...is good.
I am so thankful that the Lord gives us joy and laughter. There's nothing quite like the feeling of joy that wells up in your soul and spills out in contagious laughter. I love being able to laugh at myself, like when I use the wrong words together in a sentence, like telling Caleb that the day is "dreary" when I meant "picturesque" - to laugh at the craziest things that people say or do, like snickering with Craig and Jen when Mr. Sanchez starts reenacting stories in Bible geography - to laugh at things that don't make sense - to laugh at mistakes I and others make - to laugh when something unexpected happens, like me telling Jim that he would probably be scared when I dropped him back into his fishbowl, then screaming myself when he wouldn't come out of the mug he was in, making all the girls on my floor laugh at me - to laugh when God answers prayer in amazing, unexepected ways, like when He gives my friends and I three chances in one week to spend time with the same couple we are trying to reach for Christ (will He ever stop?!).
I love watching people laugh. Something in me goes "Yes!" and pumps a fist when people around me laugh - the kind of laughter that reaches their eyes. You know they are happy and that at that minute they are rejoicing. Oh, how we need to laugh more!
Last night Naomi and I were praying together and she said something and we both laughed - right in the middle of our talk with the Lord. I long to have a confidence in the Lord that brings His joy into my heart no matter what my circumstances. I want to be able to laugh even when I feel like crying, because I know that God is on the throne and that everything will be okay. I want to be able to laugh even when I'm disappointed. I want to smile with my friends who are experiencing things I want to experience and am not. I want to keep snickering at people who laugh at themselves even if they're not very funny, if for no other reason than that it makes them laugh harder. I want to have a merry heart that does good like medicine. I can't wait to see Jesus smile when I see Him face to face. I can't wait to have that radiant, eternal joy that nothing can mar or take away.
Yet, I CAN have it here... "These things I have spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full." (John 15) If I abide in Jesus, and draw everything I need from Him, MY JOY WILL BE FULL!!!
Let's draw our sustenance from our Savior and let His joy fill our hearts...let's laugh with the joy of the Lord, for truly, therein lies our strength. It's a confidence that He is in control and that He is making me like Jesus and I can let go of everything that hinders that joy and let Him flood my soul with laughter.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Snowed in
Wow, so, it has been a long time since I posted anything substantial on this blog...I know that...I'm trying to decide if I should apologize for business or not. I think I'm just trying to figure out how to keep in touch with people that mean so much to me - people who I've never had to keep in touch with before because they were always just THERE. Plus, this semester is taking a lot of adjusting - just getting used to new schedules and figuring out when to do what homework and what priority to put on certain things. This probably sounds very rambly. I should stick to something more concrete...like class schedules!
M/W/F - I have
OT Survey II
1 Corinthians (which is a class I'm sort of auditing - long story)
Intro to TESOL
T/TH - I have
NT Survey
Bible Geography
Intro to Phil/Christian Worldview
T night I have
Ministry of Women
My classes are excellent, again, although this semester they are more strictly "academic" than last semester (including a lot of history and geography). It's all good, but I'm trying to adjust to the differences, which include a substantial amount more of reading. I have an hour between OT and Chapel on M/W/F, so a friend, Naomi, and I are committing to spend that hour together in the gym. She works out and I read. I should probably work out, too, but at that time of day getting my homework done is doubtless more important. I'm thankful for the arrangement, as it keeps us both accountable and keeps me from wasting that very useful hour.
Lord willing, over spring break, about a dozen of us students are planning to go to Peru to visit Micah and Amy Tuttle, who are missionaries there. There is a lot of prayer and preparation going on concerning that trip, as you can well imagine. At times it scares me and I think "WHAT am I doing?" but other times I get super excited about what the Lord is going to do with this trip. I'm learning a ton already about working with other believers and about trusting the Lord. We are waiting on His guidance and direction. We desire to be willing to accept a "no" answer if He shuts the doors for us, but we are eagerly planning and pressing ahead with plans. He will provide and He will guide us if that is His direction. Please pray with us!
