I have finally decided to join the blogging era and start blogging, let’s hope it continues. Usually i post an entry and then completely forget about blogging. Hopefully this will actually be my serious attempt at blogging.
So, what have I been up to since you last heard from me? Hmm. Not too much has changed, only a few things … that I can think of. Where do I start? Hmm… Okay, I’ll start with November 2010. That’s when I officially left the church I had been going to and began attending a new church. My new church is called “Radiant Life Community Church” and is a non-denominational church. It has the same teachings as my old church, just a different way of doing things. Instead of sitting in the church and waiting for people to come in and investigate the church, we go out and help the homeless and those down on their luck. Not only are we trying to: feed the homeless, clothe the homeless and help to find homes (and necessary items) for the homeless; but we also love people right where they are. No dress codes (except that you wear clothes), No fashion shows (who can be the best dressed for church service), … just come as you are. So what if the shirt you’re wearing has a stain on it, it doesn’t matter … just come anyway. I’ve found that with this switch, I’ve started to come out of my church shell. In my old church I found that I’d only speak when spoken to, and then it was just a simple “hello” or “how are you?” … nothing more than just a basic response. I’d also help only when asked over at my old church. Here I talk freely with the other people, and volunteer to help out where and when I can. For example, I’ve actually gotten up and gone to a couple of our church’s “clean the church” days. (Before I would just ignore the church cleaning days). I’ve even heard people say about me that I am coming out of my shell more and more. The only difference I can think of is that with this church; even though we have two pastors, I knew them from when they attended the same church as I left. So now I consider both pastors and their wives as friends first and then as my pastors. That’s the only thing I can think of as to why I’m coming out of my shell over here at my …uh, new… church.
Then the next change that I can think of is that I met a guy at RLCC in February 2011. Now before you get all excited for me, don’t … as we’re not together any longer. Things were going along alright for the first month we were together, but then we hit a snag … and it was a whopper of a snag. Okay, let me tell you about it and let’s see what you would do. One Sunday he was with his mom (in Lemars, IA) and I was here (in Sioux City, IA) at church, helping one of the women clean the bathrooms before church. Well, we had put down the trash bags we had tied up and taken out of the garbage cans and began talking with one of the pastor’s wives. The trouble with this guy really started before this Sunday’s event, and that’s what we were talking with her about. When the one gal picked up the one bag, some of its contents spilled out onto the floor. She said she’d pick it up, and began doing so. She got most of it picked up and then picked up what she thought was a bar of soap wrapped up in toilet tissue. So she unwrapped it to see what it was. Nope, not a bar of soap … it was a cellphone that had been broken (and from its appearance, it looked like someone intentionally broke it). The broken cellphone looked VERY familiar, it looked identical to my cellphone. Let me pause here for a moment to say that around the last of February or the beginning of March, I talked with my mom to see if she would agree to letting this guy (my boyfriend) borrow (use) her cellphone until he could get his own. She agreed so we gave him (with the knowledge that he’d use the cellphone for phone calls only) her cellphone (and the charger for the cellphone) to use until he could get his own. Mom’s cellphone was identical to mine in color; all three of our cellphones (Mom’s, mine, and Charity’s – my BFF) were alike, but my bff’s cellphone was purple … her favorite color. Okay, now let me unpause the story and continue. So this broken cellphone looked identical to mine. At first the one gal was going to keep it and take it down to the police station to see if they could (or would) find its owner. But I said that I was pretty sure that that cellphone belonged to my mom. To which the gal told me that my “boyfriend” told her that he had given it back to us. (No he had not … that was a lie). We all agreed that I was going to take it home with me, charge it up (if it could be), and see if it was my mom’s cellphone. Well, I took it home and put it on the charger … nope, it wouldn’t even register that it was charging (which is odd for a phone that is turned off). I took it off the charger, but later put it back on the charger for about an hour or two. I took it back off the charger when all it was doing was getting warm. So I couldn’t figure out the owner of said cellphone that way. The next day mom and I took a trip to our local Verizon Wireless store … where we had gotten the phones in the first place … and I went in and waited to speak to a store representative. When I was able to speak to one, I explained the situation to them and asked if they could find out if this broken phone was in fact my mom’s cellphone. They said that they could (which I knew they could, but was just being nice), they took the phone and popped the back off and popped the battery out and checked the number with their records. Sure enough, it was mom’s phone. Okay, so anyone could have broken the phone. This guy’s relatives could’ve broken it (on purpose or accidentally) and he was covering it up so they wouldn’t get in trouble. In my opinion real men don’t hide the