Currently (May 2014) ... stolen from Hannah :)

Currently, I am ...

FEELING ... restless.  Discontent.  Guilty.  Thankful.  Ha!  Yeah, that last one doesn't fit, does it?  I have been learning so much about thankfulness over the course of this last year.  My Bible study leaders, Rick and Patti Ehrhardt, have contributed to that quite a bit ... and then, of course, the Holy Spirit.  He is so faithful to work in my life, even when I'm not faithful to Him.  I've grown a lot in thankfulness, and I continue to strive to possess a thankful heart each and every day.  But over the past several weeks, I have been struggling. ... I'm tired of my job - I have so much downtime.  I've gotten lots of good reading done, but I don't know how much more I can read!  And I'm a productive person, and having tons of downtime each day really wears on me.  So I've just lost sight of thankfulness concerning my job.  And a lot of my friends are having babies.  And I've caught the baby fever!  God could give us a baby any time.  But so far, no luck.  So I struggle to be content with the waiting.  I'm just ready for a new adventure ... what better adventure than being a MOM!

READING ... my Bible ... 1 Samuel to be more specific ... Jesus Calling by Sarah Young ... and Better Off Without Jesus by Chuck Bomar.  I finally got my reading list down to three books!  Haha!  I was reading about 4 other books ... The Atonement Child by Francine Rivers, The Daniel Plan, Grace for the Good Girl by Emily Freeman, and Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst ... and it was crazy trying to read so many books at one time!  Sooo many good books though!

THINKING ... "what a long day!"  I'm a job coach for a high school in my area, and with it being the last three days of school, we're not taking the kids out to their jobs in the community ... therefore, I have no job.  I'll probably read a few tests to kids in the Resource room later, but for now ... I've got nothin'!  Nothing to do.  And I would keep busy if I could ... but there's nothing for me to do.  Aide positions are fairly specific.  So why not blog? ;)

PLANNING ... to try again with The Daniel Plan.  Darrell never used his Daniel Plan journal, so I'm gonna try another 40 days of healthy eating, exercising, perspective, relationships, and faith.  (Those are the goals of the Daniel Plan, by the way!)  I'm hoping it will kick-start me to healthier living.  The first time went alright ... but this time is gonna be even better!

DREAMING ... of becoming a MOM. :)  My husband and I have been off birth control for about 2 months ... so I'm hoping to be a mama sometime in the near future.  I think about it a lot ... I try to be thankful for where I am and be patient for when God wants a baby for us.  Overall, I think I'm pretty good about the wait ... but some days (especially when I see Ivy and Belle ... or hear about Tiffany's baby Gillian on the way), I struggle a bit.  But all in God's time ... He's got it! :)

SETTING GOALS ... to lose some weight and get healthy physically ... but also spiritually, emotionally, and relationally.  I wanna be physically healthy to take care of my family (which will hopefully be growing soon!) and have the energy to love and serve the people around me.  I wanna be spiritually healthy so that I can honor Jesus and love and serve the people around me.  I wanna be emotionally healthy so that I can overcome my failure issues, learn to give myself grace, respond to circumstances with an eternal perspective, and so that I can love and serve the people around me.  And I wanna be relationally healthy so that I can grow as an encourager and love and serve the people around me.

EATING ... mostly whole foods, more veggies, and less sugar.  I still mess up quite a bit, but I am doing better than I was 6 months ago ... and imperfect progress is still progress. :)

TRYING ... to be more thankful and let go of the try-hard life.

EXCITED ... to have a change of pace and scenery for my job this summer.  I'll be working for my mom, helping her get The Porch ready to reopen later this summer.  No job coaching again until August.

LAUGHING ... at my husband.  He makes up languages, tickles me, hugs me and then goes dead weight and pretends to snore loudly in my ear, cracks jokes and acts crazy all the time but especially when I'm having a downer day.  He's just a huge goofball, and I love him!

Currently (January 2014)

Yay!  These posts are so fun!  I'm stealing this idea from Emily again. :)

Currently, I am ...

PROUD.  Yep.  I am a prideful person.  Haha!  I've been learning a lot about myself in this first year of marriage.  Partially 'cause it's my first year of marriage and partially 'cause I've been growing in my walk with Jesus.  Always a good thing, right?  It's always good to grow, but sometimes, we find ugly things in our spirits when we grow.  And God's been teaching me a lot about my prideful spirit.  I am learning that being a perfectionist is, beneath the surface, a heart issue ... and ultimately, pride.  So I am striving to overcome my perfectionist/prideful tendencies.

THINKING ... about how ungrateful I can be at times.  About 3 months after we moved into our apartment (around June or July of last year), we put up some long-awaited home decor that I was oober excited about!  I've been wanting to put up the rest of our picture frames and wall decor for months and months, and today, I convinced Darrell to help me ... I got my hopes up.  But then our power screw driver didn't work, so we couldn't put anything up.  And instead of just letting it go and finding something else to do, I sulked.  And all of a sudden, I started feeling bored and mad and woe is me and just plain ungrateful.  Isn't it funny how a bad attitude can hit so hard and so quick sometimes?  Lame.  So I prayed for some perspective, and I got this ... I am bored and upset over picture frames on this snowed-in day while probably thousands of people around Indianapolis are living on the streets in this quickly-accumulating snow and soon-to-be frigid temperatures!  Double lame.  So needless to say, I started feeling thankful.  Thankfully.

FEELING ... incredibly blessed!  Ha!  I was feeling unthankful and frustrated and bored, and now, I'm feeling so blessed for our cozy, cute, little apartment, for extra time with my hubby today because we're snowed in, for extra money to put on debt this year (we took some time to look at our budget earlier today), for salvation and purpose in Jesus ... and so many other things.

WATCHING ... at this very moment, we're watching the Cincinnati Bengals lose to the San Diego Chargers (27-10) ... sorry, Cincy. .... Darrell and I have been watching a decent amount of Dr. Who, and over my break from workin' at the school, I've been watching some fun animated movies - Lilo and Stitch 2, Kronk's New Groove, and Pocahontas 2.  Nice ...

EXCITED ... about growing in Jesus and spending time with my SoZo kids and being married to the most wonderful man in the world and reading lots of good books and paying off more debt ... all in 2014 :)

READING ... Ha!  What am I NOT reading right now?  Wow!  I am trying to read several books right now.  My Bible ... Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst ... Jesus Calling by Sarah Young ... Conversation Peace by Mary Kassian ... Grace for the Good Girl by Emily Freeman ... and I think I'm gonna return The Atonement Child by Francine Rivers to the church library until I can get some of these other books read.  Haha!

MISSING ... my friend, Emily, Pastor Mike and Shelley, my size 14 jeans (but I'm gonna get 'em back!), the Higher Ground group from back in the day, our 20somethings group (but we should be meeting again this Wednesday - yay!), and church ... it was cancelled for the first time in like 7 years!

WONDERING ... what the future will bring.  We've been looking into prophecies and seeing the signs of them being fulfilled lately ... Jesus is coming back SOON!  So thankful GOD is in control, not us!