In November, I started meeting with a different assembly of believers at a church called The Great Adventure Church. In some ways their methods for meeting and gathering tend to be a little "unconventional," but I decided to meet with these believers because of the overwhelming love and welcome I felt there. As I've continued there, I have felt more and more at home. I went to a women's brunch on Saturday, we went out to eat as a church on Wednesday night, and this evening one of the families from church had a birthday party for their three-year-old, Allie, and I joined them, along with a number of people from church, for the party. It reminds me so much of growing up in Florida when our family met at home with the Rigsbys and when we would have birthday parties and holidays with Grandma and Grandpa and Danny, Debbie, and A. Jen and even Nelson - and how we all just had so much fun being family in Christ. That's the same way I feel here at GAC. I appreciate that so much. I'm learning SO MUCH about what the body of Christ is supposed to look like. I am blessed so much to see a large body of believers functioning like a true family, giving to and supporting each other, taking care of each others' needs and reaching out in consistent ways to the community around them. What a blessing! I am so thankful for this local church.
Oh, I thought you might all like to know that I am now the (sort of) owner of a fish. That is, I am fish-sitting for two friends who are out of the country at the moment. My two across-the-hall mates, Lisa and Rachel, are doing their Intercultural Studies internships in Yemen and Taiwan, respectively, and I am taking care of their goldfish, Jim, for them while they are gone. I have to change his water every couple of days, and feed him twice a day and such and such. He is a cutie, I must say, but I'm hoping against hope that I won't end up killing him. I'm calling him Jimnasium for short.
It has been in the teens, both above and below zero, here in Iowa for the past two weeks. BRR!!! It keeps snowing, and I don't think the snow is going anywhere any time soon.
Soooooooo....there's a bit of the scoop of what's going on in my life. I could write a lot more, but it would probably fill a book and you are probably already bored. I am sorry I haven't done a better job keeping in touch. Thanks for all your love and prayers.
"Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also..."
M/W/F - I have
OT Survey II
1 Corinthians (which is a class I'm sort of auditing - long story)
Intro to TESOL
T/TH - I have
NT Survey
Bible Geography
Intro to Phil/Christian Worldview
T night I have
Ministry of Women
My classes are excellent, again, although this semester they are more strictly "academic" than last semester (including a lot of history and geography). It's all good, but I'm trying to adjust to the differences, which include a substantial amount more of reading. I have an hour between OT and Chapel on M/W/F, so a friend, Naomi, and I are committing to spend that hour together in the gym. She works out and I read. I should probably work out, too, but at that time of day getting my homework done is doubtless more important. I'm thankful for the arrangement, as it keeps us both accountable and keeps me from wasting that very useful hour.
Lord willing, over spring break, about a dozen of us students are planning to go to Peru to visit Micah and Amy Tuttle, who are missionaries there. There is a lot of prayer and preparation going on concerning that trip, as you can well imagine. At times it scares me and I think "WHAT am I doing?" but other times I get super excited about what the Lord is going to do with this trip. I'm learning a ton already about working with other believers and about trusting the Lord. We are waiting on His guidance and direction. We desire to be willing to accept a "no" answer if He shuts the doors for us, but we are eagerly planning and pressing ahead with plans. He will provide and He will guide us if that is His direction. Please pray with us!
In November, I started meeting with a different assembly of believers at a church called The Great Adventure Church. In some ways their methods for meeting and gathering tend to be a little "unconventional," but I decided to meet with these believers because of the overwhelming love and welcome I felt there. As I've continued there, I have felt more and more at home. I went to a women's brunch on Saturday, we went out to eat as a church on Wednesday night, and this evening one of the families from church had a birthday party for their three-year-old, Allie, and I joined them, along with a number of people from church, for the party. It reminds me so much of growing up in Florida when our family met at home with the Rigsbys and when we would have birthday parties and holidays with Grandma and Grandpa and Danny, Debbie, and A. Jen and even Nelson - and how we all just had so much fun being family in Christ. That's the same way I feel here at GAC. I appreciate that so much. I'm learning SO MUCH about what the body of Christ is supposed to look like. I am blessed so much to see a large body of believers functioning like a true family, giving to and supporting each other, taking care of each others' needs and reaching out in consistent ways to the community around them. What a blessing! I am so thankful for this local church.
Oh, I thought you might all like to know that I am now the (sort of) owner of a fish. That is, I am fish-sitting for two friends who are out of the country at the moment. My two across-the-hall mates, Lisa and Rachel, are doing their Intercultural Studies internships in Yemen and Taiwan, respectively, and I am taking care of their goldfish, Jim, for them while they are gone. I have to change his water every couple of days, and feed him twice a day and such and such. He is a cutie, I must say, but I'm hoping against hope that I won't end up killing him. I'm calling him Jimnasium for short.
