Completion…

I know I should feel extremely excited about being done with the past semester.

But it hasn’t it me yet…

[I do apologize for my recent absence of blogging. Life’s been crazy. I kind of neglected communicating with others in more than one way. It didn’t help that my cell phone broke in two the other week. But, the semester’s over and now I can breathe (a little more freely)]

Finals are done and over. I survived my organ jury (and was surprisingly rather pleased with the performance - I can only improve from hear on out!)  and still have so much yet to gain and learn regardless if a grade is attached to it or not. I’ve come to find I hate the grading system. We all can’t get the best grade and I’m not a fan of people that make the choice to not give you the time of day if you have an A+ attached to your name.

I think senioritis is slowly setting in. Maybe completing 3 finals in one day was too much.

I’m going to miss Hymnody. I learned so much and feel like I’m not going to be able to remember any of it. I really hope that is not the case. It was such a good class, even if some days were a bit of an overload.

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I can’t really think about being done yet because I’m going to Haiti. IN SIX DAYS [!!!!!!!!!!]

And I think there’s a lot to do…but for some reason, I’m okay. I don’t know why, I can’t explain it. I like to think it’s God’s way of keeping me calm and at peace. I am in awe of the peace that passes all understanding…

And there’s much planning for that to be done and so much I feel like I am unaware of. I’m not freaking out (yet) I am constantly praying the pray of completely putting all trust in my Lord to guide me in all that I experience on this mission trip.

I have no idea how I will take it all in.

I want to remember every tiny detail.

[the culture, people, smells, food, avoiding getting chlorea, & so much more I couldn’t possible imagine]

I want the Lord to use me as HIS missionary.

I’m excited to share the love of Christ with those I meet in Haiti!

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Up and coming…goals to complete over Christmas break (when I am not in Haiti)

Ft. Wayne :)

Hello out there! Just a short blog to share how excited I am to have been blessed to visit Ft. Wayne the past 3 days. Seems like I just got here and spent more time on the road than actual time on campus but I am so excited with how the LORD has been present in my experience on campus and with the people he has crossed in my path. Tomorrow is the last part of the conference and then I will enjoy a lot of time on i80 heading west. Destination tomorrow is home for the evening in Iowa and then Wednesday am will drive in to Seward for chapel and classes. I’ll be sleepy I’m sure but I know God will provide me the energy I need to get to the places I’m supposed to.

I’m incredibly blessed. Thanks be to God for all HE does in my life.

I’m a mess without Christ.

A few weeks back I remember posting my Facebook status to say:

“Wisdom to share towards the end of the week: When life gets busy, the dishes pile up and the room gets messy! Looking forward to cleaning when I’ve got the time and the hw is done!”

Currently, I feel as though my life’s a mess. Tonight did not go at all how I planned it to go - hope this doesn’t effect tomorrow’s outcome of the day too badly. My room is a mess and when it’s a mess I feel like I am bound to forget something important or not be able to easily find something of that I may need. To make matters worse the kitchen sink is out of commission as of this evening - hopefully that won’t stay the case for long. A friend came over to help me try to find the problem and we did get some of the clog out of the pipe (with a bunch of water leaking from the pipe of course) but after putting everything back together again the sink is still in the same predicament.

Isn’t it interesting to think about the many different messes of life that come about? Messes happen when we organize/re-organize, pack, move, unpack travel, return from vacations, cars get messy, kitchens get messy, rooms in the house become the catch all places for many piles to build up, offices get messy, etc. Anything that we use has the potential to develop a mess.

I was thinking about how frustrated I was becoming in the fact I couldn’t clean up a mess on my own tonight. At first I found it ironic, because the past couple of summers I have helped clean many cabins and various places all over the camp I’ve been employed at. There were many times during those summers I was burnt out and did not care to be cleaning up other people’s messes. I longed for company during the ridiculous times of the job when we got sick of cleaning and would listen to songs over and over on our iPODs to get through the annoying parts of the job.

