Summer at the Ark Encounter

 This summer I had the awesome opportunity to work in the culinary department at Answers in Genesis's Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky. My mom, sister, and I left home on May 22nd, arrived on May 24th, and I started work the following Monday. 

The sunrise the day we left Florida.

Here's a panoramic of the inside of the house I stayed in. Answers in Genesis provides seasonal/ temporary housing for people who live far away and come to work for the ministry. It was a blessing and so much fun to share this space with 45 other ladies. Staying in the housing I met one young lady from South Africa, one from Republic of Georgia, three from Bolivia, and many from around the country. I normally worked 5 days a week with two off days. Every week my schedule varied, but many times my next-door neighbor and I had the same off days, so we explored Kentucky. You'll see pictures from our adventures a little later on. :)

There's a few bird cages stationed on the path outside leading up to the Ark. 

 Silas, a Kookaburra, lives in one.

 CooCoo, a hornbill, lives in the other. If you're interested, the picture below provides information about hornbills.

The skies in Kentucky display such beauty. 

The entrance to the Ark.

A lamb at the petting zoo.

I worked at the Olive Leaf Cafe three days a week and at Emzara's Buffet two days. Here's a panoramic view of the cafe inside the Answers Center. 

Flowers at the Ark.

In May my friend and I drove up to the Creation Museum. I hadn't visited in years, and they've added so many new exhibits. Along the way we stopped at Bigby Coffee. They have some awesome cold brew coffee that I highly recommend trying. :)  

The grounds at the Creation Musuem offer a wide variety of flowers and beautiful scenes to gaze at.

And that's it for now! I hope you are having a joyful week.  :) 

Keep looking up, He's always looking down...

~~Ashley

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

March 2023 - May 2023

Hi friend! 

 Well it's been about six months since the last update post. So much has happened since February. First, a whole semester of college has come and gone, and now I only have one more semester of college left. The summer has come and is almost gone. I enjoyed a different change of pace during these summer months and hope you did too. Here are some pictures from March to May. 

In March the college seniors enjoyed a fun time at the senior party. 

One of the best parts of the party was a food truck that gave out waffles on a stick. 

At Easter break in April, my two friends and I had a painting party while we watched the Sight and Sound production of Jesus. 

The senior supper on the roof at the end of April is a definite highlight. We got to watch the sun set, and it was just fun eating supper outside on the roof. 

The food they served...

At the end of the semester, a teacher took me and a friend to the west campus where we enjoyed several relaxing hours of paddleboarding and kayaking. 

When my mom and two sisters came to pick me up at the close of the semester, Lauren and I had a blast jet skiing and afterwards we all swam in the ocean. On the way back to our hotel, we stopped and enjoyed an awesome dinner at Butch's Bistro & BBQ. The food was the bomb - highly recommend it if you're ever in the Florida/Alabama area. 

On the way back home, we stopped at Falling Waters State Park to look at the tallest waterfall in Florida. 

Walked a few trails at the park and found this interesting bug. . . 

as well as this pretty pond.

Flowers in the park...

Flowers in a field on the side of the road.

The sky at home.

We had a fire one night.

Lake Okeechobee

On May 20th Lauren and I went skydiving. What an awesome experience! Totally recommend it! 😀

Lauren

The plane we rode in. 

That's it for now. I'll post summer adventures next time. 

Hope your August is going well and have an awesome day! 😁

Musings on a Monday Morning

 Proverbs 16:3: Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established."

The past few weeks this verse has been in my head because I now understand it more fully now that I've seen it worked out practically in a Christian's life. When you find yourself in a situation which you wish you weren't in, or if you have an unlikeable task to do, it is so easy to complain about the circumstance. But instead, focus on looking for the good, looking for the blessings God gives daily, and offering thanksgiving to the Lord. When you commit, give, your actions to the Lord, even if you don't feel good about it at the moment, God will change your heart and your thoughts will eventually be in the right place. I was just reading the other morning in Psalms and came across this verse which I think goes along with Proverbs 16:3. 

Psalm 119:133: "Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me." 

What a good prayer. Each one of us as God's child should desire to walk according to God's word and be constantly vigilant lest sin should have power over us. 

I pray you're encouraged to immerse yourself in the truth of Scripture this week, and purpose to commit your actions to the Lord so your thoughts will be correct. 

❤️Ashley

Happy 4th of July!

 Happy Independence Day!!!

America has been a country for 247 years now, and gratefulness floods my heart as I think about how good God has been to bless this country so immensely. I love these verses of "God Bless America."

O beautiful for pilgrim feet whose stern impassioned stress,

A thoroughfare for freedom beat, across the wilderness. 

America! America! God mend thine ev'ry flaw, confirm thy soul in self-control, thy liberty in law. 

O beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife,

Who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life. 

America! America! May God thy gold refine, till all success be noblenss, and ev'ry gain divine. 

O beautiful for patriot dream that sees beyond the years.

Thine alabaster cities gleam, undimmed by human tears.

America! America! God shed his grace on thee, and crown thy good with brotherhood,

from sea to shining sea. 

Ronald Reagan said, "We're blessed with the opportunity to stand for something - for liberty and freedom and fairness. And these are things worth fighting for, worth devoting our lives to." 

Liberty didn't originate from the founding fathers. It comes from God. Since every person is created in God's image, each one deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and individual freedom is worth fighting for. I like what the psalmist said in Psalm 61:5:  "...thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name." We have been indeed blessed with a strong, great heritage, and I hope you have an awesome day celebrating! 

Do you have any fun plans or traditions you like to do on the 4th?