WORKING ... not much lately.  I've been off from my job for just over two weeks 'cause the kids are on Christmas break.  And I get another day off tomorrow because of all the snow!  But I've been thinking a lot about SoZo for this year and doing some work with that ... and I've been cleaning the apartment a bit more on break and cooking a bit more.

STRESSED ... thankfully, I haven't been stressed for quite a while.  Just been growing in thankfulness ... and it's just a great season of life.

WANTING ... to be more of a servant and faithful and thankful and purpose-driven and encouraging and intentional and loving.  I also want to pay off our debt completely and have our little Zeke and Hadassah sometime in the near future.

DRINKING ... more water and all kinds of TEA!!! :)  My mom's bookstore/cafe'/tea shop is going out of business, so she ordered a bunch of tea for me before closing day.  I've got at least 8 POUNDS of yummy tea leaves ... all kinds of great flavors ... ready to drink away!  Mmmm ...

EATING ... fewer carbs and less sugar and more meat and veggies.  And I'm about to make some steak and veggies and potatoes for dinner.  Wahoo!

WISHING ... we could get out and do something today ... just kinda antsy today.  But we're all snowed in, and everything is closed.

LOVING ... my beautiful, loving husband ... my church family ... my godly and generous parents and in-laws ... our cozy, cute, little apartment ... and just feeling thankful and content these days.

You all should steal this post too!  Have a great Sunday, and stay safe and warm if you're snowed in too!

Thankful Joy (Stolen from Emily)

One of my favorite things to do in the blogger world is steal post ideas from my fellow bloggers.  Emily over at "The Thought Spot ..." has the coolest blog I've ever seen, and I'm stealing her "Thankful Joy" post so that I can share what I'm thankful for too.  Yay!  So here goes ...

I'm incredibly thankful for ....

#1 - The Holy Spirit's work in my life every single day!
#2 - My wonderful, loving, beautiful, godly husband, Darrell :)
#3 - Lessons - God is teaching me so much about being thankful and practicing His presence ... and after my devotions last night, I think He's gonna start a new lesson about being zealous in my relationship with Him and finding new ways to serve Him (taken from Romans 12:11).  I'm so thankful that God continues to teach us when we devote ourselves to seeking Him!
#4 - My friends - even though I rarely get to see them anymore, I have some pretty awesome friends who continue to be my friend, allow us to pick up where we leave off, and love me always.  I have so many great friends, but the friends I'm specifically talking about are Emily, Maggie, Hannah, Sara-Ruth, Shelley, and Tiffany.  I am so thankful for lasting, godly friendships.
#5 - Youth ministry - My husband and I work as youth pastors at our little church in Danville, and we are absolutely in love with our kids!  Teenagers (and now, college-age folks!) are amazing!!!
#6 - God's provision - He works in my life everyday, provides for the needs of my husband and me, blesses us everyday in small, if not big ways.
#7 - A trip to Nashville to see Emily soon!  I am sooooo excited to see Emily next month!  I never get to see her or talk to her anymore ... so I can't wait!!!! :)
#8 - Joy

Currently ... (Stolen from Emily)

I'm stealing this idea from Emily's blog over at "The Thought Spot ..." ...........

Currently, I am ...

~ Watching ...
Lost.
Yes, everyone has already told me I should stop now before it's too late.  Haha!  I hear the ending is pretty lame ... but I'm too hooked to quit.  So I guess I'll be disappointed like everyone else; I'll be bummed I didn't stop when everyone told me to; and then I'll move on to Downton Abbey.
Justice League.
I think Darrell has given up trying to watch this WITH me, which is okay.  But we started watching it together ... but when we watched it late at night, I just couldn't keep my eyes open.  (I can't do that with any show late at night though!)  So I think he moved on without me.

~ Reading ...
My ESV Bible.
Almost everyday. :)  The past couple of weeks were a real struggle, but before and after that ... almost everyday.  Yay!  Been lovin' me some Psalm 37:3!
When Perfect Isn't Enough by Nancy Kennedy.
It's a book/devotional that I've been working through for quite some time.  It's all about the Proverbs 31 woman.  Lots of human, even more great questions to ponder and Scripture to soak up and think about.  My journal is full of thoughts about the Proverbs 31 woman.  It's so great!
Boundaries by Cloud/Townsend.
Not sure I can count this as what I'm currently reading 'cause I don't know when I last read part of it.  But I started reading it several weeks ago, didn't even make it through the first chapter, and it's been sitting on the top shelf of my bookcase ready to read ever since.
Freedom Writers Diary.
Again, I probably can't count this one either.  I started reading this the day of my big Praxis exam but haven't read any of it since ... and that was over a month ago.
I may be the worst reader ever!

~ Eating ...
Junk food.
Yeah.  I've been really struggling to eat well for several months now.  It's so easy to get in a rut.  And when your husband thinks you're the "sexiest woman in the world," it's easy to say, "I'm good enough for my husband, so that's good enough for me."  But I do want to be healthier and have more energy and lose a little weight ... so I am still trying to do better.
Trader Joe's/Organic and All-Natural Foods.
I will say I have been doing our grocery shopping at Trader Joe's and the organic/all-natural sections of Meijer for the past 6 months ... so I'm making progress.  And boy, do I love Trader Joe's!

~ Drinking ...
Sweet tea!
Yep, I'm addicted.  Overall, I am drinking less sweet tea than I used to ... but I'm not sure I'll ever give it up.
Water.
I am working at drinking more water than anything else!

~ Learning ...
Psalm 37:3.
"Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and befriend faithfulness."  I am learning more and more to trust God completely, even when I don't understand or like what's going on.  I am learning that God is more concerned with our faithfulness than our happiness or success or even fulfilling His calling for our lives ... because that IS His ultimate calling for our lives - to be faithful no matter where we're at or what we're doing.
Thankfulness.
I am learning to replace bad attitudes and discontentment and not being a teacher with thankfulness.  I am learning to praise and thank God instead of complaining.

This was fun!  You should do it too!  I'll ask what Emily asked ...
What are YOU doing CURRENTLY??? :)

The Demon in the Gloves

We have an unusual, frustrating, comical, and yet very real problem at The Porch: there is a demon who lives in the right hand of every dishwashing glove my mom has ever bought. Yep, you heard me right ... a demon.

We do a lot of dishes at The Porch ... I mean A LOT of dishes. When you own a restaurant, you're gonna have to do dishes ... it's just part of the job - a big part. Well, you gotta have gloves for all those dishes so that your hands don't get pruney, old-looking, dry, and hard as time goes by. My mom, being the wonderfully compassionate and gifted boss that she is, always makes sure that we have dishwashing gloves in stock. And somehow, even in the midst of a demon, she never gives up buying her employees gloves. And if you only knew how many pairs of gloves we've really gone through 'cause I know they're not all in this picture. Without fail, the right-handed glove of every pair my mom has ever bought has gotten a hole in it from something ... a glass gets broken in the sink, a fork or a knife is hiding under the soap suds ... heck! Just yesterday, a piece of plastic sliced through my right-handed glove. The possibilities are endless! Sheesh. But to no end, it's always the right-handed glove that gets a hole in it! I don't think we've ever thrown away a left-handed glove before.

