Week 50

I'm sipping coffee in my new fuzzy socks and it is delightful.

My bible study for this semester rounded up on Thursday. My friend and i dressed as nuns. Praise habit -- habit of praise. Nuns. It was more than incredible. It always fascinates me that HE knows what needs to be spoken, to whom, through whom and when. I mean, HE is God, so it makes sense, it just never fails to amaze me.

Isaiah 61:1 -- "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners."

Isaiah 58:11-12 -- "The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings."



School is wrapping up and the town is feeling more and more vacant by the day. It's kind of nice actually...just quieter than what i'm used to?
I want to go skiing. Re-e-e-a-a-lly badly. Will you take me? I'll let you borrow my fuzzy socks....! Kthanks.

~Me

I Wonder If There Is Gravity In Heaven. . . .

I tend to walk into walls a lot. It's true. Laugh at me if you will, but i do. If you haven't noticed this it is probably due to the fact that i've learned to play it off or i simply, and literally, role off the wall. The reason for this is i tend to not always look where i'm going. No, not the whole stare at the ground deal, but more like a stare at something to my left or talk to someone on my right while walking. Has this lesson been learned? Sadly it has not. I continue to "flounce" around and bounce off of walls, doorways and cabinets left and right. I have mad skills....or do i? I wonder, is it because i am possibly ADD and so get bored with my direct line of vision or do i just have REALLY bad balance?

Maybe both. I'm leaning more towards bad balance though.

So, puzzle me this...why do we perpetually "flounce" about on this narrow road that we are trying to stay on? Do we see something shiny and lose our focus or trip over our own feet because we weren't paying attention to the road HE's laid in front of us? It is fascinating that our slight shift in focus can make us turn completely away from our original path that we had set out on. What have we seen that we think is better? Whom have we listened to that has competed with HIS whispers? As of yet i haven't found anyone, anything or any place that can compare to HIM and HIS peaceful presence, but my eyes still wander. Not literally, that would be creepy. What does it take for us to realize that HE satisfies and HE completes us? Maybe we will get it if we listen close to those whispers and try to read HIS lips....which suggests we are gazing UP!

"Let Me See Your Smiling Faces!"

In case you missed me....i'm back.
My computer had a tragic collision with another object last week and so i have been mooching off my roommate's laptop. She gets fixed soon, my laptop that is.

I've been sick all week. I was a good student and went to my horrid 8 o'clock class, only to regret it a few hours later. Hot soup and warm pj pants are my friends. I thought it was bronchitis, but never went to the doc to see. I'm not a fan of going to the doc or getting shots. It is all so very dreary and no fun. I would much rather be stubborn and watch my Disney movies. Wise? Maybe not. Preferred? Absolutely.

To combat the amount of ice cream i have managed to consume over the course of this last month, a friend of mine and i have started yoga. We intersperse it with some pilates too. They are both challenging but in different respects, so switching it up is fun and sometimes difficult. My arms hurt. So bad. *insert ridiculous amount of question marks* We did multiple workouts, all of which concentrated on different areas, but my arms were like "HI!! over here! we want to get toned!!" Pain = good.....right? Also, the yoga instructor is somewhat amazing...in an 'oh my goodness she's insane' kind of way. See also: post title.

One of the biggest highlights of my week was finding out for sure that my cousins are coming after Christmas. SO. RIDICULOUSLY. EXCITED. If you know me or how enthusiastic i can get over things then you may be able to picture my reaction. If not, just ask G.C. ha It's going to be the best week....ever. uh-huh.


~ME

Everybody Wants To Be An Asian....

Long past week and a half. Life is lovely, not always, but on the grand scale it is so. I am always amazed how there always happens to be a rainbow after the storm...you sometimes just have to look for it.

So, I didn't understand why God had asked me to stay here all those months ago instead of going to serve in Belgium, but now i do. I didn't think at the time that i would ever say this, but i am SO GLAD God told me to stay here this semester. I love my bible study girls. I love teaching them, i love hearing their stories, questions and insights. I love being a part of what HE is doing in their lives. I love what HE is teaching me about HIM (and myself) through leading this study. I am in complete awe of HIS wisdom and grace. I may have said this before, but can i do this until the day i die, please?

I had another person this week tell me i looked like an Asian. I'm starting to wonder if the entire world is going blind. Or maybe my parents just haven't told me something? Doubtful. For dinner G.C. and i made chicken soaked in wine and other tasty things. It was delicious.

I will leave you with this bit of awesomeness. My lovely friend and i made these super cool pumpkins using our vast imaginations. We decorated my living room with them for my roommate to discover later. (If you feel that you cannot take the following dorkdom, please exit now....!) Behold!


~ME

It's The End of The World as We Know it And I Feel Fine

Looking back on this week i probably could have used one of these . On multiple occasions too.

