Cancer awareness

It has been almost another month since I have been able to post. I now have a job, as well as school and homework, and am lucky if I can even get a nap in now a days. This blog has turned into more of a venting place than a thankful post, but if you read what I say it all is being said out of thankfulness.


Call me rude if you want, but this post needs to be said...I understand why we have October as Breast Cancer Awareness month. I also know that it is the most well known cancer among many, and I personally know many of ladies in my life who have had it...Lisa Phillips who is like another mother to me has experienced it. I watched her journey and was blessed to be a part of it. But please please PLEASE do not forget about the other cancers that are effecting the lives of millions of other people around the world. I have had lung cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, bladder cancer, and i'm sure others that have effected the lives of my family members, most of them were lost. But I also want to make sure that we know this as not only Breast Cancer awareness month but Cancer Awareness month.

Cancer has taken many lives of people I have been close to. My grandparents, my aunt Lib, my dad fought his fight, Mrs. Lisa who is like another mother to me has overcome it. And to me it always comes down to one thing...Breast Cancer.

And yes, I do understand how important and how much wider this cancer is than most, but we don't have any other month to bring awareness to the millions of other cancers in this world, known and unknown.

Just take a moment and think about it...

I wear teal for my grandma who lost her life to ovarian cancer. I wear purple for my grandpa who lost his life to pancreatic cancer. I wear green for my aunt who lost her life to lung cancer. And most importantly I wear yellow to support the fight against cancer, and the amazing fight my dad put up against bladder cancer. As it was said on Madeline, "Please please please thank the Lord you are well."

The hand that holds the world, is holding your heart, 

LG.

Where were you? 9/11

On the 13th anniversary of the tragedy that was 9/11/2001, the threat of terror was more real than it has been since that faithful day. I remember sitting in Ms. Roof's 2nd grade class when the news came over the intercom for the teachers to check their e-mails regarding a "situation." The next thing I remember is sitting in Extended Day Care and my dad coming to pick me up, and me asking if my uncle Kevin was ok. That was the day the world changed. Today I'm thankful for freedom.

To this day, even after being to Ground Zero, the videos, the sights, and anything related to that day make me shiver.

I remember sitting in the movie theater on May 1st, 2011 when we heard that Osama Bin Ladin had been killed. The thrill that had come through the theater had and will forever change my outlook on American Pride.

So today I'm thankful for the friends and family that proudly serve me and this country bravely every day. To my grandparents, my cousins, my uncle, my friends, my parents friends. I thank you. We would not be here today if it were not for your sacrifice.

Whatever the next few days, months, years contain. I will always be Proud to be an American.









Take each day for what it's worth. Look at the bright side. Be thankful that you are here today, because I PROMISE you there are people who would love to be in your place right now.

Think about it,
LG

Community 9/9-10

Today i'm thankful for Community.

So this summer I struggled with major stomach pains off and on throughout camp. At first we thought it would have been just getting used to camp food again, or being out in the heat or even another ovarian cyst, but it wasn't. After many calls to my mom, tests and doctors visits, it was concluded that there was nothing wrong.

For about a month the pains subsided, and I felt better. Earlier this week those pains had come back. I was in so much pain on Monday that I made it through 3 out of 4 of my classes and just could not do it anymore. As I came back to the dorm I kept thinking, what is wrong with me? Why am I feeling this way again? I just want to feel better. After my battle with mono almost two years ago, I have never been 'up to par' again. I have still been just as tired, if not more, and sleeping more than ever recently. It just isn't making sense to me.

Well today I was walking to wait outside of my last class (the class I missed on Monday) and I passed Mrs. Amy, my human development teacher from last semester. The smile on Mrs. Amy's face can literally make anyones day, but today it just happened to make mine. After stopping and talking about camp, and other things, we went on our way. As I walk into my class, my professor stops me and asks if everything is ok. I proceed to explain to him about what had been going on and how I just couldn't handle the pain anymore so I had to go lay down. Mr. Turner has been blessed (lol) to have me for the third time this semester. He not only told me not to worry about the material I missed on Monday, but that he was praying for me, and would keep me in his prayers until something was figured out.

To go to a school where professors remember your name, and genuinely care about you never goes out of style. I love constantly knowing that at least one person on this campus is constantly praying for me and making a daily difference in my life, and the other students on this campus.

The focus in chapel this year is on 'Community.' One of my all time favorite pastors came and spoke to our campus today. Algernon Tennyson not only connects with the students on our campus, but feeds our desire to want to know more about God's word in a way we can enjoy. The community found on this campus is one that I would not trade for any other place on this Earth.

As many of you know, I have wanted to go to AU since I was in 7th grade. Realizing today that my dream is not only coming true, but has put me in this amazing campus literally brought me to tears. Whatever I did to deserve the blessing to not only be accepted to this university, but attend this university is immeasurable. Not only is our school ranked NUMBER 1 in teaching across the SouthEast, but is NUMBER 1 in Southern schools our size. How amazing is that?

Sometimes I just don't understand why people are put in my life, when all they do is cause harm and deceit. But the words of my grandma will never leave me, "God puts people in your lives either for a blessing or a lesson." The more I come to know some people I realize they're more of a lesson than a blessing, and that's ok with me.

Some things I will never understand, but I'm not supposed to. I'm just thankful for what I have right now.








