Copying my friend Danielle (link is in the sidebar), because it looks fun!

I'm going to give a list of things that you have to choose between. Some of these may be hard, and some may be choosing the lesser of two evils ;). I think that it would be fun if everyone who reads this blog does it (partly because I want to see what everyone says, partly because I want to know who reads my blog ;).

1. Blue or Purple
2. Beach or Mountains
3. Snow or Rain
4. Sunrise or Sunset

5. 6:00 in the morning or midnight
6. Christmas in Houston (or wherever you live) or Christmas with relatives elsewhere
7. Roses or Sunflowers
8. LOTR or Star Wars
9. Coke or Dr. Pepper
10. "Chanch" or "Banch"
11. Thanksgiving or Valentines Day
12. Your Birthday or My Birthday (June 20) ;)
13. Apple Juice or Lemonade
14. Pajama Pants or Comfy Shorts
15. 4th of July or Halloween
16. Russia or Spain
17. "Macarena" or "Cha-Cha Slide"
18. "You Belong With Me" (T-Swift) or "Single Ladies" (Beyonce)
19. Bacon or Eggs
20. Milk or Cereal
21. Lucky Charms or Trix
22. Cap'n Crunch or Cap'n Crunch Berries
23. Demi Lovato or Selena Gomez
24. Singing or Dancing
25. The name "Annabel" or "Abigail"
26. Henry Gale or Ben Linus (LOST - I realize they are the same person, but did you like Ben better as Henry or as leader Ben)
27. Jack Shepherd or James "Sawyer" Ford (LOST)
28. J.J. Abrams or M. Night Shyamalan
29. Opening presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning
30. Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream or Rocky Road Ice Cream
31. Felt or Flannel
32. Not being invited to your best friend's HUGE birthday bash or Having to plan it all single-handedly
33. Organized Chaos (Everything has a general area) or Obsessive Organization (Everything has a specific latitude/longitude it MUST be in)
34. Delegating tasks to others but being ultimately responsible (CEO/Top Management) or Being the person who actually has to get things done but is not ultimately responsible (Middle Management/Foreman)
35. Working for a  Fast Food Restaurant (cyclical job - same every day) or Being a secretary (new challenges/things to get done daily; more responsibility)
36. Having to write a play or Having to act in one
37. Writing Lyrics or Composing Music
38. Monopoly or Settlers of Catan
39. Talking or Listening
40. Warm Colors or Cool Colors
41. Dark/deep colors or Bright/vibrant colors
42. Candles or Lamps
43. Baptism as a symbol or Baptism as more than a symbol (perhaps, necessary for being filled with the Spirit; not necessarily necessary for salvation though)

44. Hosea or Amos (spoke to same region at about the same time; VERY different methods)
45. Peter or "Sons of Thunder" (James and John)
46. Death by Fire or Death by Frostbite in the middle of the Antarctic
47. Drowning or Having a cave collapsing on top of you and you can't get out
48. Asking Questions or Answering them
49. Beatles or U2 
50. Either/Or Surveys or Open-ended Question Surveys :)

Enjoy!

Crazy awesome and typical list comin' atcha...

What's On My Mind

1. The awesomeness of The Emperor's New Groove and That Thing You Do!. These are two of my favorite movies of all time (they are on my Top Five), and I've never had my own copies of them until now! I realized this a few months ago; I looked at my little movie collection, and thought, "where are all the ones on my top five?!" (Minus A Walk to Remember and Pride & Prejudice. I mos DEF have those. But I didn't have ENG or TTYD, and I still don't have LOTR). Instead of the other half of my Top Five, I had movies I pretty much have no desire to ever watch again (I sold them to Half Price Books :). (And these were movies that I bought myself - just to clear it up so people who may have bought me movies won't think that I sold away their gift! Movies like Because I Said So and Uptown Girls - ones I have no idea why I have.) Anyways, mommy bought them for me for Christmas :). I am very pleased! We have watched both of them in the past few days. I love watching movies that I can quote pretty much backwards and forwards. And upon further reflection, I have concluded that those two movies are the ones that I quote the most often (but mostly around my family, because they are the most likely to catch my reference and laugh). Examples...

