100 songs you need to listen to!

so i was backing up my iTunes library, and i kept finding myself saying "Oh that's a great song! i forgot i had that one!" so...it inspired a list of my 100 favorite songs of all time. Not in any order, just the order that they came into my head. :) I know there's some i forgot too. feedback and suggestions welcome :)

1. Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley
2. What If You - Joshua Radin
3. Mexico - Jump, Little Children
4. Hosanna - Hillsong United
5. Just for Now - Imogen Heap
6. Your Love is Extravagant - Casting Crowns
7. At Last - Etta James
8. Forever and Ever Amen - Randy Travis
9. The Way You Look Tonight - Frank Sinatra
10. Everything - Lifehouse
11. Measure of Beauty - Lindsey Kane
12. Somewhere Over the Rainbow - Israel Kamikawiwole
13. Turn Your Lights Down Low - Bob Marley (Colbie Caillat also does a really great cover...)
14. Raining on Sunday - Keith Urban
15. Answer - Sarah Mclachlan
16. Heavenly Day - Patty Griffin
17. Have a Little Faith in Me - John Hiatt
18. Up to the Mountain - Kelly Clarkson's version
19. Let It Be - The Beatles
20. By Your Side - Tenth Avenue North
21. The General - Dispatch
22. Southern Girl - Amos Lee
23. O Magnum Mysterium - Morten Lauridsen
24. Feels Like Home - Chantal Kreviazuk
25. Canon in D - Johann Pachelbel
26. Clair de Lune - Claude Debussy
27. Picture This - Jim Brickman
28. Amazing Grace - John Newton (Il Divo's version)
29. Carried to the Table - Leeland
30. Tears of the Saints - Leeland
31. Home - Michael Buble
32. Remember When It Rained - Josh Groban
33. Be Thou My Vision - Ginny Owens
34. World on Fire - Sarah McLachlan
35. Someone Somewhere - Jason Reeves
36. One Love - Bob Marley
37. Untitled Hymn - Chris Rice
38. On a Night Like This - Dave Barnes
39. Gravity - Sarah Bareilles
40. Jesus and Gravity - Dolly Parton
41. Bittersweet Symphony - The Verve
42. World Spins Madly On - The Weepies
43. California - Phantom Planet
44. I Don't Want to Wait - Paula Cole (tribute to my Dawson's Creek fanatic period...)
45. To Make You Feel my Love - Garth Brooks
46. Friends in Low Places - Garth Brooks
47. Kiss Me - Sixpence None the Richer
48. 525,600 Minutes - RENT
49. Angel of Music - Andrew Lloyd Weber
50. By The Way That They Dance - Jump, Little Children
51. Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
52. Maybe I'm Amazed - Jem
53. Cannonball - Damien Rice
54. This Year's Love - Damien Rice
55. She's Only Happy in the Sun - Ben Harper
56. My Hands - Jewel
57. Better Together - Jack Johnson
58. Alone - Heart (my karaoke jam)
59. Say - John Mayer
60. Fancy - Reba McEntire
61. Almost Lover - A Fine Frenzy
62. The Reason Why - Rachael Yamagata
63. To Be Alone With You - Sufjan Stevens
64. All I Ask of You - Andrew Lloyd Weber
65. La Vie En Rose - Louis Armstrong
66. The Luckiest - Ben Folds
67. Rain - Patty Griffin
68. Amber - 311
69. Hey Girl - OAR
70. Swing Life Away - Rise Against
71. Collie Man - Slightly Stoopid
72. Dancin' In the Moonlight - Toploader
73. Dare You to Move - Switchfoot
74. With My Own Two Hands - Jack Johnson w/ Ben Harper
75. When The Rain Comes - Third Day
76. Soul Meets Body - Death Cab for Cutie
77. He Walked on Water - Randy Travis
78. Butterfly Kisses - Bob Carlisle
79. Everything - Michael Buble
80. Come Away With Me - Norah Jones
81. September Song - Willie Nelson
82. Unchained Melody - Willie Nelson
83. Whatcha Know About - Donovan Frankenreiter
84. Shadowlands - Ryan Adams
85. Wonderwall - Ryan Adams
86. Say Goodnight, Not Goodbye - Chantal Kreviazuk
87. Life in a Northern Town - Sugarland ft. Little Big Town
88. Let Me Sign - Robert Pattinson
88. Smile - Nat King Cole
89. Meaning - Gavin Degraw
90. Somebody Like You - Keith Urban
91. Copper Kettle - Jump, Little Children
92. Let Her Cry - Hootie & the Blowfish
93. I'm Yours - Jason Mraz
94. Your Winter - Sister Hazel
95. Beautiful Disaster (Live Version) - Kelly Clarkson
96. Hide and Seek - Imogen Heap
97. Still - Matt Nathanson
98. I Rescued You - Emily Lynch
99. Grace's Amazing Hands - Dave Barnes
100. My Huckleberry Friend - Audrey Hepburn

