Prayer Please

Hello! Just wanted to take a minute of your reading time today and ask for a big favor. If you read my previous post, you know that this week is "show week" for CCS's Act I drama team. On Thursday night at 7, our team of high school students will open the fine arts season performing "Twelfth Night" and "Mulan: The Musical" for an audience in the school's gymnasium. Having been a part of Act I for 2 years now, I know all to well of the stress/fear/all around insanity that comes with the average show week. Its always interesting, to say the least...this year its even more intense though, because due to scheduling conflicts, our wonderful team is a week behind where we should be in regards to rehearsals. After a 9:00 to 6:30 rehearsal day yesterday, that fact was all to real- lines were dropped, blocking was messy, and the songs were off. Add costumes and sets...you have a bit of a mess. Now if there is anything I have realized, its that this kind of thing can come together at the LAST second and go off without a hitch. Even so, if you could be praying for our Act I team this week, it would be so appreciated. I strongly believe in the power of prayer- so every little bit helps!!! A couple of specifics: Pray for health! We have several kids that are under the weather right now. And from personal experience, there is nothing worse than having to perform when not feeling up to snuff...Also, pray for clarity, patience and calm of both the cast and the directors this week. Tensions tend to get a tad high at times. Lastly, pray for the 'newbies' on the team. We have a TON of them this year, and this week can alway be a bit hard for people who aren't used to it....Anyway, be thinking of us this week as we prepare to open. Act 1 will be at school every day this week till 10 pm rehearsing etc. to prepare. In the long run, this is all in preparation for competition in October. Being the only Christian school that goes, our team has a HUGE ministry opportunity through that weekend of competition. And thats what we're all about, which is why prayer is essential. Thanks in advance for your encouragement. And I'll try to keep you all updated as the week goes on! 

Thoughts of an Exhausted Blogger

Well, I just read through my post from last night...talk about some word vomit! Sorry for putting you readers through that scatter brained mess. What can I say, I was delirious from lack of sleep thanks to the past two weeks. And sorry to inform, but I'm not gonna be catching up on sleep anytime soon. Because, believe it or not, its "Show Week" for Act I. Crazy, I know. We're talking about midnight, every night, and then early mornings to top it off. Homework and school continue, even though these shows turn into a full time job for all those lucky enough to be involved.   And this time next week, we will have just completed a show- and this morning, we weren't even halfway blocked through one of our one acts. We are totally unprepared. This should be fun... 

Mind The Gap

Windy Gap never ceases to surprise, thats for sure. I've been to Windy Gap  for six years now with school, and I have come to realize that there isn't any way to know what exactly you'll wind up dealing with while at the retreat. I've pretty much seen it all at "the gap"- from Polly trying to beat the Windy Gap record for most rides on the zip line in an afternoon (she got to 46. The record was 52), to a girl getting third degree burns from spilling hot coca on herself, to even staying up until 4:45 am watching Lord of the Rings in the County seat with all of our 8th grade class several years ago. Yes, Windy Gap is full of crazyness, and this year was no exception. From the start, this particular trip was a bit different what with it being AFTER homecoming. Usually, high school Windy Gap is full of the whole "whose  asking who to the dance???" drama. I thought with the dance being before Windy Gap this year, the drama would be at a minimum...yeah. Not so much. I'm pretty sure that there was MORE drama with it being after the dance, what with the class competitions coming to a close, and dance fiascos that had yet to be settled. It was sad, because this drama caused distraction to the main purpose of going, which was to be rejuvenated spiritually. Not to mention, the wether was odd- rain, and cold one day, then hotness the next. It was a rollercoaster trip all around I suppose. But it went right along with one of the main ideas of Pastor Marcy's points about the world we live in today. Using movies, Pastor Marcy illustrated the chaos of the world, and how humans struggle with various challenges like the search for a purpose, the  need for an identity, and the desire to be free from the shackles that bind us. He stressed that Christians need to know their "pressure points" (or what makes a person loose their footing, and turn back on their path towards Christ), that humans need to embrace and pursue the destiny God planned, and the importance of people accepting the freedom that Jesus provides. My very favorite quote of the week was said during the "7 Pounds" sermon- He said "Christianity is not the story of bad people becoming good, its about bound people becoming free." So many times the church hears of stories about people becoming a Christian, and now "they're a good person." This sermon really emphasized that its not about becoming a good person, but a free person. Needless to say, I LOVED the spiritual part of this years W.G. especially since it stressed the chaotic, just like the crazyness of the rest of the trip. God's timing, I guess. Anyway, I'm home now, and I'm so very worn out! But thats ok. I'm vegging out in front of our GIGANTIC brand new tv. I know. Its insane. I'm still waiting for a pig to fly by the window on that one, since we have NEVER gotten anything like this. Blue ray, DVR, flatscreen...I think I'm more excited about the idea of getting one than the actual TV itself. So, Windy Gap, super sermons, flatscreen Tv- who could ask for anything more? 