• "Llama faaaace!" (ENG)
  
• "I am [a Roberts], and as such I am born with an innate sense of di-rection" (ENG)
• "Take us there, Skitch" (TTYD)
• "Got any threeees?" (TTYD)
• "Is this mic on?" (In a Nothern-y accent) (TTYD)
• "By all accounts it doesn't make any sense" (ENG)
• "Pull the levaaaah" (ENG)
• "There he goes to write that new hit song, 'Alone in My Principles'" (TTYD)

etc. :)

2. Snuggies. I got a UT Snuggie for Blake (and it will go down in Roberts family history as one of the best Christmas gifts given of all time... just sayin' :), and we are ALL enjoying it! I'm pretty sure everyone wants a Snuggie, but few are willing to admit it/buy one. But I keep finding new things about the Snuggie that I love! Someone will walk in the room, and I'll remember that I'm in a Snuggie as I lift my still-warm-and-toasty arm to wave at them. Snuggies are awesome. In fact, I'm wearing it right now... as I'm typing ;).

3. How much I hate Bowling. Okay, I don't hate it. (Interjection - I have to quote Jim Gaffigan: "Wouldn't it be hi-larious if we went bowling?") But I tend to act like I hate sports that I'm really bad at. I am not at liberty to disclose the extremely low score that I got Friday night (CYS event)... but it was extremely low. IMD (in my defense), I hadn't gone in over a year. But still! It was ridiculous. I've never done that terrible! Sigh. What's even worse, I lost to Amanda Atkinson. ;)

4. Excited about church tomorrow/lunch with the Wahlquists. :) It's still really cool to me that they are from here!

5. I really do love Christmastime! It's so much fun thinking about what to get people and working hard on gifts (I promise I'm not trying to sound super-"whatever" here; I really do like it!). It's also really neat to me that my family is getting into the phase where we can all get gifts for eachother, and it's not just mom and dad buying us gifts and watching us open them. Well, Blake is still in that phase, but he's 12 years old, so there's grace :). But Beth, Andrew and I each got everyone in the family gifts this year (at least I think Beth got gifts for everyone...)! I got Mom a candle/candlestick for the living room, daddy a book about the Apollo missions (to feed his current obsession:), Andrew a book about Mozart, Beth a documentary and a book about the 1980 USA Olympic Hockey team (in case you aren't aware, Beth is really obsessed with Miracle, a movie about the 1980 Olympics when the US beat the Soviets in Hockey), and, of course, Blake a UT Snuggie. I was very proud of myself for these :). Bethie gave me a pretty journal (which I definitely needed!), and Andrew gave me the C.S. Lewis book Miracles. I love having siblings!

6. Prayer. Sometimes I feel like in my prayer life, it's one step forward, two steps back. It's overwhelming at times; there are too many people to pray for, and so much that I want to see happen. Sometimes I feel like even if I prayed every single second of every day I wouldn't be able to fit it all in. As Mama says, "It's a constant knocking"...



Love you all.

The Word of the Lord came one evening
Concerning His bride's great sin
He'd send down His Word to renew her
To prepare for the Bridegroom again
The Word said repent
From seeking vain glories
While the gifts in the Lord's name you give
Repent of all the first stones cast to kill
While your own self-righteousness lives

Prepare ye the way for the Lord
Prepare ye the way for the kingdom
Prepare ye the way
Prepare ye the way for the Lord

The Word said repent and turn from your strivings
Repent and turn from your hatred
Repent from the doctrines of men that divide
And tear like the wedding gown ripped

Walk in His love like newborn children
Walk in His love, let the wedding gown mend
Walk in His love, with humility come with pure hearts
And cast all your cares to the wind

The Word of the Lord came one evening
Concerning His bride's sin
He assured me we will be forgiven
And then let the marriage begin

-Caedmon's Call

 

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:1-14

Hey, folks! I'm sorry that I haven't posted in a while. It's funny, because this happens a lot: I find myself obsessively checking the other blogs in my blogroll to see if they've posted anything new, and when they haven't within the past few days I'm annoyed. And then, always... I look and see that the last time I have posted was, like, a week ago! Silly me.

