Day 11 - Fresh Coat of Paint

So as I stated yesterday my "new" room is getting a fresh coat of paint. I carried out this task today. I figured it was going to be no problem because I was under the impression I'd be helped. However, I ended up painting my whole room by myself.

Now mind you, it's not completely done. There's still some painting that needs to be done around the ceiling fan, smoke detector, and my closet. But these places were too high for me to reach. So in a few days I'll be bringing a ladder back to finish it all up. And I might even end up painting another room in the house the same color because we have a whole gallon of paint left over.

It didn't take me too long to decide on a color. I sort of already had one in mind. I just need to figure out the right shade of it. I had picked out a nice, dark tealish turquoise entitled 'Peacock Feather'. However, my father informed me it would probably dry darker. So we went with 'Mermaid Treasure' instead.

Painting the room was a lot of work. Especially since I really had no idea as to what I was doing. The last time we painted my room, my parents did most of the work. And this time around I did kind of want to do it by myself because I felt like I would appreciate it more, and because I really didn't have much of a choice. But I really like it. It looks so pretty. I'm very satisfied with the color, and how it's turned out so far.

It did take me awhile to get the whole room painted, but it was a lot of fun regardless. I started out thinking about how people paint on television and how sometimes they get covered in paint. I was really hoping I would avoid this. And I felt lin the groove about five minutes in, until I stepped on the paint can lid.

Luckily I had put down a drop cloth, so I didn't make too much of a mess. But the bottom of my foot was covered in paint for the rest of the day. I manage to get most of the paint on the walls, but paint did appear on my face, clothes, legs, arms, and in my hair. [When painting, do not get too close to the wall]

Though it took awhile to paint the entire room, I felt like it went rather fast. I did a lot of thinking and singing while I worked. Lots of reflection on the room and how I can further improve it's looks before I actually move into it. I thought about hanging a curtain as the closet door instead of having to deal with the doors. I got this inspiration from my best friend, Natalie's room. I also am in dire need of a new door. And it really needs a lock. Preferably one that cannot be picked. [Does anybody knock anymore?] I'm not sure about the window yet though. I think I might just keep the blinds, but curtains might be nice too.

There's still lots of time to think about that though. In the mean time I really need to get everything packed up so that I can actually take it over to the house when we're ready to move in. I only have three boxes packed. And one of them was a prepacked box from when we moved into the house we're currently living in. I'll hopefully be getting this done sometime this week. :]

Day 7 - Women's Choir Tour 2011

So I had intended on making a vlog about this once I had returned home from tour. I've been home three weeks now? And I haven't made a single video about anything. I've been in a bit of a video slump. But I just don't feel like this topic would've been easily conveyed through words.

I didn't have a very good attitude at the beginning of tour. I mean two weeks on the road with I don't know how many women? That's enough estrogen to drive a girl mad. Plus I had already been out for a week, so I felt teased and cheated by summer. Summer had lied to me. It wanted to get me excited only to bring me down.

I was dead wrong. Tour had to be the best thing ever. Get up early, sleep on the bus, eat lunch, sleep on the bus again, curl my hair, set up a bass amp, eat dinner, put on a dress, sing for the Lord, get paired up with girls I sort of knew and families I didn't know, get chummy for the night, and then repeat it all over again. I mean who wouldn't kill for a life like that?!

And believe me, a couple of days like that and BAM! Attitude altered. Tour quickly became extremely great. We got to meet so many great families! I heard so many touching stories and testimonies. And each night was a new surprise. Some hosts were extremely hospitable and wanted to know our life stories. While others were more reserved, chatted for a little while and then sent us off to bed because I mean two weeks of travel through 3 different time zones is exhausting.

However, I really liked when the families wanted to talk all night long. As much as wanted to go to sleep, I really enjoyed speaking with them. It was interesting to see how other people know the Lord. How they praise Him, and the faith that each of them possessed. It was very refreshing and helped me reshape my faith. I felt like the Lord was at work every where we went and we could feel it.

Especially, the night we went to the Oklahoma City Rescue Mission. I went in absolutely terrified. I didn't really know what to expect or how to deal with the situations presented to us. I felt uneasy and unsure of how to react. And once people began filing in and taking seats, I felt like those feelings got progressively worse. But once we started singing, I realized everything was in the Lord's hands. I needed to be still and know that He is God, and He was protecting us and using us to touch the people there.

I think the moment that touched me the most was after we sang the song Grace. We began singing Amazing Grace and the people watching joined in with us. I had never cried at a concert before that point. And it just felt like I viewed everything differently. We all had those words in common. We all had been saved through the blood of Jesus Christ dying on the cross. We all have sinned in different ways, but we are all equal, we've been washed as white as snow.

The bus rides were pretty awesome as well. We got rather close to everyone. Since we were combined in such a tiny space for two weeks. Not a lot of moving around happened. But when it did, it sometimes became permanent. I started with a seat all my own. But I was soon invaded and I understand now that was for good.

I tried to invest a lot of time in the other girls and I hope that I blessed some of their lives as much as they blessed mine. Especially Kira, Aly, and Star. Those girls made huge impacts on me. Showing me their compassion, kindness, and love for God. I grew so close to them, and they definitely helped me grow over the course of tour. We bonded, and just kinda meshed together. I miss each of them so very much. But I know that the three of them are lasting friendships that I hope to carry.

Women's Choir Tour was an amazing experience. I grew a lot the past two years, spiritually and vocally. Women's Choir was a joyful and safe place. I'm still a bit sad about not being able to continue it next year. I'm crossing my fingers for second semester. But that's TBD. Regardless the experience I've had in Women's Choir will be something I cherish forever. :]