So, i haven't had the best of weeks, but it happens. Life happens. We can't foresee what will come of most any circumstances or situations, but we can hope for the best. We can hope for that which we do not yet have but so desperately want. We can hope with the realization that we may or may not receive whatever it is we wish to have. But what would life be without hope? Most likely drear and well... lifeless. Hope takes us places.

My sister had to remind me the other day when i was moping, not eating, etc... basically throwing myself an all-out pity party, that those actions were wrong. She semi-quoted me, in fact, on one of the bible study lessons i had taught awhile back. She said that 'it's wrong to throw yourself a pity party because God wants us to rejoice and mourn together, even if we feel like hiding in a cave.' It's true. Hard to hear repeated back to me, but true nonetheless. Even though i may feel like hiding in a cave until i am gray and wrinkled, i can't and i won't. 1) it would be smelly, 2) it would get lonely, 3) i like trees. SO! I think i have eaten my fill of ice cream for the week...well, maybe. But for the sake of my sanity and for that little flame of hope of better things to come, i will press on. This sounds like some kind of battle cry. I'm so poetic like that. . . ?

Someone should inform the woodpecker on our house that he is not welcome. He should also be notified not to ruin our freshly painted abode. Possibly having an LOTR marathon this weekend. Which may also include more ice cream eating...and yea, i still think i need that ice cream cozy.

~ME

When Life Gets You Down.....

...It's always good to have an awesome friend who brings you coffee flavored ice cream and bananas.

Let It Rain. . .

So, it finally rained today. I think the drought was going on 2+ weeks? Burn ban was in effect. G.C. said we could not light a fire...in our fireplace. Yes, ma'am, i will keep that in mind. Mind you, however, it only rained for about 30 minutes. I'm not sure how well that accounts for the lack of rain the past 2 weeks, but i'm not overly concerned. Rain is good. The plants love it. My car, who was in need of a bath, appreciated it. Rain can be lovely.
As the rain started coming down it reminded me of this wonderful song. It's short and it repeats but it is incredibly sincere and desperate. It goes like this: "Open the floodgates of heaven! Let it rain! Let it rain! (repeat ∞x)"

So then, i wondered, what does that imply? What kind of request are we asking of HIM? Floodgates. HE swoops down, overcomes, overpowers and overthrows the strongest and the weakest. HE covers and leaves HIS mark. If we are asking HIM to release HIS love, HIS power, HIS wisdom, all of HIMSELF to everything that is and around us then we can only expect things to change. We can only expect that HE will answer and wash over it all. Are we singing a lovely and repetitive song or are we genuinely crying out to HIM in desperation because we see the mess we've made of this place and know that HE is better, even if that means that HE brings a flood. We have to be willing to get washed away, otherwise our old and messy selves will remain and begin to stink and rot and crack.

I dislike water, but i take showers. I dislike water, but i swim in the ocean. I dislike water but i drink it. I dislike water but i'm willing to be drowned in a heavenly flood. What about you?

Psalm 23

I love my family and i love God. I also love the Scots. The combination of those three wonderful things can only bring about the likes of something this awesome... Behold!

The 23rd Psalm in Scots

The Lord is my Shepherd in nocht am I wantin'
In the haugh's green girse does He mak me lie doon
While mony puir straiglers are bleatin' and pantin'
By saft-flowin' burnies He leads me at noon.

When aince I had strayed far awa in the bracken,
And daidled till gloamin' cam ower a' the hills,
Nae dribble o' water my sair drooth to slacken,
And dark grow'd the nicht wi' its haars and its chills.

Awa frae the fauld, strayin' fit-sair and weary,
I thocht I had naethin' tae dae but tae dee.
He socht me and fand me in mountain hechts dreary,
He gangs by fell paths which He kens best for me.

And noo, for His name's sake, I'm dune wi' a' fearin'
Though cloods may aft gaither and soughin' win's blaw.
"Hoo this?" or "Hoo that?" -- oh, prevent me frae spearin'
His will is aye best, and I daurna say "Na".

The valley o' death winna fleg me to thread it,
Through awfu' the darkness, I weel can foresee.
Wi' His rod and His staff He wull help me to tread it,
Then wull its shadows, sae gruesome, a' flee.

Forfochen in presence o' foes that surround me,
My Shepherd a table wi' denties has spread.
The Thyme and the Myrtle blaw fragrant aroond me,
He brims a fu' cup and poors oil on my head.

Surely guidness an' mercy, despite a' my roamin'
Wull gang wi' me doon tae the brink o' the river.
Ayont it nae mair o' the eerie an' gloamin'
I wull bide in the Hame o' my Faither for ever.

Oh how i miss Scotland; the people, the landscape and their incredible accents. <3