Arriving in the land of sunshine..

Well after being dropped off by my family at the airport Brogan and her mother came to hang out with me until my plane took off. It was a blast! And well needed since little did I know in LAX my phone would be stolen.. and I would barely sleep on the plane!


When I finally got to Tauranga, I was standing there, in the tiniest airport all by myself. I almost panicked, I had no phone, or any way to communicate to the family that was going to be picking me up. The more I thought about it the more I was like okay, let go and let God. This is and was his time, not mine. It turns out that Melanie was just running late so everything was fine, and there had been no reason to fret. 

My tiny plane from Auckland to Tauranga

A week later I was kicked out of the Starks. Just kidding! I was just transferred houses. The Browns and their 2 daughters had volunteered to host me over the summer, and all the sudden I was going to move when to their house that afternoon that I met them! All I can say is that God knew it was where I needed to be. The Browns are some if not the most, wonderful family I have met to date. 


Now for the good stuff. HighLife. HighLife is the youth group that has on average at least 180 youth come to worship God on a Friday night. You read that right, a Friday night!!! I didn't believe it until I saw it myself and was in awe. 

a glimpse of Friday night worship

We went to head to a conference in Cambridge, and God had other plans. When we were in Matamata, our tire decided to just fall  apart! So we wound up having fellowship on the side of the road for 2 hours or so, which included looking at the most beautiful stars. And then we headed to McDonalds or Mackers as they call it. It was great to be able to finally start getting to know our students, and I wouldn't have had it any other way.

our poor tire..

some side of the road fun with Brittney, Jemma and Jess

The start of something new!

So I am finally updating my blog... I haven't done this in a while, but I need to start posting on here. I am intending to use this blog to keep everyone updated on how I am doing on my journey to New Zealand and back! To start I am going to post a copy of my support letter.

Dear Friends and Family,

           

I am writing you this letter to share about an amazing opportunity that God has put on my heart. After going to Uganda in May of 2010 and working with an orphanage, I came home to family problems. Having experienced both good and bad that year, I had a feeling God wanted me to use it to help other teens. 

After meeting with Jimi Pitts, my missions pastor, I knew that the Lord was calling me to go and serve overseas. A few months ago I was able to finalize plans with Life Zone Church in Tauranga, New Zealand to go out and serve as a youth ministry intern! I am so excited to have this opportunity to not only go out and serve the Lord and people of Tauranga, but also to see how God wants to once again change and mold me into a better servant for his Kingdom.

            On this adventure, I will be helping however I am needed, part of that includes mentoring their youth, leading a Bible studies, and attending the 'Get Smart' conference with them. Their website is http://www.highlifeyouth.com, if you would like more information on their core values for their Youth Ministries. I will also post all of the various links you might find interesting, and my latest updates on my blog which you can find at this address: http://alifethatshines.blogspot.com/.  

I will be leaving on April 22nd and will not return home until July 24th. I would absolutely love for you to join me on this journey by praying for me. Some specific things I would like to receive prayer for would be that:

~        God will use me to speak wisdom and truth into the youth.

~        I remain healthy and focused on the duration of the trip.

~        Also that others will be able to see the love of Christ through our various interactions.

Along with prayer support, I am also seeking financial support. I need to raise approximately $3400 to cover the cost of the trip. If you feel led to contribute financially (it is tax deductible!!!) I would greatly appreciate it. The address of my home church is Washington Heights Church 1770 E. 6200 S. Ogden, Ut. 84405. If you are sending  a check, please indicate on the memo line my name and New Zealand.

            I would greatly appreciate your consideration of support in helping to make my trip possible whether through prayer or monetary donations.  The verse I hold as inspiring for this journey I found in Philippians 2:2, "Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind."

Samantha Ramsey

I bought my ticket a while ago, and experience so many hardships! I had never booked my own overseas ticket and had no idea about the Visa Waiver Program.. The Visa Waiver Program makes it so that you don't have to obtain a Visa while in the foreign country. It turns out that I was going to be over staying my welcome by four days.. and was not able to meet the requirements to obtain a Visa.

