Totally a girl thing to do...

Thursdays are one of my favorite days of the week right now because I do not have any scheduled classes and field work is over. This means I get to use the day as I please - today consisted of meeting with two professors (which last from 9:45-11:10) and then studying (which doesn't really count because I couldn't concentrate. I made a pit stop at Target and then headed home.

When I got home, I was distracted. AND I STEPPED ON A SNAKE! YES! There was a snake in the middle of the walk way and I stepped on the tail. I saw it at the last second but it was too late to reprogram my motor coordination/gait. It looked at me and I looked at him and I SCREAMED. I ran to my apartment and threw open the door. I called the grounds people at my apartment complex and am waiting to see if they moved/captured/killed/whatevered it yet.

I might try to take a picture....hold that thought....

Okay, I just mustered up the courage to open the door. He had moved some but he's still out there....

It's not very clear because I didn't want to get very close.

Life goes on...

...but the toilet paper doesn't... Okay, this post be a little TMI, but I hate when you get into that situation. Where there's no toilet paper...and you haven't discovered that until AFTER you've used the john.

ANYWAYS

just wanted to share a little experience with you. Yesterday, I used the bathroom and flushed the toilet (as any polite, well mannered person would). I came back in the bathroom an hour later or so and the toilet was clogged!!! I flushed it again - just to make sure that I had flushed the first time...and of course the water rose. The good news is it did not get outside of the toilet bowl, the bad news it stayed clogged. I plunged for 20 minutes and nothing happened.

Then this morning I googled "how to unclog your bathroom". You would be flabbergasted by the number of responses and ways that are available to the average joe. After scoping out some options, I chose a remedy based on the ease and cheap factors. The one I tried suggested squeezing a "generous" amount of dish soap (the kind for hand washing dishes) and then pouring in a bucket full of hot water from waist height into the toilet. I did this twice. And wouldn't you know it worked??? I'm just as astonished as you are.

Sign me up for plumbing school.

24 hour fast, Easter, and some Crazy Love

I'm going to make this post as brief as I can for a Sunday-night-after-bible-study post.

First off, Thursday starting at 6PM I participated in the 24 hour fast. This was especially difficult as I had class and so much homework to do on Friday. But the beauty of what is, God showed up right when I needed Him. I went to the Awakening church service -which consisted of a lot of worship music (my fav!). After I got home, I spent some time in the quiet just listening to what God had to say to me. And that's when I wrote how overwhelmingly blessed I am. It was so neat to experience Him that personally and so soon after I had started my fast. Friday was a little difficult, but I spent some time in prayer and found these really great verses that I'm trying to reference to whenever I feel that I need Him most. They are:

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." -Psalm 73:26

"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." -Isiah 40:31

"For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength." -1 Corinthians 1:25

These verses really helped me keep things in perspective during my week and my fast.

Second, Happy Easter! Today is beautiful because it's the day Christ was resurrected from the grave! How beautiful that our sins were washed away by the Son, Jesus, so that we can live with Him one day!

Lastly, I just got back from my Bible Study (which has now been name Rise Above). We went through the first chapter of Crazy Love - which I would challenge anyone to read. So many simple truths are brought to the surface even just in the first chapter. So many things that I never stop to think about as I go through the week.

And I know I say this every week, but seriously, I am so thankful for my bible study. I pray that we continuously grow spiritually closer to Christ as the school year comes to an end and that we find rest and comfort in these last few weeks.

And if you can, pray for me please. I'm learning that God's love is not deserving of any of us -meaning I do not get to pick and choose who receives it. I'm struggling with sharing this love with my classmates. Pray that I recognize God at my side and that I can be "different" from them.

Also I love this quotation from PLarry -

Worship - It's not music, it's a lifestyle

Overwhelmed, but in a different way

Some days I'm thankful for family, other days for the education that I've been blessed to receive. I'm even thankful for alarm clocks because it means I woke up breathing. But today, I'm thankful for YOU.

I can't really explain why, but today I've had the overwhelming sensation of how blessed my life is. It might have something to do with the fact that God is too good to me. And that I've been shown the most powerful grace that's ever existed. It might also be that I have such wonderful, supportive friends and family who care about my well-being. It may even have something to do with all of the productivity that desperately needed to occur (and did).

I can't even begin to tell you how often I complain about things in my life. I have too much homework, I have to go to the grocery store, the bank closes at 5 so those odds don't look good...and the list goes on. But what I so often forget to do is step back from the world and revel in the fact that I am so capable and free. In this life and in this faith. I've been blessed with so much and I truly am so thankful.

I think that's something that I'm working on right now ---- letting God show me how to be content with my life and letting Him bless me in the process.

By the way, I truly am thankful for YOU. You've either had some type of impact on my life or the chances are, you will soon.

