California: Days 1&2

DAY 1:

The Friday night before our flight we stayed at a "PARK & FLY" hotel near O'hare. This was a great call on Dad's part! We were able to A) sleep in later and B) avoid the madness of parking at O'hare. After unloading our luggage we decided it was time for some food. After driving around for a few minutes we found a Chilli's! (VERY EXCITING because we do not have one back in Dekalb) Oh..even more exciting news---NO WAIT [ON A FRIDAY NIGHT] !!!

DAY 2:

My Dad had heard some interesting/positive feedback about the airline VIRGIN AMERICA, so we decided to fly with them instead of the usual United or American Airlines. He said we were in for a "treat," but I was not sure exactly what to expect. We got to the airport early enough to enjoy the perks of our VIRGIN AMERICA gate. What exactly are those perks you may ask?

• Hip music over the loud-speakers
• Free electronic charging ports at every chair (including a USB!)
• Customized headphones for $2 or a donation
• Location directly across from the bathrooms and adjacent to Starbuck's

(Apparently some of the other airports even have Virgin "Clubhouses" at their gates which are lounges for people to access internet, showers, music, a bar, and snacks for a minimal fee on top of their ticket. I think I'll have to try that sometime!)

The plane was even more impressive than the gate! The overhead lights were not the boring fluorescent ones, but instead were pink and purple! It just created a relaxing and inviting vibe on the plane during a time when most people might start becoming anxious about their flight.

Also the best part about flying with them is that EVERY seat has a built in monitor screen and remote! (Which plays a super funny and quirky safety video haha) Through this monitor for free you can watch satelitte TV, create playlists of music from over 3,000 songs, play games, message other passengers, track the planes location and speed on a map, and order food/drinks! WOAH! I didn't know planes like that existed for domestic flights. It made for a very enjoyable flight and great distraction during any turbulence.

 After landing in Los Angeles we decided to make our way to Santa Monica Pier since we were so close to the Pacific Ocean! (Well at least we thought we were close...google maps told us 15 minutes, but LA traffic did not agree haha!) After over an hour we were in view of the ocean and boy was it worth it. We experienced the ocean breeze, california culture, and even an unexpected seal encounter! Yes, a seal! While walking on the pier we heard an odd noise and looked over the railing to see the little guy. (He stayed there for a good few minutes.)

After an afternoon at the Santa Monica Pier, we made a three hour drive to Visalia which would be our launching point for Sunday's adventure. While we knew it would be a long drive, we did not know it would be so scenic. Being native midwesterners we were expecting flat terrain until we arrived at the national parks, but majority of the drive to Visalia was through desert mountains! Below is a picture of a lake we unexpectedly found in the middle of the dry terrain. While it was a man-made lake, it still proves that God's beauty is all around us. We just have to slow down and let Him lead our lives so we don't miss it.

Stay tuned for Day 3 in the Sequoia National Park!

XOXO Alexa

Tour of CALIFORNIA

We originally planned for our summer vacation to be in Colorado. However after the devastating wildfires, we decided to start thinking of alternative vacation spots. The one spot we could not stop thinking about was CALIFORNIA. After deciding on the general location, the next challenge became deciding where to go and what to do. BUTTTTTTT, Here was the dilemna...

1. AGE DIFFERENCES

• Father/Adult  (??)
• College/Young Adult (21)
• Teenager (13)

        WHICH LEADS TO...

2. DIFFERENT INTERESTS

• Sightseeing
• Hiking
• Swimming
• Outdoors
• City Life
• Relaxing
• Go, go, go!

3. CALIFORNIA (aka. biggest state ever) ATTRACTIONS

• National Parks
• Beaches
• Well-known cities (LA, Hollywood, Malibu, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego, etc.)

HOW DO YOU SOLVE THIS DILEMNA??

Well, you go on THE TOUR OF CALIFORNIA!!

A. LAX,
B. Santa Monica Pier,
 C. Visalia,
 D. Sequoia Naional Park,
E. Fresno,
F. Yosemite National Park,
G. Manteca,
 H. San Francisco,
I. Gilroy,
J. Malibu,
K. Culver City & LAX

The catch-phrase for our trip became "ADAPT AND OVERCOME."

(Stay tuned to discover why.)

Also, over the next several posts about our 8-day vacation you will witness the beauty of God's creation, hear funny travel stories, and desire your own trip to California!