I have nothing profound to post (nothing new, I suppose ;). This week has been quite interesting. I guess I haven't posted since I started working at The Mail Handler (I feel like I've been working there FOREVER... but it's only been a little over a week!). But it actually is because I've been really busy. A concept foreign to me since school started, ha. I added up all my hours today, and in 8 days I worked 54.5 hours. WOAH! I never, ever thought that I would EVER work that much. I mean, it's good, because I'm getting paid soon, and I really need the money... but still! I mean, I'm working a 9-5 job. Crazy!

So, to expand a little more on what the job actually is: I work at The Mail Handler, a small business that takes care of anything mail-related (or, simply, "handles mail"). This includes providing mail boxes for individuals and business to use, stamps, supplies, packaging, and, ultimately, the ability to ship packages out from us rather than having to stand in line at the Post Office. So, what do I do? Well, this is what I have done in the past 8 days...

1. Measure dimensions of packages

2. The main thing I was actually originally hired to do, which was wrap presents. This is a new thing they are trying to promote. But I've actually only done that twice...

3. Find the right size box for things people bring in to ship, package them appropriately, tape up the box, etc. This may or may not include the use of packaging peanuts or bubble wrap. I guess you could say I'm a "Packaging Expert" ;). But, seriously... when we ring up the total, we are supposed to charge a little extra for whenever we package it all ourselves - on the register, it says "ProPack"

4. Fetch anything anyone needs - usually, a certain size box, book of stamps, etc.

5. In the past few days they've actually let me handle the register and punch in the information into the computer and stuff to ship out packages! Fun stuff :)

6. Stand in line at the Post Office to either buy stamps or ship out International Packages (which require a special stamp from the PO, and them scanning them into their system before they go out). This has happened 3 times. In fact, today someone came into our store with FIFTEEN International Packages (for soldiers)! Crazy. So, of course I was stuck with the duty :). But I honestly don't mind. It was just a little scary because people get testy both when they have to go through anything that is run by the government and when they have to wait in long lines (unfortunately, the two are often mixed). Thankfully the line wasn't too long whenever I got there. But I did feel like everyone in line behind me was fantasizing about tearing me limb from limb because I actually had to get this huge hamper thing from the PO to carry all the packages. The guy directly behind me, in fact, had, like, 4 little letters he needed something done to. I felt bad. I mean, I'm just lucky I guess to be a innocent-looking 18 year old girl ;). Anyways, waiting in line today only took about 20 minutes, but the time at the window was about 25. Unfortunate...

7. Run and get everyone lunch

8. Help count the money in the register at the end of the day

9. Refill the coffee

10. Help close down and clean up


That's basically it! But I actually really enjoy this job. It's pretty neat working with a small business and seeing how it's run and what it takes to do that (because in the back of my mind I've always thought that I would like to run one one day. Now I know that I would most definitely NOT be able to emotionally handle the stress and responsibility! But working for one is fine :). I also, of course, really enjoy working with people, and I get to interact with them all day. I have a little table set up in the lobby, and especially in light of Christmastime people have been sending out a lot of Christmas packages. About half of them just come in with their gifts and need to find the right size box to send them in. I love being able to figure out how to box things efficiently and making sure the customer is satisfied by my packaging expertise. It's fun being nice to them and alleviating their stresses. Today, this lady came in with what seemed like 20 bags of just STUFF that she needed to ship to her daughter. She came in really frazzled and unorganized. But I was able to assure her that I would take care of it all - and I did! I even got to wrap one of the things she was shipping, because she mentioned that it was a Christmas present :). I found this huge 24" x 24" x 17" box, and we put all the stuff in there and it all fit perfectly! It was great being able to help her out.