It has been in the teens, both above and below zero, here in Iowa for the past two weeks. BRR!!! It keeps snowing, and I don't think the snow is going anywhere any time soon.
Soooooooo....there's a bit of the scoop of what's going on in my life. I could write a lot more, but it would probably fill a book and you are probably already bored. I am sorry I haven't done a better job keeping in touch. Thanks for all your love and prayers.
"Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also..."
Monday, January 7, 2008
Funny picture of the day
Back at school - and it's wonderful to be here with everyone arriving. Hugs, hellos, and smiles abounding... Classes start tomorrow - hurray!
Anyway, the funniest thing happened today. I walked into the upper commons and saw Victor and Aaron standing talking, and, so, naturally, joined them - isn't it the normal thing when you see two of your friends talking to stop and talk to them, too? So...all of a sudden I noticed that they both had green sweaters on. "Say! You're matching!" They were like, "Oh, yeah, haha" then Victor suddenly said, "So are you!" and I looked down to see my own green sweater. Then Aaron said, "We're all wearing blue jeans, too!" HAHA! That called for a picture. :D Why do people think it's embarrassing to wear matching clothes accidentally? I think it's hilarious. :D
Anyway, the funniest thing happened today. I walked into the upper commons and saw Victor and Aaron standing talking, and, so, naturally, joined them - isn't it the normal thing when you see two of your friends talking to stop and talk to them, too? So...all of a sudden I noticed that they both had green sweaters on. "Say! You're matching!" They were like, "Oh, yeah, haha" then Victor suddenly said, "So are you!" and I looked down to see my own green sweater. Then Aaron said, "We're all wearing blue jeans, too!" HAHA! That called for a picture. :D Why do people think it's embarrassing to wear matching clothes accidentally? I think it's hilarious. :D
Friday, January 4, 2008
A Sledding Adventure
Sooo, back to school in time for an adventure! :)
Having arrived at school early because I am keeping the books for the basketball team this weekend, I have been rather at loss what to do with myself during some of my days, so last night some of us that were here (couple guys, couple girls) went out to get something to eat (they're not serving meals here until tonight). When we got back, Tom and I were going upstairs when we met Danny.
Danny: Hey, do you guys want to come sledding with us?
Me: Oh, yeah!
Tom: Well, I guess.
Danny: I'm taking the Korean guys sledding. They've never been sledding here.
So, we piled into Esther A's car, which she let Danny borrow while he was here over break and she went back to Switzerland. It's a big car, made for 6 people, but I don't think the manufacturers meant for six people AND three big purple tobaggans to fit into it, which is exactly what happened, because the sleds wouldn't fit in the trunk.
Our school is situated right next to a golf course that is perfect for sledding on. The best hills are about a half mile from the school, though, and that's why we had decided to drive around to the other side of the course instead of trekking across it.
Danny: Oh, this works, if we put them like this!
Me: (gigggling) Um, yeah, I can scrunch down like this.
Tom: (grunting)
Me: Are you okay, Justin?
Justin: Yes, I'm fine.
Danny gets in the driver side, starts going: Ug, this sled is digging into my neck
Tom, Justin and I lift it up higher towards the ceiling
Me: Is that better?
Danny: Yeah!
Coming to a stop sign...
Danny: Is it clear? I can't see anything
Tom: (from the window side of the front seat) I can't see anything - the sled is in front of me
Me: (craning my neck to see around the parked SUV in front of us) Uh, yeah, I don't see anyone coming
Danny swerves around the corner
Justin: Too fast!
Danny: He doesn't like my driving.
We all laugh.
Finally, we arrive and have a blast sledding. The hills were so slick because the snow is more like ice at this point and we had a bunch of crazy rides. It was fun...several near-collisions and all. We sledded and looked at the stars. Delightful. Then the trip back.
We were more practiced this time getting into the car, so that was no problem. We drove a mile or so, then came to the stop sign of Clarke and Asbury (the school is on Asbury). There were two snowplows and a couple cars in front of us.
Danny: Uhoh, I think there's a cop car up there.
