Once again social media has become dominated with political rants, debates, hatred, judgement, and ignorance (and ignoring). I fall into the last category there-- I am first ignorant of the "current affairs" going on around me in the political realm, and secondly, I just plain ignore (getting involved) in these "discussions" of what out world, ahem, social networking world, has become infiltrated with. Certainly not to undermine that this is indeed an issue in the world, and it is not something to overlook or turn a blind eye to. The world is changing. The world has always been changing.
This post arises from the latest social media trend of the red pictures. You may have seen them. Equal signs. Plus signs. A cross. Baby feet. They have come to replace the "face" of many by becoming profile pictures. No need for words to express where one stands on this issue.. just look for the red picture that is bound to be somewhere on their profile. Then there is instant judgment. "Ooooh, they believe t h a t way?!?!? I cannot possibly be friends with h e r (or) h i m!"
Now it is no secret that our society has this unspoken rule that if two people don't agree with each other, than the friendship cannot possibly exist; there is instant hatred. Perhaps they have tried to talk it out. Perhaps they have tried to persuade each other to "see the light." All these "fruitless attempts" and then, just like that, the friendship is ended. But we are all made unique and different. If we were all the same, the world would never advance--because everyone would be thinking on the same level. There would be no diversity among professions, dreams, goals, etc. We would all walk around in a stupor repeating what has already been said and thought up. It takes different minds, and yes, even disagreements, to make the world go 'round.
So, what is this controversy? What has taken over our social media and turned our attention away from love? This is centered around legalizing gay marriages and equality for all people-- no matter the sexual orientation.
That brings me to this: Why judge because their sin is different than mine? Yes, the Bible does clearly state in Leviticus 18:22: "Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable." But it also says a multitude of other things: "You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye" (Matthew 7:5). "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself'" (Luke 10:27). "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven" (Luke 6:37). That is just to name a few.
So while we are so busy here, pointing fingers, calling other out on their sins, have we forgotten that we too are sinners?? "There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" (Romans).
This situation that has arisen, leaves us with ample opportunity to show Christ's love! To shower people with the blessings that God has given freely to US!!
What exactly does it look like to show Christ's love? That is something that I have often struggled with myself. When a situation arises that I have no idea how to deal in it, I just respectfully .. humbly.. or perhaps more like cowardly, bow out. I don't want to be uncomfortable. Almost like "I don't like the choices you are making, I won't get into an argument about it. So live your life how you want and I'll live how I want. The End. Good bye." Excuse me?!?! I don't think so! It has really been placed on my heart that this is something that I need to really rethink.
Perhaps I need a mentality more along these lines: Discussion should be had... take advantage of any opportunity to let my cup, that is filled with Christ, pour truth out into the lives of others. And
just because someone has a different world view than me, I still need to have the patience and love to listen and love. Not just that, but also take the time for them to pour out into my life as well! So we don't agree on some things, they still have wisdom to offer that I don't have. They have been though life experiences that I have not and can offer that to me. Because, again, we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. Not anyone is all bad.
Have you ever thought that maybe we judge others so harshly because we are judging ourselves? We have a subconscious (or in come cases, even conscious) moral standard, a set of values that we hold ourselves up to-- and then, not intentionally in most cases, try to push these off onto others claiming it is done in the Name of God? Let me ask this: When was the last time God got in your face and openly condemned you and called you out? He is so gentle. He stands there loving us in our sinfulness and brokenness. And we are called to bear HIS image! If He can do that for me, then by golly, I need to be able to do that for others.
So here we are with these posts going around online. People picking fights. People stating their honest to goodness opinion, beliefs, and being judged, rebuked, De-friended. Not in every situation, but there have been many sparks flying the past week. Tempers flare, emotions stir. And we forget that we are brothers and sisters in Christ. We forget that we are bearers of God's image. We forget that we are all sinners and fall short of God's glory.
Just because someone sins differently than you, does not mean that you can run at them with guns blazing. While it is easy to point the finger and call out our homosexual brothers and sisters, let's not. Leave the ultimate judgment up to God. Love on them. Show them Christ's love. Show them the love that you show to every one else. They are human just like you and me. And by being so harsh it may turn them, as well as countless others, off to the love of God. They may be physically here, but many will turn a blind eye, a deaf ear to you.
Yes, we have the freedom of speech. Yes, we can openly show our support upon the walls of our social media. But don't let worldly views cloud the lens of a view much greater then this, with rewards that last an eternity.