And tell me ... what is more annoying than going to wash the dishes by hand just to find that your hand is getting wet, smelly, and itchy inside that daggone right-handed glove (that you just bought, by the way!)?? As if doing the dishes wasn't trying enough, right? Hahahaha! That's why I'm convinced it's a demon! Only demons are THAT persistent and THAT stinkin' annoying! ...... So if you have a demon in your LEFT-handed dishwashing gloves, never fear! We have the answer for you at The Porch ... 2411 E. Main Street in Danville! Perhaps if we stand together, we can defeat the demon in the gloves!!!! Don't lose heart! The dishes must be done!

Snuffer

So awhile ago, I was reading through Exodus, and I stumbled across a super fun word. Like all the books of the Bible, Exodus is a pretty cool book ... but somewhere in the middle, and for several chapters afterward, it gets a bit dry. It talks about the tabernacle and how tall and wide and such it was supposed to be ... about the high priests and what color their robes should be and what fabric they should be made out of ... and on and on. Not sure why God wanted that in there, but I'm sure He has His reasons. ... Well, anyways ... I was reading through Exodus, and honestly? Was bored out of my mind ... and then I stumbled across the word "snuffer." Yes, I am not joking! SNUFFER! Isn't that an awesome word?? ... Well, I didn't have a clue what it was. I tried reading the same verse in the New Living Translation to see if another word was used, a word I actually knew. Nope. There it was again ... snuffer. Later that week, I told my mom about the word, snuffer, and she asked, "Well, don't you know what that is?" And I said no. So she walks into the next room (we were at The Porch at the time), grabs something off the shelf, and brings it in to show me. It was a SNUFFER!!! Come to find out ... snuffers are tools used to put out candles (shown in the picture above). You cover the lit candle wick with the bell-looking end of this little do-dad, and it puts out the fire. Cool, huh? Ha! Well, of course, I laughed out loud to find out what a snuffer actually is ... and I laughed even harder that my mom not only had one handy, but she sells 'em at The Porch! ... So if you're looking for a snuffer (and you know you are!!! Who wouldn't be looking for a snuffer? Seriously!), we have not one, but TWO, in stock at The Porch! Just sayin' ...

Exodus 25:38 - "Its snuffers and their trays shall be of pure gold."

6 Things

I'm copying Emily :)

6 Positive Things about My Life ....

#1: I have HOPE and JOY in Jesus!
I am quite the worrier ... quite the spaz ... quite the striver. The tiniest things shake me up and stress me out. And I'm constantly beating myself up, thinking that I have the ability to be perfect. Ha! Riiigghhhht ... Ultimately, it's a trust issue and a negative attitude holding me down. I'm working on it. I really am. But these things are real struggles for me. BUT!!! In the midst of these DAILY trials ... GOD in all of His GRACE, helps me through it. He reminds me of His mighty promises ... things like ... He's gonna finish the good work He started in me. He's gonna work all of my difficult times out for my good and His glory. He's gonna reveal to me the path of life. He's willing me and working in me for His good purpose. And so many others. And that gives me hope. And He places an unbelievable joy in me at times ... unexplainable. When things are going all wrong, I have joy because He is my Savior, and He takes care of me.

#2: I have INCREDIBLE parents and a very INSPIRING brother!
My parents are my rock. They have supported me, stood by me, encouraged me, pointed me to Christ, listened to me ... all of my life. I've been in a season of trials for the past 5 or 6 years, and no matter how much I complain, vent, cry, pour myself out ... they always listen, give godly advice, and love me through it. They are two of the most godly people I know. And their love and support has meant more to me than almost anything in my life. I have the greatest parents in the world.
And Wes ... wow. He amazes me most of the time. Sure, he occasionally steals some of my stuff and takes it to school with him!! But that's okay, I guess. ;) ... He is growing in the Lord so much right now. He is so positive and upbeat and outgoing and determined. His constant energy and dreamer-mentality and positive attitude inspire and convict me more than anything else. I really want to be like Wes when I grow up. Confident. Always smiling. Always positive. Determined to not settle for less than his best. He's just an all-around great guy. And I'm quite proud of him, if you can't tell. ;)

#3: I get to work with and love on TEENAGERS every week!
I may not be a school teacher like I dreamed. But wow! Look at where God has placed me! Look at what He's done through me! I can't think of anything better than working with teenagers. They fill my life with so much joy ... I have a hard time believing that God's grace is that big. :D ... I will say that they make me insane sometimes ... their antics can get old. But God CALLED me to love teenagers! I. Am. Called. And somehow, no matter how nuts they can make me, no matter how hard the task in youth ministry (and there are a lot of 'em!), God gives me the grace and patience and love to NEVER wanna give up, to always love them. And I do. I. Do. Wow. Thank you, Jesus, for calling me to youth ministry!!!

#4: I get to DANCE, and I have an INCREDIBLE dance instructor!
Yep. Who's jealous? Everyone, I know. ;)
I get to take dance lessons 5 days of the week. I'm learning to be graceful and beautiful and confident ... and I'm not too bad of a dancer either. ;) It is a blast!!! But the best part about it is hanging out with my dance instructor, Randy. He is one of the most happy, upbeat, encouraging guys you'll ever meet. And I adore him! He is a ton of fun and has helped me more than he's knows. He is a gift from God, without a doubt.

#5: I have the greatest FRIENDS in the world!
I am incredibly blessed to have lots of friends ... but Emily, Hannah, Mags, and Shelley will probably always be my best friends. Emily is my bosom friend - the closeness of our friendship is not something that comes around in every friendship. We sometimes say that God made one person and split her into two beings - me and Emily. Hannah is my cookie cutter friend. We say that, at the beginning of time, God knew how much we needed each other, so He cut us out of the same cloth and decided that we would be friends one day. (Yes, my friends and I have lots of cheesy analogies). Mags is my LLF - my longest, loveliest friend - she has been my best friend longer than anyone, and the thing I appreciate the most about Maggie is that she is always my friend - always and no matter what. And Shelley is my youth pastor ... or his wife. :) She loves me and holds a special place in my heart ... since the 8th grade. Her influence and love is something I will never forget.

#6: I live in a FREE country!
You may say our country is going down the drain, but we still live in an amazing country. And I'm very thankful to be an American. I get to speak Jesus in my school and at work. I get to go to church every Sunday, and it's not underground. I get paid to tell teenagers about Jesus! In this country, I am FREE to be FREE in Christ. What a gift that is.

I love Mondays!

