1 year in pictures

::mood:: super fantastic
::iTunes:: Accidentally In Love by Counting Crows

Annie Nelson gave me the best idea...and that is to create my year in pictures. So, this post I will have pictures from November 2006- November 2007. Also, I'll talk about significant events, fun memories, etc. that happened during these months. Get ready to have fun!

::November 2006::

Started getting really involved in Epic and Sam and I were getting a lot closer. Chaperoned a trip to Cleveland for Acquire the Fire for Sycamore Creek Church's Student Revolution. Spent Thanksgiving weekend in Ames, Iowa with Sarah McClanahan and her family. Seriously considered/prayed about lifelong singleness. Got my rook pierced.



Picture 1: We had an Epic scavenger hunt. These people were my team. We rocked. We lost. We brought a goldfish back.
Picture 2: Me with some of the girls that I chaperoned at Acquire the Fire

::December 2006::

Finished my first semester of college. Hated it. Cried on Christmas (twice). Shared my testimony at Epic. Sled down the stairs with Holly and Sam. Decorated 3 Christmas trees. Smoked a cigar for the first time. Tried the mentos/Diet Coke experiment. Tried to deep-fry gobstoppers. It was weird. Met Tony Sisiliano.



Picture 1: Sam, Holly and I decorated their Christmas tree and had fun with the decorations.
Picture 2: Sarah, Lindsey, Sam and I are at Yakely and Sarah's last night in Michigan.

::January 2007::

Went on Winter Retreat with Epic. Started my second semester of college. Hated it. Met Steph Miller. Loved her. Drove to EL during the Winter retreat...for showers. Didn't take a shower. Started apprentice leading a LifeGroup with Susan. Became close to Susan. Loved Susan. Brenton was introduced to my life.



Picture 1: The ladies at the Winter Retreat.
Picture 2: Our team for Catch Phrase.

::February 2007::

Played pranks on Troy with Sam and Brenton. Lucky Duck. Dr. Dew. Consumed a ridiculous amount of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. Started to really like being in my LifeGroup. Was introduced to "Muffins." New Life opened their new building. Went to the building dedication.



Picture 1: Sam, Brenton and I went to the Union before Catalyst one day. Here's the proof.
Picture 2: Mallory, Faren and Steph at IHOP during LG. It was national free pancake day.

::March 2007::

Florida for Spring Break. Ended up in the emergency room. Busch Gardens. Got super jealous of a girl I met once. IJM Benefit Concert. Mae was my favorite band. Went to Mae's concert. Gave Mae a support letter for LT. Didn't get supported by them. Bartholomew. My iPod broke. My iPod started working again. Left Sycamore Creek for Riverview. Decided that I want to be married.



Picture 1: All of the Epic spring breakers (minus Colleen and the Moore's) at the church we stayed at in St. Petersburg.
Picture 2: Sam, Chelsea Mack, Bartholomew and myself at the IJM benefit concert.

::April 2007::

Got a tattoo in Ann Arbor. James 1:2-4. Stayed the night at Ben and Susan's house. Went to New Life service. Ran into Troy in another city. Steph Miller became one of my best friends. Finished raising support for LT. Sam turned 19. Baked a cake for 2 hours. Oops.



Picture 1: Here's me right after I got inked, yo!
Picture 2: Two of the best girls I know...we were in A2 for my tattoo...this picture is at the original Borders.

::May 2007::

Moved to Virginia Beach. LT. Started working at Food Lion. Finished my second semester of college. Hated it. Met Vivian Wang. Vivers, Steph and Faren became some of my best friends. Started sleeping next to Sam. Found out Tonia was pregnant. Said I didn't like Troy. Did like Troy. Started loving beach volleyball. Shared the bridge diagram for the first time. Believed I wasn't cut out for ministry. Believed I was unwise.



Picture 1: The ladies (students) of project (A)wesome on our first project day at the beach.
Picture 2: ROOMIES!!!!! I love this picture. The ladies of 16A plus Roxy.

::June 2007::

Loved LT. Loved Virginia Beach. Started working in the damn deli. Faren turned 20. Purity Week. Conversations with Laura Lego. Scavenger Hunt. Team 4. We rocked. We lost. Gained more self confidence than ever before. Developed a fashion sense. Mt. Trashmore with Beth Freeman and the kids. Forgave my family. Began building the ice cream wall.



