vida de jmo

thesmallanomaly: Here’s a few of my works for anyone that wants...

Thu, 19 May 2011 12:02:19 -0400

thesmallanomaly:

Here’s a few of my works for anyone that wants to hear.

Yeaaah, this is a magnificent composition by a friend from college! Please enjoy!!

Completion...

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 17:55:10 -0500

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.

————————————————————————————————————-

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!

—————————————————————————————————————-

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

thelittlethings143: I have a little Christmas decoration in my...

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 01:48:00 -0500

thelittlethings143:

I have a little Christmas decoration in my apartment that reads: This is the spirit of Christmas…where the simple becomes sacred. So true. When you really think about the Christmas story it is hard to not get consumed by emotion. A tiny little baby. Grows into a man. Dies for imperfect people. Because of LOVE.

Reminder to self: never forget what Christmas is all about. It isn’t about the gifts or the food, but so much more.

thank you for this reminder, Lindsey! it is so true! God’s blessings to you this Advent season as you prepare for celebrating our Savior’s birth!

Ft. Wayne :)

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 01:30:00 -0500

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.

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 01:25:38 -0400

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.

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 17:14:57 -0400

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

thankful for relaxing weekends away from the demands of school....

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 17:01:21 -0400

thankful for relaxing weekends away from the demands of school. this is from Fall break 2010.

stamps, recipes, & so many piles...

Sun, 17 Oct 2010 23:55:18 -0400

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.

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 17:55:50 -0400

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.

Days With My Father

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 00:28:35 -0400

Days With My Father:

I hope I’m able to do this with my parents this summer. With the interviews I am conducting now…with the elders in my college’s community, I’ve become inspired to learn the stories of my own mother and father. All the things about them I don’t really know.

musicahumana:

This is the most moving, emotional websites I have every encountered. Please take a few minutes to read, and experience.

interests.

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 22:48:37 -0400

Isn’t it funny how interests can change so much as one ages and goes throughout the different stages of life?

I was just thinking about this recently so here it ended up online.

current interests of mine:

cooking, baking, sewing, composing handbell music, sleeping, fellowshipping, corresponding, knitting, the list goes on…

some of these interests are newer and some I’ve taken part in for many years and hopefully many years to come.

you know those days...

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 00:56:29 -0400

You know those days where you lose something and you tear up the room trying to find it until you finally track the item down? Yeah. I had one of those days. It happened to me with two items. My flash drive and my student ID. I found the first and I’ve yet to find the latter and that’s going to be annoying for quite some time….until I finally find it.

Composing the hand bell piece is going slow tonight. Boo. Oh well. Hopefully it’ll pick up sooner than later.

Also…Haiti is on my mind. Ever more so than before. Praying things will fall through. It’s been a good couple of last days. Ran into Gary Thies on campus today and also Pastor Dunbar.

Really looking forward to the coming weekend…..and it’s only Monday night. geez.

Lord, please give me the strength and energy to get through all that’s on my plate.

practice.

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 17:34:44 -0400

the weekend….was a ministry in practice weekend. so good to give the love of Christ to others. more on this later. promise. if and whenever I get caught up on the lack of me not doing much homework this weekend! All praise, honor, and glory to my risen Savior, Jesus Christ for providing me with his strength to get through the days ahead!

incredibly blessed & to have quiet ambition.

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 01:26:00 -0400

I believe that God has made me and all creatures.

Teach me, O my maker, to look upon my person and my abilities as your gifts,
So that I may trust your care for me. So that I may be delivered from jealousy and envy, So that I may see you hidden in my neighbor and there serve you with gladness.

Tonight, I open with an excerpt from the Deaconess litany. It is so comforting to me and I find it especially appropriate after the day’s events.

It was a wonderful start to the week, especially considering it was Labor day and a day I did indeed labor. However, I do not share this as a complaint, it was wonderful to labor in the way of learning. I enjoyed giving Dr. Ore a hard time and he said, “Well, it’s Labor day and on this day we labor; if they wanted no labor on the day they should’ve called it No Labor day.” Ha. Fun accompanying lesson.

