Christmas time is here!

Well friends, it's over, finals, school, projects, and tests are all over with until January! I am so thankful for all that God has done for me over this year and as it comes to a close, it has been a awesome year with friends, family and laughter to go around.

Over the past week I have fought through stress, tests, and finals to get through final exams at LCC and be done, and I can honestly say, it was all worth it. I am so happy to finally be done and have a much deserved break, see family, and enjoy time with friends with plenty laughter to go around. Just some updates for you all who want to know what's going on in my life and those close to me.

The newly weds Will and Meghan Haynes are living in Wheaton, IL and are doing great. They are getting plenty of snow as we can tell and have heard, and are happy. Meghan is teaching at Wheaton Christian Grammar School where God is blessing her there, and Will is on his way with classes to getting his doctoral degree. They are flying in from NJ the day after Christmas and we are meeting them in Raleigh on our way to Asheville to visit family for a few days. We are also making time to visit with our Greensboro crew as well during that trip.

Things are going great with the family here at the Haynes homestead as dad continues to work hard and mom and Tori work on school work still at home on a daily basis. Josh works for DEPS where he installs alarm systems and the like, and is enjoying it. All in all everyone is doing great!

Tori and I are still members of Neuse Baptist Church or NBC as we like to call it and are very active and busy there. This past Sunday we performed our Christmas Cantata 4 times that day, 3 at the church and one at a local nursing home. All through the month of December we have fun things going on to celebrate the season. We are still active in the choir, Tori is very active in the youth group at NBC, and I am active at the time in the kids activities like: nursery, Mission Friends, Team Kid, etc. We have a lot going on and are also in the process of raising money to move church locations. All in all things are going great at NBC for all who go there.

A lot has been going on and much to share, here is just a glimpse of what's been going on with my family and friends over the last few months. More to come later on in the life of HillaryC.

NBC had it's Fall Festival to raise money for an

upcoming youth trip on Saturday November 22nd.

Tori and I went to see 2 of our favorite Bands on:

Friday December 12th for the 1st time in Greensboro, NC.

My Aunt and Uncle came down to have Thanksgivin with us.

They also brought their dog Jackson with them.

Josh has been killing many deer this season,

we have more. than we know what to do with.

the amazing things in life.

I am finding as I am getting into a good rhythm of homework, school, and reading God's work daily that my life is going along great! I keep thinking that even when I get frustrated, it's all good and life is great. think it's amazing how I do my verse of the week and what those verses really mean, homework gets done, reports are getting done no matter how frustrating they can be and really, it's life.

All the little things are all life, including school, tests, mid-terms, and finals, not to mention, reports. I just wanted to share what God has been showing me these days, and please continue to pray for me as I march strongly towards the day of battle in finals, and my busy, busy, busy weekend that week between final days. More to come when it can over the next 3 weeks or so. Love you all, take care, and God bless.

Bible Verse for the week!

Tonight just now as I was reading my scriptures for the day, I came accross this verse and it shouted out to me because it is in one of the songs we are singing in our church's Christmas Cantata that is in less than a month.

It is Matthew chapter 4 verse 16 and says this:
"the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of shadow of death a light had dawned."

What an amazement it is that that song is one of my favorites from the Cantata and yet I read it in scripture tonight as I meditated on the song earlier at choir practice. What a mighty God we serve.

It's coming!!! It's coming!!!

Well friends, as I get into the busy end of the semester stage of getting things done before it ends in a month from this Thursday or Monday. I just wanted to let you all know that even though you probably won't hear from me if any at all, please be in prayer for me as I get into the stages of finals once again at LCC. I love you all and hope to write to you more as Thanksgiving nears. Take care and I will be talking withyou later on.

The semester is nearing its end folks.

Well, I hought today how scary it was that this coming Thursday which is the 11th of November I have my 3rd and last midterm to turn in and then a month from then on the 12th of December our first finals start, scary right?!?! lol. Well anyways, things are still going well with school, I am still working hard and glad that the semester is almost over. I do feel like we are tight in some of my classes since it is so close to finals but with Gods help we will get it done. I have been so busy that I sadly don't have a verse for the week but just am meditating on his word and in prayer for our country as we now have a new president to come into office. I urge all of you to be in Prayer for Obama and his family daily and that God will be the center of his life. More to come later.

school has turned me!

Hey friends, well I am having a ton of fun learing the new stuff in my blog that I didn't try to learn before but after learning stuff in my Multimedia Design class where we design a website, I have learned a lot. Plus I have seen what friends of mine and family have done with theirs. A ton of it has come from playing around with things, which I had a blast doing tonight. Today I am going with my mom, sister, and some close friends to see High School Musical 3 in Greenville which I am so excited about. Then tonight I am going to see some awesome Jazz music with a good friend of mine, Ryan. I am looking forward to my day off from school even though it has already started hehe. Well friends, more to come in the life of HillaryC. Ttyl =)

Bible Verse for the week!

