For the love of a Memory

Band Buses, Marching Contests and Football Games… Oh! My!

         Freshman through senior year of high school were some of the most amazingly memorable times of my life!   There were plenty of bus rides, contests and football games to go around. As long as I live, I am certain that I will ever forget those days. A few of them stick out more vividly in my mind.

As a freshman, I remember feeling so privileged to be a part of the high school band. It was such a fun, exciting and fast paced lifestyle! This was something I would learn to love. I loved the people that surrounded me during that time. They were all such great mentors. I looked up to a few of the seniors, and a few moments spent with them were the best.

My best friends in 2001-2002 were two awesome people, Amber Blakemore and Jeremy Freeman. They were seniors and they were best friends. I was on the color guard with Amber, and Jeremy played trumpet in the Marching Band. Oh the memories.

One contest that year was probably one of the most memorable events that happened that year, the Huntsville contest. When I close my eyes I can still picture the afternoon. That year, our show theme was “The Perfect Storm”. We had various arrangements of beautifully written music by James Horner. One of the pieces was from the movie, “The Perfect Storm”.

We had marched during the exhibition part of the contest and felt that we had done well. Our Guard and drumline were flawless, not to brag, but the horn line lacked pizzaz. We were not too confident about getting into the finals. The band was sitting with baited breathe while we listened to the awards being announced. Division Three drumline: 3^rd place… not us, 2^nd place… not us… we are all thinking at this point, great, so much for that! … 1^st place… PRAIRIE GROVE HIGH SCHOOL! Cheers erupt from our part of the stadium. Then came the Color Guard: 3^rd place… not us… 2^nd Place… not us… We hadn't lost all hope yet, after all the drum line pulled it off… 1^st Place… PRAIRIE GROVE HIGH SCHOOL!!! We just couldn’t believe it. While they were announcing the horn line awards, we hoped for the same outcome. 3rd place… not us… 2^nd… not us… and then came 1^st… not us. Our egos were beaten down a bit, but we were still proud. Time to announce the top ten finalists. Eight bands were named off one right after the other, at which point we were about ready to head home. Then, next thing you know we hear, PRAIRIE GROVE HIGH SCHOOL!! We were soooo loud, I can almost hear the roar of cheering and excitement.

We were going to perform in the finals! It was so much fun to perform with some of the best bands from the region. Time came for the awards of the finals. Tenth place was named, and it wasn’t Prairie Grove. Our section of the stadium burst into cheers just because it wasn’t us. It’s funny thinking about it. We were a little embarrassed when we realized what we had done, and we got chastised for it later, but at the time everyone thought it was pretty funny. Now it’s even funnier. I can’t imagine how that other band felt. We ended up coming in 9^th place, which was fine by us. We had made it to the finals! It was quite the accomplishment for us. I remember the ride home being one of the best trips home that year.

I could probably write on and on and on about memories from when I was in band. There were so many great ones. The best years were freshman year and my senior year, so many good times had and great friendships cultivated. I will never forget those days. 

Lessons Can Be a Tough Reality

 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. -Matthew 7:2-5

How often do we approach those we love with this attitude? I know sometimes I am so quick to correct my brother or sister all the while I've got this huge problem in my life that is so big that I am blinded by. I have done a lot of figuring out who I am over the past seven months or so and I'm learning a lot. 


Lesson #1: There may be a plank in my eye, but I can't take it out by myself. I am very flawed. I judge people at the drop of the hat. I can't say why i do this because I really don't know. Not to give an excuse but I think I do it partly because I fear people judge me, so I just jump the gun. But, I have learned that I can't fix this aspect of myself by myself. I've got to reach out! God has been helping me work through this and he has given me people who can gently help remove this particular plank.


Lesson #2: There sometimes is more than one plank. This stinks! But its so true! I wish it wasn't. But we've got to walk through it together. There is no other way. We can not lean on our own understanding of how to help fix it though. We have got to look to our Father, Our Savior, Our Creator, Friend, Counselor, Comforter, Keeper, Redeemer, Brother, Love, Best Friend... Jesus! He understands! And one by one he'll get those planks out!


Lesson #3: Once the plank is out of your own eye, helping your brother/sister with the sawdust in their eye is so much easier. God has got it under control. He will use, with plank or without. He works however he wants! But he asks us to a little self evaluation before we go pointing out people's flaws. I've got to remember this so often!