But Thanks be to God - He continues to teach me in each season of life I go through! Ever since I’ve been back to school, cleaning more often than not re-energizes me. (You can call me crazy - I’m guessing it’s my excuse of not having to get to homework right away - “dishes in the kitchen? I don’t mind I can clean those up…”) I find joy in it - and there’s no money coming at me for the “work” I am doing. It is rewarding to see a mess, deal with it, and keep on doing the other tasks of the day.

And with all this talk about messes…well God once again reminded me how much of a mess I would be for eternity if I didn’t have Christ. Praise God for sending his son to take care of the biggest mess of all - sin and all that the devil tempts me to do or experience in this life.

I’m reminded of this scripture:

“He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying.” (Titus 3:5-8)

This is a trustworthy saying and I’m thankful that there is no mess big enough to outdo my Lord. While everything in my life may not be clean and orderly at the moment, I know the messes will only continue but they are only temporary!

lost without a list. lost without the LORD.

there’s a lot happening in the hustle and bustle of life i am not even sure where to begin. i can’t believe how incredibly fast this semester is flying by! (time you must slow down really, please!) i am beginning to get rather anxious and feeling sad about the passing of time that i am experiencing in this place i have come to love so, so dearly.

considering there is so much going on, one important thing i’ve learned is that i am lost without a list. whether it’s a to-do list, a brain storming list, packing list, grocery list, etc you get the picture…i’m a planner. i enjoy having things planned out and giving myself more of an idea of all the responsibilities i’ve yet to complete then i am able to cross it off and feel that much more accomplished about what’s been done.

so there’s school work, practicing, getting the LWML college group started up, practicing, composing, writing, corresponding, more practicing, figuring out the plan for Haiti, sending letters to LWML groups, getting the soup dinner plan all sorted out, practicing yet some more, rehearsals to lead, getting my ducks in a row for being gone the next two weekends and not feeling behind when i return…

so yes, lists are helpful…but nothing that i write on a list or check off really matters in the end. lists help guide me through what seems are the most pressing issues in my life but i’m thankful to God to know I am totally lost without HIM leading and speaking to me in my life. without HIM i have nothing to fear. He alone is the only one in my life that strengthens me to get all i have to get done, completed. He is my sole helper in all of life. Soli Deo Gloria!

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” -Isaiah 41:10

stamps, recipes, & so many piles…

are just a few of the things that are currently occupying my desk at the moment.

oh what a beautiful weekend God blessed me to enjoy. it was Fall break and so very needed to get away from the craziness that has been going on this semester!

i went to Enid, OKlahoma to enjoy some time among the cows on my friend (CAP) Rachel’s dairy farm! it was such a blast! we enjoyed stopping at her grandparents in Ponca City and catching up with them. such a beautiful home they reside in and her grandmother is such a neat lady - she’s a school librarian and did she ever have such a neat collection of books. made me miss volunteering at the Urbandale Public library.

in other news, i’m ecstatic about all that the Lord is teaching me in the school of experience out side of the classroom. i have so much to learn and i hope and pray He continues to show me in all i experience what He wants me to learn in all of life.

some things i enjoyed last weekend:

sharing recipes, friendships, english muffin bread, learning how and using a reciprocating saw, loving others, music making, etc

this week is bound to be for sure busy. time for the downhill stretch of the semester to begin and the race is on. i have 3 weekends until i venture off to visit Grace at Mizzou and roll into a road academic trip to Ft. Wayne my next school home for 2 or 3 years.

and before i pilgrimage to Indiana i will enjoy a full weekend in Seward this coming weekend, then volunteer at a jr. high youth gathering in Des Moines back for a week before missing classes while gone to Ft. Wayne.

there’s always lots to do and little time to complete everything. (so maybe i do that to myself…but….being busy keeps me on my toes and out of trouble!)

Lord, give me your strength to get it all done and may you open my eyes to see your power at work in my life in all that i experience in this life. i thank you for the strength you give me in Christ Jesus. AMEN.

wondering.

I am really enjoying the constant pitter patter of the rain that it currently tickling my ears. So peaceful and comforting. It’s moments similar to these that I wonder what the Lord is thinking.