Blast from the Past!!

Nina said tonight that everyone overreacts about something. She said that my something is Wesley. This made me laugh. But it's true. I spent an hour between classes watching all the old videos of him as a little toddler. I sure love that kid!

I just wanted to share the joy with you.

c

Possibly more to come... :-) (Back by popular demand!)

I Am Thankful

Okay, so I've had tons of things on my mind to write about lately. Not deep, oppressive stuff, just the everyday stuff of the life that I appreciate so much!
And since I don't have time to sit and cover one of the topics, (let alone all of the things that I have been gleaning from the Word, and learning from life experience, and mulling over from good classes!!) I will instead just share with you something that I wrote side by side with a couple of other friends last week.
* I know, I know, it's another LIST.... ;-)

I Am Thankful:

- The gift of health and that I am the way God made me specifically
- The gift of weakness that grows my trust in the Almighty One
- Olive Garden :-)
- Being able to work with the kids at my job (they are so precious, and they keep me entertained!)
- Mom and Dad. I love them. Enough said.
- My amazing brothers
- Hope in every situation, no matter how dark it looks
- Warm sunshine, even this far into September
- Not having to earn God's love

Are there things you're thankful for that you didn't even know you HAD?? Jot it down. You'll be surprised how much you find in life that is an "I love you" directly from God's heart to yours.
Have you thanked Him yet today for dying on the cross and taking your sins? Hmm, how many days do I go without doing that? And boy, how worthy He is of all the thanks and the praise that we can possibly lavish upon Him!

Meet some old friends of mine!

"You may have tangible wealth untold,

Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold;

Richer than I you can never be,

I had parents who read to me."

- S. Gilliland

I just finished reading an assigned book for Teaching Language Arts, "Honey for a Child's Heart." This book reminded me how truly thankful I am for all those little silly stories that both mom and dad read to me as a kid! They didn't take Jeremy and me on far away vacations, but they definitely took us to far away worlds through the amazing avenue of books. I didn't realize at the time how blessed I am to have parents that were willing to make reading a priority in our lives. Here are some of the best books we read in those days....

I can't wait to share them with a class of my own!

An Invitation

I have to admit, when I got to school and found out I was going to have a dorm room to myself, I was a little bit bummed about it.

I was hoping to help welcome a freshman roommate to Faith, or to get to know someone better whom I had just vaguely known beforehand. But alas, no roomie at all. Just me, myself, and I, and who knows what insanity could break out when THOSE 3 get together! haha (my lame attempt at some midnight humor).

Anyway, tonight after supper, I came back to the room to add some decorations to the walls so the room would feel a little more "lived in." For at least a whole 10 minutes I didn't know what to do with myself. It was just too quiet and just not much happening.

And then suddenly, a knock on the door.... And another one.... A group of friends - some I knew well, and others I'm still getting to know - decided to knock on the door for one reason or another, and then just ended up staying.

I enjoyed every minute of it.

This evening, just hanging around, chatting with my girls while I slowly but surely got some pictures arranged and posters hung, was total contentment. Who knew that having a room by myself would be such a blast!? It turns out it's all the more of an invitation for people to stop by :-)

And my door's always open to them. I may be hard at work in the middle of a paper ;-) but still, they are welcome company anytime!

Just a thought...

Some people have been regarded as awkward for talking about their faith.

Some people have been mocked and avoided for talking about about their faith.

Some people have died for their faith.

What will it take to silence ME?

I'm amazed sometimes at how easily I give up for fear of a little discomfort.

Inspired by: Sunday School class

(It's good to be back :-)

The Eve of Change

There's a hope in my soul,

Health in my bones,

There's a light in my eyes,

And love in my home....

I have been blessed.

Far beyond words.

The farther I go, the more I appreciate home.

The more independent I become, the more I appreciate talking to mom and dad.

I love my life!

Right here, right now.

I even love that I'm not perfect - that I have room to grow, things to improve, something to anticipate.

It's hot in my room. I loaded up my stuff into my car tonight, and I am astounded at how little stuff I packed for college this time around! In fact, I keep racking my brain for something big that I MUST be forgetting! Is this seriously all I need for a full semester? Maybe I just need to accept the fact that I'm finally growing good at this whole packing thing....

There are many things about going to college that I don't know what to expect this year. I don't know how hard the workload will be in my classes (I'm expecting the hardest yet!), and I don't know who my roommate will be (or even what dorm I'll be living in!), and I don't know what the kids will be like at the new after-school program placement I have. It's crazy! I'm a senior in college, but in some ways I feel like this year is starting off fresh and full of potential :-)

And me? I am full of hope. Full of joy at the prospect of old much-loved experiences, and brand new opportunities and open doors. I say that with specific things in my mind, but not enough stamina to type them all out for you tonight. So sorry.

The thunder is rumbling outside, and the lightning is a spectacular reoccurring display. I don't feel super articulate right now (obviously by the fact I used nondescriptive, old-fashioned word like "super")

But I feel blessed.

Grateful to be emerging from a summer drenched in answered prayer and renewed awe.

This summer I truly got to know God better (a God who eagerly awaits to give good gifts to His children!).

But I can't just love God for what He can give me. That would be ever so shallow. I love Him for

Who He Is.

I'm so grateful for God's reassuring touch. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, tonight it was His Spirit speaking to me, as a Comforter and Friend (as I've been memorizing in John 14-15). God has granted me His peace.

"Not as the world gives...." But a peace that comes with knowing that I am HIS. He has plans for me. I will find out the next step of those plans in just a few short hours.

Up to this point I was trying to talk myself into being excited for school. I felt like I should be excited, but I just wasn't. There was too much to fear and not enough to look forward to.

But I am loved by the Prince of Peace. The everlasting God.

That alone is enough to give me hope.

For the future.

Forever.

*Remade*

This is such a beautiful picture of what God does with my sin! I've often had the chalkboard image in my mind for many years now, but I've never seen it done before my eyes. I just love it. God forgives, restores, transforms, and most of all, brings

HOPE.

"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions." Psalm 51:1

"For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." Jeremiah 31:34b

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17

Sometimes I just want to shout it from the mountaintops to a world lost in hopelessness and despair, "Look at what my God can do!" Forgiveness is possible. If you'll only ask.