I love Mondays. I won't say they're my favorite day of the week because Sundays are and always will be - I love going to church! Hanging out with the Body of Christ is my all-time favorite thing to do. But I will say that Mondays are wonderful ... wonderful because they are my Sabbath. If you don't take a day of rest every week, you need to! First of all 'cause God commands it ... but also because it is just plain awesome. I started having a Sabbath every week beginning sometime during my freshman year of college ... and boy, did it start one of the greatest blessings in my life. It was such a huge stress-reliever to consistently take a day of from life every single week. It really helped balance me during my college years - every week, I took one day with NO homework, NO classes, NO work ... and it was amazing! 5 years later, and I'm still taking a day off. I call it my day off from life because I really do absolutely nothing on my Sabbath these days. I lay on the couch watching movies usually ... and I feel like a huge bum by the end of the day ... but wow, is it refreshing!

Today, I slept in until almost 1pm! When I finally got up, I fixed myself some lunch and plopped on the couch for a movie. Fireproof. It was so good - as always. Then I spent the afternoon reading my bosom buddy's blog. I guess I did something productive today ... I cleaned my room - my huge pile of clothes if finally off the floor. And I loaded some pictures onto my computer. And now, I'm blogging!!! And headed to dance later. But ultimately, I've had a lazy day, and it's been great!!!

Mondays are awesome!

Been cooped up in the house for toooo long ....

So this is the third night that I've been cooped up at home because of the crazy snow. I was gonna brave the weather to go dancin' tonight, but Arthur Murray called, and they closed for the day. Sadness. In my desperation, I thought "hey, why not do one of those long, obnoxious quizzes that no one reads?" So here it is. Hopefully, I'll be able to get out of the house tomorrow so that I won't have to do a second one of these! ;)

“Getting to Know You … Getting to Know all about You”

• What is your name? --- Mical Lynn Masterson
• How old are you? --- 23 … and my birthday is one month and 4 days away!
• When is your birthday? --- March 6, 1987
• Where do you live? --- The best little town in the world!
• Do you have siblings? --- One younger brother, Wes – exactly 2 years younger – we have the same birthday!
• What is your favorite food? --- Potatoes – mashed, fried, baked – yum!
• What is your favorite drink? --- Sweet tea! Nothing else comes close.
• What is your favorite color? --- To be generic – blue. To be really specific – ya know those days when it’s just a little cloudy and the sky is a deep blue? Yes, that color!

• Who is your best friend? --- Well, I have five best friends – Emily, Hannah, Mags, Shelley, and Ben
• What is your favorite book? --- My Bible – I have gleaned and grown and been challenged more from that book than any other in my life! After that? It’s hard to say … I like Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow, Having a Mary Spirit by Joanna Weaver, Passion and Purity by Elisabeth Elliot, really any book by Eric and Leslie Ludy and Joshua Harris, and The Twilight Saga.
• Who is your favorite actor? --- Oooo! Robert Downey Jr. without a doubt! Mmm mmm! God did a good job!!!!!!

• What is the best thing that has ever happened to you? --- Can I name a few? Sheesh, how can I narrow it down to one?? … My salvation and God’s constant work in my life – for sure! … Dancing at Arthur Murray every night of the week! … SoZo youth ministry (both now and when Pastor Mike and Shelley were there) … Working at the IUPUI Writing Center – it definitely played a role in shaping who I am by giving me more confidence and showing me that I CAN teach and help others … Coming home from Taylor after my freshman year of college – I wouldn’t be where I am today if I had stayed there … having incredible friends like Emily, Hannah, Maggie, Shelley, Ben, and so many others.
• What is the most embarrassing moment of your life? --- I’m sure I could think of something better if I thought long and hard, but I’m gonna go with this one – I hate board games. I don’t know what it is exactly, but I never feel as stupid as when I play board games with friends … everyone always knows it’s me when they have to guess who wrote what down; I’m not witty or “quick” … I just feel stupid … and really embarrassed.

• What is your biggest regret in life? --- In 6th grade, I was in Caravan class with Becky Daily on Wednesday nights … and I was a huge brat! I thought she treated us older kids like babies, so I acted like a big jerk every week – crossing my arms and scowling, not listening, letting everyone know that I didn’t want to be there, and I even sat in the Wednesday night service instead of participating with the other kids. It may not sound like that big of a deal … but I will always remember how rude I was, how ungrateful I was, and what a BAD example I was.
• What career do you plan to pursue? --- hahahahahaha! This question is hilarious! Well, I’m pursuing lots of things it feels like. I went to school for teaching, couldn’t pass a test, and graduated with and English degree. Since then, I’ve been working various part-time jobs, trying to figure out what’s next – writing tutor, after school program, youth ministry. If I could BE anything in the world, it would be this (hahaha!): A school teacher, homeschool mom, wife of a youth pastor, dancer, follower of Jesus!

• If you had one word to describe yourself , what would it be? --- STRIVING
• Which is your favorite dessert? --- My mom’s double chocolate chip brownies, my mom’s cheesecake, my mom’s strawberry rhubarb pie, my Aunt Alice’s cheese pie, my Shelley's chocolate caramel cake, and ice cream!
• Which is your dream car? --- Blue Ford Focus – I learned to drive in one, and I absolutely loved it! Although, I am more than content with my Buick Century.
• If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would it be? --- New Zealand – hands down! Ever since I saw Lord of the Rings, I’ve wanted to go hiking through that incredible place!!!
• What is your favorite past time? --- Dancing, fo sho!!!! I am totally in love with ballroom dancing … especially, the Tango and the Waltz!
• What's your favorite midnight snack? --- Honey Nut Cheerios or Lucky Charms, if we ever had ‘em in the house. … But probably chips and cheese or an Asiago cheese bagel with lots of cream cheese!
• What’s your favorite junk food? --- Nacho Cheese Doritos, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream, popcorn, and Oreos!
• What is the one food that you would never give up? --- The one food – potatoes. The one drink – sweet tea!

• What's your favorite movie? --- Again, how can I narrow it down to only one? … Romantic comedies are always my first choice in movies – Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Letters to Juliet, While You Were Sleeping, The Inheritance, When in Rome, etc. But I like all kinds of movies – The Twilight Saga, Mulan, Monsters Inc., The Kid, Iron Man, Anne of Green Gables … I could probably go on forever.
• Do you like to sing in the shower? --- Occasionally, I’ll sing in the shower … but mostly not. I sing a lot in the car though.
• What is your weirdest quirk? --- Although I’ve gotten a lot better, I’m afraid of being touched to some degree.
• Your favorite sundae topping? --- Hot fudge!
• What crazy things do you dream of trying someday? --- Learning to ride a horse, writing a book, homeschooling my kids … 'cause all of those are crazy!
• Do you believe in extraterrestrials and life on other planets? --- Umm, no.

• Where do you see yourself in the next five years? --- Hmm … 5 years from now … I will be almost 29 years old. My dream is to be married, starting a family, working in youth ministry alongside my husband, going out dancing with him every week. But I’ll be a little more realistic … unless God changes a lot of things … I’ll be either working as a youth pastor WITH a theology/Bible degree OR I will be a teacher in a public school, living away from home, dancing every night, and loving life!!!
• What is your goal in life? --- To gain an eternal perspective, to work with teenagers every day of my life, and to dance my heart out!
• What have been the most important decisions in your life? --- Not dating till I’m ready to get married, going away to college, coming home from Taylor to stay at home and go to IUPUI, dating/not dating a few particular guys in my life, becoming a youth pastor at Calvary, giving up on the Praxis (for a time, at least), and a possible decision in the near future – to go for a theology degree or not.
• What experiences have marked you the most? --- Failing the Praxis over and over again, broken relationships with James, working in the IUPUI Writing Center, and working with the youth at Calvary.