I also love being able to help the business out in general. I've always enjoyed being the "go-to" tactical person who has a job to get done. I like finding an efficient system and doing the job well. I'm pretty good at noticing what needs to be done, and have learned over time that people really appreciate it when you take initiative and just do it. Anyways, needless to say, I really love the job! It was SUCH a blessing this break. I didn't even realize how much I'd be working! When I first got offered the job, I thought it was a new thing that Mr. Dave was starting. I didn't realize that it was an actual small business that's been around now for 25 years. I thought I'd be working 12 hours tops. It just comes to show, once again, that God always provides. It's just so neat because this is the second time that a job has been kind of offered to me randomly (well, actually the third, if you include the Catholic Retreat Center job - one I did not take). It's fun noticing all the little (and big!) blessings in disguise along the way :).

Besides that, I haven't had time for much else. But I have spent some time with family and some special friends (namely Kate and Amanda!). I have work off tomorrow through Monday - I'm super-excited to just REST and get some stuff done. I also got most of my "Christmas shopping" (pathetic as it may be) done tonight. There are still some I need to figure out... but that's what the weekend is for!

Whew. I feel like I could sleep for days.

Verses/passages I've been meditating on...

The steps of a man are established by the Lord,
when he delights in his way.
Psalm 37:23

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live."
John 11:25

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:14-21

(Last last passage has DEFINITELY been the passage for my semester. My mom kind of "prophetically" gave it to me the night before I left for college during our traditional night-before-the-first-day-of-school family prayer meeting. It's been sticking with me ever since. And every time I read it, I promise you I find something new!)

I'm home! :) It's great. I'm trying to establish a pattern of non-laziness before it's too late.

To share, one of the most freeing things I've done lately is sell most of my books, movies, and old CDs to Half Price Books. I've made $60. Even better, though, I've been able to let go of a lot of things and remind myself over and over again that I don't need this "stuff". I refuse to store up treasures on earth! Obviously, having things like that is not necessarily bad... but in the past I have definitely been in the position where it would be impossible to give things like that up. Now, I'm able to do it gladly, and feel so much better and more free because of it. So why not? I only pray that I will be able to use the money wisely!

I'm really excited for this break! I mean, even besides the fact that I have no school, I've been provided by the grace of God a chance to make some good money for the next week (I'll be working with the Mail Handlers until the 16th for almost 50 hours total!) and of course quality time with the fam as well! I also found out today that I'll be helping out for Christmas on the Highway (a talent show put on by the Student Ministry at my church that occurs every Christmas), one of the many joys in my life :). This will be my fourth year to be involved in it behind-the-scenes! Though I may not be Stage Manager again this year, it's still so much fun for me to be able to stress, manage at least something, pull it all together and watch the event run seamlessly. Ahh. Wonderful satisfaction :).

Apple Juice

BPJ (Black Puffy Jacket)

Christmas Break (commencing in less than 24 hours!)

Daddy dates (Pops... it's been way too long!!)

Emperor's New Groove (the single most quotable movie in the history of all time)

Facebook stalking (that's what it's there for, right?)

Greatest day in history (Death is Beaten / You have rescued me / Sing it out, Jesus is alive!)

Helping friends study

Improvising and learning along the way rather than reading an instruction manual or following a format. Much more fun

Just enough money to have lasted me this past week

Knitting

Lifegroup

Making children laugh (a new one as of late)

New friends

Organized chaos (it pretty much rules/defines my life)

Pajama pants

Quiet hours. Absolute Quiet Hours to be exact. During finals week, 23 hours of the day are AQH. All except between 7-8 pm. Beautiful

Roberts Family!

