

: )
One Love,
a.

Service Learning.

Being a freshman here at Eastern University you are required, like high school, to finish 20 hours of community service. I was completely and utterly bummed when I learned this. It was 20 percent of my grade but yet I was not motivated nor did I care about doing some Service Learning hours. We were given a list of areas in which our hours could be completed and were asked to choose three. So I did. And Chester Student Center is where I was placed.
Yesterday was day one. I met were I was suppose to meet, put my ipod on to Nichole Nordeman "Fool For You" and reluctently made my way into Chester Pennsylvania. I had heard a lot about Chester and how it was a very under privilaged area and how we were going to go in and make a difference in the lives of these children.
When we arrived in Chester it was like something I had only seen in movies. On one side of the street there is a plant, kind of like a dump, and from this plant came pillows of smoke and a horrible smell that can not even be described. I was shocked. The houses were all apartment style with no yard. The only yard that was seen was the little patch of grass in the front of these apartments, and kids were playing in these "yards". The streets where narrow just enouh space for our van and another car to sqeeze by if you went 5 MPH. I hope I'm painting and good enough picture for you to understand where I was.
We arrived at the center, which was tucked away behind and church and some apartments and would not have been spotted without me pointed it out. We stepped into this little center and it was empty. Around the corner came a man who we later learned was the head of this center and would basically be out "boss" for the time that we volunteered there. He took us into this little room that was set up like a classroom with about 15 desks that were all different shapes and sizes and began to explain the background of the Chester School District. We came to learn that this district was ranked 534 our of 535 schools, and had only come up this past year. We also learned that the reading capability of and 11th grade student was that of an 8th grader, 60% of students in the district show up for school on a given day and 40% of the students are MIA for the time that they are suppose to be at school. These kids aren't allowed to bring textbooks home (I found that to be shocking) and if they do receive homework it is on a piece of paper with 5 problems on it.
My job for this semester is to help tutor the kids while spending time with them and making relationships with these children. We are with them from 3:30 to 5:30 every Thursday but the center is open Monday-Thursday. I left that place with a heart yearning for these children and praying for their future as well as their well being and I hadn't even met any of the kids yet I had just gone to orientation and learned about what I would be doing.
I believe that God has called us all to be servants, He himself made himself the very least and washed his disciples feet. The lowest of the low were suppose to do this job but Jesus, the king ot kings, and creator of the universe, made himself the least and washed feet.
We are called to do this, to serve in any way possible. I seat here now and I can not wait until next Thursday where I will meet these kids that I have learned and prayed for.

Sorry this one was so long.

One love,
alleigh

who would have thought.

So I'm not sure why, but this past week into this week I have been feeling a little bit on the homesick side. I know I'm a dork. Although I'm pleased to say that there has not been one tear shed, I thought I would be doing worse than I actually am. I think it's just the fact that I'm tired of seeing the same people all the time, and I'm tired of the school work. It seems like everyday is the same thing over and over again, which I guess it would be if I were in Nebraska but it would be with more familiar people. Although I am making wonderful friends I haven't yet found that one person to run to and explain all my problem...I'll say...I haven't found "my Mallory". (for those of you who know my friendship with her you, you understand what I mean)

So for all of you who are praying out there, that is one thing that I would ask that you keep that on the top of your prayer list. That hopefully soon, I will find a Christian friend who is supportive here on campus, I can't keep driving to Collegeville to get some Christian support.

Hope all is well.

One love,

alleigh <3

back in the swing of things.

This weekend I didn't stay on campus, it was about time that I got out of here, change of scenery and everything. I stayed with some old friends and went to church and then spent the day with a bunch of guys. It was one of the best days I've had in a long time. These friends are people that aren't scared to ask the tough questions. They are people that push you to the edge and will not stop until you give them a straight answer and stop trying to hide what is the truth. I had forgotten about these friends.
I was in the hot seat. Questions being thrown around like balls of fire, and to be honest at first I felt a little awkward and was a little scared, only because this had not happened to me for about 3 years. Honesty, I had to keep reminding myself, honesty is the only way that you can help this get done quicker. And then I began to think, I loved what was happening to me at that moment. I loved the feeling of people, not just any people but Christian people call me out on things that concerned them and that they had seen in my life over the past few years that worried them. It has been a while since I felt as though anyone cared about my spiritual life and made me tell the truth about things. For a while I had gotten used to burying things and just leaving them there and just letting them go and I knew that these things would not be talked about ever again. The fact that these people cared about me, cared about me enough to make me feel sooo awkward but yet so loved at the same time.