• If there is one thing that you could change from the past, what would that be? --- My attitude during my later elementary years … I was just falling back into sin habits from before I got saved – not pretty.
• Are you a night owl or a morning person? --- Whew! I hate getting up early!!! I would sleep in till 11am every morning for the rest of my life, if I could.
• What is the one physical feature that you get complimented on most often? --- My hair
• What are the 5 most important things in your life? --- Jesus, Friends/Family, Church, Teenagers, and Dance ... in that order. :)
• What is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you? --- Well, I don’t know if this counts a funny – it wasn’t at the time – but it sure is now! I ran my car into a flooded road, and it drowned.
• What is your one achievement that makes you the most proud? --- I AM A YOUTH PASTOR!!!!! What?? Never thought that could happen to me. Crazy stuff. And also, dance ... I've come very far in a short time, and I'm quite proud of my dedication and progress. :)
• What three things would you take with you to an island? --- My Bible, my favorite blanket, and as much sweet tea as I could carry!!!

The Inspirationals :)

Today on Facebook, I discovered a blank you can fill in that I've never seen before: Who inspires you? I tried to fill it out, but it won't let me publish it. I must have to pick someone lame, like a famous person or something. And I don't want to do that ... 'cause not many, if any, famous people inspire me ... only people I know and love. But yeah ... it wouldn't let me post it, so I'll post it here instead. :)

People who inspire me ...

Ben Nilsen - for his spiritual depth and unfailing devotion to the Lord.

Sara-Ruth Riggs - for her passion for life, people, and Jesus and compassion for the world.

Andy Schnur - for his faithfulness, leadership, friendship, and love for God.

Wes Masterson - for his positive perspective of life and desire to see the world come to know Jesus as Lord.

What a gift from God to have these people in my life!

Yo, These be tha Ghetto Ten Commandments, Bro!

The SoZo-ers found these commandments in the book we were given at our discipleship training at the mission trip to Nashville. Hilarious! Especially if you volunteer on the Eastside of Indy.

Ghetto Bible - The Ten Commandments

1. I beez God. Don' beez dissin me wit otha godz.
2. Don' beez makin no hood ornaments like nothin in my crib, anythang upstayrs, orr anythang anywherz elz.
3. Don' beez usin my name 'n a wack way - homey don' play dat.
4. Y'all betta be keepin da sabbathh.
5. Don' dis ya mama ... an if ya know whoz ya daddy beez, don' dis him neither.
6. Don' cap yo bros.
7. Don' cheat on ya babies' mama.
8. Don' be liftin no goods.
9. Don' be lyin an' snitchin on ya homies.
10. Don' be eyein' ya homie's crib, ride, or nothin.

Zachary Levi

Hey, all! I know I'm supposed to be blogging about my glimpses of grace ... and whatta ya know? I'm super far behind again! But let's take a short break. :)

Ever had a crush on an actor or actress or thought their character was adorable or just thought they were flat cool?
I try not to get "hung up" on actors/actresses ... mostly, 'cause it's just silly. But can ya help liking certain actors the best?? :D I think my favorite actor is Zachary Levi .... the star of NBC's Chuck!!! Robert Downey Jr. is probably a close second ... but Zach is the best! :D

Today, I googled "Christians in Hollywood," and Zachary Levi was an "up-and-coming" Christian in Hollywood ... I think they mean he's becoming more and more known as a Christian. But even if that's not the definition of "up-and-coming," he is claiming to be a Christian in interviews just the same. I read most of this interview (to follow) just a few minutes ago and thought I'd blog about it ... or rather Zach Levi. It's kind of long ... I didn't read it all. But skim through it, and read the parts that talk about God, prayer, etc. ... if you're curious, that is.


From Relevant Magazine: Q&A With Zachary Levi
Posted by Zac Fan in MEDIA
This was from a few years ago when Zac was on “Less Than Perfect”

For Zachary Levi, there has never been a backup plan.

For the 22-year-old actor and co-star of the ABC sitcom Less Than Perfect, acting was his calling; it was what he was supposed to do. After being cast in supporting roles in two NBC sitcom pilots (which weren’t picked up) and the TV movie Big Shot: Confessions of a Campus Bookie, Levi wasn’t satisfied. As a Christian in Hollywood, the most intensely competitive atmosphere in the entertainment world, he is constantly working to maintain both his positive attitude and his personal ministry in a jaded industry.

[RELEVANT magazine:] You were a mainstay in the Ojai Theater for several years doing The Outsiders, Godspell and other plays. What did you learn from live theater that is helping your career now?

[Zachary Levi:] Theater has been my entire training process because I never took any acting classes—any kind of conventional training. I learned everything that I know now from doing constant theater, working with different directors, writers and other actors. The actor that I am today would not exist had it not been for everyone that I’ve worked with before, God working within me, constantly keeping my eyes and my ears open to act as a sponge to soak that stuff up and then be able to spit it out when I needed to.

[RM:] Was your family involved in your acting at that point? How did they encourage you?

[ZL:] My family was always very supportive. Whether you’re an actor or not, everybody hears the horror stories of people going to L.A. and trying to be an actor, and their dreams are crushed, and they end up working for the IRS. So they were always protective to the point that they wanted me to have a backup plan, which is understandable, but there was always something inside of me that knew: backup plan, schmackup plan.

[RM:] Before Less Than Perfect you were a hard-working actor in Hollywood like a lot of people are today. What advice would you give others about going to audition after frustrating audition?

[ZL:] The first advice that I would give is to really spend time in prayer to make sure that this is exactly what God wants you to be doing and not just something that you really feel like you should be doing. Many times I have come home from a really devastating audition, and I’d be really thoroughly depressed because it was a role that I really was hoping for. I realized how crucial having a walk with God was because I could turn around and say, “It didn’t happen, but obviously it wasn’t God’s will.” People who don’t have God in their lives only have themselves to blame. So they look back at the audition and they say, “I didn’t do a good enough job.” But so often it has nothing to do with how good you did in the audition; it has to do with the fact that you’re a brunette and they were looking for a blonde. So, to me, the most important factor in all of the rejection was that I had a walk with God. As far as being an actor is concerned, you have to have passion. If you’re not bringing the passion of the character into the room with you, you might as well not come into the room at all.

[RM:] Now you’re part of one of the hottest casts in TV, and you’re playing the role of the archenemy. How have the last few months been for you?

[ZL:] It has been really crazy. You get free stuff; you get to be in the newspaper, in magazine articles and on television shows. It’s weird. To me, it hasn’t all completely sunk in yet. But at the same, I hope it never does. I hope it never completely sinks in. I hope there’s always at least a small part of me that’s always surprised, always taken aback, always childlike or innocent in the whole process.

