Beat -Down

I officially hate school and all the stupid projects and assignments I am given. I am probably going to be sitting in my room all week studying for finals, oh wait no my anatomy test that I have on Wednesday and than all my finals. My spanish final is split up into three days because the written part is too long to take in a hour and a half!!! I need some coffee to help me stay awake and I need to go study right now!!! Wish me luck! See you in two weeks if I don't die from finals first!

Pepperdine

I love Pepperdine. It is such a great school even though it is far away and scholastically challenging. It has such an awesome community of people. This semester I am starting to feel like its home. I got on the plane to go home for Thanksgiving and realized that I already missed the people there. I have already been blessed to have met some amazing people. I feel honored and better when I am around my friends at Pepperdine because they challenge me to be a more kingdom oriented person; to really seek the lost, to give back, and to give all of myself in everything I do. In my small group on Monday night we went hiking behind Baxter. Todd was determined to find this cave and so we did. It was so dark and we couldn't see anything. I was falling all over the place, there were loose rocks and bushes everywhere. I probably looked like a complete idiot but I made it to the cave laughing all the way. I was glad that I was around people I trusted because it was hard. It just taught me to always lean on Jesus in tough times because sometimes it gets dark. As we talked about Christmas in that small cave I realized that I was surrounded by greatness. People who are selfless and who seriously seek God with everything they have. I wish everybody I know could meet the people and experience life there.

Thanksgiving

On Tuesday I flew into San Antonio and Mima, Shelby, Tom, and Malinda picked me up from the airport. It was so nice to see family again. When we got to Mima's house we had roast and talked about school and life it was great. Shelby and I watched TV and I got to hang out with Mima while she was cooking a cake. At 11 my parents and brother arrived. The next day was kind of slow but I got to see Jana's girls and they were precious. On Thanksgiving we went to Jana's house in Lytle and Kelsea and Eric came in. We got to ride the "Mule" around their fields with Kate, Claire and Emma. Claire was automatically attached to Eric the minute she saw him and wouldn't let go it was really cute. The Cowboys and the Longhorns played and both won!!!! And we finished off the day by playing Wii tennis and boxing and by eating lots of pecan pie!!!

Driving

This weekend was my first time to drive around LA. I drove to LAX and it went actually okay. My friend and I didn't get lost and I wasn't too stressed out. The traffic on the 405 was ridiculous and I was wondering whether all of LA was trying to get to the airport. On Sunday I drove to church in Westwood and I was feeling really confident. We got to church on time and I wasn't worried. We even drove around UCLA. I find myself liking to drive down PCH when I feel stressed out. It's such a nice drive. I even find myself yelling less at other drivers. Now I just yell at myself for making silly mistakes. Which is a start to being less of a defensive driver. And I even haven't been honked at!!!! Go me!!! :)

Run to Duke's

This day I was surrounded by my friends. This morning Tomi and I went to Lily's for breakfast/ lunch and had some really good breakfast burritos, considering I don't really like them. Then I came back to my room and studied and had a nice relaxing afternoon. Then this evening Reuben and I went running together. We ran to Duke's a restaurant in Malibu. It was such a hard run because I haven't actually been running all that much. We went 8 miles so I was proud of us. And finally I went over to Kim's apartment and she had cooked us spaghetti for dinner and we watched a movie together. It was a great day. I really should be studying for my anatomy test on Tuesday right now but I am so distracted so got to go. Love you! 

p.s. -listen to these songs on youtube they are amazing

the cure for pain & white as snow by jon foreman! These songs are so good and the lyrics speak to the heart!!!

Enough Said...