We call ourselves Christians, but some of our actions tell a different story. Here we are just hours away from Easter- one of the most pivotal moments in the Christian faith. Let us allow our old selves die with Christ-- our sins have already been nailed to the cross-- and let us rise anew with Christ!
"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be
acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer." -Ps. 19:14
"Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid
arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s
servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to
teach, not resentful." 2 Timothy 2:23-24
"Sometimes when we do something we are unqualified to do, it
qualifies us."
Please note, "they" does not mean homosexuals -- it refers to sinners as a whole.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
perfect love drives out fear
Oh snap! It's been way too long since I've blogged. My attempt to blog at least once a month has been so pitifully attempted the past several months.
I've always seen those people who say "I see what she [or he] has, and I want some of it!" Referring to the life of a Christian who is so connected to God, the Source. I've never really been one to think "I want people to say that about me!" But, I have been one who is like "I have it good... I don't need what other people have." That has been until now. I see people around me, knowing that God will provide, knowing that God has great plans for his/her life, believing, trusting, expecting!
That is what I want. That is where I want to be. I long to be so connected to my source that there is no question, there is no doubt.
What holds me back? I suppose a whole slew of things. Probably pride... fear... thinking that I have got this.
Oh how much I fail to "get this." Every day is a new day. Every day I learn something new. Every day is a new opportunity to surrender and submit, to pick up my cross and follow my LORD and Savior-- to rededicate my life to Him. Forever and Always.
LORD. I need You. Every.single.bit of you. Fill my heart and consume me. Send Your Spirit.
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. -1 John 4:18
I've always seen those people who say "I see what she [or he] has, and I want some of it!" Referring to the life of a Christian who is so connected to God, the Source. I've never really been one to think "I want people to say that about me!" But, I have been one who is like "I have it good... I don't need what other people have." That has been until now. I see people around me, knowing that God will provide, knowing that God has great plans for his/her life, believing, trusting, expecting!
That is what I want. That is where I want to be. I long to be so connected to my source that there is no question, there is no doubt.
What holds me back? I suppose a whole slew of things. Probably pride... fear... thinking that I have got this.
Oh how much I fail to "get this." Every day is a new day. Every day I learn something new. Every day is a new opportunity to surrender and submit, to pick up my cross and follow my LORD and Savior-- to rededicate my life to Him. Forever and Always.
LORD. I need You. Every.single.bit of you. Fill my heart and consume me. Send Your Spirit.
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. -1 John 4:18
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Be Still My Soul ...
Be Still My Soul...
How often I long for God, yet fail to seek and find Him.
How often I find myself wasting time instead of diligently finding a quiet time with My Maker...
So often I am consumed with my own wants and desires, that I fail to whole-heartedly follow His will for my life.
How much my life with God needs a transformation.
Revival Starts Today. It starts now.
How often I long for God, yet fail to seek and find Him.
How often I find myself wasting time instead of diligently finding a quiet time with My Maker...
So often I am consumed with my own wants and desires, that I fail to whole-heartedly follow His will for my life.
How much my life with God needs a transformation.
Revival Starts Today. It starts now.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Time Gone By....
It is hard to fathom that it is already January 19. I mean it is even hard to grasp that it is 2013. I think I left my mind somewhere in 2012. Here I have been thinking that I am doing so well with charting 2013 on my work things, to realize that nope, that is not what has been happening. Ooops.
Already one week into the semester. I have all my homework done for this upcoming week, except for some reading--that I am s t i l l waiting for the book to come in. I will talk with them on Monday and see what's up with that!
I have such a desire to simplify. simplify. simplify. I was doing so well on my month break from school ... then what happened? I wish I knew.
I have been so incredibly inspired by so many wondering people around me lately. I am so encouraged by the beauty and wonderfulness that surrounds me. I am just blown away in such a magnificent way to be blessed with such beautiful people. My life is full and rich.
I want to appreciated each and every individual in such a unique way. I want to take the time and spell out to each and every person just how much they have impacted and influenced my life. So often I fail to even show genuine appreciation to those in my life. One of the things I strive to do this year as I have been seeking to work on for some time, is to be more intentional, to honestly share my love for others with them, to love more, love deeper. I realize with this can come hurt and rejection. But I want to love as Christ loves. It is not me that is being rejected.
I am excited for what lies ahead.
Already one week into the semester. I have all my homework done for this upcoming week, except for some reading--that I am s t i l l waiting for the book to come in. I will talk with them on Monday and see what's up with that!
I have such a desire to simplify. simplify. simplify. I was doing so well on my month break from school ... then what happened? I wish I knew.