[RM:] Is it hard to maintain that innocence in this environment?

[ZL:] Overall, as a human beings its hard to maintain that innocence. Even now sometimes I’ll find myself in a situation, and I’ll think to myself—and not in a really negative way but—“I wonder if they know who I am.” And not like, “Don’t you know who I am?” like I’m this huge guy, but I wonder if they know if that I am this guy on this TV show, more out of curiosity than anything else. But the problem is that the curiosity, in an instant, can turn into conceitedness. To me that’s what makes putting on the full armor of God everyday so important. Even saying that right now I feel like such a hypocrite, because reading your Bible and really spending alone time in prayer with the Lord every day, I stumble in that.

[RM:] Is Hollywood a difficult atmosphere to be in as a Christian?

[ZL:] Absolutely. The atmosphere in Hollywood in general is very anti-conservative, very anti-Christian. The liberal segment of Hollywood, which is 80 percent of it if not more, they look at Christians as hypocrites that are false and fake. The tough part is that in many cases I can’t argue with them. My job on my set, I believe, is to first just love people and gain that trust with people where they know that I really do love them and care about their well-being, so that when they are running into problems, they will hopefully, at some point, come to me and ask me, “What is your peace all about? What is your comfort all about? Where do you get your love? Where do you get your talents? And I can turn to them and say without blinking, “Jesus Christ.”
You can’t just come out there and say “Hey, I’m a Christian, and I’m gonna beat you into thinking the way that I do.” You can’t do that. It’s not about manipulation so much as it’s about getting in on someone’s life on the ground floor. So more than anything, that’s what I’m trying to do now. Just build relationships with everyone that I work with.

Now ...
First -
Do y'all watch Chuck?
Second -
So .... what do you think? I wonder if Zach Levi really gets it about God. I want him to really GET IT so badly!!!! I want to chat with him in heaven someday ... SING with him in heaven someday! (Did you know he can sing??!!) It sounds to me like Zach is either a true Christian but just falling into the craziness of Hollywood and feeling like he should stick to his Christian ideals but not living 'em out ... OR ... he's one of those proclaimers but not livers ... OR ... he's one of those relative Christians - "whatever's good for you is good for you, and whatever's good for me is good for me," "God isn't judgmental," etc. I think this interview was also done about 7 years ago or something - he was 22. ... Who knows? I hope he really is a Christian though.

Just some thoughts ...
I hear Chuck Season 4 starts in September!!!!

The Get To Know You Quiz ... yet another one

I really like these kinds of quizzes. You may not have time to fill these questions out, but if you do ... at some point in time ... answer 'em, and send 'em back to me ... or just put 'em on your own blog! :)

Here are my answers ....

The Get To Know You Quiz :)

Why were you given your particular name?

Ha! This question is asked of me all the time ... and until recently, I never knew what to say. I'm sure I've asked my mom why my name is Mical before just recently ... but I must've forgotten. So here's the story.

Michael Landon Jr. Heard of him? He's directed some things. The man who played Charles Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie - his son .... married a woman named Mical. My mom thought it was cool. So that became my name.

How many brothers and sisters do you have?

I have one younger brother. He is exactly two years younger than I am because we have the same birthday - March 6th. Cool, huh? :)

What is your favorite thing to do?

Go to church! I love my Calvary family ... and being with them, worshiping God together, getting into His word together, talking with them, loving on them and on the kids/youth ... oh! It's my favorite!!!!! By far!

What is your favorite food?

Potatoes - baked, fried, mashed .... ooo, yummy!

What is your favorite book?

My Bible.

What is your favorite candy bar?

Candy bar - The Crunch Bar ... Candy - M&Ms

What is your favorite cookie?

Double Chocolate Chip!!!

What is your favorite sport?

To play? Volleyball. To watch? Football.

What is your favorite kind of music?

Southern Gospel, fo sho!!!! Bring on the Gaither Vocal Band, yo! Well .... when David is in the band! ;)

What is your favorite song?

Wow! That is a tough thing to narrow down. At the moment, Funky Jesus Music by TobyMac is my favorite!

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Someone who honors Jesus. .... More specifically? Working with kids and youth in pretty much any capacity.

How many kids do you want when you get married?

At least 4. I wouldn't mind having 6 or 7!!!

What is your favorite temple?

Temple? What a weird question. What kind of temple? I'm a temple of the Holy Spirit. Calvary could be considered a temple. Umm ... ???

What place you would like to know about?

The Church where my future husband grew up ... and then the church where my future husband is faithful to.

What place would you like to visit?

New Zealand!!!! Oh, yeah!

What is your favorite thing about your mom?

She perseveres probably more than anyone I know.

What is your favorite thing about your dad?

He is incredibly selfless.

What is your favorite thing about yourself?

I am faithful ... to any and every job, person, thing - big or small.

Do you like to sing?

Oh, yeah!!! All the time!

Do you like to dance?

Oh my, yes! A lot!

Do you like to play a musical instrument?

Yes. I'm just not very coordinated with the guitar .... or rather .... I struggle with rhythm.

What musical instruments can you play?

Piano and guitar ... only a little though.

What is your favorite type of art?

Music!!!!

Have you ever seen a broadway musical? Do you like theater?

Nope ... and Yes.

Do you like building things?

Small things like crafts, as my SoZo kids like to call 'em.

What would you like to learn about cars?

How to change the oil.

What would you like to teach others about?

Being faithful to Jesus, how to encourage people every single day :)

What are three adjectives which describe you?

Faithful, passionate, energetic

How would your friend describe you to someone who has never seen you?

Outgoing, excitable, loves Jesus

In five years, what kind of person will you be?

Someone who honors Jesus with her life ... an overcomer, content, a stronger encourager

In ten years, what kind of person will you be?

All of the things above at a deeper level ... a sage.

What do you want to be doing in five years?

Beginning/continuing a family ... starting homeschooling ... loving my husband ... continuing to grow deeply in Jesus

What do you want to be doing in ten years?

The same as above at a deeper level ... continuing a family (maybe be done having kids, maybe not - ha!) ... loving my husband even more than 5 years ago ... growing even more deeply in Jesus than 5 years ago

What are your favorite subjects in school?

Physical Education and Choir .... and English class too. ;)

When you have an hour of free time, what do you like to do?

Take a nap, check my mail, watch an episode of Chuck, listen to music

What is your favorite church movie?

Church movie? Does Fireproof count? ... To Save a Life was good too. ... If that's what you mean by "church movie."

What is the strangest thing you ever did?

Camp alone for 2 nights and 3 days .... does that count for strange? People told me I was crazy for doing it! ... I can't think of anything else.

What is the strangest food you ever ate?

Sushi is probably the weirdest thing I've eaten ... or something from Dim Sum ... a very authentic Chinese place. Gross.

MOH Speech :)

Last month ... February 13, to be exact, I had the incredible privilege of being the Maid of Honor to my best friend in the entire world. Yes, believe it or not, Emily Nicole Karas (MacDonald) asked ME to be her right-hand lady! The most amazing woman in the world asked ME!!!!