Samsung cell phones (especially this beater I've had for almost two years now. It's served me well)

Two of the exact same cheesy Christmas sweaters showing up to the LG  Christmas party Saturday night (because one just isn't enough. The world needs two)

UMHB

Very long naps

Writing letters

X-travaganzas. Especially DBU's

You!

Zebras (I mean, I guess. I never know what to put for "Z")

Just two more days 'till I'll be home! I'm quite excited.

I just wanted to post on what my pastor talked about this morning. It's too neat not to share!

He basically talked about the Incarnation, both in light of the Christmas season and in general in terms of our new life in Christ. This is something that I don't really think of often, but it's a neat picture of what being a Christian is all about.

Here are the primary passages he used:

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
John 1:14

"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."
Philippians 2:5-8

"...my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!"
Galatians 4:19

"And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her."
Luke 1:35-38

The message was based on the picture of God coming to earth from Heaven in the form of a baby. The very God that spoke the world into existence; the God that was without pain and tears in Heaven, the perfect Trinity, came down to take on our likeness that we might know our Creator!

That alone is something to ponder in our hearts.

Further, this Incarnation happens in US - Christ is formed in us, as Paul says - and it happens in a very similar way. The condition of the stable Jesus was born in (smelly, dung-y, uncomfortable, all around gross, etc.) is not too far from the condition of our hearts. But, we don't have to be clean for Him to come, only open and available. We don't need to understand, only Surrender! We must have the same attitude Mary had - "I am the servant of the Lord, let it be according to me according to Your word". We must say YES to the Father!

There are implications of this glorious Incarnation (of course, using human language, describing it in the best way I know how): just as Jesus left his comfort in Heaven, there is a call in us to leave that comfortable, familiar place. The call of Discipleship is the call to take up our cross, deny ourselves, and follow Him. There is a dying. We may even have to physically leave. But where else can we go? ("Where my Shepherd leads, where else can I go? Who else fills my cup till it overflows?").

Also, we are called to identify with the ones that we are trying to reach ("Like the Three in One / Know you must become what you wanna save / That's still the way He takes to the world"). He put on flesh to save us; we must identify with the lost around us through prayer! Further, he came to seek and save the lost, and to destroy the works of the enemy. If Christ is now formed in us, this should be our calling as well.

I was further stirred during this sermon; I am just so thankful for all that He's shown me and taught me this semester. I can truly say now that whatever He has in store for me, wherever He'll lead, I'll follow. Where else can I go? He has the Words of eternal Life, and I have believed and come to know that He is the Holy One of God (John 6:68)!

All of Your Promises won't let go of me!

I've surrendered my life to Your ways,
And I have learned what it means to obey.
Jesus, my heart has been changed by You!

I am walking the path You have made,
And I am seeking the truth everyday.
Jesus, my heart has been changed by You!

I couldn't walk away if I tried,
'Cause Your Love is better than Life!

Now the sun's shining bright and it just won't set,
Cause Your Love is alive and it lights my step
My heart is amazed every day to the next
Your joy over takes, and I can't forget about it!

All of Your Promises won't let go of me...

"Promises", Jared Anderson

Hey, loves!

Well, it's been a pretty interesting few days since I last posted. Friday night I got the awesome opportunity to serve the LGL's (Life Group Leaders ;) - both college/young singles and family ones - by doing dishes and watching their precious children while they had their LGL Party! Well, I wasn't watching ALL their children the whole time (that would have been difficult and exhausting - there were probably 15-20 of them there!), but rather stayed in one of the rooms watching Swiss Family Robinson with whatever children wanted to. Sometimes there are 10 in there, sometimes there was just one. It fluctated. But it was actually lots of fun, and all the LGLs were so thankful! I really am starting to love hanging out with children more. I mean, I always have liked children (of course), but I was never that girl who babysat a lot in high school, so I didn't get much opportunity to chill with kids lots. But since I've become a part of ACC... I definitely have gotten LOTS of opportunity not only to hang out with kids, but to get to know them as well! It's been a blessing :). It's "practice", that's for sure! ;) Or, as one of the moms put it, on Friday night it was more like "boot camp" :P.