So I call every Christian to call me out on things. If you see something in my life not God like...call me out on it. It is my goal to be a woman of God, and to live like it everyday no matter what I'm doing, or who I'm around. That is what we as Christians are called to do.

One Love,
alleigh <3


dedicated to:
John Noonan, Evan Flora & Mikey G.

between a rock and a hard place.

College has brought many challenges. Some of which I could handle. Some of which I couldn't. Let's just say, today has been an example of life not always being easy. When I lived in Nebraska, I would attend parties but when a feeling of "you need to leave" came about, it was always time for us to go. Never once was I caught in a situation where I was stuck somewhere. It has not been until college that all of these troubles have been happening. It's like when I'm feeling so right with the Lord and so holy something bad always goes wrong.
So the moral of all of this is, when you think your life is great and you have everything together, look around, because Satan is just ready to mix things up for a little change. It's during the time that you are struggling with God that you feel the strongest, which is why you should praise God in the storms. Because you already have stuff going on in your life so what could Satan possibly do to ruin it more?
Remember that God is around all the time, Satan is present when things are going good. Difficult to understand...but true.

Random.
I know.
but deal.

One Love,
alleigh <3

random.

Oh my goodness. For those of you who do not know...that is my roommate Jackie! We had an amazing jam session tonight. I came back from a choir practice and i was just in a gospel music mood and I found out that the song Days of Elijah (yes thats right all of you FBC people) is her mother's favorite song. So we played it and there is a gospel version. We are currently listening to Hairspray I LOVE HER.

I'll talk more later. Just enjoy this video for a bit.

It's funny : )

One love (sorry Evan, I promise I didn't steal it)

Alleigh <3

community,unity, is becoming one.

At Eastern today, or I should say all Weds. are a days where you basically are with the Lord. Here at school we have visitation hours (so for those who are worried about my boy craziness, worry no longer). Today is the day where we have no visitation and we are just to be with the girls on our hall. It's also the day of chapel and a day where we meet with our hall in Grow Groups.
Tonight was the third meeting but for some reason tonight was the best night so far. These Grow Groups are made so that we are feeling as though we are living in a community. It is usally surrounding by scripture or in an open forum discussion about whatever it is that is going on in our lives at that moment in time. Tonight we just played silly games. People at FBC you would enjoy this game, remind me to teach it to ya'll when I come back for the holidays.
So after oming back to my room and thinking about that great community that I prayed about being involved in and I'm finally here I realized that these girls are my family. That on the rainy days (which there have been a lot of, I had forgotten about hurricanes on the coasts) they are going to be the ones that occupy my time. So today I thank God that I have been placed in a comfortable community that I want to open up with my issues I'm going through.

Just to shoot out a few prayer requests...
My first "college exam" is in exactly one week, so I pray that my studying and late night pay off.
Eric that attends UNL for strong health while he's in the hospital
Decisions on what to be involved in during college for myself.


I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU.
at times like this when my roommate is sleeping, I can't sleep and I'm just bored out of my mind, it gets a bit lonely. SEND ME AN E-MAIL
ariggs@eastern.edu


One Love,
alleigh <3

honor God...through everything.

Hello Everyone!

I'm so excited that I'm starting this. I must be honest, in Nebraska people don't blog but I'm back on the east coast and apparently it's the thing to do. Also, my mother is doing it and I can't have my mother doing things with technology that I'm not doing. : )
So basically a lot of new things have been happening in my life lately. I've moved back to Pennsylvania and going to Eastern University to study youth ministries. And I must say, I might have only been in school for three weeks so far but this is hard. Trying to maintain your social life but living for God at the same time, you have to be careful who you hang out with. I've made some amazing friends though, and I'm so happy that I'm here, I wouldn't have it any other way. I'll post some pictures eventually. : )

So in this blog I would like to talk about the teaching style they have here at Eastern, it's honestly like something I've never experienced before. I come out of my classes, every single one of them just loving God and feeling closer and closer to Him. Going into my history class and learning about how certain history affected the church is something that pushes me in my faith. This school is more about expanding your mind, it's about expanding your faith. As I was doing some homework tonight I came acorss a reading that really drew my attention and has got me thinking hard about the concept of honoring God in my studies. The bible says that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. I never really thought of th concept of honoring God through my mind as honoring him through the things I learned. I mean it's like looking at his earth and the things in it and the concepts and laws and everything He has created and saying you are worthy to research because you are made by God. So that is my goal for this semester, to dig deep into the world and everything that God has placed on it and the knowledge he has given people to give me and honor him through my studies.

I'm doing well here. For the first time I walked into my dorm after classes today and felt like I was coming "home"
Nebraskans...I'll see you in thirteen weeks.

Look out, much more to come.


One love.
alleigh <3