Picture 1: I discovered that I really love U of M and its people. I even cheer for them when they aren't playing against MSU. This is me with some of my U of M friends at the Elvis Festival.
Picture 2: The ladies of 16A minus Gaia on Faren's birthday.

::July 2007::

Realized God lets us have desires. Brenton got baptized. My phone broke because of the crazy storm. Went into the ocean with a skirt on. Realized that I am wise. Realized that I am cut out for ministry. Steph Miller visited LT. Shared my testimony. Quit Food Lion. Troy asked me to date him. I said yes. Went on a double date with Faren and Dane. Changed my first diaper. LT ended. I cried. Moved back to Michigan. iPod broke.



Picture 1: We win LT. Dane, Faren, me and Troy at LT closing ceremonies.
Picture 2: Steph came to visit us! This is us on the Fourth of July watching fireworks.
Picture 3: Some of my best friends at closing ceremonies.

::August 2007::

Epic camping trip. Didn't get a job. Welcome week. Moved in freshmen. Ben and Kristie's wedding. Lake City with the Warner family. Happy. Content. Met Troy's parents. Holly moved away. I was sad. I don't know if I cried. I don't think I did. That's surprising. Began my third semester of college. Hated it. Started reading the old testament in chronological order. Went to Texas for Labor Day weekend. iPod started working again.



Picture 1: At the Japanese Gardens in Fort Worth, Texas with Tonia
Picture 2: Joe made Faren, Justin and me ghetto. That's right. Check it. Word.

::September 2007::

Fall Retreat. Shared my testimony in front of 250ish people. Seriously considered dropping out of college. Didn't get a job. Found out something that I didn't want to find out. It worked out well. Troy's birthday. Went to Midland. Had fun. Made a gift that I was insecure to give him. Jeremy and Kathy's wedding. Started leading a LifeGroup with Susan and Steph. Doubted my leadership skills. Believed that I was a burden to God and the people around me. Made the sweetest picture ever. Finally got something that I really wanted.



Picture 1: Bowling at the Union.
Picture 2: Annie, Laura and me at Jeremy and Kathy's wedding.

::October 2007::

Depression. Turned 19. Bought sweet 80's music. Made the decision to leave LCC. Discovered that I think God thinks I'm a disappointment. God thinks the opposite of this. Tonia came to visit. Got hired at the American Cancer Society. Corn maze. Uncle John's cider mill. Core retreat. Had a good car ride there and back. Shared the gospel with my mom.



Picture 1: Tony and me at the core retreat.
Picture 2: The ladies on Steph's birthday.

::November 2007::

Had a series of very similar dreams. Prayed to not have them anymore. It worked. Cried at work. Didn't know why. Quit American Cancer Society. Still depressed. Told I was a quitter. Hated it. Dog died. Had a lot of hope. Realized that I love my life. Read SexGod. Loved it. Went curling in Canada. Loved it. Got wasted. Not really. Annie that was for you. Read old blogs. Learned to crochet. Sent stuff to PostSecret.



Picture 1: The "Van Every" kids together in our theater.
Picture 2: Curling! Dan Davenport's stone is the white one in the center. Mine is the other white one. We rock. We won.

The 2 year old Vegan

::mood:: Touched
::iTunes:: Home by Hillsong

So, yesterday before I left for Epic I checked my e-mail. In my inbox I found an e-mail from Kristi Moore to Troy and me. It was called "Kyra's Prayer." This title intrigued me. She told us that yesterday she was walking past Kyra's room during her nap. So, she's supposed to be sleeping but Kristi heard her praying instead. She said that she heard Kyra praying for Troy and me. She said that she heard Kyra say, "I pray for Troy and Megan that they...ummm...." Kristi didn't catch the last part of the prayer. But, Kyra was praying for us! Is that not the cutest thing you've ever heard. I felt touched. When I was 2 I never prayed. I don't think I even knew what it was. She's pretty much the cutest 2 year old ever.