Then, today was the annual ACC College Lifegroup party!! It was so awesome :). I had the idea for the Wahlquist lifegroup to all show up in cheesy Christmas sweaters ;). So, of course I broke out the reindeer sweater I made when I was younger (if you haven't seen it yet... you're missing out), a red sparkly scarf I knitted earlier in the semester, and to top it off, a cheesy bow in my hair. I think I accomplished my purpose.  And surprisingly (well, for me at least - whenever I first suggested the idea to Sarah, David and Joey they were skeptical :) most of our lifegroup participated along with me! It was precious ;).

Of course, we also did White Elephant. It was pretty intense because there were over 30 of us total. I had stressed out quite a bit about WE (as I always do - there's always pressure to be "clever"!), but the other night thankfully thought of a good idea. I rolled up my HSM3 poster that was previously hanging up in our closet (don't worry - I actually, believe it or not, have that exact same poster in my room at home as well ;) and added a scarf that I had knitted earlier this semester but didn't have enough yarn to let it develop into a full-blown scarf... so it's too short to actually be used :). Anyways, my gift was ACTUALLY desired by someone! And I think people got a kick out of it as well :). But Carly ended up with it - she had to work for it, of course ;). I'm glad that she got it, because she appreciates HSM like me ;). She was prob the only other one there who enjoys the poster as much as I do! It worked out perfectly.

As for ME...I went towards the end, so I got to see everyone else's. Though some were tempting, I decided to open a new gift, specifically this one that Katie and Grant kept trying to convince everyone to take (it was pretty obvious it was a sombrero). Getting a sombrero seemed like an entertaining enough idea to me, so I got that one! I was so happy with it, and was wearing it and everything. And THEN ... dun dun dunn... Dylan stole it from me pretty quickly after that! It was most shocking. But, I was not without hope. I went to the few presents that were left and asked everyone's opinion on which I should take. Ray, a guy in my lifegroup, suggested I take his. Usually, when people suggest things like that, they are just trying to jip you (last Christmas comes to mind... cough Allison Short and those stinky kneepads cough... ;). However, he said that I could trust him. So, I opened it, and I am actually infinitely more satisfied with this gift! It was both practical and cute :). I got some chocolate, a cute mug, and some new toothpaste, a tooth brush, and... you guessed it... FLOSS! hahaa. It was SO exciting :) (to update those of you who may not know - I have this new passion for flossing, because I've been doing it since the summertime, and it's pretty much changed my life! So it's kind of become a running joke in lifegroup because I bring it up often). Anyways, needless to say, I got to keep that gift this time. :)

Anyways... other than that, I've been studying for Old Testament with Becca, Heather, and Anna. It's been good! And I took my Public Speaking final tonight. Pretty sure I did really well! :) So glad to be done with that class.

Coming up Monday is Design and Business; Tuesday is Old Testament, and then I'm off!

I'm really excited to go home of course :), but part of me knows that I'll kind of miss Belton a little! I  mean, this summer I NEVER would have thought that I would be saying that at this point, but it's true! Belton really has become my "home". I mean, true home will always be Cypress, where my family is...but in this phase of my life, God has abundantly BLESSED me with community here in Belton I've really come to love! I've settled in here, and have people pouring into me, leading and teaching me, and loving me selflessly. Next semester I hope to strive to do the same for others, now that I'm no longer the "newbie"!

Love you guys! Don't worry, Cypress... I'll be home to you soon :)

You know, every time it gets closer to Winter, when it's in that pleasant Fall-ish phase... I always think, "Hey, this isn't so bad. In fact, it's kind of nice! Maybe I'm a little too dramatic about cold weather."

And then, every year around December, I remember why I hate Winter.

...Because it's Miserable, and inescapable! I mean, I'm cold all the time.

