I forgot to mention in my last blog that on Thursday, April 7th, my car broke down. My choir trip also started on Thursday, April 7th. So I had to get my car towed, then ride with the scary tow truck driver back to my school. It was such a crazy day. I was on my way back from the bank when it happened, and as I was broke down on the side of the road, I looked into my passenger seat to see the container from the drive-through at the bank. You know, those tube things that banks use to transport things through those long mysterious tubes? Yup. Unfortunately, I had accidentally stolen it, but I couldn't do anything about it because I was stuck on the side of the road! It was quite the ordeal, but luckily for me I made it back to the school on time to grab my bags and jump on the bus. So now I am car-less for the next 3 1/2 weeks, and will be depending on other people to get to work.
It has also been amazing to see how God has been providing for me. I will be working this summer for the same people I worked for last summer. First, for the Gibbs family, and then cleaning in Glacier Park at a cabin. Also I will be doing other occassional cleaning jobs and babysitting jobs. I'm really excited! I was also offered a full-time job at a Christian preschool/daycare in Whitefish that I could start anytime between June and August. I haven't decided on this one yet because it will probably be a more long term job, and if I continue with my plan to go to Missoula, might not work out. Its very hard for me to be 100% happy with my job situation because Jeremy is struggling so much with finding a job in Kalispell for the summer, let alone in Missoula. Prayers for that would be much appreciated, as well as prayers for following God's will in both of our lives, as well as our future together. :)
Well, this is the final stretch of school. Here's to attempting to find a lost motivation, handing in last minute assignments, excessive amounts of coffee, and odd sleeping hours!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Day Sixteen: Living, Learning, and Moving On
As I'm working my way back into the routine here in rainy Minneapolis, I'm realizing how valuable time is. Time can be short or can seem like an eternity. My trip to the southwest and back seemed so quick, like it barely even happened, but at the same time it seems like Nebraska, Oklahoma, Arizona, California, and Colorado (and everywhere in between) seems like it was an eternity ago. Many of the places we had concerts were followed by home stays for 2-10 members of the choir at each house. I ended up staying with several elderly ladies who had either been divorced or widowed. It was amazing to hear their stories and realize the fragility of life and the importance of the decisions you make. Not necessarily where you go to college or where you live or even your friends. But the big decisions. Who you marry, what you choose to do with where you went to school, where you live, and how you serve the Lord where He has placed you. With God, you can do great things. You can live an amazing life. Without Him, you easily get lost, confused, weak, and lose all the truly wonderful things in life.
So many of the testimonies of my peers were so amazing. It was unreal to hear some of these young adults' stories and realize how their life could have been unbelievably different if the Lord hadn't saved them. It also made me appreciate and realize what a blessing it has been for me to be raised by the parents God gave me. I was never abused in any way, put into foster care, put up for adoption, or told I wasn't good enough. I was given everything I needed and pretty much everything I ever wanted. I was encouraged, loved, cared for, and strengthened by my parents. I have taken this blessing for granted.
It was so amazing to see so many works of God's Hand. The Grand Canyon, the California coast, mountains in Utah, cactuses (cacti?), palm trees... just to name a few! Touring was fun, but it was a lot of long hours in the bus and in the choir robes. But after lots of fast food, countless pot lucks, not enough coffee, never enough sleep, lots of sore muscles, and being taught by so many people in so many ways, all I can really do is cherish those moments, don't give up, trust in God, and just keep Simply Living.
So many of the testimonies of my peers were so amazing. It was unreal to hear some of these young adults' stories and realize how their life could have been unbelievably different if the Lord hadn't saved them. It also made me appreciate and realize what a blessing it has been for me to be raised by the parents God gave me. I was never abused in any way, put into foster care, put up for adoption, or told I wasn't good enough. I was given everything I needed and pretty much everything I ever wanted. I was encouraged, loved, cared for, and strengthened by my parents. I have taken this blessing for granted.
It was so amazing to see so many works of God's Hand. The Grand Canyon, the California coast, mountains in Utah, cactuses (cacti?), palm trees... just to name a few! Touring was fun, but it was a lot of long hours in the bus and in the choir robes. But after lots of fast food, countless pot lucks, not enough coffee, never enough sleep, lots of sore muscles, and being taught by so many people in so many ways, all I can really do is cherish those moments, don't give up, trust in God, and just keep Simply Living.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Day Fifteen
Well, it's Wednesday! Tomorrow I'm leaving Minneapolis for 18 days for choir tour. We're going to be all over the United States, including South Dakota, North Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska,Arizona, California, and Colorado. It's going to be a blast! I'm excited to see what the Lord is going to do in the lives of those our choir reaches out to as well as the members of the choir.
