I'm Home... Again
We just got back from Winter Conference. Cooking was fun. Margaret and I spent some much needed time together. I am not sure I could take on the task by myself, but I'm willing to do it again. I think everyone in my family had a good time. I suppose you should ask them if you want to know.
We are all getting ready to go to church. I hate living in two places at once. I mean, it's not like I am actually in Grove City right now but all my stuff is. It's ok, I'm glad I'm at school. God is good.
I put on some hymns to listen to while I write and the girls get ready. My favorite track started, The Old Rugged Cross. I've heard some people have theological issues with it. Do you know what they are?
This morning in Sunday school Pastor Johnston wants to interview Cindy, Julie and I so that the high school kids get a taste of what to expect when they leave for college. I don't really feel prepared to answer questions about the last semester. It was all so fast and crazy. God was teaching me, but I'm not exactly sure what. I need to spend some time relaxing and considering what He has been doing with me and how I should approach the next semester. There were some goals that I set which were totally forgotten mostly because they were unrealistic. I didn't know what to expect at college. I'm going to make some new goals for the spring.
This morning I realized that there is a reason why people have beds. Well, I've been sleeping on a mattress on the floor which is fine, but my pillow is usually not completely on the mattress when I wake up. Beds help keep you and all your stuff on the mattress. I guess I'm more of an active sleeper than I realized. At school I don't give myself much room to move (side to side) because I have a body pillow on one side of me and a long light on wall to my right.
Happy New Years! I've got to go to church.
Once Upon a Time
Tonight I’m sitting in “my” room trying to digest some Christmas food before taking a run. We just got back from Harrington Christmas. It’s fun to get caught up with uncles and cousins. I was reminded of Nonnie. I have been missing her lately. It’s not that I wish her back, but it makes me look forward to Heaven a little more. I wonder what she would think of all of us. She died before Jerusha and Keziah were born, almost eight years ago actually. She would be thrilled to know that I’m at Grove City studying Secondary Education concentrating in Social Studies. She used to give lots of hugs at our house, and I miss that. She wouldn’t really be helpful, in fact she made my mom really tired most of the time. Her spirit was encouraging. I have never met someone more excited about God’s faithfulness. She was a woman who had been through much suffering, and she was in love with her Savior. She loved her family. She loved my Mom.
I went evangelizing last night with Gary, Jennifer, and Austin. It was quite the time. We didn’t get into too many conversations with people, but it seemed there was a general interest in the tracts. It was good to be reminded of the Gospel again. I get so focused on myself at school that I forget the power of Christ and my dependence upon His work. I forget to share the good news.
Thursday was the CYA dinner. It was fun. I have some pictures that I’m going to put up on my
picture blog. It was good to see people.
It’s nice being home. I plan on working but I’m going to wait until after next week because I’m cooking at Winter Conference. Basically I’ve just been helping out since I’ve been home. Being at school and then coming home is a very weird transition. I live in two different worlds and I almost feel like I’m going to wake up from a dream. I miss friends at school.
Please keep praying for my Mommy. She doesn’t feel well. God is the great healer and He knows exactly what is wrong even if the doctors can’t find it. Please pray that we will all be sensitive to her. Please pray He will sustain her in her time of need. God have mercy on my Mom.
Christmas is a rather sentimental time of year. I like it. I’m looking forward to going to worship at “my” church tomorrow. It’s fun coming home.
Alright, I think I’ll go take that run.
Peace be with you in Christ Jesus.
A Day of Rest
Here I sit in my “Sunday Best” with fresh hot coffee next to me. My phone is charging so that when I call my family this afternoon I can talk to anyone and everyone. It’s snowing outside and Lisa was afraid to drive so Mr. Joseph is coming to get us which is kind of him. I’m glad I get to go to church.
I love the Lord’s day. I love waking up and realizing that it’s a day of rest. I love getting my eyes off myself, off my studies, off my issues and focusing them on Christ… for a whole day. God knew what He was doing when He blessed the Lord’s Day. He knew that we needed to take a day for Him. According to my Psychology text book studies show that the human body was programmed to rest 1/7 of their waking hours. They mentioned that though this could be spread out over several days, taking one day to rest is the most fulfilling. Don’t you love when it when non-believers find proof of God’s love? He knew that I would do better on my finals if I take today for Him. He knew that we get so caught up in our work the other six days that it’s difficult to truly focus on Christ. He knew that if we gathered together as a body of believers we would be encouraged. He knew that if we heard His word proclaimed and His songs sung we would be that much more eager to serve Him. God knew.
Enjoy your Sabbath rest.