I have been so incredibly inspired by so many wondering people around me lately. I am so encouraged by the beauty and wonderfulness that surrounds me. I am just blown away in such a magnificent way to be blessed with such beautiful people. My life is full and rich.
I want to appreciated each and every individual in such a unique way. I want to take the time and spell out to each and every person just how much they have impacted and influenced my life. So often I fail to even show genuine appreciation to those in my life. One of the things I strive to do this year as I have been seeking to work on for some time, is to be more intentional, to honestly share my love for others with them, to love more, love deeper. I realize with this can come hurt and rejection. But I want to love as Christ loves. It is not me that is being rejected.
I am excited for what lies ahead.
Monday, January 14, 2013
The Last First Day of my time at this College [thoughts on]
Well, today began what very well may be the last first day of class at this particular college. The plan (My plan, which I pray lines up with God's will) is that this is the last semester here, and by May, I will have my Associates in Arts degree.
It has been a hectic crazy busy morning thus far. I managed to make it to campus early (despite the fluctuation of speed on the highway from sitting duck to gazelle) as planned to pick up my books before class began at 9:30. Usually I have my books well before now, but I tried something different this time in regards to that I ordered them online for pickup at the bookstore.
That worked well.
Until I realized that the one prof who emailed us, telling us to come prepared tonight with such supplies, it is the o n e item that is being shipped from Texas and "in transit but due to winter storm in the midwest, there are delays." Hm. Well, I should have it by next week. If needed tonight, maybe I can borrow a fellow classmates?
A 3 hour class took an hour and 15 minutes to go over the syllabus. So then I took the bus up the hill to sit in the quiet study room just outside my classroom to do homework. It is an internet research homework where I need to find 10 drawing of human form, with the artist, date, and medium. Well, I have 2, but can't find the title or date, or anything more that is super grand. So that leaves me wondering what I may be doing wrong?
The goal was to go 3 weeks without Facebook. To be completely honest, it hasn't been as enlightening and "difficult" as it should be. First of all, for some reason or another, all my unread messages keep coming to my phone. So then I read them instead of clearing the notification and carrying on with my day. Secondly, when I am around a friend who is on Facebook, I search me under them and view my profile that way. That is just not right. I do have to say I have noticed a great improvement in my mood/emotions being facebook free. There is no FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). What happens online is not directly tied to the choices I make in the physical world. I don't get on FB via another source because I fear I am missing out, but just to make sure that someone is not desperately trying to get ahold of me, as it is the main source of communication for over 50% of the people I know--many of whom never actually communicate with me. lol Oh me.
I also joined a nutrition class once a week. I can finally learn healthy ways to fuel my body--as well as shed some unnecessary pounds as I joined the weight loss challenge portion of it, too! So excited to see what the future holds!
I have already found a beautiful love for salads. I dress them up with cherry flavored crasins, feta cheese, apple, raspberry vinagrette, and some source of protein-egg or chicken thus far! Today I tossed in some cucumber, carrots and red cabbage. YUM. Dinner!
What was I thinking when I signed up for Monday classes from 9:30a until 10p?? The longest school day in the history of my college career. It will so be worth it one day. I hope. :P
So much to learn this semester! I am so very ready. I keep saying #BRINGITON! Totally ready. I want to be better organized, but I think that is going to come with time as well as some self-dicipline.
I have a 3-ring binder and a hole punch in my car-that way as I get papers, or print papers, I can just put them into it by class. I did it a year ago and it worked superb. Then I didn't do it, but kept saying I was going it, and I was so very unorganized that semester.
I am trying to clean and organize and simplify my life. Slowly but surely it is happening. I have plans with how I am going to organize under my bathroom sink and all my knitting accessories in my closet. Just a matter of affording the containers and then taking the time to do what needs to be done. I also want to put up shelves in my linen closet to get things off the floor.
There are so many wonderful plans in my head. It all comes down to money and time. It will fall into place. One day. Just trying to be patient and work on what I can work on in theses moments. :D
Well, I suppose I should get back to my homework and finish up my day of class. Only 3 more classes to go! And I must figure out how to apply for graduation. That will be here before I know it! Praying that it all works out swimmingly! :D :D :D
It has been a hectic crazy busy morning thus far. I managed to make it to campus early (despite the fluctuation of speed on the highway from sitting duck to gazelle) as planned to pick up my books before class began at 9:30. Usually I have my books well before now, but I tried something different this time in regards to that I ordered them online for pickup at the bookstore.
That worked well.