Well I just had a long conversation with a great friend. This whole day I thought he was ignoring me but I know now that I was wrong and I am happy to have moments like this. So glad I am here!

after dark

Tonight was After Dark, a youth rally for college students. We sat on the grass at Alumni Park. The sky was so clear and it was just a little bit chilly but great weather. Jon McLaughlin did a concert and a man named Joe White spoke. It was really incredible. He is such a passionate guy that is really talented. He did a drama thing and wasn't too preachy, but really deep at the same time. He showed the Team Hoyt video, which is still amazing like the 10th time to see it. Anyway it was a great chance to start the week and re-focus. 

Here is the website: www.whatsafterdark.com its such a cool ministry

Happy Birthday!!!

HEY MOM!!!!!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!!!!!

hope you have a great day! i love you as many miles and hours as it took us to get to california!

you are awe-shummm!!!! have fun at the white house! love your "favorite" child, hahaha

Philippians 1:3

p.s. dont forget to watch the office on thursday!

I Don't Know If I Can Say CONGRATULATIONS

Oh My Gosh! How many people can get pregnant from home and at such a young age. Like can you not have any self control. I mean thats reason enough for me, "I don't think I want to risk getting pregnant". Gosh!!!! And how stupid and selfish do you have to be to be like I think I am going to keep the baby when you are barely out of high school or a few years into college for that matter. And some people get married too, you have no experience in the "real" world what makes you think getting married is going to help the problem. Just be a bigger person and say I don't think I can handle this and find some body that really wants a baby who can't have one. I don't think I can say congratulations to you for having a baby. I would rather say HEY! You really screwed up having this baby for yourself won't fix anything!!!! 

BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!!!!!!!!

WOW!!! My birthday was today and definitely hands down the best one yet! In the afternoon I had an anatomy lab practical and thought I was going to freak out! But after the test was over I felt so relieved. For dinner a couple girls and I went to Subway and had some awesome sandwiches. Than we went to collide and had church. Thomas' talk was really good and made me feel so great and reminded me why I am here. After church was over my friend announced it was my birthday and everybody sang to me and this other guy. And than they pulled out this huge cake in honor of my birthday. It said, "Happy Birthday Morgan We love you" ! It was such a great surprise. I have never felt more loved in my life. Than I got a call from the HAWC and somebody had sent me flowers; Aunt Malinda and Uncle Tom are so sweet to do that for me. No body has ever done that for me. What a another great surprise to have. They were beautiful by the way. I just feel like I could not have asked for a better day! I feel so loved by both family and friends. God just continuously shows me that he will never leave me and has blessed me with so many great things in life. 

The Office

This last Thursday was the Office season premiere and it was so awesome! Every time I watch it it makes me so happy and Thursday was no different. My favorite part though was the fact that Jim purposed to Pam at a gas station in the pouring rain. It was so unexpected which made it even greater. I loved that Kelly tried to ignore Ryan when he showed back up but tried to make him jealous by making out with Darrell, when Dwight tries to act like he is better than Jim, and that Holly, the new HR lady, is a dork and has a crush on Michael. Nothing can beat it. The people that made this show are geniuses!!! Can't wait until next Thursday! 

Fall Retreat Camp Whittier

This weekend we went to a retreat at a campsite up in the mountains of Santa Barbera near a lake. Brian Mashburn spoke. The only bad thing about the place we stayed was that it was so dusty and there were these flies that were constantly annoying everybody. But the sky is so clear there that every star seemed visible. I could have looked up at those stars forever.

Brian spoke on three simple concepts that all fit together.

1. Our mission is to make disciples 2. Our motive for making disciples is love 3. The way we do these things is to make strong relationships with a core group of people. He said that relationships were key because we can't live life on our own and being able to confide in and being able to be completely open and honest in those relationships will help you along lifes journey. If you are vulnerable and honest with your group then it should be easy enough to see where people are coming from and be more relateable. If you talk about your struggles and where you are at first and foremost then the relationships grow deeper faster and they aren't the superficial type of friendships but the kind that will last and be strong for a long time. The goal though is to have loving relationships with these people. It shouldn't be judgemental or some sort of project you are working on, but a truth seeking and loving relationship.