But, such is life. Thankfully I have my good ol' faithful black, puffy jacket. I think this is my 4th winter to wear it. It's been through a lot with me! It's survived an attack by a pit bull (and basically saved me from serious injury!), traveled with me to Ukraine and saw the snows of that old Eastern Orthodox Church on the hill, been my umbrella/wind-resistor/source of warmth, and of course sustained much ridicule over the years (most of the time due to the fact that it's paired with flip-flops/sandals, or that it's March. But whatever).



You know, other than finals, I only have 2 real classes left (Old Testament tomorrow, and Business on Friday). Not to be cliche, but it definitely went by fast.

Here are some first semester "stats"...

School
Hours taken: 12 (13 if you include Freshman Seminar, which was only 2/3 or so of the semester)
Favorite Class: Old Testament Survey
Least Favorite Class: Public Speaking
Most Challening Class: Design
Easiest Class: Intro to Business
Favorite Professor: Dr. Crawford (OT Prof)
Class I Learned Most In: Toss-up between Design and Old Testament. In Design I saw the most personal growth and improvement, but I did learn a lot of interesting stuff in OT
Number of Times I Skipped For No Reason: 0 :) (Dad would be proud!)
Number of Times I Slept Through a Class on Accident: 1 (Design)
Number of Times I Had to Miss Because I Was Sick: 1 (Business)
Number of Times I Skipped Because I Went Home Instead: 2 (Business and Public Speaking)
Number of Times I Skipped Because I Was Eating Breakfast Tacos at Taqueria And Time Escaped Me: ... 1 :). It was after EMP on a Wednesday with a couple friends. Missed Design. But it wasn't a big deal :)
Number of Times Class Got Cancelled For Legitimate Reasons: 3
Number of Times Teacher Did Not Show Up to Class: 2 (Public Speaking)
Number of Times There Was No Class Because of a Silly Soccer Game: ... 2. Go Cru!
Final I'm Most Worried About: "Worry" is a strong word. I'm actually as cool as a cucumber when it comes to these particular finals. But Public Speaking is the only class I'm remotely close to not getting an A in (got a B on my first speech). So I probably need to do the best on this
Final I'm Least Worried About: Design (I'm already done with it. For the final, we did one last collage, on four 4 x 4 inch squares. I finished it all in class today, and she said that it was wonderful and that I don't need to do anything else to it. On Final day, we just assemble them into this book thingie)
Final I'll Study Most For: OT (lots of notes to go over!)
Final I'll Study Least For (besides Design... that class doesn't require "studying"): Business

Life In General
Number of Times Went Home: 4
Number of Times Went to Church at HNW Rather Than Here in Belton (on a non-holiday): 2
Most Influential Person I've Met: Sarah Wahlquist
Other Major Influences: The rest of the Wahlquists (David and Joey), Carly Meraviglia and Mel Lansing
Highlight of the Semester: Joining Lifegroup and becoming part of a community
Friends Hung Out With Most Here at UMHB: Jamie Lorenz (roommate), Heather Lansing, Becca Byrd
Best "Blessing In Disguise": Being able to help lead worship again and play my bass!
Most Challenging Aspect: Being away from my family and comfort; having no money
Most Significant Part of God's Character I've Learned/Experienced: He loves me, and His Love is a love of a jealous kind that has been pursuing, wooing and truly captivating me
Most Life-Changing Thing God's Taught Me: More of what it means to fall in love with Him and have a truly personal relationship with the Father. There is fullness of joy in His presence
Thing I Wish I Could Have Told Myself Last Year Knowing What I Know Now: Investing all that worry into college was fruitless. You are in Good Hands
Main Passage for My Semester (given to me by Mom the day before I left): Ephesians 3:14-21
Verse I Picked Up Along the Way I Keep Coming Back To: Psalm 16:11
Main Spiritual Discipline I've Grown In: Prayer
Spiritual Discipline I've Realized I Need To Work On: Confession
Main Pen-Pals: Danielle Weghorst, Marie Evans, Sarah Madden, Erin Nally, Kendall Timmons, Bethany Roberts, Amanda Atkinson, Julie Smith (Honorable Mention: Zach Horst :)
Favorite Songs I Learned While Here: Happy Day, Hiding Place, Promises


If I think of more, I'll post more. But I need to go to bed.

