Water is Dangerous!

I'm not sure why they don't make more things in this world waterproof!  Here's what happened. 

As I'm trying to sit down to use the restroom I feel my cellphone begin to slip out of my pocket.  It all happened so fast I had no chance to rescue or stop anything.  Then all I can remember was standing over the toilet seeing my CELLPHONE at the bottom!  I reach in to grab it and it starts flashing colors at me saying low battery then it vibrates for a moment and well, it seems it's gone on to greener pastures now.  

I rush in to explain to my friends what had just occurred and after laughing they suggested I take the battery off and open the phone so it'll dry out and hopefully by tomorrow I can at least get my #'s out of it.  I think my mom's number is about the only one I know from memory.  So if you don't hear from me for a few days now you'll know why.  

I'd like to say this is the first phone I've lost to the water killer.  A couple of years ago when I had just gotten my dog Gracie.  I was going to put water in her bowl.  As I was placing it back down on the ground the phone jumped out of my hand and into her bowl!  

Here's the great part!  Two days ago I ordered my new every two year phone from Verizon.  By Tuesday I should have my new phone in my hands.  Wait it gets better.  I debated between a couple of different phones, all that I could get for free.  Finally I decided against what was cute and fashionable for one that hopefully I can't break.  They call this a ruggedized phone.  It can be submerged in water for up to 30 minutes and still be totally fine!  SWEET!  

After Tuesday bring on the toilets and dog bowls.  You can also drop kick it or throw it and do all sorts of stuff and it won't break.  It's apparently been military tested.  Which is great because the phone after the water bowl phone was broken because something about repeatedly dropping the phone simply is not good for it.  Even if it is an accident every time.  

Cool Picture

Bionicle Battle created by Christopher and Gideon

work in progress

Obviously you're going to have to use your imagination a bit.  Such as when i say bedroom, it's not going to be the typical bedroom w/ 4 walls and a door.  i just mean area where i will have my bed and store my clothes somehow.  :)  

The bathroom. It's going to be a room with a view. Capitalizing on that open air design. :)

The Kitchen

My bedroom area opposite corner from the kitchen.

Spare bedroom/seating area next to my bedroom.

Living room area. Kitchen is back to the left. that door leads outside. 

kitchen cabinets

kitchen cabinets

yes, dad i use this. aren't you proud! :)

as you can tell it's a work in progress but they're coming to do sheet rock tomorrow 

so it'll look totally different.  

God is my Provider!

Some of you know that about a year or so ago my current living place was basically condemned. It was a structure on our campus that was structurally not as sturdy as it should be. This was discovered not too long after I moved into it. I heard a rain shower inside the apartment one night and realized there was a waterfall coming through the roof. Upon fixing that the rest was discovered.

I continued to live there unless there was bad weather and I would go stay in our office or with my friends. It's been a little nomadic for me, shall we say. But never was there a day where I did not have somewhere to go. Many people have continued to ask what I was going to do about finding somewhere to live. My answer was always I'm waiting to see what God does. With a car payment now I had no extra money to afford to buy or rent anything so I just waited. Some days patiently but most days not very patiently.

Here's the wonderful part. God is finally revealing His answer to my housing dilemma! They are remodeling the basement of our new office for me. An amazing man from my church has basically taken over the project as his own! It's such a blessing. He's had many family issues that he's been dealing with over the past year and his own daughter is trying to move into a new place right now too. Yet he shows up and works all day on my place. It's amazing! It frustrates me that I can't just go down there and remodel it myself. As my mom says one of my first phrases was, "I do myself mama". I've always had that independent spirit about me. Unfortunately, remodeling a basement is not something I could do. Financially, I couldn't afford it either. My boss has done a wonderful job with expressing the need for me a place to live and has gotten money donated to complete the whole project! Once again... It's amazing.

It's hard to live away from home in situations like this because I wouldn't mind asking my dad and brother to help with all this. It's hard to expect other people to come to the rescue. But come to the rescue is exactly what people are doing. There's another man from my church doing the electrical. My boss has also spent ample time figuring out what all is needed for the project and helping with the plumbing and the electrical too. Two other guys from church came in this week and put up studs for the sheet rock to be hung from. There's a group of men coming in next Saturday to hang the sheet rock. Then I think my pastor is coming to do the mudding. I'm supposedly going to be living there within a month. Amazing...

God is my Provider. I'm understanding that right now down into the depths of my soul! i'll try to post some pictures as soon as I take some.

Treasures discovered

Cleaning out my office today! The paperwork has taken over. It's frightening. In the process I ran across a college graduation announcement. Due to the graciousness of my parents they allowed me to create my own. They weren't expensive, just expressive. I didn't want the normal announcement because I wanted to let folks know what was next for me in life. Graduating from A&M, then moving to Tennessee to work with a ministry.

I just smiled when I saw that announcement because I remember the excitement of not only graduating but of moving onto another chapter of life. I had no clue what to expect. All I knew was that I was sleeping on this family's couch. Getting $100 a week, reaching the lost through whatever means possible. God had put a deep desire for this ministry within my soul and I knew I had to come here. Despite the fears and anxieties of being so far from home and without much stability, so to speak of. I had no choice but to be obedient to God's leading.

I continue to rejoice that God placed the desire on my heart for this place and these people.

Psalm 119:1-8 is the verse I used in my announcement from The Message version.

"You're blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. You're blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find Him. That's right - you don't go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set. You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it. Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set; Then i'd never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel. I thank you for speaking straight from your heart; I learn the pattern of your righteous ways. I'm going to do what you tell me to do; don't ever walk off and leave me."

Great and wonderful words those are.

It's been an interesting journey to say the least. I still don't understand it all. Not sure why I have to be so far from home. But I know God is using me in what I do. I've seen many people drive through the gates at camp as they head for know with a whole new perspective on who God is. Those are the moments I live for. Seeing others experience Him in a real and true way. It's the only experience in life that will last for eternity. The things of this world are so fleeting... When we will start to live like it?

Coming to town!

Around the first of May there will be another Williams being welcomed into this world. I haven't heard yet what HER name is going to be, but she'll be a girl with the last name of Williams so she's bound to be wonderful! Can't wait to teach her all that I know... :)

I can't wait. They're so cute to hold, then they get to Ty's age where they're so cute to run and chase after and ride the 4wheeler with.

Keep them in your prayers as they go through the whole pregnancy part and help Ty get use to sharing some attention. I think he'll do great with it.

Without Expectations...

What would your life look like if you lived without expectations?

You served because you love the Lord. Not because you want something in return.

You spend time with the Lord because it is His joy to be with you. not because you seek an answer from him.

You love because God's greatest command is to love your neighbor. Not because you want love in return.

You do all that you do everyday without expecting something from someone in return. No more of the you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours mentality. It's simply the living like Jesus lifestyle that scripture calls us to have. Jesus gave it all up for us. He had it made hanging out in Heaven with God. But he gave it all up for us. Desiring that we respond to him but fully realizing many of us would not. Yet, he came anyways. He came out of obedience, not expectancy.

What if we lived in obedience with the little things in life. Those little things like our attitudes. The way we respect others. The integrity we show in daily life. The thoughts that go through our minds. The actions we take with our hands. Letting God flow through the little things in life. How much different would the bigger things turn out if we could get a better grasp on the little things?

I do not ask these things because I have accomplished them or am even remotely close to succeeding. I ask these because these are things the Lord has been asking of me lately. Every day is a new day. A new opportunity to be used by the Lord. But everyday we have to make the conscience choice that we want to be used by Him. That His desires mean more than our own.