Think about it,

LG

A month of whirlwinds... 8/9-9/8

Going back to school is always hard for anyone, but going back to school is especially hard for me. After always going to school with my mom for my four years in high school, and now being 3 hours away in Anderson the re-adjustment every fall kills me. I never was a "home body" when I was younger. I loved to travel, and see the world with my grandparents, even though I never left the US. After being gone all year from August to the beginning of May I get maybe two full months home a year. Don't get me wrong, I love working at camp, and the days I get off make it so much more enjoyable to be home, but sometimes I just miss my parents...and my dog...definitely my dog.

The past two years I have spent here at AU have been amazing. Filled with lessons and laughter. After a lot of prayer I decided to change my major and take a different direction with my education. I am now a History major focusing into going into Pre-Law. My ultimate goal is to be a Special Needs defense lawyer in the future. Big dreams, I know.

I made many friends this summer, and I'm thankful for the relationships I have with them. This passion for friendships has extended into the school year.

I'm loving doing life with my amazing roomie Katy and am blessed to have her in my life. I'm also spending a lot of time with my childhood best friend Kayla and catching up from years past as well as trying not to die in our Intermediate Spanish class.



Through all of the struggles and questions, God has revealed himself in more ways than one to me. I might be only 20 years old, but I have experienced a lot in these 20 years on Earth.

Welcome to the world, Rhett Thomas! So happy for Rebekkah and Matt. 😁

To God Be The Glory,

Lauren

Goodnight and Not Goodbye 8/1-8/8

So today I finished my second summer at CBG. I have grown so much over the past two years, and it's all attributed to Camp Burnt Gin. The challenges of becoming Sports and Games director, the challenges of keeping my patience, the challenges of missing my family and friends was all worth this summer. Words can't describe what CBG has done for me over these past two summers. The memories I have, the friendships I have made, the love I have felt, I could not have found anywhere else. It's been a rough summer, but I found out where I am supposed to be as a person, and still continue to grow. To the office staff, thank you for continually putting up with me. To the parents, thank you for sending your kids to Heaven on Earth. To the campers, thank you for showing me how to love without limits. To Joseph, Carlise, Dria, Taylor, and Cotie, you are loved more than you could ever imagine. CBG has taught me the true meaning of full value and unconditional love. For now, this is goodnight and not goodbye CBG. 

Until you've been to the site of Camp Burnt Gin, you don't realize how much these few acres of land can change your life. I turned 32 acres of land into a home. I loved, I cried, I laughed, I hugged, I sang. I was a friend, a judge, a confidant, a joker. I lived, and didn't sleep for hours on end. I had late nights and early mornings. Camp is more than just a job for me, it's my summer home. I could never imagine spending my summer vacation anywhere else but at CBG. Though it has been a rough summer, I have learned more about myself than I ever could have imagined otherwise. Camp is paradise for some of our kids, it is their saving grace, but for me it's Heaven on Earth. 

and here's pictures to prove it.

My honor is to try, and my duty is to love, 

Lauren.

So...it's been awhile.

With the end of school back in April, my summer class in May, starting back at CBG in June, and working all of June/July I have struggled with keeping this updated....as you can see this is my first post since April 10th.

I've realized that I love writing and expressing my feelings much more than I actually thought I did. This is a great way to get my feelings out there, without having to verbally express them. Now while I sit here and my CAPS lock key keeps sticking, it's 12:07 and I'm just laying in bed at my uncles house.

Through all that has come and gone these past few months, and as July is about to end and August begin, I have realized how crazy fast life is going by and quite frankly I DON'T LIKE IT. There's so much stuff that has been going on in the world around me, and it's starting to scare me. I'm entering my junior year of college and I'll be turning 20 on the 18th and as I keep getting closer and closer to the real world, the more I want to just curl up into a ball and go back to Miss Polly's house and never leave.

As far as I'm concerned, 2014 has been a terrible year. I have made a lot of mistakes, but then again I have learned a lot. Through all of this I have changed my major to History, and have decided to focus more on my schooling and future plans than my hobbies and skills that I used to focus on. This is making me a lot more driven, and making me realize what is truly important and valuable in my life. Though I have made a lot of mistakes, I am learning from them, and paying my price for them.

This summer I took English 206 as a kind of May-mester class. I ended up making a B in it, when I really needed an A, but it's ok. I started my second summer as a counselor at Camp Burnt Gin, and I have made some amazing new friends since I've been back. Camp is my safe haven, and if I could live there year round, I probably would. The long days, and the short nights, the tears and the fights make it all worth while.

This summer has flown by, and we even celebrated Christopher's 26th birthday. BOOMYAH TO THE PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT HE WOULD BE DEAD OR IN AN INSTITUTION BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN KICKING BUTT AND TAKING NAMES IN THE COOKING INDUSTRY. I'm proud to say that not only is he my big brother, but he has become my best friend. We still fight, but at the end of the day I know I can count on him to make everything better, or even for a little humor when I need it.

As the summer is winding down, and I start my last week at CBG on Friday I'm realizing how blessed I am to still have the opportunities and privileges that I still have after everything that has happened. God is still God and He is still good.

It's the small things in life....the hugs from campers, the messages from staff at AU that says "I'm praying for you" (Thank you Becky Walker for making my day), and the friendships I have made this summer, I can't continuously dwell on the past when I have so many positive things coming from all of this.

I don't know what I did to deserve this life that I have. I'm blessed with an amazing university, a set of two amazing and providing parents, a roof over my head at all times, a car to drive, a phone, a buttload of amazing and talented friends, and life in general.

Stay tuned to see all of my pictures I have collected over the past few months. :)

Keep on dreaming even if it breaks your heart.

LGoody.