It's a dog's life...

Just a few pics from my phone describing why it's great to be a dog!
At least Charlie thinks so :)


You can snuggle with just about anybody. (Even Kitty...)



Grandpa spoils you...big time!



You're still cute when you get bad haircuts.



You get to sleep while mom gets to do homework.



You can actually get really good sleep while mom does homework.



You can go on trips and never even get out of your bed.



Actually, you can go on trips and take your whole house.



Playing in the snow never gets old.



It's ok to pass out on the table after one too many glasses of wine. (Just teasing...Charlie's not 21!)



You can still be a Clemson fan!

i'm back...

wow! hard to believe its been a month since i've posted! school has been crazier than i could imagine, and truthfully i have about a million things i should be working on right now rather than this. but i need some chill out, saturday morning, do-whatever-i-want time :).

I should say SO much has happened since last posting...and I definitely don't have room in a blog to get to it all. Spring Break, High School Retreat, Bridge Run, Easter, School, more School, job search, etc. But, I'll just say God has proven Sovereign through it all, and I'm still finding that I need Him and His grace more today than I did yesterday, and the day before, and the day before...you get it.

There have been great ups, and crushing lows in the past month surrounding me and my family, but through it all, God has proven faithful. He will not let us be moved when we seek His face and trust His plan for taking care of us. I would say for sure that God has wrenched from my hands the need for worldly things. My need for expensive clothes, or driving a nice car, even having to live in the biggest house. I've been reminded that while I have these things, He can take them at any moment. If for one day my faith and pride wavers from pride in being His daughter to pride in worldly position and possessions, I am lost. So I'm working on ridding myself of material pride and gaining eternal pride in Christ.


I was running out by the Lake a few weeks ago (something I'm SURE to miss once I graduate and leave Clemson) at sunset. I try to time it just right, because it is so beautiful. Anyways, when I'm running one direction across the dyke my back is to the sunset so I can't see it. But when I got to the end and turned around that day, I was literally stopped in my tracks, amazed at the beautiful display of artwork above me! It was indescribably beautiful, the sky was orange and purple (proof that God's a Tiger!) and a rainbow of colors that no artist could ever duplicate. I was held captive. It was a gorgeous reminder that God's beauty is on display for us to see...we just have to take time to see it. I'm working on this too :).

Anyway, thats enough for one morning...I'm off to enjoy this beautiful day by the pool with my book. I'm almost done with the twilight series...gladly taking book suggestions for when I'm done! :)


MUCHO amor, mis amigos.

amazing grace.

Amazing Grace. I'm a huge fan of song lyrics, and these are simply remarkable!

