Lizzy's Footprints

Dear Future Husband,          You have big shoes to fill, because my dad is determined, courageous, supportive, and a loving father.  He has set up some high expectations.  His leadership and love is what holds this family together. "But you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is reward for your work."  -2 Chronicles 15:7       The past couple steps we have had to take as a family has needed determination and courage.  Leading a family to move states away from home, and moving a family into a RV.  In the moments that are the hardest he sees the light that shines into the tunnel.  Giving us the courage and determination to finish.  He has shown me the rewards that come when you don't lose courage, when you keep steady determination. "Iron sharpens iron, as one man sharpens another." - Proverbs 27:17      Every activity we do he is the one who supports us and guides us.  In e...

     These past two week my mom and I have done a lot of traveling back and forth from Florida to North Carolina, and to drop/pick-up my brothers from camp.  We had a traveling buddy with us, we named him Stripes.  Stripes is a spider, we are fairly certain he was poisonous.  He lived inside the driver-side rear view mirror throughout our travels.  Each night he would make a web and the wind would always destroy it the next day.  As the car accelerated he would hold on trusting the strength of his web.  Stripes also knew his weaknesses though and would go back inside the mirror.  Our little friend taught both of us what it looks like to make the best of a situation and to live with perseverance.  Knowing not only your strengths but your weaknesses.  Traveling though different terrain taught me an aspect of perseverance.  As is well known, I grew up in flat Florida.  Moving to mountainous Murphy, with all the curve...

               There are many things that I have learned these past 10 months.  The RV was challenging and in some moments I thought it was only making my relationships with my family members worse.  But I know we have become closer than I will ever realize.  Not only did it challenge me in the way I acted towards my siblings but it challenged me in my walk with God and in personal aspects of my life.    Patience                I have known for quite some time that patience with my family isn’t one of the areas I am strongest in.  I can be very patient with friends but when it comes down to the moments when my brothers are getting on my last nerves I don’t usually think before I speak or act.  Being so close to them all day made me get irritated faster.  There was no place to go to get ‘me time’ or to breathe, which was the hard...

          Two weeks ago I attended a Teen Pact camp called National Convention.  After evening session we had Coffee House (free time).  During this time I saw a friend of mine (from Florida) and went over to her to give her a hug and say hello.  Tears came rolling down my face, emotions came roaring in… she was the first homeschooler I met, and one amazing friend.  To have to say good-bye to all the things in Florida, my friends, my home, my comfort zones.  That all hit me at once.  Then she asked me ‘How are you doing?’ and instead of trying to hide my tears in the dark environment I said ‘not well’ and another rush of tears came down my face.  (In the moment I didn’t even know what was going on… I swore I was fine two seconds earlier)  That night the thoughts rolled through my mind… moving… 8 hours from Orlando… that is a lot of friends to keep in touch with… what does North Carolina have instore for me???...