Comm. Theory was great too. We discussed about meeting with our elders and part of me got nervous but I calmly reminded myself that my situation was not going to be like any one else’s in the class. I’m terribly excited to meet with a woman who deals with Huntington’s disease. A sad neurological disease but I’m looking forward to the growth that will come in this process of my educational learning. I’ve heard great things about this woman and I pray God will provide me the words to know what and when to speak and the patience I need to have in order to understand her.

Found the sheets I wanted to find for sharing in Doctrine II and ran into Prof. Reek before class. I actually ended up almost being late to Doc because I saw Prof. Groth and told him I may be in touch with his wife about my interaction with the interviewee. We chatted, a rushed conversation, due to my upcoming class, but it was wonderful. My heart melted. Literally. Prof. Groth told me I’m already doing the work and serving as a Deaconess, I just don’t have the office yet. Wow. Another specific point God has spoken through people around me to reaffirm me in this vocational choice I’ve taken to pursuing.

In another conversation I had with Prof. Holtorf, I described a friend of mine as having “quiet ambition.” My professor had prefaced by saying that this friend and I are similar and was looking to call it something specific and I blurted out us both having quiet ambition and he agreed with that. What led to that conversation and arrival of that description? I was kind of upset by a comment made in Doctrine class with hearing that for a person to go into ministry he or she needed to have a big ego. In my opinion ego is not necessarily a friendly word so I spoke up to say that wasn’t the most fitting choice of words to use. The professor then said a person needed to have lots of self confidence, which I agree about so much. If a person lacks self confidence, it could be much harder for the person to be able to do as much as they could be doing while serving in a ministry setting. My prof then asked if I was headed to be a teacher or DCE and I reminded him I was pre-Deaconess and he realized why I was not okay with the word ego being used. So that being said, I have no idea where I decided to put together quiet ambition but I did and my only explanation is God speaking through me. It’s my prayer that I’m able to have the patience and remember the times I need to have quiet ambition. Can’t wait to share this with my friend.

There are many other wonderful moments that occurred in this day…but alas I’ve run out of allotted time to type any more.

Thanks be to God for one of my favorite gifts to enjoy: fellowship. I enjoyed surprise calling Ellie and skyping with Grace. It was a beautiful end to a beautiful day.

one more thought...

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 01:42:32 -0400

I’m going to bed much later than I anticipated tonight. oh well. Hope I don’t pay for that tomorrow. There’s always room for naps!

While biking around town today, I decided it would be nice to retire to Seward, NE. I hope by that time in my life my legs will still be energized and able to ride a bike around this wonderful hidden treasure of a town.

Sunday. Sunday. Sunday.

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 01:33:30 -0400

Oh what a beautiful Sunday it’s been. I think it’s all due to the start of my morning…I read from my “Treasury of Daily Prayer” book and was delighted with God’s words he shared with me in today’s Psalm. It was an excerpt from Psalm 56…verses 10, 11, and 13 especially stuck out to me:

“In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me? …For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.”

How comforting to read a reminder of why I am so amazed and daily filled by God’s word. This is one way God reminds me I am not to be afraid of the little things in life. I think this is one reason why I find joy in the littlest things of life. I know where everything comes from and I desire to be grateful for everything God continues to share with me. I know my identity is in Christ and it is secure through the waters of baptism. Christ saved me then and because of his death and resurrection from the dead I am able to walk before God the Father and he sees me as his redeemed child of his.

Church was so filling as well today. The sermon entitled, “The MUST of Christ’s Love” based on Philemon 8-9 preached by Pastor Paulson. I took notes feverishly and look forward to marking them and rereading them in my Bible later this week (tomorrow hopefully). I especially enjoyed the choir music chosen for today with stanza 6 of “At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing” arrangement by Charles Ore.

I ran into a pastor I know from Iowa District West at the 8:30 service. Asked him what he was up to only to be reminded he was being installed to the Nebraska District later today. I chatted with him after the service and learned his installation was to be tonight and so I was able to attend. It was a wonderful service and the way God spoke through the many pastors that gathered was just so beautiful and comforting. I’m thankful to have a familiar face in the neighborhood area of Seward. I met some neat people after the service and stayed for the potluck (ate way to much, but the fellowship was so worth it)!

