ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE

The end of the world as we know it.

     This is a very popular topic lately...news...tv shows...movies...it's everywhere!  It's a terrifying thing to imagine, but it seems that the world can't stop focusing on it.  I've heard people talk about stocking up on guns and ammunition, rice and bottled water, building bunkers underground, growing their own food and more.  Guys get all excited because they imagine themselves protecting their women and being all super hero, while the girls imagine being all cute and enjoying the damsel in distress life.  On TV, everyone has clean hair, clear skin, cool clothes, unlimited bullets, enough food and usually only the bad guys die.

Media is KILLING us.

     There is no glamour in what we are imagining.  I don't believe in Zombie's, but I DO believe that we will get to the End Times.  And it will NOT be anything that we have imagined.  

     NO ONE will be clean, clothes will be filthy, people will smell terrible, run out of supplies and family and friends will go missing with no way to contact them or know if they are even alive.  People who have gardens, bunkers and supplies will be targeted and murdered for their possessions.  Those who didn't prepare will become hungry and desperate and do things that they never thought they would do.  No one will be safe.  There will be mass chaos.

     Think about it:  You have been preparing for YEARS and storing up what you and your family will need to survive.  The end of the world finally approaches and you see people starving and killing all around you.  Will you be content to hide away and "survive"?

     There is only so much you can do to prepare for something this devastating.  

     I DO believe that it is wise to prepare, but it is NOT wise to worry.  Only The LORD knows when the END is and what will happen.  So, as you are considering the future, remember that you can't control what happens to you anyway.  

     For years, I watched many people worry and prepare and ended up wondering what my own family would do.  I asked my dad and he said that they have not stored up anything or made plans and if it does come down to it, they will take in anyone who needs help and share whatever they have to give and trust God to take care of the rest...I like that approach, so in the case of a Zombie Apocalypse, you can find Nick me at The Jackson Plantation!

     And if you want a good laugh...please watch this video as two brothers convince their little sister of a zombie apocalypse!

The desires of Nick's heart...

Ever since Nick and I began talking about buying a house, he has wanted a house that had a BIG garage...he wanted space to work, to have a worktop area, a radio, to have his tools and to have the freedom to work out here and enjoy time to himself.

Honestly, I was NOT interested in this house that we bought at all...it was very dated on the inside and would need lots of work...there were no trees in the yard...I had my reasons.  So, for MONTHS I didn't come to look at this house.

One day, though, as we were talking about having a new home built in a promising new neighborhood in Florence, I realized that (if we built there) Nick would NOT have a garage to do his "man things".

So, I decided to come look at this house and within an hour (and without Nick seeing the house yet), we made an offer.

It's so neat to have yet another reminder that The LORD cares about our desires, even the very simple ones that we think don't matter!  Because God LOVES us, our wants and needs matter to HIM!

So, here Nick is...working in his garage, with all his materials and tools, doors open, cool breeze blowing through and listening to music that he loves...God sure does love Nick Stewart (me too).

The Chop

For YEARS and YEARS I have wanted to chop off and donate my hair.  I watched my sister Mary Ashley do it a few times and was totally inspired!  But, then I would always chicken out and talk myself out of it. 

August 31st was my 30th Birthday.  I decided that I wanted to make my 30th year, the year of doing scary things.  Chopping my hair was going to be the kick off!

So my friend Brittany came over and did the honors!!!  She chopped 12 INCHES..."one foot" sounds even better!!!  Here are the BEFORE and AFTER photos:

One scary thing down and many more to go!!!  Oh...and I can check it off my Bucket List!

It all began with a summer in Disney World...

This one is dedicated to my baby sister Lizzie!

If you've been reading my blog, you know that Nick and I met 10 years ago in an interview to work in Disney World!!!!!!!!!  

We worked in the Magic Kingdom, mainly the Splash Mountain area...I dressed like Laura Ingles Wilder and Nick like a cowboy.  My outfit required PANTY HOSE and Nick was in a full polyester costume...seriously Disney?!?!!!?!  It was probably an excellent detox program because you can only imagine the sweat...