Our new phones just got activated today, and it's been fun getting used to my new touch screen.
I'm excited for this summer and next year, but I'm really enjoying where I am now, also. It will be fun to go the the UM Griz football/basketball games next year too. :)
I'll try to keep everyone posted while on choir tour, but the chances of seeing a blog post during that time are pretty slim. :)
"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
Ephesians 4:29-32
Our new phones just got activated today, and it's been fun getting used to my new touch screen.
I'm excited for this summer and next year, but I'm really enjoying where I am now, also. It will be fun to go the the UM Griz football/basketball games next year too. :)
I'll try to keep everyone posted while on choir tour, but the chances of seeing a blog post during that time are pretty slim. :)
"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
Ephesians 4:29-32
Inadequate
Who are we to expect someone to die for us to pay the ransom for our souls? On this earth, someone would probably not die for someone who is "righteous." Someone may lay their life down for someone else if they were a good person tho. Our Lord and Savior died for us, unholy, wretched, sinners. He laid his life down for ours, and we are bad people! We are inadequate candidates of his love and affection. We are undeserving! We do nothing, and He loves us. He picks us up, carries us, comforts us, and always allows us to come back to Him. I remember my parents telling me when I was younger that there was nothing I could do that would make them love me less, and that was true. The same goes for our heavenly Father. He loves us, and there's nothing we can do to make Him love us less. Isn't that amazing?
Romans 5:6-8
"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 5:6-8
"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Monday, March 28, 2011
Day Fourteen
The snow is melting, and its nice enough outside to play with my nanny boys! Here at work, we have exchanged the snowpants, boots, and gloves for helmets, scooters, and bikes!
I am delighted to share that I(/We) have made the decision to go home this summer and attend the University of Montana in the fall. I am really excited about this decision. Jeremy is planning on doing the same. It will be SO great to be closer to my parents and brothers! I absolutely love Minnesota (mostly the shopping and the people), but home is where the heart is... ;)
My mom is going to be here the day after tomorrow, which will be a blast. I am excited to show her my life here in Minnesota and to introduce her to all my friends here. Then in about 10 days I'm going on choir tour! We're going all the way to California. Long bus rides, reading books, card games, beach, ocean, sun, sand, sandals, shorts, singing beautiful songs to the Lord (14 days in a row....), sharing amazing fellowship with the people in my choir, and so much more. It's going to be awesome!
I have been comforted this week by how unfailing God's love, forgiveness, and faithfulness is to us. It amazes me how we can be so sinful and overtaken by this world but God still loves us, forgives us, and is right there for us to come back to- No matter what we do or do not do. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God (love, forgiveness, faithfulness: Grace) is eternal life. What an amazing God we serve.
My gluten-free diet is... dwindling? diminishing? not really happening anymore? I have been slowly reintroducing gluten-containing foods and seeing how I react, and so far, only the Chewy brand granola bars have made me sick. The breadstick at Olive Garden, the bites of apple fritter at Sbux and Caribou, organic granola bars, and other bites of foods, have not made me sick. Praise the Lord! Maybe I can begin eating gluten again! (within reason...) I am going to keep taking one small step at a time, and continue being extra cautious and aware of what my body is doing.
Every day I continue loving Jeremy more and more. He encourages me in ways I struggle, understands me better than even I do sometimes, and never fails to love me unconditionally. I love that we can hang out when I haven't taken a shower, he lets me take naps while he watches basketball on Sunday afternoons, and he tells me I'm beautiful everyday (usually more than once a day). (Sorry, again, for ranting about him so much!)
I am delighted to share that I(/We) have made the decision to go home this summer and attend the University of Montana in the fall. I am really excited about this decision. Jeremy is planning on doing the same. It will be SO great to be closer to my parents and brothers! I absolutely love Minnesota (mostly the shopping and the people), but home is where the heart is... ;)
My mom is going to be here the day after tomorrow, which will be a blast. I am excited to show her my life here in Minnesota and to introduce her to all my friends here. Then in about 10 days I'm going on choir tour! We're going all the way to California. Long bus rides, reading books, card games, beach, ocean, sun, sand, sandals, shorts, singing beautiful songs to the Lord (14 days in a row....), sharing amazing fellowship with the people in my choir, and so much more. It's going to be awesome!
I have been comforted this week by how unfailing God's love, forgiveness, and faithfulness is to us. It amazes me how we can be so sinful and overtaken by this world but God still loves us, forgives us, and is right there for us to come back to- No matter what we do or do not do. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God (love, forgiveness, faithfulness: Grace) is eternal life. What an amazing God we serve.