Last weekend, we took our high schoolers on a "Deeper Weekend" retreat to a plantation in Walterboro, and our speaker Friday night (the incredible Dr. Charles Hook) mentioned Amazing Grace, which spurred me to really look into the song. He told us that Amazing Grace is the most recognizable and most popular song ever written, among religious and secular music. The author of the song, John Newton, was in the royal navy, and eventually became a commander of a slave ship. He eventually gave his life to Christ and became an ordained minister, who obviously came to intensely regret his involvement in the slave market, and became an advocate for abolition. Dr. Hook told us that John Newton wrote what he wanted the inscription on his own grave to be, and it was this: "John Newton, Clerk. Once an infidel and libertine. A servant of slaves in Africa was by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, PRESERVED, RESTORED, PARDONED, and appointed to preach the faith he had long laboured to destroy." I would say that it is surely Amazing Grace that can preserve, restore, and pardon us from our filth and sin.

The lyrics of Amazing Grace, particularly the first verse, are so true his story: He was a wretch selling slaves, blind to the truths of Jesus' grace, but was saved and his eyes were opened by our amazing God, to be a minister to share this grace he had worked to destroy.

I've been a Christian for years, and have grown up listening to this song, so it had become just another song to me. But it was so SO good to sit down and actually read these lyrics, and seek the truth in them again. They became real to me again. I hope you can do the same!

The video link at the bottom is one we watched this weekend, and I'm not gonna lie, it made me cry a little! The music is so beautiful, I don't see how anyone can hear music like this and not be moved. I especially got chills in the last verse, realizing that they're singing in the ruins of the Roman Colosseum, which was built almost two thousand years ago (about 80 AD). The structure is now falling down and obviously won't last into eternity, but hearing the words, knowing that we can sing this song TEN thousand years from now (not just two!), and still have "NO less days to sing God's praise" is astounding! Singing praises to God will last into eternity. We will be able to sing praises to Him forever, thanks to His Amazing Grace!

"Amazing Grace,
How sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me,
I once was lost,
But now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

Twas grace that taught
My heart to fear
And grace, my fears relieved
How precious did
That grace appear,
The hour I first believed

Through many dangers
Toils and snares,
I have already come,
Tis grace hath brought
Me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home

When we've been here
Ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days
To sing God's praise
Than when we first begun

Amazing Grace,
How Sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost,
But now am found,
Was blind, but now I see."

It wouldn't let me just embed the video on here, but i PROMISE it's worth watching! (There's a surprise after verse 3!) Watch it with the mindset that their stage has been there two thousand years. Watch it truly listening to the lyrics. Watch it knowing that we have received this Amazing Grace, from the God that created everything you see. I promise, it will make your day better. :)

Copy and paste this because the link isn't showing up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMVxzEueJ6A

Love.

Oh love. I don't know why I feel compelled to write tonight... maybe it's because I just finished (finally) watching the bachelor, or I'm smack dab in the middle of an OC marathon (Don't laugh). Or because I ran into two ex's in one day. NO I don't regret not being with them, or wish I was, etc..... but it still makes you think, you know?

I'm a big fan of love. No, I'm not in love with anyone, nor do I see myself being in love in the near future, but I have been in love before. Let's be honest, I haven't really fared well in the love department in the past few years, and have had one...a few too many broken hearts for my liking, but I'm still a fan of love. In hindsight, my last relationship turned out to be a train wreck from start to finish, and the one before that kinda ended before it even started. Long story. But at the end of the day, I can't deny that I have faith in love. I have faith that one day I'll be in it. I have faith that God designed love, He is Love, and He will give me love.

I was talking to my brilliant friend Reese tonight, and she was so encouraging. I was venting, and she advised me to "remember how fabulous you are...it can't do anything but pay off". Love can even come from great friends! She was full of insight and great advice... saying that all unanswered questions will eventually resurface, giving everything meaning. That reason is hard to trust in the moment, but essentially that hindsight really is 20/20. Which adds to the reason I believe in love. I believe that I'll one day figure it out. Call me naive, but I think I'm gonna get my fairy tale one day. Love is a great feeling... feeling loved is a great feeling. I can't wait until I find it, or am given it again.

So...being as I'm not in romantic love, I choose to surround myself with love. Love from my friends, and to my friends. Love from my family, and to my family. Love from my roommates, and to my roommates. Love from my church, and to my church. This list could go on forever. There's also love for people I don't know... but that's a whole 'nother subject.