Thankfully, after a 'nice' fee the airline changed my ticket, and it was such a humbling experience. As finals approach and the date for me to leave comes closer I can't believe this is really happening. I am so excited and can't wait! at the same time though.. I feel so nervous! Sometimes though, nerves can be good. :) 

14 Pounds Crazier!

For my Media Writing class, we were asked to write a short news story. I of course did it on my puppy, since he is always doing something crazy! So here is the short article.


SOUTH OGDEN, Ut. – Bently a small white 14-pound dog, receive a bath yesterday. Unlike other dogs, this little one hates anything related to a grooming.

It started off with Samantha, 19, and Ashtin, 20, having to chase the dog in order to even catch him. Since, “The moment he saw the bottle of conditioner... Bently took off!” Samantha stated.

After the two young girls successfully caught the little dog, they were faced with the task of washing him. “It didn’t look like and easy job that Sam had,” Ashtin said. The scene was so messy that after the dog received a bath, the girls needed to take a shower to evade the wretched smell of wet dog.


I hope you all enjoyed that story, I know Bently is still upset with me over that bath.. But hey, he needed to smell and look good or he would be going to the pound.


Speaking of the pound, you should all go adopt a little bundle of joy! Whether it's a cat or a dog, animals can be a joy. So I would now like to take this opportunity to introduce you to Bently. 

Our little video :)

Bently is still upset over his bath or he would've had more fun with the camera... I hope you got a taste of how much I love this little dog. If not, you can just check my bank account because I am going into the dog house with America First.. over the price of dog bones! 

I'm not really going broke over owning this puppy, but he sure is expensive and I spend more money on him than I do on myself! I know I already said you should go adopt some type of animal.. but DON"T!!! They are so much work, and so much more energy than I would have thought. 

I do love my dog with my life though.. so here are a few cute memories we have!

Bently at the Vet

Bentlys' graduation of Puppy School Level  1, he also had just received a horrible haircut.. :(

All tired from eating my stuff...

Memory Lane... :)

This time of year most fine themselves taking a nice jaunt through memory lane... It can be funny, sad or even touching. For this season I have a few things that I like to reminisce.

My first debit card. It was true love at first swipe. Being able to not count cash and having my balance always available on my phone, we made a perfect match. That is until it became a habit of me swiping within .03 cents of overdrawing the day after payday..

That is why my first memory was created. My dear friend, Corey Martin came back in town for Christmas! He goes to school in Colorado, so every time he is in town we meet up for coffee on his last night here. It has always been a fun tradition over the past few years... Until he made me cut my debit card up!!! It's a long story of how it took place, but the fact is.. with his hand over mine, I was forced to cut it up. Don't worry though, I kindly scrap-booked the card. So it is still with me at heart.

Corey and I after he made me cut up my debit card... Notice how  he looks happier.

My next memory is with my friend Casey. Two Christmases' ago he left on his mission, since he was one of my best friends I made him a few ties to take with him.

This is one out of three he has. :)

Sitting down and putting some good memories onto some ties for him was so much fun! The best part is though, that this Christmas, he will be home. December 7th he will be arriving a the airport, and I will be there with his family! Hopefully he is wearing one of the ties I made him. ;)

I could go on forever with memories of this time of year. A lot more good ones, and an equal amount of bad memories unfortunately. I will stop here though, just so that you don't know everything about my life, the good and the ugly. 

I hope you enjoyed some good and funny memories of mine!

  

The Joys of Bad Joints!

Is it a good thing to walk into an Orthopedic Surgeons office and be greeted by name? I think that most would say that no it isn't. For me though, is sadly natural.

Starting at the young age of 15, my joints started to fail me. Maybe it was because I did a lot of school sports such as: swim team, track team, and the volleyball team.. Or it could have been the fact that I danced nine hours a week on top of that and snow boarded every Sunday.

I will never have the answers to those questions... But ever since I was 15, every time that winter chill starts to come around the corner, I start to hibernate. That small chill as some say, isn't small to me. It makes me feel as if I am 91-years-old instead of only 19!

I start to hibernate inside by the fire because everything slowly starts to get small pains, and suddenly my chronic tendentiousness becomes a lot more noticeable! Bruce (my orthopedic surgeon), says I cope with it all by humor and I haven't the faintest idea why..