***In this post I said,"troy and me" twice. I chose not to say, "troy and I" because if Troy had not been in the picture then I would say, "Kristi Moore to me" not "Kristi Moore to I." Is that wrong? It makes sense to me...and I swear I learned it in school...but, I've gotten into debates before about it. What do you think?***

It's nice to get things done

::mood:: happy/ready to accomplish things
::iTunes:: Runaway by Cartel

This really isn't for you all to read (not that anybody really reads my posts anyway) but I need to make a list of things I need to get done:

1. Turn in applications to: Kellogg Center, Yankee Candle, Stillwater Grill, Starbucks (am I forgetting anything?)
2. Take clothes to 2nd Time Around to try and get some extra cash.
3. Clean up my room just a little/vacuum.
4. Clean/Vacuum my car out
*5. Finish English paper
6. Start Art History Paper
7. Pay credit card and dell bills
8. Take grape juice to Epic
9. Take Sydney on a run with me
10. Take a shower (ugh my least favorite thing on my to-do list)
11. Get my phone to work again...hopefully
12. Pray for the family's financial situation.

Sad...this list makes me want to take a nap. DON'T DO IT!

If there's going to be 5 guys it should be 5gether

::mood:: nostalgic/laughing
::iTunes:: Boston by Augustana

This past weekend my brother and I were talking about the "boy band" 2gether. Do you remember them? The were the fake boy band that MTV made up probably back in like 1999/2000. It's hilarious to think about how stupid that was.

Some of my favorite 2gether lyrics:

"Say it, don't spray it. I want the news, not the weather (ooo ooo)."

"I know my calculus. It's says U + Me = US"

"Girl I can't understand you; you're like reading a big fat book in Hebrew."

"The hardest part of breaking up is getting back your stuff."

Sam is cool

::mood:: content
::iTunes:: This is the Countdown by Mae

The more I read old stuff from high school the more I realize that Sam is cool and she made me cooler than I was. I think that she definitely made me become more spontaneous and crazy...

This is a good thing...

Thank you, Sam!

LiveJournal and Xanga

::mood:: very grateful
::iTunes:: Africa by Toto

It's only 1 PM and today is already such a good day. Here's why!

So, I found Annie's livejournal through Sam's blog and was really excited because I think it's sweet that she still uses livejournal. I thought it would be really good to check out my livejournal. The majority of my posts are from 2005. It was SO weird to read my old posts. I have changed SO much. Seriously, I'm a different person.

Some things I realized about myself:
1. I have gained so much wisdom in the past 2 years.
2. My taste in music used to really suck. I said that 2 of my favorite artists were Usher and Trickdaddy!! What was I thinking!!! The only 2 artists that I still like are Madonna (80's) and Oasis.
3. I am way more sensitive to the movies/tv shows I watch now. I used to not care about nudity in movies.
4. Apparently I've been passionate about Africa for a few years...but, now I care way more about spreading the gospel, before I cared only about meeting physical needs. I still do care about meeting physical needs but now I care more about meeting spiritual needs.
5. I swear a lot less now
6. I had a big heart for people then and now (that's not supposed to sound conceited).
7. My relationships with people were so unhealthy
8. I didn't care about dressing modestly back then.
9. I had 2 Christian friends out of a lot
10. This was about the time that I started hating school. I even said in one of my posts, "School has been depressing to me a lot this year...and it never has before." I still feel this way!!!

Altogether, reading the old posts just made me feel so good about how much my life has changed. It made me really grateful for the life I have now. My friends are really good and I always feel really blessed because of them. God has grown me so much in the past 2 years and it's exciting to keep on growing.

I have had a hard semester and that's ok. For some reason I think it makes me "unspiritual" because I'm not content with things in my life. I shouldn't feel bad about doing what I want to do...and that's to not go to school. I need stop being so hard on myself. God isn't disappointed in me.

That's all! I feel good.

Krispy Kreme doughnuts are fantastic

::mood:: really good
::book:: UnChristian

It feels really good to be able to say that my mood is "really good." I suppose I had a really good day.

I'm so excited for classes to be done. I still don't know exactly what I'm doing next semester, and that's ok. I'm either going to work a lot and become filthy rich or I'm going to go the Great Lakes Christian College. I would like to be filthy rich. Not really.

Speaking of filthy rich...Troy and I played the game of life today. Until tonight, I had never realized just how unrealistic that game is. We played twice. The second game, we were supposed to make decisions that were more similar to the decisions we would make in real life. So, I decided not to go to college and just begin my career. Oddly enough, I felt some of the same anxiety in the game. I got stuck with a $40,000 salary (which really isn't that bad) and ended up coming out with a lot less money than Troy (who went to college).

Ya know what makers of the game of life, money isn't everything! People decide not to get married, not to have kids and not to buy a house in real life...and not everyone wins a freakin Nobel Piece Prize!!! Plus, your stupid game doesn't make its players pay taxes enough! It just is so unrealistic. That's okay though, because it's a game...a fun game.

