Cruise to Mexico

I had a great time traveling to New Orleans. We stopped in Alabama on Thanksgiving night and seeing the lights of Atlanta, Georgia was amazing! The next day, November 28th, we headed for New Orleans, Louisiana.

When we got there our hotel room was a mess and we had to get a new one and take all of our luggage around with us! We made the mistake of going down Bourbon Street on a Friday night during Battle of the Bands. We ate at a restaurant called Cafe Beignet and the food was great! They had live Jazz and that was a great experience. I'm very blessed to have gotten to see what I did.

We boarded  the Carnival cruise ship Elation and it finally sunk in for Courtney and I that we were on a cruise together, this was something we use to joke about doing when we were younger. On the cruise we got the chance to try Alligator Tail, Baked Alaska, Escargot, Duck, and Cherry Jubilee. We danced in a club, watched some live comedies, and tried to play in the casino.Each night we would order a non-alcoholic drink and get in the hot tub.

Our first stop was Cozumel, Mexico. We took a lot of pictures of the places around us and then we got to swim with a dolphin! That was an amazing experience! I got kissed by a Sea Lion and then we relaxed in hammocks on the beach.

Our next stop was to Progresso, Yucatan. We took a shuttle into the city and then traveled to a salt mine where we got to mine for slat! We saw flamingos and then went to the Mayan ruins called X'cambo. X'cambo was an important salt empory and a trading place. There were many temples there and a church. The history nerd in me really loved that. We spent the rest of the day on a privet beach.

I'm so thankful for the experience I got and if you ever get a chance to go on a cruise to anywhere my advice is to go! I hope you enjoy this video of my trip. Fun in Mexico

A Christmas Eve prayer of Thanks

Dear God,

Thank You for the amazing year You have given me! I can't believe another year is fast approaching!

I just want to take this time to thank You for coming to this world as a small baby and growing up serving others. Thank You for experiencing what I and everyone else has so that we can come to you and talk freely with You!

Thank You for all the amazing things You did and do! Thank You for paying for my sin. Thank You for the true meaning of Christmas being Your birth!

I pray that everyone has a great Christmas and remembers what You did for them God. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS, Amen!

Lessons from Daniel

"But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself  in this way." ~Daniel 1:8 (NIV) Okay, can we just talk about the example Daniel sets for us in the opening of the book of Daniel in the Bible? Here's a young man, probably a teenager, who is sticking to his morals in front of a king! I don't know about you, but if I were in Daniel's shoes I would probably be to afraid to stand up to a king! But, how many of us have already been in Daniel's shoes? No, we haven't stuck up for what we believe in front of a king, but what about in front of friends? Sharing your faith in that class at school when you know the teacher will not approve? Telling that guy or girl that you like where you stand on the whole dating thing? We are a generation who has to stick to our morals and I think Daniel gives us insight on how to do that.
 "Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven." ~Daniel 2:17-19 (NIV) I like these verses for a couple of reasons. First, Daniel shows us what it is like to have Christian friends that are there for us and will pray for and with us. After all the friends who pray together stay together. Second, Daniel shows us what we should do when a prayer is answered, PRAISE GOD!

In Daniel chapter 3:16-27, we see Daniel's friends really trusting in God! They would not bow to a false idol and were thrown in a blazing furnace! They never questioned God or backed down from their faith. So, what happened? GOD showed up in the furnace with them and protected them!!! Let me repeat that, GOD SHOWED UP IN THE FURNACE WITH THEM AND PROTECTED THEM!!! I don't know about you, but there are times in my life where I feel that I am walking in that blazing furnace all by myself. But the truth is that I'm not! God is with me and He always will be and He will always protect me!

"Daniel answered, 'May the king live forever! My God sent His angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty." ~Daniel 6:21-22 (NIV) Daniel obeyed authority. The only time he didn't was when a rule was passed that he couldn't pray to God. Daniel prayed to God anyways, but here's the catch, he prayed to God where EVERYONE could see him! He didn't hide in a corner and do it secretly. No, he wanted to show the world the God he served even when his life was in danger and God protected him. Again, how many of us pray in private cause it isn't the "cool" thing to do? We need to pray boldly and face the lions den head on knowing God will be with us always!

"Then he continued, 'Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them." ~Daniel 10:12 (NIV) I love this verse! Here we find Daniel being told that everything he has done God has seen and He hears Daniel! GOD HEARS Daniel! And GOD hears us too! God is with us always and He loves us! I hope these verses from Daniel have encouraged you like they have encouraged me!