He talked about the group of guys he meets with and what happens when they meet in his basement on Tuesday nights. It is a group of guys so rare and genuine. Some of them alcoholics, drug-dealers, drug addicts, sex-offenders, and adulterers all seeking a better life. When they first started meeting he said it was only him, some guy named Jay from his church and his roofer. It was like that for over two years. Then other guys started being asked to come join. One guy was trying to get sober and was drinking water at a bar one night when another guy in the bar who was also trying to get sober, but who had kept relapsing, went up to the guy with the water and asked him why he was drinking water. He told him that he had been trying to stay sober for 8 months but couldn't keep it up so the "water" guy asked him to go to Brian's basement with him that night. The "water" guy 8 months previous to this occasion was working at the same bank as Jay. Jay had been trying to get this guy to come to the basement for a long time when one night after work he went up to Jay and told him he wanted a better life. So Jay called Brian and asked Brian to come up to the bank because this guy needed to be free now. So Brian went to the bank and in the conference room they had a session with Jay's co-worker. 

In order to get into the regular basement group the guys must sit in the "hot-seat" and basically tell their whole life story along with all their sins and struggles. Those are just a few of the stories Brian told that stuck out to me but he has so many that are great. But yea it seems to really work because not only do they listen to each other pour their hearts out but they want a better life for each other and mostly they love each other like Jesus loves us; no judgement at all. 

He gave an illustration about when he was a youth minister. He said there was a kid in his youth group who was pulling pranks on him but it didn't bother him because of the relationship the prankster had with his son. He said that his son and this guy were really good friends even though his son was young and he cared for him. The illustration is that just like we mess up and God may want to punish us he knows that the relationship with his son makes all the difference in the world. 

STEP FORWARD DAY

Today was Step Forward Day. A day on campus where on average 1,400 students go and do 42 hours of service in the greater Los Angeles area! Alot of times people are hesitant about signing up because the work sites that they are assigned to are somewhat lame. Some people think they don't do enough and some people think that its too strict. Last year my group walked across PCH and went to this huge lot where these "green" people wanted us to pick these huge weeds that had grown in after a wildfire. Lets just say our work day wasn't a great day. 

This year I signed up to work with the Campus Ministry group and it was great. A sorority came with us too. Our ticket said we were going to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, Site. Most of us didn't know what that meant and wondered what we would be doing. We arrived at the site which happened to be near Marina del Rey, right on the beach. We were helping with an Ovarian Cancer Walk/Run. It was really fun. Some people worked at water tables, and others were traffic control people, but me and some other girls walked the race with the supporters, survivors, and their families. It took us about an hour to walk a 5k but it was fun none the less. After the race we got free food, t-shirts, and lots of other stuff. There was an orientation thing after and the spokeswoman for the Ovarian Cancer Coalition talked which happened to be one of the main characters in the show CSI: Miami. She was really cool and just talked about spreading awareness about Ovarian Cancer because so many people have no idea what the symptoms are or how to talk to their GYNs about the disease. 

When we got back on campus we all went to Alumni Park and got free In-N-Out; which is one of the best fast food burger places ever! YUM!!! And just hung out at the Volunteer fair. All around it was a good day and I had fun even though I had to wake up at 6:30 on a Saturday.  :D

Top 10 things of the DAY in 1 word!!!!

10. napping

9. snacks

8. music

7.  breeze

6. sunshine

5. fan

4. nap

3. advil

2. parents

1. Bible

..... oh and the OFFICE season 4 came out on video today!! YAY!

"Harder Than The First Time"

Last night at chapel my friend spoke on how when he was sophomore he felt like he was having trouble with his faith even though for his whole life he grew up going to church. Listening to him I felt like I was feeling the same way. Its weird because he made the point that many people in their sophomore year of college struggle with their faith and it's true. He said that he struggled with the reason why he  believed in God and why he called him Father. After a year and a half he lives his life for Jesus everyday and loves reading the bible, because every time he reads it it becomes something new to him. So with that said.......