XOXO Alexa

Power in Prayer

One lesson God really set on my heart in college is that prayer is so important VITAL in our walk with him. God uses prayer to change our hearts, grow closer to him and impact every single person in our lives.

I have always prayed through out my days, but never really dedicated a chunk of time to prayer. I decided this had to change if I wanted to grow in my faith. However I found that if I just prayed in my head a few things would happen:

• Fall asleep
• Get distracted
• Rush through my prayers
• Forget what I prayed about

Prayer Journal
$3 at Ross

To solve this problem a friend suggested that I try journaling my prayers. I instantly loved this idea! I have found that journaling my prayers allows me to:

• Stay focused
• Really elaborate on the situations I'm praying for
• Feel so intimately close to God
• Be able to look back on my prayers AND SEE WHAT GOD HAS ANSWERED!

I really began to GROW IN MY PRAYER LIFE when God used a woman named Stormie Omartian to speak to me. She is a christian author that writes books about the Power of Prayer in every aspect of our lives. She explains it in a way that completely re-energizes my desire to pray. Her books outline specific situations or qualities that we should be praying for and they are always supported with scripture.

Just a few of her books :)
$2-7 used on Amazon or FREE through your local library/I-share

If you want to GROW CLOSER TO GOD and have a HUGE IMPACT on those around you, I highly reccommend reading one of her books. It makes starting (or reviving) your prayer life so simple!

XOXO Alexa

Be Generous

I came across the article below on Pinterest the other day. The article is full of pictures of people doing incredible things to help other people---strangers:

21 Pictures That Will Restore Your Faith in Humanity
By: Jack Shepherd

Below I have highlighted some of my favorite pictures from the article, but see the link above for the full article.

"9. This sign at an awesome Subway restaurant.

11. This sign at an awesome drycleaner's.

View this image ›

Plaza Cleaners in Portland, OR, helped over 2,000 unemployed workers who couldn't afford dry cleaning. The store's owner estimated that it cost his company $32,000 dollars.

18. This note on a young family's check.

 "

--ALL OF THE PHOTOS ABOVE ARE FROM THE ARTICLE 21 PICTURES THAT WILL RESTORE YOUR FAITH IN HUMANITY BY: JACK SHEPHERD--

XOXO Alexa

Be Challenged

 God has used a man named Francis Chan to challenge me to grow and deepen my faith throughout the past few years. Francis Chan is a christian author and pastor in Southern California. I have read two books by him that have deeply affected my life: Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God and Forgotten God: Reversing our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit. In fact I have read Crazy Love multiple times. There are so many side notes and highlighter marks in that book! If you have not read these books yet I would encourage you to look into them. If you have read them, I would encourage you to re-read them!

DISCLAIMER: There may be times you feel the need to put one of the books down for a couple days, because it is just that challenging.

Both books are $6
used on Amazon!

That is okay! The Lord tells us in John 15 that he will cut off every branch in our lives that does not bear fruit and even the ones that do bear fruit he will prune! If you could fly through these books without taking a step back, questioning your life, or feeling the need to really pray then it probably isn't sinking in as much as it should be. Use these books as an opportunity to grow in your walk with God, because he says

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." -John 15:5

XOXO Alexa

INSPIRATION: Joy

IT'S ONLY LIFE
By: Kate Voegle

Tears are forming in your eyes
A storm is warning in the sky

The end of the world it seems
You bend down and you fall on your knees
Well get back on your feet yeah

Don't look away

Don't run away
Hey baby it's only life
Don't lose your faith
Don't run away
Hey baby its only life
Yea it's only life

You were always playing hard
Never could let down your guard

But you can't win
If you never give in
To that voice within
Saying pick up your chin
Baby let go of it

[Chorus]

Take your hesitance
And your self-defense
Leave them behind, it's only life
Don't be so afraid
Of facing everyday
Just take your time, it's only life
I'll be your stepping-stone
No, don't be so alone
Just hold on tight, it's only life

[Chorus]

XOXO Alexa

God gave me you

The other day Jim and I were having a conversation about the high divorce rate in our country (about 50%!). This conversation spawned from the book we are reading Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Got Married by Gary Chapman. In the first chapter it said:

 The author then challenged us to discuss why we thought our relationship had any chance of surviving past two years when the "tingles" or "warm fuzzies" fade away. Here's what we came up with...

Jim: "I think our relationship is different than others, because we choose to make God the center of our relationship. We continually pray for his will to be carried out between us and we will seek him in the hardships."