truth, they tell the truth even if it would cost them their relationship with their girlfriend. (Which if he would’ve come to me with the broken phone and told me how the phone got broke and that he was sorry, being the kind of person I am, I would’ve understood and forgiven him for breaking my mom’s phone). Nope, he chose the low road and tried to hide the broken phone. Well, I kept the phone (I still have the phone … not sure why though, as it doesn’t work) and waited for a time to confront him about the phone. When I confronted him about the phone; told him where I found it, he told me a bold faced lie … right to my face. He said that he must’ve left it on the table at church and that someone from church must’ve gotten a hold of it and broke it. (Right…try again. The only places I’ve seen that phone was in his jacket pocket, in his hands, or going from his hands to mine). (Yeah; prior to the broken phone, he’d broken off the little silver M button on the back of the phone off and lost the charger to the cellphone). (Plus if someone else from the church would’ve picked it up … like he claimed … they would’ve kept the phone, until it got turned off. Heck, it would’ve been a free cellphone). Later he did tell the one gal, whom he was renting a room from, that he broke it. He never did confess to either my mom or to me. So, yeah, we are so not together any more. Hmm? Oh, why’d I give him the phone to use in the first place. Well, at the time he was my boyfriend and the phone where he was would not call my cellphone … still don’t know why, but it wouldn’t … I even tried when I was over there – before I gave him the cellphone. Since he was my boyfriend, I thought he should have a way to contact me when he wanted to talk. So, I’m single and looking … but not very hard, because I have other things on my plate right now.
In June 2011 our church moved into a new location, and we have been there for two months now. Woo Hoo! We’ve had Willet come and play at our church; which if you get the chance to have them come play at your church, I’d say jump at the chance… they are good!!! We also have a drama workshop and production planned -coming up this weekend in fact. And in October 2011 we have a carnival planned; that should be loads of fun!! I can hardly wait! =)
The last week of July I went out to WITCC (Western Iowa Tech Community College) – a local college – and started to enroll in some classes. Well, after talking to an adviser I was sent down to take a placement test. Well; by that time I had to get back home to help get supper, so I scheduled to take the test the next day at 2pm. All went according to plan, I went out to WITCC and took the placement test. That turned up some good and bad results. My English results were great, but my Math results weren’t so great…I needed to bring my math score up to a 42 or something like that, and it was down in the 20s. Plus to retake the test would be $15, which if you know me you know that I don’t have any money … I don’t have a job. (Not for lack of looking either). So, since I wanted to go back to college … some of my friends had talked me into finally going back. No, they didn’t twist my arm or hold a gun to my head … my initial plan was to go to college at WITCC with a friend from church, and hopefully have the exact same classes and schedule. I thought that would have been fun … the only unfun part about that plan was the weather. Okay, yeah, I can drag my rear out in the sweltering heat (i don’t like to, but I can) and go to school…but it’s when the snow flies that scares the heeby jeebies out of me. I don’t like to drive on snow and ice, and around here that’s everywhere when we get our first snow of the season … and one never knows when the first snow of the season will come. So, I had a small pity party … “Maybe I’m too dumb for college” (ask my bff, who lives with me, I honestly said that). But then I thought I may as well try to apply to the online college she attends – University of Phoenix. Well, I went to the website submitted a form and then waited to be contacted. This was Tuesday night, the next day (on Wednesday) they tried to get ahold of me but were unsuccessful. Wednesday night at Bible Study, we start at 6pm with a time of prayer, I got down on my knees and literally cried to Jesus over the situation. After prayer time, we had our Bible study and then we came home. I was still feeling sad over the whole WITCC thing, and was unsure about what was going to come of the UoP thing. Well, I didn’t have long to find out. The next afternoon they called for me and actually got a hold of me. The gal on the other end of the phone asked me a few questions, and then brought an adviser on the line. He talked my ear off, or so it seemed. He talked me through filling out this application and that application, and for the next few business days he would set up a time for him to call me and continue filling out applications. Finally after all that was done, he signed me up for an Orientation Workshop … which I’m in the last week of currently. I start my classes August 29, 2011 … I’m a bit nervous, but also a bit anxious to get started.
I’ve also just recently started a diet with my mom and my bff. Let’s see how long it lasts, or if it will be a success. Maybe I’ll keep all of you posted with my weight loss journey…maybe….LOL! So, that’s where I am currently … finishing up my last week of orientation and then a week off, and then starting my online college classes. Wow! You mean you read through all of that … geez! this post got pretty lengthy. (Sorry about that, but since it was my first post I thought I’d update you to where I am now). Well, until next post … hopefully there will be a next post. LOL!!!
Hugz & Prayerz,
LaShawn (a.k.a. Baby Brat)