My advice... choose love. love wins. even when you're single :)



And there's always 1 Corinthians 13. Truth of scripture is a beautiful thing...

"If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate... So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love. (v. 1, 3)

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (vv. 4-8)

And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love." (v. 13)

polaroids, curses, tattoos, and stolen keys

first of all, i have to say i'm glad to be safely back in clemson. this past weekend was incredible. there's nothing like a few crazy fun nights with great friends to know how much you are loved....and some pretty out of control memories were made.

Thursday night was pretty great, I went to the Music Farm to see my amazingly talented roommate Emily play, and she did so great. Her talent is undoubtedly a gift from the Lord, because something so beautiful has to be from Him! Then I went home and got some much needed rest, (although I might would have gotten more if I knew what was in store for my weekend!)

Friday was fun, I went by Charleston Magazine, and it was a madhouse as always. I love it though; everyone frantically trying to get their files together, crafting going on in the middle of the floor, and tons of sweets scattered about the office...all the while the word "shipping" lingering over everyone's head. I seriously hope I can go back there one day! Then I went to dinner with the family, which is always fun then met up with some of my favorites downtown. It actually ended up being all C-Mag interns, which was super fun. And Reese brought the polaroid...which always makes great memories. We realized it was Friday the 13th, so of course danced our hearts out when the band played Ghostbusters and Thriller. At some point in the night, we got on the Chris Brown/Rihanna incident, and ended up with a series of Polaroids entitled "Situation: Chris Brown and Rihanna"....Too Soon? Yes, definitely. But after having a serious/awkward/mildly inappropriate heart-to-heart among friends, it was time to call it a night.

Saturday involved getting a haircut, washing my new purple sharpie tattoo off my arm (thank you, reese), a perfect Fraylick-girls shopping trip, and getting coffee with one of my amazing high school girls!

Then, I met up with some of my favorites at Sushi Hiro downtown, which is where the madness really begins. Or at least I'm blaming it on an incident that occured here. Apparently, it's really disrespectful/taboo to stand chopsticks straight up in a bowl of rice. Who knew?! One minute we were all enjoying our time, and the next, the not-japanese-at-all host races over to the table, pulls them out of the rice, and mutters something about curses, funerals, and a death offering. (Insert a table full of blank stares)How do you respond to that!? We all looked at each other dumbfounded and completely thrown by what just happened. Anyways, we brushed it off and continued our great Valentine's meal. One of my friends brought us Valentines complete with Miley Cyrus Tattoos for the girls, and NBA tattoos for the boys. Nothing like a childlike heart...I hope I never grow up. I had "Secret Pop Star" on my arm, and a rose on my wrist. The rest of the night brought even more polaroids (including more Chris Brown/Rihanna Situations) and crazy fun memories. The bouncer at the place we ended up even scrutinized my ID, telling me he had seen it at least five times, and even taken it from a girl once. I thought, funny thing, I've never, ever lost or given it out...and you need a new pick-up line. eek. We even saw a girl in a solid sequin dress and another in a lace-up shirt. Shout out to "What Not To Wear" - I think a trip to Charleston should be in the works. It made for a great Valentine's Day with great friends. I'm blessed to be loved by such fun people.

Then Sunday. Woke up, went to Church with the fam, which is always good. There's something to be said about worshipping the God of Creation with the people that brought me to know Him, and love me with the same love He has for me. I've recently learned not to take advantage of that, but that's another blog, for another day. Anyways, then came lunch, napping, then singing at LifePark. I can't explain how much I love singing, and help lead a congregation in worshipping the King of Glory.

