i am terrible at blogging

it's been 2 months...wow.  i really need to just sit down and write about the things going on in my life that are "blog-worthy".  i will...one of these days! :)

baffled

i just am. some things completely take me off guard.  lack of love for others, for example, completely baffles me. yet, i know that is me 90% of the time.  i wonder how many times my Father looks at me and is baffled at my actions.  i can be very self-righteous sometimes until the Lord humbles me by giving a glimpse of my own life.  Lord, change and move us! You are our only hope of change and our only way of loving the people around us.


cb

Home Alone

So Sunday I am moving into the dorms at ASU for choir camp, a camp I work about this time each summer.  So, Oliver had nowhere to go since my roommate, Alicia, was going home.  Well, Alicia wanted to take him with her so she did just that.  They left this afternoon and my house is very empty without him.  I have only had him and year and I NEVER thought in a MILLION years that I would be a dog person.  And for the most part I still am not. I am, however, and Oliver person!  A few mins. ago I took the trash out and instinctively said, "come on, let's go outside".  sad.  I'm gonna miss that lil guy this week...oh yeah, and Alicia too! :)


blessings,

cb

welp, here we are

summer is here.  here's what i've been doing:

1. getting up at 7, or earlier
2. going to meetings at school
3. shopping
4. swimming at hannah and joe's
5. cooking meals
6. going to meetings not at my school
7. hanging out with the jamie c. and allan oldman
8. enjoying my pup, oliver
9. doing a tiny bit of reading, like 4 chapters of one book and some of 1 Corinthians
10. waiting on next week so this summer can officially begin!

i start working for/with citychurch for the summer and i'm a little nervous about it.  i am also really wanting to increase my time with my Father, i have already felt a shift in our relationship toward me making more time to be in the Word and to trusting Him with the day-to-day.  i am praying for Him to help me in so many areas of my life and i am eagerly looking forward to writing some answered prayers on here soon! :) i am so excited about the possibilities over the next few months!

oh, almost forgot.  i had THE most amazing birthday ever last Sunday. citychurch threw me a surprise pool party complete with fun! :)

here is lil Ollie, once again amazing us all with his skills.  he is now a surfer!  seriously, he is on this thing for like an 1/2 an hour at a time!

blessings!
cb

just a few more days!

school is almost out and i'm stressed to the MAX!  brookland middle school had our 2nd talent show since i've been there with 31 kids performing....that was friday....crazy day.  last night was the big set up for the awards presentation this morning, i left at 9:40 to come home and finish my essays for the most ridiculous grad school class EVER, that started last week.  of course.  every day this week i am stranded in the auditorium, cut off from all civilization, trying to get at least 125 students at a time on the stage and not killing each other on the risers. oh yeah, and we're gonna make a lil music while we're up there, fireflies and don't stop believin here we come! wednesday is WATER day at bms and i am also on that committee. then thursday, the end is near, the end-of-the-year concert i've been planning for since november.  i am so ready to experience it and to get it behind us.  friday i'm packing my room then headed to atlanta for the weekend because pip will already be back from kenya. i am so excited about spending some time hearing about her trip and also getting to relax in the atl for the weekend, which includes a trip to northpoint and passion city church!!  so what am i doing to prepare for all of this?  studying? doing some prelim. reading for this week's homework? putting together the finishing touches for the choreography (yes, i do "choral"ography, sheesh)? maybe doing a lil pre-packing?  oh no, i took a nap and i am now watching the bachelorette.  that right, i'm setting myself up to hate television by hooking myself to this ridiculous show that makes me hate girls and guys and "love" all together! fun times.

have a more productive and less stressful week than me!

cb

grad

Congratulations Mollie, Pip, Debbie, Kevin...and anyone else who graduated yesterday!! I am so proud of all of your hard work!! There is, as always, lots to say but no time.  Alicia (my housemate) has gone "home" this week so it's just me and Oliver.  I am hoping to get a lot of blogging done.  I really do enjoy it..I guess I am just self conscious about writing to the world.  I need to get the book So Long Insecurity, for sure!

have a fab week!

cb

AAAAAHHHH!!!

I'm sitting here at 9:46PM in my living room with some friends, just talking.  I am suddenly remembering these coke commercials I used to watch when I was a kid where these people would take a drink of this ice cold coke, you know, the one's in the real glass with ice and the visible bubbles fizzing in the air? These people would take a drink and when they were done they would say, "AHHH".   That is what I feel like right now in my spirit (is that spirit or Sprite, I have always had a hard time with those two words).  I have been going 90 to nothin' for weeks/ about a month and tonight is the FIRST night I have gotten home after school, when it's still daylight, and I have stayed here.  All night.  It is absolutely wonderful!  It's refreshing beyond belief.   I can't wait to sleep in tomorrow morning.  I am thinking about giving Oliver a puppy benadryl so I can sleep past 5...I've already cut him off from water.  Okay, we're still goin' strong, I am inwardly too old for this hanging out late but outwardly, I'm keeping it together! HA!

by the way, I don't really give Oliver sleeping meds!