There is Nothing Like It
I just walked out of my Micro Economics final. We won’t know for sure until I get my grade back, but I fairly confident that I have an A. God is good. I have been blessed to grow up with a great economist as a father, and I’m sure that helped. *sigh* I ran always the back to my dorm with arms outstretched like the world was my oyster. Sure I have four more to go but this was a good one to start with, because I walked out with head held high. What can I say, I serve a great God?!
I can’t decide what I should do next. I have a Humanities final tomorrow at 2 and a Physics final at 7. I have lots of time to study, but I have lots to study. Maybe I’ll go for a run, take a nap, and then hit the books. I don’t know. Maybe I’ll make some headway in my Bible reading (I’m trying to get through it as fast as I can). Oh, I would be negligent to forget to thank you all for your prayers. I know full well that I had people praying for me this week and this morning. God hears us in the name of Jesus, and we are to come bolding to the throne room.
I’ll keep you posted. Please don’t stop praying.
Peace to you in Christ Jesus.
I Wanna Come Home
It's almost Christmas time. Little children believe that Santa is coming. People run around buying presents for one another. All the college students study their brains out for finals. It's almost Christmas time. I wanna come home.
I miss everyone this round. I was doing good until Thanksgiving break. It whet my appetite, "just let me come home". I finished my History paper yesterday. It feels so good to be done, although it was fun to write. I got to think through how Jesus Christ liberated women. It was sort of inspiring really.
We don't start finals until Friday. I'm not feeling well which isn't helping anything. I just want to curl up with a good book by a fireplace and read until I fall asleep. It will come soon enough; I just need to be patient.
I gotta go home.
Ok so I'm being a little whinny. I'm sorry. Jenna says that my illness has made me grouchy. She might be right. It's doesn't help that I am listening to Michael Buble's
Home. Please pray for my Mommy. She doesn't feel well and she has a lot to do.
Well let's play a game. How about we
count our blessings. I will get us started and then you can finish ok? I think it's a good thing for the children of God to be a thankful people. Here are some of our blessings from God:
Christmas and all the warm happy memories that are associated with our Savior's birth.
Freedom to worship God on His Day with His people.
Cell phones that allow us to stay in touch with the ones we love when we are far away.
Birthdays for little precious people like Jerusha Grace (she'll be six).
Postal service that enables us to send cards and packages to important people on their birthdays and such.
Rest amidst all the chaos of the season we can find rest in Christ especially on His day of rest.
Warm tea that helps us feel better when the world is so cold and our bodies are so uncooperative.
Hope when all the world is crying out in pain we have assurance in the glory and peace to come.
Photos that help us remember to pray for dear friends and family and give us more reasons to be thankful.
Love that binds us and gets us through this life. The Bible was true when it said, "Love never fails." "What manner of love is this that we should be called the children of God? But so we are."
Microsoft Word which gives us the ability to write papers in half the time and helps us with citation.
Prayer our petitions are made know to the Father. When we pray in thankfulness the peace of Jesus Christ guards our hearts and minds.
Peace which surpasses understanding.
Gifts not that it's all about material things, but gifts are nice. They are another expression of love.
Vehicles so we don't have to talk to church in this kind of weather.
Music which is God's way of communicating with our souls on a whole different level.
and the greatest blessing of all...Jesus He left Heaven to come to earth to live the life we couldn't live, and to die the death we were doomed to die. Thank you Jesus Christ for Your sacrifice.
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those
with whom He is pleased.
An Update:
Grove City tucked under 5 inches of snow this afternoon. The peaceful flakes are still falling. They like to get caught in my hair as I walk to class, even though they are cold they make me happy. God didn’t have to make every snow flake unique, but He did.
At three o’clock I will be completing my last official LAB! It is a reason for great rejoicing.
We turned in our Foundations of Education project summary today. I am glad our project is over. Dr. Mackey assured us that teaching usually doesn’t take an average of 12 hour prep time per lesson. *Sigh* I’m excited to teach, but it’s going to be a lot of work.
Tonight I am going to try to finish my paper for History class. My basic thesis is that Christianity liberated women in Rome. It’s an interesting paper. There are sad elements to it. The more I study History the more convinced I am of human depravity. Abortion was just as prevellant in Rome as it is today. The worst part is women were far less likely to survive an abortion. On the flip side, History reminds me of God’s sovereign grace. Women were liberated from the oppression of Rome due to the new identity in Christ.
God has been working with me lately. He loves me and He wants to mold me into His image. It hurts sometimes. I have to trust that he knows what He’s doing. I don’t know how people go through life without the comfort and reassurance that a good and loving God is in control. He will have His way.
Ok, I’m going to get back to work.
Peace be with you in Christ Jesus.