Until I realized that the one prof who emailed us, telling us to come prepared tonight with such supplies, it is the o n e item that is being shipped from Texas and "in transit but due to winter storm in the midwest, there are delays." Hm. Well, I should have it by next week. If needed tonight, maybe I can borrow a fellow classmates?
A 3 hour class took an hour and 15 minutes to go over the syllabus. So then I took the bus up the hill to sit in the quiet study room just outside my classroom to do homework. It is an internet research homework where I need to find 10 drawing of human form, with the artist, date, and medium. Well, I have 2, but can't find the title or date, or anything more that is super grand. So that leaves me wondering what I may be doing wrong?
The goal was to go 3 weeks without Facebook. To be completely honest, it hasn't been as enlightening and "difficult" as it should be. First of all, for some reason or another, all my unread messages keep coming to my phone. So then I read them instead of clearing the notification and carrying on with my day. Secondly, when I am around a friend who is on Facebook, I search me under them and view my profile that way. That is just not right. I do have to say I have noticed a great improvement in my mood/emotions being facebook free. There is no FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). What happens online is not directly tied to the choices I make in the physical world. I don't get on FB via another source because I fear I am missing out, but just to make sure that someone is not desperately trying to get ahold of me, as it is the main source of communication for over 50% of the people I know--many of whom never actually communicate with me. lol Oh me.
I also joined a nutrition class once a week. I can finally learn healthy ways to fuel my body--as well as shed some unnecessary pounds as I joined the weight loss challenge portion of it, too! So excited to see what the future holds!
I have already found a beautiful love for salads. I dress them up with cherry flavored crasins, feta cheese, apple, raspberry vinagrette, and some source of protein-egg or chicken thus far! Today I tossed in some cucumber, carrots and red cabbage. YUM. Dinner!
What was I thinking when I signed up for Monday classes from 9:30a until 10p?? The longest school day in the history of my college career. It will so be worth it one day. I hope. :P
So much to learn this semester! I am so very ready. I keep saying #BRINGITON! Totally ready. I want to be better organized, but I think that is going to come with time as well as some self-dicipline.
I have a 3-ring binder and a hole punch in my car-that way as I get papers, or print papers, I can just put them into it by class. I did it a year ago and it worked superb. Then I didn't do it, but kept saying I was going it, and I was so very unorganized that semester.
I am trying to clean and organize and simplify my life. Slowly but surely it is happening. I have plans with how I am going to organize under my bathroom sink and all my knitting accessories in my closet. Just a matter of affording the containers and then taking the time to do what needs to be done. I also want to put up shelves in my linen closet to get things off the floor.
There are so many wonderful plans in my head. It all comes down to money and time. It will fall into place. One day. Just trying to be patient and work on what I can work on in theses moments. :D
Well, I suppose I should get back to my homework and finish up my day of class. Only 3 more classes to go! And I must figure out how to apply for graduation. That will be here before I know it! Praying that it all works out swimmingly! :D :D :D
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
My year
Oy vey! 2012 ended with a heavy heart, but yet a joyous heart being surrounded by a couple amazing friends.
We wrote down our 2013 goals and we will see what December 31, 2013 brings and what was accomplished all year long!
2012 has been a wonderful, amazing, happy, glorious, beautiful, awful, hurtful, disappointing, heart-breaking year for many of my friends and me included. This has been a year of tremendous growth, new friendships, saying good bye to some, friends moving away, inner growth, spiritual growth, and so many other countless things. I traveled extensively this year. I've been to new states within the US and got to experience the joys and richness of these states and the wonderful people I got to spend time with and get to know on a more intimate level.
January I started my Sophomore year of college. Now that I finally had declared a major in art! January started with a big adventure and a wonderful expereince. I went to the March for Life in Washington DC for my first time of going to the March, as well as my first time in DC! What was suppose to be a 16 hour bus ride thru the night was not what happened. What a horrible storm we ended up driving thru and having to stop so frequently and the windshild wipers not exactly doing their job. Oh the memories! The way back home was much smoother; tho I distincly remember being the last one on the bus (keeping everyone waiting) because I was FINALLY getting my icecream I had been craving all weekend long! Then getting back to Notre Dame, to drive the 2 hours home, take an hour nap, do laundry, and head off to a full afternoon of classes. It was epic wwhen my prof asked "what did you all do this weekend?" And I say "I went to DC!"
February, I don't remember all that well. I know I was busy with school things, super excited and preparing for SPRING BREAK!