I may not be the most thought provoking writer, but I don't necessarily write to provoke thought. My thoughts are provoked the minute I start writing. -Marisa Lynn

Pick Me, Choose Me, Love Me

I have learned a thing or two about the kind of relationship I want in a husband just from living with a various array of people throughout my time in college. Throughout this post I will accompany my hopes with quotes.

"Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow; Don't walk behind me, I may not lead; Walk beside me, and just be my friend."

I am an independent person. Relying on people has never been a strong point of mine, mainly because when I have my life seemed to get out of control. I lost control. So, sadly I'm very guarded because I don't like the feeling of losing control, at least not to another human being. One day, maybe. I wouldn't say that I'm not a leader but I may not always be the person to follow either. I have learned that I want someone in my life that will live this life with me, walking strongly, bravely, spiritually and sometimes quietly beside me. I want that man to be my very best friend. period.


In that best friend, this needs to be applicable;

"A friend is someone who sees through you and still enjoys the view. "

That one kind of speaks for itself.


Ultimately this is what I long for...

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

That in itself speaks to me. I long for a relationship with my saviour so that all of my other relationships can be like his. None will ever be as amazing as his relationship but one day, I know that God will put someone in my life that is exactly what I need. I may have high standards, but I'm not lowering them so that I can end up with someone that God didn't intend me to. I'm waiting patiently, cause love is patient, remember? It isn't always easy, its not supposed to be but it is do-able.


 Once I stop looking...

"Some of the greater things in life are unseen thats why you close your eyes when you kiss, cry, or dream... "

-Marisa Lynn

...Spring Sing & things...

Oh yes, its time already.

I'm a director this year and its  a really scary thought. But thankfully we have a new system, so I'm really only a director over certain things. My specialty... Costumes and props. I'm really excited. I'm working with Spence so that should be fun! I'm not sure what to expect this year, well I mean, I expect greatness! :P But seriously, all of the directors are great this year and I know that we are all going to work so well together! I'm really excited!

Last Wednesday we got together and talked  about ideas. Just throwing around expectations for the year and what the plan for everything is. We have set in place self imposed deadlines. I've got so much going on, maybe I need to do that with everything that I do! :D I probably should. But there is just so much to organize and I'm still hurting because of my STUPID sciatic nerve. I can't even drive myself to school tomorrow. I'm at the mercy of other people. *sigh* something that I am not going to be very good at. I just pray that I can make it all the way to four o'clock without totally wanting to die. I'm going to be totally exhausted tomorrow night, I know that much.

On Saturday, September 11, my club is taking a trip to Petite Jean. I was actually going to go and now I can't. I'm really bummed. I wanted to. :( *sigh* But God is teaching me through this pain that I really have needed to slow down lately. Its not been easy, but I haven't had a choice since Wednesday. I will survive and be more thankful than ever for a fully functioning body once it returns to normal!

I'm basically just writing down random thoughts, so sorry if these posts bore you!! This isn't like a typical post. I'm not always full of great knowledge. ;) In fact, I rarely am. haha!

-In Christ,
  ~Marisa Lynn

Pain and Endurance

Boy, am I being taught a lesson today. Pain is the game. Tolerance is the strategy. There are no winners.

Tuesday around four o'clock I was at Big Lots buying some of the last of my furniture. I go to pick up a rather heavy box to "toss" it in my cart. There is a twinge in my lower back. Right there I write it off, after all I had been moving a lot of things up my stairs moving in this month, back must be a little tired. I come home and sit down and before I know it I can hardly move. Managed to get to class that night, sitting through a two and a half hour class never seemed so LONG as it did last night. Pain and Endurance... Pain and Endurance... Pain. Wins.

I get home Tuesday night and I'm exhausted from fighting the pain but the pain is keeping me awake.

"Through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we^[a] rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. ³Not only so, but we^[b] also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴perseverance, character; and character, hope."

Trying to find comfort in that. Pain and Endurance... Pain and Endurance... Pain is still winning.

Woke up this morning, Wednesday and I was determined to get to my classes. Epic. Fail. I ended up spending an hour and a half on the floor because I was panicking and in pain. I managed to e-mail all of my professors and get that all sorted out and made a doctors appointment. *sigh* Finally got meds... oh sweet meds. Pain and Endurance... Pain and Endurance... Endurance (finally) wins!!!! :D

I'm not feeling great but I'm not writhing in pain anymore. lol
Time to take a break from worrying about pain...

This post wasn't too fun. haha! Pain and Endurance, if you made it to the end!

-In Christ,
  ~ML