Maybe that was a lie. I do know why. There is a thing in life called fun. You might have heard of it sometime or awhile ago. Anyways, I am a firm believer in fun and smiles. Aside from the horrible winter, that if you haven't noticed yet, I HATE!!!! There is a spring and a fall.

I am hoping to locate a video of me learning how to long-board. You might be thinking what does this have to do with bad joints? Well, it has everything to do with it! I learned the sport of long-boarding, only two weeks after my first shoulder surgery. It was so much fun, and would not have been the same if I had had two arms!

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1427228312&ref=tn_tnmn#!/video/video.php?v=1138873438497 - I hope this link works so that you can see the video.. It's kinda funny!

Also, while injured, friends start to act as your driver. Having a driver I found comes in handy, when your parents are trying to keep you locked up and safe!

Brogan, Myself and Jenny, at a lacrosse game the week after my first shoulder surgery. :)

Although I do not advise anyone to have their joints fall apart, and cause you to have 3 surgeries before your even 20.... It has given me just as much good memories as it has bad, and I don't think I would change it at all!

Doldrums...

Night classes.. can be great since you only have to go once a week. The down side though is the  three hours you have to sit painfully still in the class!  For the fall semester, you also have to face the gloomy fact that the sky is dark when you get to class, and black when you leave the class.

If you haven't noticed yet, this post I have written is left justified. That is because as I am painfully sitting in class right now, I needed to see something different!!!

The past three weeks, I have felt that school is painfully dull at night. I have tried occupying my class time by: listening, facebook-ing, blogging for another class, writing essays and taking notes. All these as my teacher would probably say, are my ways of trying to cope with being bored and feeling as if I am stuck in a doldrums. 

Rational constructive thinking is another useful coping skill. I know this because Julee Smith, my teacher who I am not fully listening to right now.. just informed me of. Using rational thinking is a wonderful thing. I can rationalize my reason s for coming to class,  such as:

• I would like to be succesfull in life.
• Graduating college is important.
• The information being given to me is important, and very applicable to my life.
• Getting a good grade for self gratification and so that my parents money isn't wasted...

Just so that my time is used wisely right now, since I have paid Weber State in order to sit in the doldrums of a night class... I decided to think of peaceful things. I have a picture of my sweet little 14 pound dog, that loves to sleep.

Little Bently sleeping on my laundry.

Looking at how peaceful my dog looks, reminds me of how peaceful my life will be. When I get home and lay down on the couch with a warm and cozy fire going, Bently on my lap, and a nice blanket. Once I hit the couch I plan on forgetting the huge amount of homework I currently have. Then I will text my room-mate so that we can watch the new episode of Glee!

Well everyone, now that I have came up with a plan of action.. I am going to get back to class and focus on my new-found hope of having a great night class!

Halloween!

Once a year there comes a holiday that breaks all the rules. We call this holiday Halloween. Halloween brings one day a year when girls can dress however they want and not get called a slut.

Some people chose to dress up as bunnies or other things most people in Utah would call scandalous.. But it's a fun time of the year. For instance I was Daphne (from the Scooby Show), Kaylin was a Football Referee and my friend Mike was a Spartan! We chose to do costumes on the fun side, and not the scandalous side like some do.

Our Halloween costumes

With all these fun costumes, people need a place to go. So we had more than 130 students meet up in Burley, Idaho for a fabulous Halloween weekend. The hotel allowed us to throw a huge dance party and everyone was able to have a good time! With all the lights, loud music, body heat and more.. a few of us needed to take a quick run to the gas station for some drinks.

Headed to the gas station!

Refreshments are necessary when you are dying from heat and laughter from a good time. In order to have a good time and get the best costumes, can be hard! While trying to figure out what we should be before the weekend started, Kaylin and I did some brainstorming. We found a website for traditional outfits, http://www.buycostumes.com, but we wanted to find some humorous costumes.

The Bachelor, a Leaf-Blower, and Disfunctional Pageant Queens, were a few cool ideas I happened to stumble across. I wish I could say that I was so creative I came up with all of these costume ideas... But I didn't. I got them from the awesome website http://costumeideazone.com/, you should all take a look!

Now that I told you all a little bit about my weekend and costume ideas.. I want to hear, what were you for Halloween?!