Wednesday, January 30, 2013


Imagine the prettiest sunrise you’ve ever seen. You can picture it in your mind because it was so beautiful. A sunrise like that lights up the whole sky, and makes it almost every color of the rainbow. You never thought that the sky could be that beautiful color of pink, orange, or even purple. I saw one of these the other day and looking at it made me thank God for how beautiful it was. I mean how many of those do you see in a lifetime? If we actually took the time to stop and pay attention the number would probably escalate drastically. It’s hard to just stop your life and pay attention to the little things. The things that we should be thanking Him for every day.

Canvas Church, the church I attend, has just ended a two week fast, and I feel so much closer to God because of it. I think one of the many things that I was supposed to look at during this fast was how much closer I have become with Him during the last year. I am such a different person than I was. Better, happier, NEW. “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”      (2 Cor 5:17)

It’s amazing how things work out. I am starting this new chapter in my life, and now I get to work for a house on top of it! I cannot stop attesting to how incredible the Habitat for Humanity organization is. I started working construction a few Saturdays ago. It just warms my heart knowing that I am helping someone else reach their goal while I am working on mine. I am volunteering to work on my sweat equity hours, but at the same time I am helping put other people’s houses together. And these people will be my neighbors eventually. Can you imagine what kind of community that builds? To know that the people living next to you helped build your house with their own two hands.

And the volunteers are wonderful too. A lot of them are retired, and have been for years. They either help nearly every week, or every time they are doing a project (such as siding.) The hours of work they do just to help are astonishing. They make all of this possible, and I could not possibly thank them enough. I love asking them a lot of questions so I can find out how they started volunteering for Habitat, and other things like what occupation they retired from.

The most emotional thing I have seen yet has to be the two home dedications that I attended yesterday. I loved being able to see two families receive their beautiful homes. It also made the experience very real. That is going to be me one day soon! The two families were just so thankful and happy. And it all goes back to starting a new life. As the executive director Shauna said during the dedications, this is a new life for both of these families. A new sunrise in their lives.

Thursday, January 17, 2013


I love the holidays! Christmas is full of great times together for my family, and the New Year is a time of renewal.

I am starting this new year with a new journey in the Habitat program. It just makes me so happy that my little boys and I have the chance to take this adventure together.

We had many visitors in December. My daddy was telling everyone about the news I am working toward getting a house. One of his friends comes to Knoxville every year to visit family, but lives in Hawaii. He actually told me that he is willing to come all the way back over here when the building starts just to help with construction. It is amazing how many helpful people God will put in your life. And I have had many more offers for helpfulness as well. My parents have offered to watch the kids every Saturday I have to volunteer. 

Since my last entry I have gone to orientation and started my sweat equity hours. Doing these things have just made this journey so much more exciting! 

In the orientation we got to meet many of the people who will assist us through the process. Everyone who works for Loudon County Habitat for Humanity is so nice and helpful. They explained all of the hours we would have to work, and many other things about the program.

I have started working in the Habitat Store to earn my sweat equity hours. Ms. Sandi is the manager of the store and has helped to accommodate my hours. I am going at least two days a week during my lunch hour.

This organization is very good about working with your schedule to help you accomplish your goal of buying a house. I can't wait to work with them even more, and to start working on the construction side of things!