Taking Over

This weekend was literally insane- Literally had a million things going on. But it was all great fun. Starting with homecoming: This past week was epic, with the juniors whooping the seniors in powderpuff (THATS RIGHT!), putting together a "killer" room designed around the board game Clue that was actually playable, dressing up on video game day as one of the two Ice Climbers with Maddison, and losing our homecoming football game (but only by 1 touchdown. At least it wasn't a massacre). And it wouldn't be homecoming without the annual dance. This yeah, it was held at the Design Center downtown, which was absolutely beautiful! The dance itself was....well just a dance. It was a blast to dress up and go groove to crappy music, but nothing super exciting. The one thing that was funny though was that there were at LEAST 12 sets of dress repeats. I don't think I've heard the phrase "I can't believe she's wearing the same dress as me!!!" More times in my life. It was pretty hilarious. But don't worry. Polly and I both did not have this tragedy occur....Anyway, like I said, homecoming was epic....But that doesn't even BEGIN to describe the pure amazingness that was "Student Takeover" this morning. All the waiting, and getting excited finally came to fruition this morning, as Elevation celebrated its students with a fierce set of worship tunes and  a brilliant message. It was challenging and encouraging....*sigh. It was just great. The sermon covered four core questions that every Christian should ask themselves. 1. Whats In your hand? 2. Am I trying to win the approval of men or God? 3. How can a young mand keep his way pure? and 4. Who do you say I am?....curious. You should be. Watch the entire sermon at www.elevationchurch.org and be challenged. You WILL NOT regret it. Anyway, talk about an awesome capper to homecoming week. I just got back from small group and am now gearing up for windy gap this week!!! My, how I am blessed! 

The Gift of Wisdom

Isn't God amazing? I know that may seem like the most arbitrary comment to make, But I just thought I'd say it anyway. I just love it how God plants people into your lives that can give you wisdom when you need it. It seems like I've been surrounded by that- from my small group leader, my awesome church and pastor, my friends, and then also my parents. And speaking of parents-  you know how your parents are always telling you, as they lecture you for hours, "You'll thank me for this one day!". Why not thank them now? Sure, sometimes what they say hurts or is annoying, but it does help. Take today for instance- my mom slipped this verse to me.  And of course, it was EXACTLY what I needed to hear. So major kudos to you mom. Even though I don't always act like it or say it, your the best. Really. Anyway, it was so uplifting, I thought I'd share it- "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, an I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do EVERYTHING through Him who gives me strength. (Phil. 4:11-13). Isn't that encouraging? I, being the impatient human that I am, thought so. And heres the thing. This wisdom is great, but no, it doesn't allow for all my frustrations and problems to be solved right off the bat. But that wisdom did remind me that there is a lesson to be learned about patience and contentment here. And any chance to grow is a good one. May not be the funnest thing in the world, but, like I said, its all good. So anyway...In other news, this week is insane!!!! Homecoming, dance, powderpuff, sprit dress days...and STUDENT TAKEOVER. All are under way right now! Talk about some jam packed fun-ness. Today was already a hit with Maddison's, Polly's , and my brilliant tacky day getups. Pictures should be up on facebook soon. Get excited. I know I am. 

For Your Consideration...

Ok. I know I make quite a few lists on this blog, but what can I say? Its the best way to cover a large amount of my thoughts at once! So here it is- Claire Hilton's....

"RECENT FINDINGS":

1. Surprise 1: That I actually miss work at the snack bar. And I've only been done for a day.

2. Surprise 2: That I got a 107 on a math quiz. 1-0-7!!!! 

3. Snack: Tropical Paradise Starbursts...mmm. Still thinking about them. 

3. Book(s): The Luxe series. 

4. Excitement: THE  UPRISING!

5. Frustration 1: Homework. 

6. Frustration 2: school pictures (or lack there of today). 

7. Practice: Act one's fall shows- Mulan and Twelfth Night

8. Broken Gadget: Ipod.

9. Awesome Gadget: My new MacBook.

10. Movie: Paper Heart ( I wanna see it so bad!!!)

11. Weather: Perfect. 

12. Overreaction: Swine Flu.

13. Fear: Swine Flu.

14. Funniest Illness Name Ever: Swine Flu.

15. Thing I MUST Do: Make a wall of awesome. 

16. Thing That Made My Day: The "Sorry I Suck at Life" Card. 

17. Question: What should I dress up as on video game character day?

18. TV Show(s): Glee. Project Runway. 

19. Current Pastime: Procrastinating thanks to blogspot

20. Advice: The darkest skies always have the brightest stars...

Just Get Up and Dance!