March. What I remember about March was going to Kissimee, Florida. It was my first time to Florida ever! I went to Cutting Edge Ministry with over 80 other people. We stayed in condos with 5 to 6ish people in each one. We made dinner together, and ate in other condos with other "condo families." We had small group time, and the conferences in the evenings. We sat by the pool, and read, and lauged, and joked, and just had a blast. On our free day, a group of 41 of us went kyacking. It.was.EPIC.! It was my first time and just absolutely amazing. I was told there were manatees and just when we thought we wouldn't see any, one went right underneath us! Soooo coooool! I want to go back March 2013!!
April was the end of the winter semester. I threw a grilling party at the end. How exciting to say that it wasn't the first time we grilled. Fortunately the 80 degree weather came back from Florida with us in March. It fluctuated between mild spring and hot summer for a long time. It was great, but sad that winter didn't stick around longer.
May. The start of what would be the hottest summer that I remember to date. We threw this gigantic pancake breakfast at church for the college ministry to raise money for our Missions trip. It was great fun and a good turn out! Afterwards, I went to visit a friend while she was at work which turned out to be one of the greatest summers of my life getting to know her.
June, I had high aspirations to graduate in December, but Baton Rouge, LA mission trip was what was placed on my heart. This meant taking the summer off and finishing classes in January 2013. This proved to be a huge blessing, and I was awarded a scholarship for Fall 2012/Winter 2013 for college! Yey! The mission trip was by far amazing. It was my first missions trip.ever. What a blessing to go with 26 other brothers and sisters in Christ within the college ministry!! At the end of June, my cousin had her precious baby girl whom I quickly fell in love with. I had a totally different perspective as I looked upon this precious angel and knew that she is fearfully and wonderfully made knit together to preciously and tenderly by God's own hands! And to think that we all share in this same wonderfulness!
July. July was super grand. I got to be in a parade! It was only the second parade I had ever been to in my entire life. Then I spent the day with a friend and her family up at their cottage. We got to see the pontoon parade across the lake. Grand adventure. I also brought two close friends out to the lake with me to my aunts cottage. It was later followed by milk-jug soccer on the beach with a third friend who joined us and then a trip back to her house where we took a trip to the store and made adult shamrock shakes and played video games until way too late. But totally worth it!!!!
August. The COLOR RUN!!! Such epicness. Such awesomeness. TEAM AWESOME. all the way! My first 5K. 3.1 miles in just about 38 minutes. Best time to date. I now have a goal of running more. Hopefully a marathon, or at least a half marathon is in my near future. The shinsplints have to stop. August was also my birthday month. I got to spend the day with one of my bestest friends ever. She was my chaufer and drove me all over town. She treated me to Chinese then we went thrift shopping and then dinner at the mall. Overall an epic birthday filled with laughter, shenanigans, and random awesome adventures. Then dad and I went to Nashville, TN for a "before school starts" shebang. It was wonderful. We stayed at the Opryland Hotel. We went to Grand Ole Opry. We went other random places. We spent way too much time and money in the arcade. But I got two angry birds out of it all. Those I will always cherish!
September. September. The first 6 weeks of school seem to be the hardest. Maybe because I am counting up to how many weeks I have left. Not quite sure. But I do remember trips to my friends family cottage a couple times. We had a small party up there with pizza and bonfire and a midnight swim. We spent the night and the morning started with bible reading on the boat and a gorgeous morning swim where the water was warmer then the air! Such a grand memory! Spending hours in the lake just chatting and sharing life together.
October. I think it was October, tho it may have been September, that I went to the cottage and was a chaperone for highschool kids. It was a night spent inside while the highschoolers sat around the bon fire doing what highschoolers do in the typical highschool fashion. Not that I would know. Haha, it just sounded good. We sat inside and sang songs and danced and got the cottage ready for the girls. Just as everyone was all tucked in and settled down for the night, we had a glorious, magnificent thunder storm! It.was.WONDERFUL!!! There were plans for what was sure to be the best Halloween party of all times, but due to unforeseen circumstance, the party was cancelled and we made our way to the movie theater to see Perks of Being a Wallflower. And while I don't typically watch movies, and tend to not follow plots and whatnot, this movie I followed and it hit home hard in many areas. It was the most disturbingly beautiful movie I had seen. I wish I had more words to accurately express how I feel about it, but that is what I know I can say at this time. It would definitely be one that I would see again.