Then Sunday night. Yikes. Let me preface this by saying that I was scheduled to leave Charleston at 6 am to make it back to class by 10. BUT, After eating dinner with the fam, i decided to meet up with some friends for just a short time, just as a goodbye-for-now til I go home again. I've now learned that next time I get that invite, I'm getting in bed immediately. I went to Village Tavern, a small, quirky hangout in Mt. Pleasant, and absurdities quickly followed. Somehow it leaked to the owner of the bar that I sing, so before I knew it, he was leaving, only to return with some strange guitar-carrying dude he had gone and woken up. A sound system was hooked up, microphones on, ready to go. Don't really know how I dodged that bullet, but NO singing with drunken bar owners ensued...thank goodness! Then, we met some new friends, and one fireman tried to be Dr. Phil to Reese. Needless to say, she decided to escape with my other friend. So it was only me and Bucky for a bit. Then, we decided to leave too (after playing some spectacular jukebox jams), only to realize Reese, the friend that left an hour ago had taken both of our keys (not on purpose, just looking after them...without telling us). And of course, she wouldn't answer her phone. So we had to call Channing, our friend who had also already left....in order to dissuade the owner (who was trying his hardest to get us to drink some mystery beverage out of a mason jar. i'm not even kidding) and his offers to drive us wherever we needed to be. I would have walked before getting in a car with him. Anyways, Channing the Angel showed up. Our only plan of action was to drive downtown to Reese's and bang on her apartment windows and doors til she woke up. So we trekked downtown and began to beat on windows, only to realize she didn't live in Apartment A, but in fact Apartment B. Thank goodness no one lived in A, or we would have gotten shot. So we moved down one door, and she awoke, gave us our keys, and we were on our way. An hour later.

I finally made it home, and needless to say I didn't quite wake up in time to get back for class. Oops. But hey, I'm only a senior in college for so long (ok, i'm in my second senior year, but who's counting?) so I'm allowed one or two skips. I hate feeling irresponsible, but Sunday night was definitely one of those once-in-a-million nights, so it was worth it. Where was the polaroid when we really needed it?! I did make it back for the most important class of the day, which was at 5:30 pm. YES.

And I undoubtedly blame the absurdities on the chopsticks curse! Only problem is, someone's gotta figure out how to UN-curse us! ;)


All in all, the weekend was unbelievable. My next visit home has a lot to live up to (although I'm not quite sure I want it to...). The best part of the weekend? Definitely the company. I say it a lot, but I'm incredibly blessed with a band of entertaining, inspiring, caring, slightly crazy, beautiful friends. Each of my friends offer something different to my life, and enrich it in so many ways they don't know. (Family is included in this word 'friends' too!) I'm richly priveleged to be surrounded by such people, especially in such a beautiful setting as Charleston.

Life is good, the Lord is good, and SO are my great friends.

whew!

What a week! (insert immense sigh of relief here).
I've got a few minutes before yoga class, so I figured I'd update the blog.
First of all, if every week is gonna be like this, I'm gonna lose my mind before I graduate, and no one's gonna want to hire a crazy person. haha....seriously though, I am now a master multi-tasker. I can even be in starbucks and lab at the same time ;).

But amidst all the craziness, I've been constantly reminded all week of how blessed I am to have such great friends and family!

Graphics is a relatively small major here at Clemson, so all the people in my class have become a sort of rag-tag family. We're all real close, and remind each other that we couldn't do it without each other. We get stressed out and bombarded with projects and tests, etc., (all the while the ever present job search lingering)....but at the end of the day, always seem to think, you know, today was actually sort of fun. So if I complain about all the stuff I have to do...don't give it much though, I actually do love my major :)

And, BONUS, I got to see my cousin this week! She came up to lecture to some classes, so she rescued me from my 6 hours of lab on Wednesday. Usually wednesdays aren't the best, but this one was definitely the exception. I even had a presentation, that I'm pretty sure I aced :).

And this morning, I had an exam, that wasn't quite as good as the presentation, but the day is quickly turning around!! I'm about to go to yoga, then head to my beloved Charleston later for a great weekend. It's gonna start tonight at the music farm....my old roomie/one of my closest friends is playing at the music farm! (emily lynch...i've talked about her before) I'm so proud of her and can't wait to hear her tonight.

Gonna be a busy weekend, but so so great. Can't wait to see my Charleston Mag friends, my high school girls, and my family!

I'm blessed beyond measure. Have a great day, ya'll!