I had a HUGE crush on Nick all summer, but couldn't figure out if he really liked me or not.  He was nice to everyone, so it was hard to know for sure.  And all the girls liked him, so I didn't think he would choose me.

Turns out he DID like me and we started dating...and it turns out Lizzie REALLY liked Nick (well, my whole family did, but especially Lizzie).

One day, after we were dating, Nick went to pick Lizzie up from school.  He got out of his car, found her and carried her backpack.  She STILLS tells that story.  All her friends saw and were totally impressed and jealous.  She was about 9 years old and in love.  Lizzie casually mentioned to me that if I die, not to worry because SHE will take care of Nick.  She was serious.

So Nick became Lizzie's version of her knight in shining armor/brother she never had.  She LOVED to tell our love story to anyone who would listen to her...it always began like this, "It all began with a summer in Disney World"...her eyes were dreamy and she would sigh before continuing on...she really knew how to work her audience.

For our one year dating anniversary, Lizzie dressed up in a yellow dress with black polka dots, jewelry, makeup and heels.  She was 10 years old and she decorated the whole table and cooked our entire meal and served us dinner!  She cooked meat, mashed potatoes and asparagus and served with a napkin over her arm like a fancy waitress.  And until she was too old, Nick and I took her trick or treating every year after that!  She realized the other day that Nick has been around for over half of her life!  Some of her earliest memories are with Nick already being around!

It's crazy how right Lizzie was...it DID all begin here, ten years ago...even before we knew "it" was beginning.  Who knew that ten years later we would be married and be back in Orlando for a work event with a bunch of oil freaks?!?!?!?!!   Who knew that Nick would be family?!?!?!  Who knew that we would have had a decade of adventures and hardships?!?!?!  Who knew?!!?!?!!! The LORD did!!!!!!!  

So in honor of ten years, we went back to Celebration (America's most "perfect" town) and had dinner at the soda shop.  Ten years ago, on our last day of work, Nick brought us here and treated Mark, Quasia and me to dessert to celebrate.  I remember being so impressed with his generosity and have watched him become more and more generous over the past decade!  Except for cookies...if he gets cookies, he's a stingy hoarder (I guess it's only fair that he has one flaw...right?!?!?!).

So here we are...same place...ten years later...can't wait to see where The LORD takes us over the NEXT ten!!!!!!!  

PS we don't have a photo to show from 2005 because we were still in that "awkward friends" stage...

Simply WHOLE

I am SO proud of Nick!!!

When I met Nick in 2005, he was cRaZy about health. He was on something called The Hallelujah (gosh, I can't even spell that without spell check) Diet where he was basically a vegan and drank juiced carrots all of the time. He was a baseball player too. So, he was pretty much the epitome (couldn't spell that one either...sad) of health! I pretty much lived on vending machine Frosted Brown Sugar Pop-Tarts.  True story. Not proud.

Fast forward 10 years and he is still the same. LOVES health and wellness. Reads about it in his spare time. Watches documentaries on it. Eats based on what is good FOR him (while I enjoy eating just what TASTES good, if you know what I mean). He hasn't gained weight or aged much, except for losing some hair, so there must be something to this "health thing" right?!?!!?

EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. He somehow ends up talking to people about health stuff, food, exercise, supplements, protein powder, what foods cause acidity in your body, other crazy things that no one knows, you name it. People naturally come to him for advice. Even last night, he met a new person at our small group and (of course) ended up talking about what he juiced (and made me drink) earlier yesterday afternoon.

All this to say, Nick and I have a FaceBook Like page and Instagram Account. He is going to be sharing about all things health related that he enjoys...nutrition, exercise, juicing, supplements, getting outdoors and who knows what else?!??!!?!?

CLICK HERE to head on over and give our FaceBook page a LIKE!  And don't forget to follow us on Instagram!!!