Alexa: "I think relationships take effort and preparation. You'll fail your final exam if you don't prepare for it, right? And a relationship, marriage, or family is so much more important than an exam! If we know this statistic going into a marriage then we can sharpen our communication skills before we get to that point. Also if we feel those feelings starting to fade then we can find new ways to put a spark in our relationships like a new hobby or regular "date nights."

GOD GAVE ME YOU
By: Blake Shelton

XOXO Alexa

INSPIRATION: Stability?

I feel like I have been living in chaos lately---(moving home after school, moving back to dekalb for my internship, packing for 12 hour shifts in Chicago, packing to stay for 2-3 days at a time to stay with friends, moving to Evanston, moving home after my internship, packing up my apartment for good, packing for a week vacation, and finally I will be moving into a new apartment before school.)

I was thinking to myself how I want some STABILITY in my life when I came across the quote below. WOW! As hectic as my life has felt lately, I have also felt closer to God than I have in awhile (probably because I have had to rely on him so much this summer).

THERE WILL BE A DAY
By: Jeremy Camp

XOXO Alexa

WHAT WORKS

I recently blogged about our "game plan" for surviving flourishing our relationship over the next year. We all know that plans don't always go as, well, planned. So here are some "DOs" and "DON'Ts" I've discovered even in these short couple weeks...

DO:

1. Send picture messages
I have found this is a great way to stay connected throughout your day and really give the other a better sense of being with you. My personal favorite is the "Good Morning" picture message after waking up!


 2. Go into detail and elaborate

BE CAREFUL! ;)

You are not spending everyday with this person, but elaborating on stories about your day can be a great way to have "quality time." I know it can be tiring after a long day and it is often easier to share the bare basics of your day. However this is a slippery slope to a boring rut!

DON'T:

1. Watch romance movies

I went to redbox the other day and they did not have much of a selection. I came across an indie flick I remembered wanting to see awhile ago, so I rented it. Turns out it was about a LONG DISTANCE dysfunctional RELATIONSHIP!! All I'm going to say is they are BAD NEWS---I'm sure you can paint a picture.

I'M SURE I'LL HAVE LOADS MORE OF "DOs" AND "DON'Ts" TO SHARE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR!

XOXO Alexa 

INSPIRATION: Forgiveness

The video below sums up the powerful effects of love far more than I ever could. Please take the time to watch it. The song Matthew West wrote is about a mother who chose to forgive the drunk driver who killed her daughter and the incredible, life-changing effects it had.

FORGIVENESS
By: Matthew West

(the powerful story behind the song)

XOXO Alexa

Long Distance?

Anytime the phrase "long distance relationship" is mentioned people tend to roll their eyes, feel bad for them, or go into a story about how they will never do "that" again. Even if people do encourage you and tell you it's possible, you'll never hear the word "EASY" anywhere in their advice!

With all this negative energy surrounding long distance relationships, I knew Jimmy and I were going to need to have a game plan before embarking on this new chapter in our relationship.

----------------
ONE YEAR
*
905 miles
*
16 hour drive
*
$300 plane ticket
----------------

 One day while I was working Jimmy complied the list on the right to start forming our "game plan" to keep our relationship strong over the next year. He put to paper everything I was thinking in my head, which gave me the hope that we can DEFINITELY make this work!

$39.99 at Target

"GAME PLAN":
1. Talk on the phone--EVERYDAY!


2. Skype a couple times a week (Check out my new webcam..woo!!)
    [We have heard conflicting advice over skype. Some say it's great to feel even more in touch with the person. Others say it makes the distance too hard seeing their face but not being there. I'll keep you posted on what we find works for us!]


3. Visit as much as possible!
Currently we have scheduled:
-I'll go to NC Aug 31st-Sept 3rd
-I'll go (possible with his family) to NC over Thanksgiving
-He'll come home for a week over Christmas


4. Read a daily devotional togetherWe got this idea from our friend, Lauren, who is long distance from her boyfriend during the school year. We decided on the following two books. One is a mini devotional to do each day. The other is a book we can read on our own, but discuss over long skype sessions :)

"Before you plan your wedding, plan your marriage."
-Quote on the back of the second book

5. Write letters to each otherI think we both have found that at least one of our love languages is "Words of Affirmation." We wrote each other a lot last summer while I was at Timber-lee, so I am definitely looking forward to this!

STAY TUNED FOR MY NEXT POST ABOUT WHAT I'VE FOUND HELPFUL SO FAR!

XOXO Alexa