PostSecret

So, Riverview just got done with a series that was inspired by www.postsecret.blogspot.com.

I decided to send a secret to PostSecret...I hope it makes it onto the site.

Troy and I watched Ratatouille last night. It was a fun movie. The rat was so freakin cute...I couldn't get over his cuteness.

You might want to check it out. That's all.

I love to "google" myself!

Just now, I decided that I wanted to Google myself to see how many of the results actually are me. When I typed in "Megan Van Every" there were 11 results, and every single one was actually me! I don't know why that's so exciting for me! But, it is!

So, I've been having some really crazy dreams lately. Last night, I had a dream that I was at Jeremy and Kathy Borsos' wedding and at the beginning the whole wedding party (including Jeremy and Kathy) were on roller skates doing this choreographed dance. I just remember that Kathy's skates were high heals. It was so bizarre. The person that was sitting next to me kept changing back and forth from Troy to Sam and then my friend Aubree was supposed to be coming as Laura Lund's date (they don't even know each other). Oh, and I forgot to mention that Jeremy and Kathy totally didn't look like themselves at the beginning of the dream...but, i recognized them as themselves. SO WEIRD!!!

Last night, I also had a dream that it was the Saturday before LT 2008 was going to start down in Virginia Beach and I hadn't turned in my application for being an intern yet, nor had I started support raising...but, for some reason I had gone down with the staff and interns and was determined to make it work. I just remember feeling this overwhelming sense of urgency and anxiety and thinking, "why don't I just work at the Wyndham as a housekeeper like Faren did last summer, or I could go back to work at the deli." OH MY GOSH!!! It was so crazy.

My face was drenched with tears

I'll be honest, I was really looking forward to Thanksgiving, until yesterday. Some of my family members arrived yesterday and I shared with them a little bit of how much I really hate school right now. Basically, I ended up being called a "quitter" which probably is the very worst thing they could have said to me right then and then I told them that I might go back to school and they said, "yeah, right!" Wow! Seriously, this happened!

In a way I'm kind of glad it did happen because it got me thinking about why it was SO hard for me to hear that. First, it made me realize that there are certain people who I automatically put my fists up when I'm around them. What I mean is that I'm always ready to defend myself because I just assume that they are going to say something extremely hurtful. This leads to me thinking that they are giving off a particular vibe that they probably aren't. It's just a vicious cycle.

Then, I was able to realize that I'm so scared because I have this idea in my head that I'm going to be an awful staffer because I don't like school. I think to myself, "if you can't handle your own problems then how are you going to handle other people's problems?"

I went to LifeGroup last night and was able to share with them all these lies I'm believing and how bad I'm hurting. It was just Susan, Steph, Michelle and myself and it was so amazing to have them there. The LG that we had last night was the type of LG that I've been craving all semester. They had awesome input and had incredibly encouraging things to say.

Toward the end of LG, Troy came to Bailey and we saw him...he waved. So, after LG ended...and my face was drenched with tears I wanted to find him. I ended up talking to him a lot about what I was going through, too. He was also very encouraging. He asked me why I wanted to go on staff and I told him it was because of how passionate I am about the mission and how excited I am always to build into other women. Also, I feel like I could use my gifts in such an effective way and that is awesome. He told me that he thought I would be a really good staffer. It meant a lot because I could tell he wasn't just saying it to make me feel better, but he was saying it because he meant it.

I'm so thankful to have people in my life that I can cry to and share my struggles with. I have this insecurity that I'm a burden to everyone...including God. It's very deep seeded and it's been an ongoing battle for me. Last night, I didn't feel like a burden to these four people. They made me feel wanted and loved and just fed truth to me. It was so good!

I don't have a picture with Michelle in it...sadness!

Sex God

I just read Sex God by Rob Bell this past weekend. It started off with Faren and I reading one chapter together, sitting in her bed and then we ended up reading the whole second half of the book together. First, I just want to say that it was so good to get that time with Faren. I love her...it's as simple as that! Second, oh my gosh was this a great book. I took the book home with me and read the first half and finished it in like a day.