Stress

This is your brain:

This is your brain in grad school

Words of Wisdom

"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain. It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world." --C.S. Lewis

I love this quote. Even though it's so simple, it reminds me that God is there with me through the joys I experience, through my thoughts, and through my trials. Personally for me, I have an easier time running to God when something is hard is going on. I find myself relying solely on faith to get through it. And while there is nothing sweeter than conquering a trial standing side by side with my Creator, I often forget to take to Him all of the joys and just-ok times I have. Turning to Him should be an automatic response - and for me, it'll be hours later before I think about praising His name with all of the glorious things He's done for me.

Anyways, I've decided my bible study is something greater than I've realized. While we all have different backgrounds, upbringings, and plans for our lives, for one reason or another we've all connected in such a supernatural way. I honestly feel that God brought us there to not only discover ourselves or the Holy Spirit, but to discover the community that we as college students feel lacking in our lives. It truly has been a blessing to have these people in my life and to learn so much about one another. It has been the most UNCOMFORTABLE bible study that I've ever attended, but it's also been the most rewarding.

All of our lives have been touched in some way through our study. The Forgotten God study had such an affect on all of us, that we've decided to continue meeting. This 7 week study has lasted so much longer and taught us so much more than planned. It just shows how great God's plan is for this group. We've decided to start a new study (Crazy Love - which is also highly recommended), but we're doing fun things too.

This past Sunday, we had Sunday dinner at IHOP. We played hot seat and really got to know everyone personally as well. It's just the small things like that, that keep me connected and give me the fellowship I need. The support and encouragement is so great.

God has great plans for me, this group, and Valley Church. I'm just excited to see what He's going to do and where I'm going to end up next.

Just a side note...

"Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish a man's growth without destroying his roots." -Frank Howard Clark

This morning, it's pouring outside my window. I can hear the beads of rain hitting the pavement, the window screen, and the roof. Inside, the rain is beautiful. Outside, the rain is problematic. Driving in it, is not my favorite thing to do, especially in a car that's so low to the ground. But there are certainly worse things. In fact, I've really come to love the rain. Too much of anything can get annoying, but a little bit of rain goes along way. For me, there's such a calming effect that comes with the peace of the rain. It sort of slows down life. And it makes me stop and think. One of my favorite things in the world, is dancing in the rain.

I mean, if you can't learn to dance in the rain, when can you learn to dance?

Being healthy is so expensive...

Having just made a trip to the grocery store, I'm a little irritated right now. I just spent essentially $60 on a week to two weeks worth of food. Granted, that's not including milk, bread, or eggs - things that I'm constantly running out of. Maybe $60 isn't that bad, but compared to all of the junk and crap you can buy at half the cost of what I'm paying, it's kind of outrageous!

Mostly, I'm just buying stuff for dinner since I have a meal plan that I use during the week. This week though, I don't have Thursday or Friday classes so I'm pretty much on my own for those meals too. It's just kind of ridiculous that in a society where obesity is becoming so prevalent, society quite literally feeds into the problem. Why sure, let's make all of the little debbie cake boxes $2 or so but let's make granola bars or popcorn around $3.50. I'll admit, the price of vegetables has risen, but it's just one of those things you have to get over. I mean, I wouldn't feed my hypothetical kids something for dinner just because it was cheap.

Even at restaurants I've started opting for the healthier choices. And while there are a few places who don't really vary in price (like Panera or McAllister's), most sit down restaurants charge about $3 or more dollars for the healthy choice. Again, it's just sad that it has become that much harder to eat healthy.

On top of that, if you wanted to work, most people have to pay to use the gym. While I am fortunate enough to be provided one through JMU, a lot of people who may get their act together, probably won't because of that monthly $30 fee or so.

In my opinion, it makes sense to me that the healthy lifestyle should be cheaper. I mean in the long run, it'll probably end up saving a lot of money through our health insurance.

7 weeks and counting...

I have to say these last 7 weeks of my bible study have seriously been some of the best weeks of this year. I've learned and grown so much in these past 7 weeks than I have in a very very long time. Before Forgotten God started, I admit, I was very content with my life. School was hard, but I managed. I had friends and family to support and love me. And though my spiritual life suffered greatly, I was okay with that. Like I said, I was content.

To be honest, when Joanna even invited me to Valley for the first time during the Fall semester, I pushed the thought aside. For the most part I had everything control and I wasn't really looking for anything to do on the weekends. Reluctantly I went. A couple weeks later, I discovered that I fit right in at the church. It was so comfortable and welcoming. It wasn't like any other church I had ever gone to. And giving up an hour or two on Sunday morning didn't seem like that much of a sacrifice.