The Poppin' Party - A Week Late!

Post Poppin' Party! from cassie black on Vimeo.

This is a week late...it's been a crazy week and I'm running out the door already!  Enjoy!!

cassie

Everybody

Everybody - Pip's Poppin Party Practice from cassie black on Vimeo.

This is our lil band working on some stuff for this weekend.  My friend Pip is going to be an intern with the Daraja Children's Choir in the fall.  In May she will be traveling to Kenya to meet all the children and their families.  She has to raise $5000 in order to be fully funded.  SOOOO...we're thowing a Poppin' Party on Saturday night at the same coffee shop where citychurch meets.  There will be an art auction, karaoke, desserts, coffee, and our band is playing!  I'm really excited, it's going to be a great night and I'm praying, praying, praying that God pours generosity into people and they pour it out on Pip.  I am also praying that people will be stirred and changed by what God is doing around the globe! 

low battery

i only have 9% of my battery life and i don't want to plug it in.  a few Easter highlight previews:  citychurch was amazing.
the weekend was exhausting.
God is still in the business of waking people up.
only 8 and 1/2 weeks until school is out.

that is all for now.

read Colossians if you have time, i'm loving it!

cb

spring break 2010 highlights

just a few highlights from the worlds fastest Spring Break

this baby is taking over the WORLD with his cuteness!! 

This is my Katy-Kate, i LOVE her with all of my heart.  She is growing up way too fast for my liking.  One of my favorite things about Katy is that she reminds me of my MaMaw, they have the same expressions and Katy talks with her eyebrows (as you can see here) just like Mrs. Irene Holcomb did! 

I hate to admit it but Katy might actually love her cousin Mollie more than her cousin Cassie, sad day. 

OR maybe she is just faking it! Yep, that's what I'm going to believe!

I can't believe I am posting this pic of myself....but it's so cute that we were both doing this, I seriously didn't know!

This is the picture Miss Katy took herself!  I am pretty proud, it kind of modern and she caught the light just right - look out world, introducing  3 yr. old photography prodigy- Katy!

again....her idea!

This is my sis, Hannah! She is going to KILL me for posting this! 

My handsome pops and Noah-No, they love each other!

just a normal night at the cottage...we need something to do on the weekends!

My favorite pic of me and Kate!

and I can't forget my Oliver, he got groomed and he looks so cute!  I think he knew he was being photographed, and I think he liked it!  Spoiled?  Not my dog, what makes you think that?

thoughts

i have not written in 30 days. a lot can go on in that amount of time.  i guess a lot did but only a few things stick out. one thing is that i am really feeling God break through in my life in areas that i have been in need of a breakthrough.  for many years i have felt that there has been some sort of wall between me and God.  something that i built but had no idea how to tear down.  i have prayed and have clung to the fact that my relationship with Jesus is not built on feelings rather on faith and FACT.  last week, He began tearing down the walls.  without going into a million details, as i so often do, it began as a normal night and ended up in a "fight" with the Almighty which brought so much peace and comfort to my life.  have you ever experienced anything like that?  when my sister, mollie, was a freshman we argued a lot but nothing major, just a lot of pent up feelings over our past that would come out in bursts of small arguments. one night, however, we got really honest and really mad.  we both said some hurtful but true things and in the end, we were so grateful.  i am never an advocate of hurting anyone, anyone.  i am, however, an advocate of being truthful.  i was truthful that night with mollie and she with me and our relationship took a turn for the better. now we are the closest of friends.  i guess that is how it was with me and God the other night.  i was honest, like a David prayer honest, with God and He, in turn, was honest with me.  He spoke from His Word and gently, but truthfully, pointed out things that i did not want to see but couldn't deny.  i am so thankful for His faithfulness to me.  i am thankful for a God that i can cry at and cry to.  i am also thankful that crying and griping to Him is not the end of the story, He loves me enough to discipline me and to put me back on His path of righteousness.  the walls are coming down!

****please be in prayer for my friend Wilma Douglas, she is my friend Debbie's mom.  She is having a heart cath in the morning.  Debbie and I were roommates for somewhere around 2 years and Mrs. Wilma would take such great care of us.  please be praying for her and the doctors in the morning.*****

cassie

suffering and the goodness of God

The Story of Zac Smith from NewSpring Media on Vimeo.

i just found zac's story and am praying for him and his family.  i am also very moved to pray for all of the people who may see this and come to know Christ.  we celebrate the beauty and suffering of our Savior this weekend.  our salvation is born out of the suffering of Christ. i am praying that many will know that salvation from learning of zac's suffering.  you can visit his blog here.

give away!

this really cute shop is having a give away!  I LOVE these bags and cute ruffles!  Go here and follow the give away directions for your chance to win a gift certificate to this cute, cute, cute shop!!