Me: It'll be okay, he won't see us
A little bit later
Danny: I think something's going on up there
Tom: (from beneath the sled) I can't see! What is it?
Danny: I think it's an accident
Me: There's a bunch of police cars!
Danny: Uhoh. I don't want them to see us. This isn't even my car.
We all sit thinking for a minute. Danny says "Uhoh" a few more times.
Danny: Tom, would you, uh, mind getting out and walking past those cops so they don't see us like this? We'll pick you up down the block.
Tom: Sure.
He gets out.
We watch this one policeman trying to direct traffic by himself, getting madder and madder at cars that wouldn't listen to his directions. Tom stopped on the sidewalk past the cars.
Danny: Daniel, would you mind going and telling Tom to keep walking? I won't be able to stop on the road and pick him up.
Daniel: Sure.
He jumps out and runs ahead to Tom.
Finally, we get to move, and drive past a very irritated policeman and a line of waiting traffic. Tom and Daniel walked the next two blocks to school while we kept driving. :)
Danny: (pulling into the school parking lot) Well, that was an adventure!
Having arrived at school early because I am keeping the books for the basketball team this weekend, I have been rather at loss what to do with myself during some of my days, so last night some of us that were here (couple guys, couple girls) went out to get something to eat (they're not serving meals here until tonight). When we got back, Tom and I were going upstairs when we met Danny.
Danny: Hey, do you guys want to come sledding with us?
Me: Oh, yeah!
Tom: Well, I guess.
Danny: I'm taking the Korean guys sledding. They've never been sledding here.
So, we piled into Esther A's car, which she let Danny borrow while he was here over break and she went back to Switzerland. It's a big car, made for 6 people, but I don't think the manufacturers meant for six people AND three big purple tobaggans to fit into it, which is exactly what happened, because the sleds wouldn't fit in the trunk.
Our school is situated right next to a golf course that is perfect for sledding on. The best hills are about a half mile from the school, though, and that's why we had decided to drive around to the other side of the course instead of trekking across it.
Danny: Oh, this works, if we put them like this!
Me: (gigggling) Um, yeah, I can scrunch down like this.
Tom: (grunting)
Me: Are you okay, Justin?
Justin: Yes, I'm fine.
Danny gets in the driver side, starts going: Ug, this sled is digging into my neck
Tom, Justin and I lift it up higher towards the ceiling
Me: Is that better?
Danny: Yeah!
Coming to a stop sign...
Danny: Is it clear? I can't see anything
Tom: (from the window side of the front seat) I can't see anything - the sled is in front of me
Me: (craning my neck to see around the parked SUV in front of us) Uh, yeah, I don't see anyone coming
Danny swerves around the corner
Justin: Too fast!
Danny: He doesn't like my driving.
We all laugh.
Finally, we arrive and have a blast sledding. The hills were so slick because the snow is more like ice at this point and we had a bunch of crazy rides. It was fun...several near-collisions and all. We sledded and looked at the stars. Delightful. Then the trip back.
We were more practiced this time getting into the car, so that was no problem. We drove a mile or so, then came to the stop sign of Clarke and Asbury (the school is on Asbury). There were two snowplows and a couple cars in front of us.
Danny: Uhoh, I think there's a cop car up there.
Me: It'll be okay, he won't see us
A little bit later
Danny: I think something's going on up there
Tom: (from beneath the sled) I can't see! What is it?
Danny: I think it's an accident
Me: There's a bunch of police cars!
Danny: Uhoh. I don't want them to see us. This isn't even my car.
We all sit thinking for a minute. Danny says "Uhoh" a few more times.
Danny: Tom, would you, uh, mind getting out and walking past those cops so they don't see us like this? We'll pick you up down the block.
Tom: Sure.
He gets out.
We watch this one policeman trying to direct traffic by himself, getting madder and madder at cars that wouldn't listen to his directions. Tom stopped on the sidewalk past the cars.
Danny: Daniel, would you mind going and telling Tom to keep walking? I won't be able to stop on the road and pick him up.
Daniel: Sure.
He jumps out and runs ahead to Tom.
Finally, we get to move, and drive past a very irritated policeman and a line of waiting traffic. Tom and Daniel walked the next two blocks to school while we kept driving. :)
Danny: (pulling into the school parking lot) Well, that was an adventure!
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