For the last couple of months I have felt so lost and empty, and have tried to fill my life with the things of this world, like alcohol and working out all the time. I thought that this stuff would make me happy and it didn't fill the void in my life. I don't think I even realized I was doing it. I was really missing something. When I got to school it really hit me that I was lost and didn't know what I was doing with my life. The people around me were happy and I could tell that they had something in their lives that I wanted, it was JESUS. I knew I wanted Jesus to come back into my life because on my own I am nothing. I want to be whole heartedly in love with the author and perfecter of my faith. I want God to always be in my life, I want him to be my Father and my Friend forever. 

There is this song by Barlow Girl called "Harder Than The First Time" which I believe really relates to where I am at in my life.

Here are the words: "Harder Than The First Time"

I walked with you

Just like we've done for so long

You seem so near

But even that's become so common It's not just You, just been together so long

That I thought I knew everything about You

But today I saw

Did you open up my eyes?

'Cause I feel like I've just seen You for the first time

I didn't see You

But God I want to

You've come alive

And I think I've fallen harder than the first time

Was I so blind?

How did I not see You?

Yet in that time You never left my side 

so far all my life I will live to Know You 

So here I am, I'll take Your hand

I see Your face 

I feel You close

the love You've always shown me

Won't miss it now can't waste a day

Jesus I'm Yours completely 

3 DAYS on the ROAD!!!!!

My mom and I started driving toward California on Wednesday and didn't arrive until Friday after noon! It was the longest road trip I have ever taken, but well worth it. We got to drive through the Texas mountains which are really gorgeous. When we made it to Phoenix, Arizona it was 109 degrees and I don't think I ever want to return. I don't know why people complain about Texas being hot because Arizona is soooo much worse!!! ha! When we made it to LA though I was really excited  because I couldn't wait to get to campus. My mom let me drive through Malibu Canyon Road; I was so nervous, my heart was beating out of my chest. For those that don't know it serpentines alot!!!! We got to walk around campus and it felt great after being in the car so long! And today I got to meet my roommate Kristen who is a very sweet girl. I am so happy to start this new year at Pepperdine. Go Waves!

Body of Christ

Family isn't just somebody you live with or who you are related to by blood, but can be a group of people who are generally not blood related who share common attitudes, interests, and goals. I was thinking of the church family and how much we are like one. As I sat at church last Wednesday night I realized how close most of us are. We all come together to show love, share our faith, and be with people we care a lot about. As I watched the kids that were coming into class hug each other and relay how glad they were to see each other it occurred to me that I was in a special place. It felt safe. A place where I know I have a connection with so many people that love and cherish each other. 

 It hadn't hit me until now how wonderful the family of Christ is; in 1 Corinthians 12:27 it says, " Now you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a part of it" and in the same chapter verse 12 it says, " that the body is a unit , though made up of many parts... they form one body. So it is with Christ." Last Wednesday I felt so grateful to be a part of the body of Christ because I could  feel God's presence and I knew that we were honoring him with our love and worship. 

Thank You

Well its August, I can't believe it!!! Working this summer has been an incredible experience and one I will never forget. I have been privileged enough to work each day with people who are so selfless and constantly seek God in their lives and work. They inspire me to be the person who God has planned for me to be my whole life. To not settle for anything less than my best and to always be open to new experiences. To have a happy attitude no matter what is going on in my life, but to always be looking for the people who need to be encouraged and see somebody smiling. Thank you for being a great blessing in my life.

Wednesdays at 24:7

Yesterday afternoon we had a workday passing out fliers for the CEC. It was a hot day to walk around random neighborhoods. Then we had church followed by the mudpit that Darin spent the whole day fixing up. It was so nasty but so fun at the same time. It was a great way to hang out with friends and definitely a great way to end the summer.