Here is what I chose; if you know me this is NO surprise to you! 

I love the name Maggie and I LOVE her cute ruffly creations!

here's the link:  http://www.maggiewhitley.blogspot.com

Have fun shopping and good luck!

cassie

these are athletes, america!

things i would do differently

i don't regret anything in my life, i firmly believe God uses EVERYTHING for the good of his purpose.  i just wish i had "gotten" a few things earlier in life. here are a few i wish i had understood the importance of...

if i would have known then what i know now i would have: 

1. sponsored a Compassion child much earlier in life. 

2. not taken out student loans...somehow!

3. been closer with my sisters from the get-go. i missed knowing them when we were younger.

4. been more outspoken about my Faith in college, been bold. 

5. been less-judgemental.

6. really sang when i was younger, like the "let-it-all-out" kind of singing that i am addicted to now.

7. looked at myself as God does. forgiven, free, beautiful, loved. 

8. stopped being so serious all the time.

9. worked out. never drank a single sweet tea in my LIFE. :)

10.  been addicted to the Word of God

i'm ready for my next 26.  it's amazing to me how not-together i am.  wow, somedays i really think i have a problem, like i should somehow be more on "top" of life than i am.  but my Savior gently reminds me that when i look at Him, i can clearly see how not together i am in light of how Almighty He is!  

Praise my Rock on which this not-together-girl stands!

blessings, 

Cassie

Snow Day!! Finally

Psalm 73

I know I don't get to this blog very often but I have been so busy lately that I have not even been getting on the computer for very long at night.  In light of this, I have suddenly began missing my blog.  I read an incredible verse last night (or verses, actually) and I wanted to share. 

Psalm 73:25 - 28

Whom have I in heaven but You? 

I desire You more than anything else on earth. 

My heart may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, 

but God remains the strength of my heart;

He is mine forever. 

Those who desert Him with perish, 

for you destroy those who abandon You. 

But as for me, how good it is to be near God!

I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, 

and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things You do. 

In another version it says: 

vs. 28 - But as for me, the nearness of God is my good

Having access to God, having Him come near to me is good, very good!  My desire is: to desire God more than anything else on earth. This is my prayer and my ambition. 

blessings, 

cassie

you loved, you loved a people undeserving

You loved me…I was the woman at the well (john 4) and You loved me. You told me that you KNEW me. You knew all the good and ALL the bad and yet you still invited me into intimate relationship with you.  Savior, today I think about You.  I am missing an earthly intimacy with a mate but I am experiencing an incredible closeness with you.  My Creator who “wooed” me out of darkness and into His Marvelous Light!!  You’re still doing this for me…continually saving me . You still call me into Light when I am lured into darkness…you gently nudge me back to You and show me who I am in You …all over again. I feel complete in You.  Words uttered by mere mortals could not fully express the joy in my heart for you and the longing to love you with more than just an earthly love.  To know you is the most wonderful expression of Love on this day of “love”.  I am so thankful that I am not desolate, and I am so sad for those who are.  Lord, bind them up in your love and enslave them to your righteousness! That everyone would know Your name and know Your Love.  My desire is to continually fall deeper and deeper in love with You. To walk in your Light and Love.

again?

Snowed in again today.  On the agenda:

-watch last night’s episode of Chuck with Alicia (my roommate)

-do my grad school homework so I can be done with this class today instead of Sunday

-fold about a million articles of clothing that I’ve been putting off

-work on a few blogs

-get music ready for band practice 

-get ready for school tomorrow

so, that’s it.  Snow day’s have gotten pretty boring here lately, we’ve had way too many of them for my liking!

Have  a great one!
Cassie

tremble

today, as i'm snowed in and unable to worship with citychurch corporately i have a prayer.  i want to tremble at the Word of God. i don't want to get all worked up over my bank account or the number on the scale.  i want to tremble at the Word of God,  alone.  the Bible, the Life-Giving-Word-Of-The-Almighty-GOD, is LIFE.  that Book gives LIFE.  i need life and desire to LOVE the Word.  that plus a mid-term for grad. school, a head-cold that is making me miserable sums up today!  

enjoy it.  READ some today, it will be LIFE to you!

Cassie

Snow Day, Snow Day!