November. A month of thanks. How anticipated Thanksgiving break was! It just could not come fast enough. I was swamped with homework assignments. I was drowning in homework and studying and speech writing. It was truly awful. Then break came and went. And the countdown until the semester ended was ON! I was blessed to celebrate 5 Thanksgivings with friends, family, and friends like family, over the course of 8 days. I am so very thankful for all the people I got to spend Thanksgiving with and all whom invited me into their homes and families to share in the meal. The blueberry pie that my Grandma made was most likely my favorite dessert all week long. I suddenly have a crazing to make a blueberry pie... hmmm. :)
December. December. THE END OF THE SEMESTER! I was thrilled that I passed my Anatomy and Physiology class. Hardest, unneeded class. BUT I PASSED! And my GPA still rocks. It was the hardest semester emotionally, mentally as well as spiritually. Never again do I plan to have such a ridiculous schedule as I had this past one. Next semester I can actually get on my preferred sleep schedule. It will be glorious. I've been working on getting on schedule now, but it hasn't been going too well. Perhaps once I am kind of forced to, I shall! :D Christmas this year was one of the best that I have ever experienced. I went to Midnight Mass with my dad and two of my friends. Then I was blessed to spend it with my best friend and her lovely family. We opened gifts and ate a late brunch of deeeeeee-lishounes, and then took naps and ate white bean chicken chili goodness. It was such a chillax kind of awesomeness kind of day. Then I went to my grandmas to visit family and eat icecream. It was a great time as well! Somewhere in there a group me and3 close friends went for a late night hike through the woods! As December 31 came, I found myself in a bit of tension with a dear, best friend. It was a challenging day, but well spent, keeping my mind off things with "rutabagas" and crafts, and 2013 goals, and a bonfire [which I used lighter fluid on....!!!].
The first two hours of 2013 were amazing. Followed by 5 hours of sleep and after some small conflict, it got better. A blessing kind of better. I am blessed to say that my friends and I are starting out 2013 well, knowing that God holds us so so so very close to Him and that He has great things in store for us. I am extremely thankful for each and every person in my life. Those who have come and stayed, those who have come and left, and those who are there and come and go and never get close but never get far.
Other great things that happened:
• We covered the 5 Love Languages in Small group. I learned that my top two love languages, tied, are Quality time and Words of Affirmation. No surprise there, right?
• I did lots of knitting and gave so much away. I have made so many things and held onto them, now is the time to give!! I am hoping to sell my things in the near future. :)
• It was good to have a 2012 summer break from college after going 4 semesters straight; including taking 3 math courses during the duration of 2011!!
• Several of my friends bought houses.
• Several of my friends got jobs.
• There were many babies born.
• Many experienced deaths of loved ones.
• There were sickness and trial, heart breaks and break ups.
• There were make ups and engagements. There were weddings.
• People moving in, people moving out, people looking for new roommates.
• Growing in all directions.
• Hard separations and challenging decisions to walk away from friendships.
• Pride and humility. Selfishness and selflessness. Greed and gratitude and generosity.
• This was the first year in about 4 years that I did not have a boyfriend. Such a good thing basking in my singleness and being completely at peace about it. :)
Goals for this new year of 2013:
I would like to blog more. I would like to know things on a deeper level and write about them and share where I am at in life and what I am learning.
2013 is going to be a great year. I plan on graduating with my Associates Degree. I plan to travel and perhaps even go to another Country! [even if that only looks like going over the border!]
I want to love deeper. I want to strengthen friendships, relationships that I have. I want to meet new people. I want to have grand adventure and shenanigans.
This is a year of deep personal growth and testing and pushing, and pulling and strengthening and not being so uptight and resistant to the things around me changing.
It feels like "just another day" but it is so much more then that.
New Years Day is a day for resolutions to be made, but are all too often only to be broken shortly. I would like to be held accountable for my actions. Be held accountable for the decisions and choices that I make.
Live. Laugh. Love. All the time. One cannot love too deeply or too much, even if there is pain and hurt involved. Love like Christ Loves.
We wrote down our 2013 goals and we will see what December 31, 2013 brings and what was accomplished all year long!
2012 has been a wonderful, amazing, happy, glorious, beautiful, awful, hurtful, disappointing, heart-breaking year for many of my friends and me included. This has been a year of tremendous growth, new friendships, saying good bye to some, friends moving away, inner growth, spiritual growth, and so many other countless things. I traveled extensively this year. I've been to new states within the US and got to experience the joys and richness of these states and the wonderful people I got to spend time with and get to know on a more intimate level.