My gluten-free diet is... dwindling? diminishing? not really happening anymore? I have been slowly reintroducing gluten-containing foods and seeing how I react, and so far, only the Chewy brand granola bars have made me sick. The breadstick at Olive Garden, the bites of apple fritter at Sbux and Caribou, organic granola bars, and other bites of foods, have not made me sick. Praise the Lord! Maybe I can begin eating gluten again! (within reason...) I am going to keep taking one small step at a time, and continue being extra cautious and aware of what my body is doing.
Every day I continue loving Jeremy more and more. He encourages me in ways I struggle, understands me better than even I do sometimes, and never fails to love me unconditionally. I love that we can hang out when I haven't taken a shower, he lets me take naps while he watches basketball on Sunday afternoons, and he tells me I'm beautiful everyday (usually more than once a day). (Sorry, again, for ranting about him so much!)
Romans 8:31-39 (MSG)
"So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:
They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.
We're sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.
None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us."
Sunday, March 20, 2011
A Few of My Favorite Things
Listening to Jeremy play guitar on a rainy Sunday afternoon...
Eating soup on a rainy Sunday afternoon...
Going to church on a rainy Sunday morning...
Starbucks Soy Peppermint White Mocha (no whip)...
Taking naps...
Talking to people I love...
Dairy Queen french fries and snickers blizzard
Watching the snow melt outside...
People watching...
Road trips...
Getting packages in the mail...
Watching young Christians mature in their faith...
Holding newborn babies...
Cooking for my friends and family...
Learning new recipes and succeeding...
Matthew 6...
Going to the library...
Having great friends to share memories with...
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Day Thirteen
They say thirteen is an unlucky number... Well. I don't agree. But today was kind of a blah day. You know those days when you just feel off, you are tired, not hungry, and just plain blah? That was today. I just felt like everything was wrong. Even my center of gravity seemed to be off. I was running into walls and tripping over things. As a true Minnesotan would say, "Uff Da." As my roommate, ReAnne, would say, "What a day!" Nothing of significance happened. I don't have to work tomorrow, which is nice.. I'm going to try to get a lot of homework done so I don't have to worry about it any more! Who knows, maybe the rest of this semester will be filled with other stuff soon...
I went tanning yesterday b/c I have 3 free tans at a local tanning salon. It was really nice! It was like a 15 minute vacation. It's so relaxing just to lay there and not think about anything. I got a little pink, but I think with lots of lotion it'll be tan by tomorrow. I have to use the 3 free tans within one week, so I might go again tomorrow or Thursday, then again on Saturday or Sunday. It's kind of fun!
My little brother e-mailed me last night, too! I was so happy. I miss that kid so much. He is such an amazing guy and I'm so excited to see where God leads him in his life. It'll be nice when I'm closer to my family (hopefully next year) so I can see the occasional soccer/basketball game or band concert, as well as to see this little boy, that I used to tromp around the house with when He was trying to learn how to walk, grow up and mature into his own person.
I'm starting to wonder if it actually is gluten that I'm allergic to, or if it's something else. I still get sick sometimes, and I have not had an (intentional) bite of wheat-infested foods since January 5th. I do feel better, but not completely. It's very confusing...
As of now, I'm just going to keep living every day simply. Because that's all I can do in my own power and strength. :)
I went tanning yesterday b/c I have 3 free tans at a local tanning salon. It was really nice! It was like a 15 minute vacation. It's so relaxing just to lay there and not think about anything. I got a little pink, but I think with lots of lotion it'll be tan by tomorrow. I have to use the 3 free tans within one week, so I might go again tomorrow or Thursday, then again on Saturday or Sunday. It's kind of fun!
My little brother e-mailed me last night, too! I was so happy. I miss that kid so much. He is such an amazing guy and I'm so excited to see where God leads him in his life. It'll be nice when I'm closer to my family (hopefully next year) so I can see the occasional soccer/basketball game or band concert, as well as to see this little boy, that I used to tromp around the house with when He was trying to learn how to walk, grow up and mature into his own person.
I'm starting to wonder if it actually is gluten that I'm allergic to, or if it's something else. I still get sick sometimes, and I have not had an (intentional) bite of wheat-infested foods since January 5th. I do feel better, but not completely. It's very confusing...
As of now, I'm just going to keep living every day simply. Because that's all I can do in my own power and strength. :)
"In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the LORD establishes their steps. "
Proverbs 16:9
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