Hey everyone!! Spring training!

Hey guys! Sorry I've been slacking on the blog! It's been hard to keep up out here in AZ during spring training but I will do the best I can. It has been a great first week, I have even gone to a great church service out here at a church called CCV- Christ Church of the Valley, and went to an awesome bible study in Goodyear, AZ on Monday alongside some major and minor leaguers! It was awesome! Really missing my family and awesome fiancé, but I will be seeing them soon!!

Here is a psalm for the day! I was reading this today!

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance. From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all humankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth— he who forms the hearts of all,who considers everything they do.No king is saved by the size of his army;no warrior escapes by his great strength.A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;despite all its great strength it cannot save.But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine.We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice,for we trust in his holy name.May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you. (Psalm 33:12-22 TNIV)

Feeling thankful

I'm feeling so thankful today. Here are some things I'm thankful for:

1. Alex
2. The opportunity he has to chase his dreams.
3. My job
4. Wonderful friends
5. An awesome family
6. The Beth Moore devotional CD that I listen to in the morning.
7. And of course a precious puppy to cuddle me and always love me

Heaven is for Real

Heaven is for Real is such an awesome book! and a great read!! I highly recommend it! Alex and I have both read it! I'm typically not a big 700 club fan BUT this video is pretty awesome! You should watch it!

5k #165

There was a great turnout at the operation Haitian 5k this morning!! What a cool event and I'm glad I got to do it before heading off to spring training! I think I can go ahead and say that counts as my conditioning for today! And for the people who run those things on the reg.. All I can say is (STUDS)!! Anyways it was fun and I finished in 25 min so I thought I did pretty well for my first ever outside running event in which I have only done sprint work to prepare for it..

Have a great weekend! I'm spending mine with my family and Kelley and of course college baseball!

God's a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. The moment you arrive, you relax; you're never sorry you knocked. (Psalm 9:9, 10 MSG)

Keep praying!

--Alex

Valentines Day Date

On valentines day, Alex and I planned to go to see The Vow. We both had been wanting to see it (especially me). So, what better day then the big day of love. :) I really liked the movie despite all the bad reviews it has been getting. Alex told me to come home quickly after work. I was assuming he had something planned, but I wasn't for sure what. When I got home, he had a nice little surprise for me. He had borrowed a fondue kit and bought ingredients to make fondue. We made dinner together! :) It was so much fun!! We made a cheese dip, a sauce to dip and cook the raw meat in, and a chocolate dip. It was so so so good! Plus, I felt really special that he went to all the work of getting the food and having it prepared to make. He also made me a cute little poster, bought me some candy, and got me three cards. It's kind of become our "little thing" to buy more than one cards on special occasions. All in all, this was the best valentines day I have ever had. :) Who knew a little fondue would make a girl feels so special!? :) 

Running my first 5k

Decided to run my first 5k just out of no where the other day at church.. The run is called Operation Haitian! I can say I'm in pretty good shape right now with spring training approaching so I'm challenging myself. Hope it goes great!

O and by the way, I LOVE KELLEY WHITAKER!! Hah :)

--Alex

Groundhog Day Luncheon

On Feb. 2nd I went down to Murfreesboro to the MTSU baseball groundhog day luncheon. This is a big thing with the baseball program and it is kind of a kick start to the season. Although I never got to actually play there because of transfer rules and then being drafted after my year there the coaches, players,  and the whole MTSU baseball family still includes me in everything. This is the second year I have gotten to go because they always invite the pro players back each year. It is a great event highlighted by coach Steve Peterson's dream about a groundhog telling him a story about the upcoming season and the year in review. And I got to see all my good buddies from MTSU! Two of which will be in the wedding in September (Justin and Ken). I am so thankful for the opportunity that MTSU baseball gave me and I'm really glad I get to experience cool things like this luncheon. Here is a pic of some of us at the luncheon.

(Far left, Coty Woods- Colorado Rockies, Will Skinner- Atlanta Braves, Tyler Burnett- Houston Astros, Myself, Justin Miller- Washington Nationals, Justin Guidry- Senior for MTSU, and Ken Roberts- Colorado Rockies)

--Alex

Valentines Day!!!!

Kelley and I read a devotional together every night from the book "Experiencing God" by Henry T. Blackaby and Richard Blackaby and the devotional from last night was one that after reading we both immediately said I'm posting to our blog tmrw for Valentines Day! So here it is:

Love Assumes the Best

Love... bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 

1 Corinthians 13:7

Love has no limits. Love never says, "You've gone too far. I can't love you now." "All things" means everything is included. Christlike love leaves no doubt in the mind of another that you will continue to love steadfastly. Do those close to you know that they can fail and do foolish things, yet you will not falter in your love for them? Are others assured that, even when they hurt you, you still love them, holding nothing against them?

Love assumes the best about others. If someone inadvertently offends you, you choose to believe the offense was unintentional. If someone seeks to harm you, you "bear all things," forgiving unconditionally. If a positive light can be shed on a difficult encounter, you grasp it. If someone continually provokes you, you "endure all things." You never lose hope in the ones you love. You practice the same unconditional love toward others that CHRIST gives to you.

Paul said that he was nothing if he had faith to move mountains, the tongue of an angel, and the gift of prophecy to understand all mysteries, yet did not have God's love. It is unacceptable to say, "Well, I just can;t love people that way!" When God loves people through you, this is the only kind of love He has! Read 1 Corinthians 13 with gratitude that God has already expressed this complete and selfless love to you. Pray and ask Him to express it through you now, to others.

Hope you enjoyed that as much as we did! Thats true love!

Happy V-day!!!

--Alex

It's a NEEDTOBREATHE kinda day!

Just Listen and Enjoy!!! O and by the way I'm trying to learn these on guitar.

Hope you enjoy!!! We went to their concert this offseason and it was legit! They are coming to Nashville on the 23rd and 24th of february! Go check em out!

Keep Praying!!

--Alex