I thought I'd post my Maid of Honor speech here ..... :)

For those of you who know me well, you know that I am long-winded and emotional when I talk in front of people. …. I want to say I will be neither of those things today, but I’m pretty sure I would be lying. So hang in there with me for the next few minutes … this is my best friend we’re talking about here.

And gosh …. where do you start with your best friend? ….. I’ve decided to start with a Bible verse. 1 Samuel chapter 18 talks about a friendship … probably the most distinct and intimate and cherished friendship in the whole Bible – the friendship of Jonathan and David. 1 Samuel chapter 18 verse 1 says, “Now it came about when he had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved David as himself.” When I found this verse a couple years ago, I sent it to Emily, and we both agreed that it describes our friendship perfectly. It’s our BBF verse.

So … to say all of that … I not only have the privilege of carrying the title “Maid of Honor” … I have the privilege of being the BBF of Emily Nicole Karas … err, I’m sorry Emily Nicole MacDonald. BBF stands for Bosom Buddy Forever. Yes, we are that cheesy. The word “bosom” is special to Emily and me because its definition couldn’t be more spot on. The word “bosom” means “to embrace with or as with the arms; held close; intimate; cherished; dear; as a bosom friend.” Emily and I embrace at least twice every time we see each other … a hello hug and a goodbye hug. We are the most intimate of friends, sharing our heart’s deepest longings and struggles, praying for one another, and loving each other in a way I didn’t know was possible in an earthly friendship. And these examples are just a few reasons why we are bosom friends.

EmilyWem and King Barry, I am so excited for y’all. I’m not sure there is a more beautiful couple. Barry, you are one of the most upstanding, God-fearing men I have ever met. You are amazing, and I’m so excited that you belong to Emily. And Emily, you are incredible. You are my love, my other half, my #1 role-model, my bosom friend. I am so excited for the new callings God is placing on your life! ….. But I’ve told you before … I think my heart is breaking. I know you’re not dying, as you’ve told me so many times before. I know you’re not moving to Guam or some crazy, faraway place … you’re moving 5 hours away. But 5 hours is not 12 minutes to 272 Lincoln Hills. Em, until I find that future husband of mine, you have my heart. Everything feels better when you’re with me. …. When you’re simply standing in the same room with me, life is better. What am I gonna do without you? …. Oh, there’s no doubt … I will be driving 5 hours some days just so that we can make a Taco Bell run … and then head over to McDonald’s to get some BBF sweet tea. There’s no doubt that we’ll text and call … well, we may not call because we’re both afraid of phones … but Facebook … that internet do-dad will be our constant friend. And we’ll write “love notes” … as Jason likes to call them … on each other’s pages. We’ll take road trips to see each other. We’ll live and laugh and love together still … and apart from each other. BBFness doesn’t die with distance. But oh, how I’ll miss you, love.

There’s really no good way to end these kinds of sappy speeches, but I’ve carried on long enough. So … Emily MacDonald, I love you more than you will ever know. And I will end by saying just that …. I love you. And Barry and Emily, congratulations … I love you too, King Barry. Cheers!

"Does he even grow facial hair?!"

I was on campus again yesterday, and I walked by this guy who was on his phone ... and I heard him say, "That was pretty much the most disgusting thing I've ever seen in my entire life." It made me laugh a little on the inside.

I passed him wondering what he could be talking about.

It made me think of a funny "overhearing a comment" story that Jesse Smith shared with me and Jared Wade and a group of us friends a while back. He said he was standing next to someone ... at a bank or the store or some place ... and all of a sudden he hears the guy in front of him say, "Well, that's what you get for having 9 kids!" .... I guess the guy said it fairly loud. And Jesse got the biggest kick out of it. Jesse is just hilarious anyway, and he's good at telling stories ... so the story was pretty funny. .... It's one of those "you had to be there" moments, but if you have a good sense of humor or you just laugh a lot, I'm sure you can find the humor in that ... and in my chuckling about the "disgusting thing ever" comment from the guy on the phone.

It just tickled my funny bone a bit ...

But the second comment I heard later in the day was better.

I was sitting in the campus center ... lots of people were passing by. I was reading a book when all of a sudden, I hear someone nearly yell, "Does he even grow facial hair?!" ... Again, I wondered what this girl could've been talking about. Ha! And I think I laughed out loud for that one.

So I wrote these two quotes down in my agenda and thought to myself, "I'm gonna blog about this." I just got a laugh out of 'em. Hope you do too.

Good times! :)

What Be Happenin' Wit Mical, Yo :)

I've posted this before ... but it's a new time and a new place of life ... so the answers will be different. And this time I stole it from EmilyWem. :)

Outside my window: is the best weather ever! Cool breeze, probably around 55 or 60 degrees. A street light and cars zooming by.

I am thinking about: how much I love my SoZo kids, how I am so excited Em is comin' home in 2 days, how I'm longing for someone I can't ever have, how tired I am of school and all its details, how much I am enjoying the weather and can't wait for 50 degrees everyday, and how excited I am that Jesus is Lord of my life and is carrying out Philippians 1:6 in my life. :)

I am thankful for: Emily Nicole Karas, Benjamin David Nilsen, Hannah Joy Baker, Tiffany Lorraine Coon, my mom and dad and Wes, the breeze I felt on my skin all day, the fact that I only have 12 weeks left of college, the gift of serving, teaching, loving, and encouraging my SoZo kids, the after school program at Shepherd, God's word, friendship, the kind of love that fulfills you (God's love), peace that only comes from the Lord, grace that is greater than all my sin, hope in Christ, security in Christ, sweet tea (it's my comfort drink) .... wow. I should really stop. I could go on forever. :)

From the kitchen: we've got dirty dishes and a fridge full of leftovers.

I am wearing: my favorite outfit in the world ... my huge scrub pants with comfy socks and my big Taylor sweatshirt. Fall has officially arrived! :D

I am creating: a 20th birthday/I love you/goodbye gift for my bosom buddy Emily, a three-week lesson for SoZo about what it means to have a teachable spirit, half-hearted writing assignments for school, opportunities to serve and encourage and love, and sweet tea just about every day.

I am going to: grow in Jesus, encourage people, and laugh loudly and often ... forever.

I am reading: my Bible, Wrestling Prayer, and a book called Spiritual Growth in Youth Ministry ... books for school should be in this list but oh wait .... ;) he he he. Okay, okay ... I'm working on actually reading for my classes. ;)

I am hoping: for motivation, a deeper passion for God and His heart, to work with kids/youth full time when I graduate, for a friendship to be completely restored, that I will let go of some bitterness I am harboring and of a longing that will never be mine, continued growth in Christ.

I am hearing: my dad watching Monday Night Football downstairs, crickets chirping outside my window, the wind rustling the leaves in the trees, the hum of my fan, the typing of my keyboard ..... oh, but the sound of the leaves rustling is by far my favorite.