Today I started another adventure- I, Claire Hilton, have officially returned to dance. Crazy, I know. Lets just add another thing to the pile of what all's going on in my life at the moment. But really, this is a good thing to add. 2-3 classes a week (as of right now) is totally manageable. Hopefully I'll add tap and jazz when I find a good class to take. Anyway, I had my first day back today after a 2 1/2 year hiatus from ballet. I didn't realize how very much I had missed it until I put on my tights, leotard, and slippers this morning. And once I was in class, it just got even better. Its a small class, full of some of my old friends from the studio. Of course there was that whole awkward "Dang it! I totally forgot how to do this, and have no clue what the heck a 'rand de jamb' is...etc" that comes with jumping right back into something you haven't done in a long time. But the good thing was that my technique is still pretty solid. I mean, there wasn't anything presented that I couldn't do, or at least attempt to do correctly. It'll take a while for me to get back to where I was with dance, but I'll get there. For today, I was just happy to go and sorta "detox". Dance is all about emotion and story, and this week was full of both for Claire Hilton. So having a creative outlet to pour all the pent up mess into was such a help, not to mention challenging. As I'm sitting here typing this, I can already feel the muscles in my legs protesting to the stretching they received this morning. After all, its been 2 1/2 years since they've been pushed and controlled to do some classical dancing. But its the good kind of sore. The "alive" soreness you can only earn from a good ballet class. 

"Wake Me Up, When September Ends..."

Fall is here. Get Excited....you can feel it- in the air in the mornings, with the breeze, and since carmel apple cider suddenly sounds like it will hit the spot out of nowhere. And of course, football has gotten rolling. Currently, my dad is off watching the S.C. Gamecocks on T.V. Dear Lord, please let them win at least a few games this year...But anyway, I love the fall. The leaves, the chill, and even Halloween (and yes I do celebrate it, and will continue to dress up till I'm 90. Sue me.)  Its just so refreshing. Thus far, thats the only good thing about September. Yeah, this week hasn't gotten any better since my last post. In fact, its gotten a tad worse. The allergies decided to kick in, which makes breathing miserable. And since thats sorta essential to life, I've been having a bit of an issue. Also, I think everyone is feelin' the September blues. Everyone seems edgy, or angry, or whatever. And a chick like me doesn't function well with all the hostility. Just not my style. So, its really no fun when you are hardly able to live because of your breathing issues, and you have people yelling or griping at you. Sorry. I don't usually complain, but really? Lets be civilized to each oter, please. I'm trying, so you should too! But ah well, maybe its just one of those weeks. At least I have good things like small group, and dance on saturday to get me through. For as the Beatles say "I get by with a little help from my friends." And with my friends by my side, I will survive the last day of the school week tomorrow!!! Just watch me. 

Ch-Ch-Changes!

My, My- what an interesting past week its been. You know those times in your life when you feel like your moving so fast that you can't even stop and catch your breath? Yeah, I'm pretty much at one of those times right about now. It seems to me that everything is either starting, or ending, or switching up all of the sudden. Which, isn't necessarily a bad thing I suppose. It just is what it is. Here's what I'm talking about:

-Afternoon rehearsals are already in full swing for the Act One fall shows. I literally JUST got done with a show, and now BOOM! Here come two more! Which isn't bad, since I enjoy the wonderful thing that is theatre. Its just a tad bit overwhelming, what with school just starting and all that jazz.

-Windy Gap and Homecoming were switched this year. That means that in less than 20 days the festivities begin. Which leaves much to do about the rooms, and powderpuff etc...

-Another thing just starting at Elevation Church this week was 'The Uprising" (insert Maddison's loud voice here). Long story short, its the start of a student revolution in the city of Charlotte, and I'm in on it early! Theres going to be an event later this month that I'm super excited about, thats geared towards students. As always, we're gonna do it up right, and to God be the glory! Thats one change that I really am pumped about. I'll keep you updated with deets.

-I'm starting dance again. Crazy, I know. Because, lets face it- I don't have time for that. But I know that it would be really good for me to get back into the swing before college auditions come around....college. Weird-ness.

-I finally finished watching all 10 seasons of "Friends". I know thats stupid to write about, but even so. For two years now, I've been enjoying the "lives" of the 6 characters that I feel like I know, and now its over. The worst part was that I didn't even have any tropical starbursts (aka. heaven, making them the ultimate comfort food ever) to eat when it was over. I guess I'll just have to start re-watchin'! 

...anyway, thats just naming a few of the items that I've begun to juggle this past week. I can tell that this year is going to be a learning process; I guess thats a good thing. But for now, this naturally cheery optimist is feeling a tad down and out. But hopefully, that too will change soon.