Before I do, I want to post this song. I've been listening to it more in the past few days... and every time I do I hear something new that resonates deeply within me! I love it sooo much. And it matches my Blog theme :) (the quote under "avoiding awkward" is from this song).

"There's Only One" by Caedmon's Call

Left his seamless robe behind
Woke up in a stable crying
Lived and died and rose again
Savior for a guilty land

It's a story like a children's tune
And it's grown familiar as the moon
So now I ride my camel high
And I'm aiming for the needle's eye

I chased the wind, but I chased in vain
I chased the earth, but it would not sustain

There's only One who never fails
To beckon the morning light
There's only One who sets loose the gales
And ties the trees down tight
When all around my soul gives way
He is all my hope and stay
There's only One, only One - Holy One

Lord, You are my Prince of Peace
But this war brings me to my knees
See there's a table You've prepared
And all my enemies are there
But where my Shepherd leads,
Where else can I go?
Who else fills my cup till it overflows?

There's only One who never fails
To beckon the morning light
There's only One who sets loose the gales
And ties the trees down tight
To the Solid Rock I fly
Though He bids me come and die
There's only One, only One - Holy One

Hey, friends! Sorry I haven't posted in a while.

Well, Thanksgiving Break was quite wonderful :). Some highlights:

1. Roadtrip with Sarah and the girls to Houston on Monday
2. Seeing my family, of course
3. Seeing close friends and having good talks with them around a campfire
4. Couch shopping with mom and Beth ;)
5. Day-before-Thanksgiving tradition: movie (The Blind Side, which was awesome), and a new tradition - QUICHE!
6. Food and family at the Lakehouse
7. Thanksgiving Lunch with the works, and then a newly-Fried Turkey for dinner (I am not joking!). So , basically, two Thanksgiving meals :)
8. Watching the UT/A&M game! One of the most exciting games I've seen in a while
9. Watching Nebraska play as well; basically, watching football! Thanksgiving is pretty much the only time of the year that I actually sit down and watch full games on TV, besides the annual UT/OU game
10. Taking lots of pictures with Hannah, Macy, and Beth :)
11. Beautiful, beautiful weather!
12. Puzzle, as is tradition
13. Ride on the new pontoon boat they bought!
14. Lots and lots of knitting (started a baby blanket over Thanksgiving break - and I'm almost done! I've knitted probably 10-12 hours total)
15. LOTR (translation for Sarah: Lord of the Rings) with the fam :), including watching some of the Appendices!
16. LP at Coldstone with my PALs friends (Julie, Sarah, Mary, Lauren, and Jenna)
17. Not doing any homework (or, really, having any homework to do) over Thanksgiving break except for like an hour Sunday night :)
18. Seeing Kate Weise and Amanda Atkinson!!!
19. Church at HNW!
20. Not leaving until Monday morning at 6 to get here in time for 9:00 class ;)


Yesterday, I went to Scott & White with Jamie to try to give blood again (there was a pizza party tonight for donors!). Of course, I still have too little iron in my blood. Ugh. When they told me that, I was seriously on the verge of tears. I felt like they were telling me, "We're sorry, but you can't have children". So frustrating! So, while Jamie was giving blood I drove over to CVS and bought Iron pills and Total cereal (which I generally dislike) because it has 100% Iron. I've been eating plain and dry Total cereal non-stop (which, for those who know me, is something I never usually would do), and of course am going to take an iron pill every day. I'm going to try again later this week. I AM going to give blood... and I AM going to get that free t-shirt! ;)

That's about it for now. I'm going to give a speech on Malaria today, persuading everyone to go and buy African families mosquito nets. Lifegroup is tonight :).

Good day!