The way it is written is really interesting, I just felt like he was talking to me throughout the whole thing. It's really easy to read and it's amazing. I don't think I've ever recommended a book this much to anyone. I love it! He discusses how beautiful we are and how we need to act like humans, not animals or angels. He makes this comparison because he talks about the fact that so many people treat sex like animals treat it. Animals have sex as part of their life...there is no significance to them, it's just to reproduce. We are made differently. Animals are bodies without a soul. Also, people tend to go to opposite end and pretend that they aren't sexual at all. People choose not to talk to their kids about sex because they think that if they ignore it then it won't be a problem. They pretend that they don't struggle with lust or anything like that...just like Angels. Well, we were made differently. Angels are souls without a body. We, as humans have both a soul and a body and our sexuality is central to our being. Rob Bell explains sexuality in a different way then we've always been taught. Sexuality is our wanting to connect to the people around us.

He also talks about how some couples just make the world a better place. They are so great to be around and you can just tell that they love being around each other. That's what I desire in my marriage. Someone who is my friend and who I can share my problems with. Someone listens to me and is fighting right along side of me. Also, I desire to listen to them and be what they are to me, to them.

Everyone should go read Sex God! It's fantastic!

Curling!

Haha! I already have done a crappy job of keeping this updated. Here I go!

So, on Saturday I went to Canada to go curling. I mentioned that we were going to do that in my previous post. It was the best time ever! I seriously would go all the time if it were free and around here. I didn't fall at all...well, at least while I was standing up. I did fall over a few times when I was shooting but that's ok. Despite the fact that I was 19 and in Canada, I didn't get wasted. Are you surprised? I don't know, I may have had one beer if I was presented with the opportunity, but I wasn't. I recommend curling to ANYONE! It is so much fun. You should all go!

The white stone in the center is Dan's and the other white stone is mine...BOOYAKASHA!

Troy just shot and Colleen is getting ready to scrub! I'm probably not doing my job and taking this picture.

Action shot...it's a little blurry...oh well!

Apparently in Canada you put your cigarette butts in the Butt Stop!

Oh yea! I quit my job at the American Cancer Society. I know, I'd only been working there for 2 weeks...but, it was the right thing for me to do. Please pray that I find another job and quick! I had an interview at PetsMart the other day...or is it PetSmart? I'm not sure.

Tonight, Troy and I are having a double date with Dan and Colleen. I'm excited about it because I really like the Davenports and I obviously like Troy. It should be a good time.

I'll come back soon!

Starting over...

Hi! So, I decided that I'd like to get back into blogging. It's something that I have always tried to do but, I suck at doing it on a regular basis. That's okay, I'll give it another shot! Anyway... I want to make my blog more aesthetically pleasing...so, bare with me while I try to figure out the best way to do that! Sweet, thanks!

LifeGroup is tonight! We're doing Operation Christmas Child. So, we're going shopping for a girl in another country who won't be getting Christmas gifts and we're sending her a shoebox full of fun stuff! I can't wait...it'll be a lot of fun.

Meanwhile, I'm battling some sort of throat, coldish, crappiness going on with my body right now. If you read this, will you pray that I get better? I hope that I'm better by this weekend because I'm heading to Canada! Yea, the Januzzi Watchmen (the band that Troy is in with Dan Davenport and a few other guys) is going to Canada with their significant others to go curling. Sounds like a sweet experience! I've never been curling but, I heard it was a lot of fun and I can't wait to check it out. Plus, I get to hang out with some good people!

What else is new in my life? Well, I want to drop out of college. Yea, it sounds so negative when I type it out...but, I just realized how depressed going to school actually makes me. So, there are some options. I was going to possibly talk to Free about maybe going on staff sooner rather than later. We'll see! Or, maybe I'll just stop going to LCC. So, today, I applied to Great Lakes Christian College and I can get a degree in Bible/Theology or Cross Cultural Ministry there...among other degrees, but those are the two that I'm most interested in!

So, about a week ago, we had to put my dog to sleep. Her name is Dixie and we'd had her since I was 3 years old. It was a really sad time and I'm still really sad about it. It's okay though, she was really old...it was bound to happen.

Also, my sister was in town last weekend for her baby shower. I didn't get to go because I was going through training at the American Cancer Society. I don't even know if I like my new job. It's either really good or really horrible. There are no in between days. It was good to have Tonia here though...I really miss her a lot! I can't wait until she has her baby! It'll be fun to be an aunt. Troy says it's not fair that I get to be an aunt before he's an uncle...Oh well!

I'll try to keep posting regularly...we'll see how long this lasts!