January I started my Sophomore year of college. Now that I finally had declared a major in art! January started with a big adventure and a wonderful expereince. I went to the March for Life in Washington DC for my first time of going to the March, as well as my first time in DC! What was suppose to be a 16 hour bus ride thru the night was not what happened. What a horrible storm we ended up driving thru and having to stop so frequently and the windshild wipers not exactly doing their job. Oh the memories! The way back home was much smoother; tho I distincly remember being the last one on the bus (keeping everyone waiting) because I was FINALLY getting my icecream I had been craving all weekend long! Then getting back to Notre Dame, to drive the 2 hours home, take an hour nap, do laundry, and head off to a full afternoon of classes. It was epic wwhen my prof asked "what did you all do this weekend?" And I say "I went to DC!"
February, I don't remember all that well. I know I was busy with school things, super excited and preparing for SPRING BREAK!
March. What I remember about March was going to Kissimee, Florida. It was my first time to Florida ever! I went to Cutting Edge Ministry with over 80 other people. We stayed in condos with 5 to 6ish people in each one. We made dinner together, and ate in other condos with other "condo families." We had small group time, and the conferences in the evenings. We sat by the pool, and read, and lauged, and joked, and just had a blast. On our free day, a group of 41 of us went kyacking. It.was.EPIC.! It was my first time and just absolutely amazing. I was told there were manatees and just when we thought we wouldn't see any, one went right underneath us! Soooo coooool! I want to go back March 2013!!
April was the end of the winter semester. I threw a grilling party at the end. How exciting to say that it wasn't the first time we grilled. Fortunately the 80 degree weather came back from Florida with us in March. It fluctuated between mild spring and hot summer for a long time. It was great, but sad that winter didn't stick around longer.
May. The start of what would be the hottest summer that I remember to date. We threw this gigantic pancake breakfast at church for the college ministry to raise money for our Missions trip. It was great fun and a good turn out! Afterwards, I went to visit a friend while she was at work which turned out to be one of the greatest summers of my life getting to know her.
June, I had high aspirations to graduate in December, but Baton Rouge, LA mission trip was what was placed on my heart. This meant taking the summer off and finishing classes in January 2013. This proved to be a huge blessing, and I was awarded a scholarship for Fall 2012/Winter 2013 for college! Yey! The mission trip was by far amazing. It was my first missions trip.ever. What a blessing to go with 26 other brothers and sisters in Christ within the college ministry!! At the end of June, my cousin had her precious baby girl whom I quickly fell in love with. I had a totally different perspective as I looked upon this precious angel and knew that she is fearfully and wonderfully made knit together to preciously and tenderly by God's own hands! And to think that we all share in this same wonderfulness!
July. July was super grand. I got to be in a parade! It was only the second parade I had ever been to in my entire life. Then I spent the day with a friend and her family up at their cottage. We got to see the pontoon parade across the lake. Grand adventure. I also brought two close friends out to the lake with me to my aunts cottage. It was later followed by milk-jug soccer on the beach with a third friend who joined us and then a trip back to her house where we took a trip to the store and made adult shamrock shakes and played video games until way too late. But totally worth it!!!!
August. The COLOR RUN!!! Such epicness. Such awesomeness. TEAM AWESOME. all the way! My first 5K. 3.1 miles in just about 38 minutes. Best time to date. I now have a goal of running more. Hopefully a marathon, or at least a half marathon is in my near future. The shinsplints have to stop. August was also my birthday month. I got to spend the day with one of my bestest friends ever. She was my chaufer and drove me all over town. She treated me to Chinese then we went thrift shopping and then dinner at the mall. Overall an epic birthday filled with laughter, shenanigans, and random awesome adventures. Then dad and I went to Nashville, TN for a "before school starts" shebang. It was wonderful. We stayed at the Opryland Hotel. We went to Grand Ole Opry. We went other random places. We spent way too much time and money in the arcade. But I got two angry birds out of it all. Those I will always cherish!
September. September. The first 6 weeks of school seem to be the hardest. Maybe because I am counting up to how many weeks I have left. Not quite sure. But I do remember trips to my friends family cottage a couple times. We had a small party up there with pizza and bonfire and a midnight swim. We spent the night and the morning started with bible reading on the boat and a gorgeous morning swim where the water was warmer then the air! Such a grand memory! Spending hours in the lake just chatting and sharing life together.