When a college bible study was talked about, I thought "been there, done that". I wasn't looking for anything more. And then out of the blue, I signed up. I mean, I guess it really wasn't out of the blue, but it was more an act of obedience than anything. I dreaded the first Sunday night. There were tons of people I didn't know who all seemed to know each other, a pastor who speaks his mind and tells you like it is (in the most loving way), and of course it was so late on Sunday - it was literally the last thing I wanted to be doing.

But week after week I kept going. And week after week, the Spirit blesses me through school, church, shopping, anything. I've seen Him work more in my life more than I ever could have imagined. I've learned a lot - some simple, basic concepts reinforced, and then totally new concepts that challenge me to be a better Christian. Listening and obeying God's word has been one of the best decisions I've made.

For me, there's no settling for anything less. I'm no longer comfortable in this "stand still". I've rediscovered a relationship that I've been missing. I want something so much greater than what this world has to offer. I've seen what comes from the fellowship and community that Christians have to offer, and I hope that where ever we all go, that bond continues. It's not an easy choice to live for Christ, because it means dying every day in the eyes of the world. But in the end, it'll be so worth it.

To sleep or not to sleep...

Lately, I've been waking up at 6AM every morning. In fact it's been for the past couple of months. I really love working out and the best way I can do it is by going before class. The gym opens at 6:30 so it's the perfect way for me to get an hour or so workout in before hand. It really wakes me up and feel like I've already accomplished something during the day.

Getting up around 6 though, means going to bed before 10PM. I can barely handle it. I try to get in bed around 9:15 or 9:30 that way I fall asleep within in the next 20 minutes. So far it's working out great, I just feel like a total grandma. The nice thing is that on Saturdays the gym doesn't up until 9AM and on Sunday it doesn't open until noon. So I still get to sleep in on the weekends. I'm especially excited next week because one class is canceled on Wednesday, and then all classes on Thursday and Friday have been canceled because of the AOTA conference. This gives me an opportunity to catch up on SO MUCH work.

Today I'm really excited because after class, I'm going to Panera with Megan McFadden. She's here until this afternoon and it'll be so good to catch up. Eventually I'm planning a trip down to Louisiana to visit, but that's another story. Anyways, after lunch I'm heading home for the weekend and I am so ready. Can't wait to snuggle with my Riley and hang out with Bai and my mom. Thank goodness for family.

God's will for my life?

So, as many of you know I am attending a bible study on Sunday nights that really challenges me. It challenges my thoughts and beliefs, but mostly my comfort. Everyone that attends is really nice and are all really great people. But I've never had to put myself out there like this before. Back in undergrad, I had the same bible study all four years. We all became really close and formed some amazing friendships, and while my beliefs were challenged, my comfort wasn't.

So tonight we talked about God's will for our lives. And when you get down to the nitty gritty, am I really following God's will? Or am I following the plans that I have for my life? This is something I've been questioning for a while. It's also something that really scares me. I don't wanna use "God's will" as an excuse for disobedience, but I were 100% submitted to God, what would He ask me to do? Would I be called to a different country? Would I be led to a different occupation? These questions are so frightening because in all honesty, I'm not sure. I've found some comfort in the fact that while it is difficult to know what God's will is in the long run, what I can focus on is the here and the now.

Of course I stress about the long term plan. I would like to be married by this ___ age, have ___ kids, live in suburbia, etc. And while there's no harm in wanting these things, planning them without accordance to His will can only lead to trouble. At bible study, one thing that we talked about was what if living in God's will, is taking it day by day? Maybe He wants me to work on the small things rather than travel to some exotic country to reach people. Maybe His plans for me aren't considered "Great" or "Elite" but their purpose is just as important. Maybe stepping outside of my comfort zone in class is the plan He has for me this week. It doesn't sound grand or exciting, but for me, this is outside of my comfort zone. While this is something I have trouble with, I'm really learning to be at peace with it.

This week especially I'm praying for the ability to step outside of my comfort zone. I'm praying for the strength and comfort that only God has to offer in these decisions. I'm also praying for peace that through time God will show me His will. I just have to take it day by day.

Weekends come and weekends go

Unfortunately, this weekend is coming to a close...it's really almost over. And I did absolutely nothing except hang out with awesome friends and family.

Kim came in on Thursday night (past my bedtime but still worth it). Leslie got her Friday. Before Leslie came, we went and did some shopping. After some fabulous e-hall for dinner we just hung out and watched tennis and movies. Saturday we went to Bed, Bath, & Beyond so I could get a wedding/bridal shower present for Amanda. We didn't do a whole lot, but then my grandparents from Wisconsin stopped through on the way to my mom's house. We had dinner and drinks and then headed back here for bed.

Though not a lot happened, we seem to always have fun. And I managed to do very little homework...which means this week is gonna be rough. With my lit review due Wednesday and all of these projects, I need to get on it.