Around the house: my mom is sleeping, my dad is watching football but most likely asleep on the couch, my brother is not here, I am camping out in my brother's room .... perhaps 'cause I miss him, perhaps 'cause the internet is hooked up in his room. :)

Some of my favorite things: sweet tea, friendship, laughing, smiling, singing, dancing, growing in Jesus, crocs, 50 degree weather, rain, sunsets, mountains, photos, sleeping in .... and I could go on forever and a day!

A few plans for the rest of the week: school, the after school program at Eastside, SoZo!!!!, hang out with friends, drink more sweet tea, encourage people, pray for the folks on my prayer list this week, finally get to see Emily, seek Jesus, Bible study, church at Calvary!, live, laugh, and love. :)

A Status that Wouldn't Fit in her Facebook Status Box

is not ready for Monday ... but she's pretty excited about a few things, so the week will be great!

#1 - Jesus is her Lord.

#2 - She's gonna be studying what it means to have a teachable spirit for the next month!

#3 - Her bosom buddy Emily is coming home on Wednesday (finally!).

#4 - SoZo is amazing, and she is in love with her youth!

#5 - She's got after school with some amazing inner city kids on Wednesday and Thursday afternoon.

#6 - She only has 12 weeks left of college!

#7 - She better stop now 'cause life is so good that she could go on forever.

.... Praise God for His faithfulness, grace, and joy!!! Have a great week, everyone! Live fully. Love deeply. Laugh loudly. 'Cause Jesus came so that we might have LIFE and have it ABUNDANTLY!!!! :D

Hit On

So my bosom buddy, Emily, and I get together on a regular basis ... and while we're together, we get "checked out," as we like to call it, by guys ... everywhere. we. go. We're gorgeous babes. Who can blame the guys, right? ;) Ha ha! .... Occasionally, it's pretty creepy, but most of the time, it's just amusing.

Well, I bring you this short story because today ... not 20 minutes ago ... I was sitting in the grass on IUPUI's campus eating my lunch, and within 5 minutes time not one but two guys hit on me. I'm not joking!

But there's a catch .... does it count if they wanted me to pay them money??? Ha ha!

They were being "voted for" ... or so they said. The first guy was pretty charming ... and eventually pulled out a list of magazines ... I told him I had no money to give him ... and yet he persisted to ask me questions about my hobbies and my major, acting interested in my life. Ha ha! He even went so far to say that the money he made would take him to Australia ... where he "needed a dance partner" ... namely - me. Hilarious. .... I finally started laughing, and he said "what's so funny?" I (hopefully) said politely, "You're funny. I told you I don't have any money, and you're still here." He just smiled, picked up his stuff, and said thanks for letting him chat with me. .... The next guy didn't even pull out his list of magazines 'cause I told him straight up "Some guy already hit me up, and I have no money." He smiled, asked my major and my name, and then told me I was the "cutest Mical he'd ever seen." Then he gave me a high five and told me he wouldn't bug me.

Pretty stinkin' hilarious.
Now, tons of girls all over this campus today will be experiencing these two guys ... and most likely more. I say girls ... 'cause I watched these guys ... and they only picked on the girls ... probably feeding them the same "dance" and "cutest" lines. Nice guys. I'll give 'em credit for that. ...... But I bet I'm the only girl who blogs about 'em! :D

Boga-isms!

So I stumbled across these "Boga-isms" while I was cleaning out my desk today, and I laughed out loud through most of them.
Sadly, most of you won't understand these 'cause you had to be in Bogalusa (and in the situation) to get most of 'em ... but they are still fun.
I could resist ... they are a great blog post. :)
Enjoy!

"He's more creepy up close."
- Josie Knapp to me about a guy we helped while we were there.

"My forgetter is what works best."
- Mr. Denver

"I didn't know you were so that way."
- Pastor Marcus to me

"You're the female version of Billy Mays."
- Frank Bennett to me

"A stick just fell from the sky!"
- Tyler Bennett (I love that kid!)

"Come back, Subway cup!"
- Tyler

"I think we all look like we've been ran over by a truck."
- Madison Johnson

"Gas station bathrooms are filth incarnate."
- Christopher Fales (he also called them "nuclear waste disposals ... couldn't forget that one!)

"Umm, can you make me pregnant?"
- Tori (from the Poplar Bluff group) to me ... and she was referring to a skit, by the way ... she was a pregnant lady. ;)

"Umm, I don't know what to do. You just got a text message."
- Charlie (from the PB group)

"Get it, girl!"
- Leah Baker

"You're not cute!"
- Pastor Mike

"I like this book because people get shot in the face by arrows."
- Tyler Bennett (the quote that started it all!)

"I'm glad i'm not an adult right now because of the economic downturn."
- Again ... Tyler Bennett ... he is a hoot!

"You're so cautious."
- Tyler to me

"Mical is a nice girl, but she's so cautious."
- Tyler to his dad ... "being careful" is an inside joke between the three of us. Ha ha! Yes!

"We're all gonna suffocate and die!"
- Madison

"The world's most awesome flea market"
- Katherine Peterson
"More like the world's lamest flea market."
- Me

"Freakin' ridonkalous!"
- Madison

"Stupid monkey."
- Jeremy Wright talking to the door we put in at Miss Sadie's. You wouldn't believe the time we had with that silly door!!!

"Bye, human."
- Brian Reagan ... and me and Frank and Tyler all week long.

"Strike 22, Johnson."
- Jeremy gave Madison strikes throughout the week for silly things. Good times!

"I'm going down with the guys and Mariah."
- Leah
"Have a nice life!"
- Madison to Leah

"It should be called the 'I hate my life' bone."
- Me after someone hit their funny bone.

"Hungry elbows?"
- Shelley Chambers after she misheard someone say 'angry hobos.'" ... Don't ask me why they said it; I have no idea! ;)

I KNOW there were other great lines ... but these were some really great quotes I wrote down as I heard 'em throughout the week in Bogalusa. ..... Good times! :)

This is Mical at Heart :)

Ha Ha! I have another youtube clip for you.
I was watching Monster House last night as I was going to sleep, and the opening scene reminded me of how much I like the first 10 or so minutes of this movie. If you've ever seen Monster House, you know it's kind of weird ... and not too impressive. But I bought this movie several months ago because the first several minutes of the movie are hilarious! But anyway!

The very first scene is of a little girl on a tricycle. Go to this website (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG-shXRUXXI) or go to youtube and type in "Monster House Girl on Tricycle" to see this clip.

I love this clip so much because this little girl is ..... ME! The first time I watched this movie, my mom was in the room .... and as soon as the little girl started singing "la la la la la la!" I started laughing pretty hard .... my mom just looked at me and asked, "Are you laughing because this little girl is YOU?" And I laughed all the harder. 'Cause I didn't just think so .... my mom thought this little girl was me! Ha ha!

Once you watch the clip, maybe you'll see a little Mical Masterson is this fun little girl. :) If not ... well, this post was a waste of time. But I think it is GREAT! .... And at the end of the clip you'll hear some girls in the background laughing ... someone else thought this clip was great and recorded! Amazin'! :D .... Enjoy! It's a fun little clip. :)