October. I think it was October, tho it may have been September, that I went to the cottage and was a chaperone for highschool kids. It was a night spent inside while the highschoolers sat around the bon fire doing what highschoolers do in the typical highschool fashion. Not that I would know. Haha, it just sounded good. We sat inside and sang songs and danced and got the cottage ready for the girls. Just as everyone was all tucked in and settled down for the night, we had a glorious, magnificent thunder storm! It.was.WONDERFUL!!! There were plans for what was sure to be the best Halloween party of all times, but due to unforeseen circumstance, the party was cancelled and we made our way to the movie theater to see Perks of Being a Wallflower. And while I don't typically watch movies, and tend to not follow plots and whatnot, this movie I followed and it hit home hard in many areas. It was the most disturbingly beautiful movie I had seen. I wish I had more words to accurately express how I feel about it, but that is what I know I can say at this time. It would definitely be one that I would see again.
November. A month of thanks. How anticipated Thanksgiving break was! It just could not come fast enough. I was swamped with homework assignments. I was drowning in homework and studying and speech writing. It was truly awful. Then break came and went. And the countdown until the semester ended was ON! I was blessed to celebrate 5 Thanksgivings with friends, family, and friends like family, over the course of 8 days. I am so very thankful for all the people I got to spend Thanksgiving with and all whom invited me into their homes and families to share in the meal. The blueberry pie that my Grandma made was most likely my favorite dessert all week long. I suddenly have a crazing to make a blueberry pie... hmmm. :)
December. December. THE END OF THE SEMESTER! I was thrilled that I passed my Anatomy and Physiology class. Hardest, unneeded class. BUT I PASSED! And my GPA still rocks. It was the hardest semester emotionally, mentally as well as spiritually. Never again do I plan to have such a ridiculous schedule as I had this past one. Next semester I can actually get on my preferred sleep schedule. It will be glorious. I've been working on getting on schedule now, but it hasn't been going too well. Perhaps once I am kind of forced to, I shall! :D Christmas this year was one of the best that I have ever experienced. I went to Midnight Mass with my dad and two of my friends. Then I was blessed to spend it with my best friend and her lovely family. We opened gifts and ate a late brunch of deeeeeee-lishounes, and then took naps and ate white bean chicken chili goodness. It was such a chillax kind of awesomeness kind of day. Then I went to my grandmas to visit family and eat icecream. It was a great time as well! Somewhere in there a group me and3 close friends went for a late night hike through the woods! As December 31 came, I found myself in a bit of tension with a dear, best friend. It was a challenging day, but well spent, keeping my mind off things with "rutabagas" and crafts, and 2013 goals, and a bonfire [which I used lighter fluid on....!!!].
The first two hours of 2013 were amazing. Followed by 5 hours of sleep and after some small conflict, it got better. A blessing kind of better. I am blessed to say that my friends and I are starting out 2013 well, knowing that God holds us so so so very close to Him and that He has great things in store for us. I am extremely thankful for each and every person in my life. Those who have come and stayed, those who have come and left, and those who are there and come and go and never get close but never get far.
Other great things that happened:
• We covered the 5 Love Languages in Small group. I learned that my top two love languages, tied, are Quality time and Words of Affirmation. No surprise there, right?
• I did lots of knitting and gave so much away. I have made so many things and held onto them, now is the time to give!! I am hoping to sell my things in the near future. :)
• It was good to have a 2012 summer break from college after going 4 semesters straight; including taking 3 math courses during the duration of 2011!!
• Several of my friends bought houses.
• Several of my friends got jobs.
• There were many babies born.
• Many experienced deaths of loved ones.
• There were sickness and trial, heart breaks and break ups.
• There were make ups and engagements. There were weddings.
• People moving in, people moving out, people looking for new roommates.
• Growing in all directions.
• Hard separations and challenging decisions to walk away from friendships.
• Pride and humility. Selfishness and selflessness. Greed and gratitude and generosity.
• This was the first year in about 4 years that I did not have a boyfriend. Such a good thing basking in my singleness and being completely at peace about it. :)
Goals for this new year of 2013:
I would like to blog more. I would like to know things on a deeper level and write about them and share where I am at in life and what I am learning.
2013 is going to be a great year. I plan on graduating with my Associates Degree. I plan to travel and perhaps even go to another Country! [even if that only looks like going over the border!]
I want to love deeper. I want to strengthen friendships, relationships that I have. I want to meet new people. I want to have grand adventure and shenanigans.
This is a year of deep personal growth and testing and pushing, and pulling and strengthening and not being so uptight and resistant to the things around me changing.
It feels like "just another day" but it is so much more then that.
New Years Day is a day for resolutions to be made, but are all too often only to be broken shortly. I would like to be held accountable for my actions. Be held accountable for the decisions and choices that I make.
Live. Laugh. Love. All the time. One cannot love too deeply or too much, even if there is pain and hurt involved. Love like Christ Loves.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)