I will, for the rest of my life, remember today!  I got to be a part of the BIGGEST snow I've seen in my lifetime.  Kudos to the weather peeps this time, they hit the nail on the head.  It started "icing" last night around...I don't know, 8:30?  That continued until 6am when it changed over to snow. And it snowed, sometimes I thought it was "blizzard-ing"!  It snowed until tonight and it is supposed to pick back up and snow into tomorrow. WOW, it's so beautiful! It's 9:20pm and it looks like day time from the reflection of the light on the snow.  Kelsea, Brittany, Conner, and Jamie came for Alicia (me too, but I hate being cold and wet so snow really isn't my thing) and they tried to sled...they described their experience as the "opposite of fun".  I think sledding, round 2, will be much more successful tomorrow for them…and maybe...me?? I don't know, I'll have to see.  I am hoping everyone is warm tonight, as much fun as it is to have a day off, I can't help but think of the people whose paycheck will be less because of today or those who don't have electricity due to the many power outages.  I am also wondering how this weekend is going to play out.  Our church was supposed to serve dinner at the Salvation Army tomorrow night, have a membership dinner, and service on Sunday.  I'm not sure what's going to happen but I'm resting in the fact that God knew all this was happening so He has a plan and I'm trusting Him for it. 

I hope you had a great snow day as well, if you got snow.  And if you didn't I hope your day was great, whatever you were doing.  If you've got any fun stories or ideas of things to do in the snow, let me know! Maybe tomorrow I'll venture past my "uncomfortable-ness" and head out into the weather. 

Oh, and sorry Jeremy for my many made-up words in this post!  Actually, I'm not really sorry...I guess I just recognize the fact that I have so many. 

So, here are a few shots taken by the talented, Alicia Widner.  Keep your eye on her work; she is going to do BIG things in photography one day.  I'm praying the Lord will bless her "dreams" and allow her to work for Him through the art of capturing moments on a camera.

oliver loving the snow! 

our neighbor's fence, we LOVE the old doors!!

i love him. his tongue isn't always like this!!

beautiful girls! brittany (left) the lovely and talented alicia (right)

i love this picture of conner! she is so cute!!

3 of my girls! conner, kelsea, and brittany. they are all about to go away to college, 

i'm already crying about it!

night time was falling and alicia was still taking pics.  this is our neighbor's 

tree in their front yard. one of my favorites!

Frazzled...like always

So, I realize I never finished my blogging about Passion and it's been so long now I can't remember details. However, I am getting the digital downloads dropped to my computer every week, so I'm re-watching and will share about the wonderful things God did/is doing over time.

I am trying to get 2 loads of laundry done, a million papers graded, grad. school homework STARTED and finished, and read 2 books of the New Testament by 10 p.m. tonight. Needless to say, it's a busy day but what am I doing? I'm propped up on the couch blogging. I read Kelly's blog at: http://www.kellyskornerblog.com/ , I've been reading for a little over a year now and it makes me want to blog more. So, here I am.

I just wanted to take a sec and let you know that God is doing something in my life.  I honestly don't know what He is doing exactly but, He is at work!! I can't tell you how amazing that feels. I have felt so disconnected from Him. I know I always have Him with me because I have accepted His love and forgiveness through Jesus, but there are times that I distance myself from Him for one reason or another.  I have felt that distance for a long time but  He has been at work all that time softening my heart and wooing me to Himself. I am humbled and amazed at His faithfulness!   I am loving His Word, I am reading through the New Testament in 30 days along with a church called Elevation Church (www.elevationchurch.com).  It has been such a peace giving experience and I have been in awe of how alive and active the Word of God is.  I have also been seeing the Lord work through my church in amazing ways.  People are changing and healing, PRAISE GOD!

Ok, again, I'm frazzled and this has no "flow" or structure.  I'm sorry, I just wanted to post a little something about what's been going on.  I'm going to try to get some things knocked off my list while listening to some Hillsong United.

Have a great Saturday!!

Cassie

Passion-Day 1

Passion – day 1

We packed up and were backing out of the driveway at 4 am this morning.  We were crammed and excited.  It took us a good 2/3 hours to get good and awake this morning but once we got going, it was great. We finally found our hotel, which is pretty swank and just relaxed and got, geared up for a great night.  After a FREEZING at the Marta station, we borded and after about 30 mins riding public transportation, we exited at the Phillips Arena and got registered at GWCC.  We have David Crowder tickets in hand and wristbands on our wrists and we are SET!  We are checking out all of the “do something now” stuff, which you can do to, check out the website (www.268generation/passion.com) and do something now as well.  We have ONE hour until we begin.  So, to the bathroom for a quick stop/wind blown hair-fix and the journey begins!!  I’ll be checking back tonight.

1:00 am

We just got back, tonight was awesome but exhausting.  Charlie Hall leading worship and Louie speaking…more on this later

 g'night!