After returning from Utica, I changed my clothes quickly at the house and headed to play a pick up game of softball. It was fun but I wasn’t feeling too good about running after eating a ton. I didn’t last too long but still enjoyed myself.

Got home and hoped to do some more homework to be ahead for this coming week but that didn’t actually happen either. That’s okay though…I’ve worked ahead in many ways this weekend I am looking forward to the coming week.

and to end this blog: my good friend in law school is engaged as of today!!!!! i’m so happy for her and her fiance! and i’m so blessed to say…i was asked to be her bridesmaid! :)

good night world.

Today’s been a productive day to say the least. -went 6...

Sun, 05 Sep 2010 01:41:30 -0400

Today’s been a productive day to say the least.

-went 6 hours with no communication to no one. people thought i couldn’t do it…so i set to do just that. no txting, no emailing, no facebooking. it was nice. i was in my own little world, so to speak.

-i finished knitting my own pen/pencil felted box. it will be set out in the kitchen for easy access by all girls and any one who needs such writing utensil.

-i may have watched part of 3 movies today. finished Confessions of a Shopaholic, Sister Act, and Picture Perfect. let’s just say i love netflix.

-showered, ate a caesar salad, put more air into my bike tires and biked downtown. got a movie for class and watched it so i can work ahead and get the movie review done and out of the way (due on Friday). went to Link to watch it in the listening room because it was VHS (ancient, i know!) then practiced piano and organ. organ not as long as should have been today but i’ll make up for that tomorrow :)

-came home ate some more “lunch” and enjoyed a dinner made by Lindsey. jumbalaya and scrumpious salad. can’t ever have too much salad. it’s sooo good.

-we played bananagrams for almost 2 hours and i won a lot. that got kind of annoying so i quit and got the chapel reader’s schedule and communion set up/clean up schedule all figured out.

-also organized all my folders and arranged a hymn for hand bells. can’t wait to find out the feed back on that.

and with that, i say good night.

want vs. need ?! no question there...def must have!

Sun, 05 Sep 2010 01:33:31 -0400

want vs. need ?! no question there...def must have!

wow....

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:10:59 -0400

wow. i really have neglected blogging for quite a while. i didn’t think more than a few weeks had passed. but yeah, it’s been a couple months. guess i’ll have to put it on the to-do list to update my cyber space rambling of thoughts. life is beautiful and i’m very thankful for all that’s going on currently. God continues to bless me immensely and teach me so much in both the joys and struggles i endure each day of my life.

next post…will be longer. promise. for now, it’s time to do form hw. hope i don’t extremely dislike it or become frustrated. the latter is bound to happen sooner or later with homework for this class. thankfully, the amazing prof that teaches it makes up for my dislike of the subject.

behind.

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 00:55:00 -0400

ooh boy, I’m already falling behind on this challenge thing. My time at home has been good. I feel as though I’ve not got much completed other than sleeping a whole ton and some homework and a little practicing of my guitar. Today, “Jesus Loves Me” actually was coming through. With time, it’ll be sounding smooth I’m sure.

Day 3: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

In everything, I know and trust God has a plan for all that I experience in my life in this place. Granted, I may not always understand His plan, I cling to Christ, my Savior, to teach me and show me His plan.

Day 4: “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

How appropriate for these verses to be chosen on Easter Sunday! This is on my heart: I pray that by remembering and reflecting all the pain and hurt Christ suffered for me I may be able to behold and realize the amazing power of what His resurrection means for me and all believers. I am rejoicing in knowing that I have the promise of eternal life because of Christ dying on the cross, overcoming the power of the Devil, and raising from the dead - to save me, I’m nothing without Christ.

Well, last night at home before summer (wow - can’t believe I just typed that ‘S’ word). I’ve got lots to do to get ready to drive back to Seward tomorrow…I hope I’m able to get things organized and pray and hope my van is done at the shop by noon. I’m Seward bound for a date at Link Library to finish homework for the coming week. Gross. Well, such is life.