This verse is not new to anyone unless they are not a Christian, but my church helped me see it all in a new life. John 3:16 says: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." What an amazing promise that is and one thing I was reminded of this weekend at church was, we can put our own names in that verse, for God so loved Hillary that he sent HIS only son to die for me! What an amazing promise that is that we ALL can believe and atest to in this life. AMEN!

crazy time of the semester!

well, again I have not dropped off the radar just been extremely busy with school and getting my life back on track. =) I know I am getting ready to write a lot so bear with me. I am back to being me and my headaches seem to be improving some as well because I just successfully went through my first week without having my 2 day migraines that have been coming once a week for the past 2-5 months!!! So thank God, no migraine this week and hopefully the next weeks to come for a long time. With my rewarding week came a new friend from my English class, one whom I think I was looking for out at LCC. A funny person to be able to laugh with and just overall brighten my day, just what I was praying for in fact. So the week had 2 days devoted to fall break where students were able to study for midterms if they pleased or just take a break from it all.

Even though I did do some hw in the even of my super long weekend as I though of it, I took the time to chill and enjoy the time I had off. I also am getting into what I have wanted to for a long time, a reading schedule and am loving it. So far I have read 2 books in a matter of one week one of which I have read before. Now I am moving on to higher books such as John Grisham or Tom Clancey whom I have never read. I read most of a John Grisham novel a couple of years ago and enjoyed it so I thought I'd get back into them. As for the others I'd figure we had them here at home so I'd read them first then move to Grisham after.

School is still going well and I am having a reality check this weekend and reminding myself that every things going to be fine and that I will get done in due time and to just enjoy it while I can. Plus not to say I don't think I am enjoying it anymore etc but to feel joy in learning. So, I have 2 midterms on Monday which I have only 2 classes anyways so piece of cake, then only 1 more after that and it is a take home which will be nice.

Church life is still blooming at the seams. I am now the head of the nursery part of Mission Friends on Wednesday nights, I am doing Team Kid on Sunday nights every so many months for a month, and am active in nursery on Sunday mornings. We have also started doing Chimes which Tori and I along with several others have been involved with and our first performance in church is this Sunday! Or tomorrow which ever. All in all it is great, choir and everything else is still going great.

I will write more later in the upcoming week if I can this is just updates on everything. I am busy having fun staying with my hw which can be a challenge at times with my headaches but like I said, I am confident that they are getting better. I also thought it'd be nice if I shared a daily or weekly bible verse with you all that God has impressed me to share. It seems to be easier to make it weekly but we'll see.

I love you all and hope this finds you in good health! =)
Hillary

School, stress, and life OH MY!!!

hey friends, well things are getting back to normal around here as much as possible after the wedding and a great summer. School started 2 weeks ago from today. Since it is Labor Day we have it off today. I am still active in my church and am getting back into the photographer seat in trying to get pics taken that are LONG overdue. Other same and new things going on are: choir, SS, great services, and now I am teaching Nursery on Wednesday nights, doing Sunday morning nursery almost once a month, and teaching teamkid on Sunday nights about every 3 months or so, and helping teach childrens church. As you can see a lot. We are also starting a kids choir and chimes group which Tori and I are in. We started that all on Thursdays and will continue practices on those nights. School is going well and challenging again so far but I am enjoying it. So far some things done are working on my new business card, wide format poster, paper, learning how to do a newsletter, preping images and much more! Well friends more to come later.

Life's getting back to normal again!

Hey friends, well, we made it safely to Illinois and back and thank the Lord for that and all the prayers that were made during that week and before! We didn't have any problems with the UHaul except one sway or two and Will did and awesome job driving it with his co-captain in the front seat giving directions as we went. Ryan Rosewell, a good friend and graduate buddy of Will's went along to help with the move and to see his brother who lives in the Chicago area. We had a wonderful time seeing the sites of the big city and of Wheaton where Will and Meghan will be living for the next several years. Wheaton College is beautiful and a nice town too. They are getting settled in and we helped get the kitchen settled on Saturday before flying back to Kinston Sunday morning. We took the same route home that we drove more than 14 hours there in. God was amazing to us as we journeyed on our way and I can not say that enough, it couldn't have gone better. Now we are getting back to our daily activities and are enjoying the rest of our summer before school starts back on August 18th for me at LCC. I am still pursuing a major in Graphic Arts there and am looking forward to continuing on until I have succussfully finished all my requirements! Well friends, I believe that is well enough for now. A lot has happend since I last spoke to you all. Take care, God bless you all!