Wow. I have not blogged in over a month.

Graduation was wonderful. The celebration afterwards with friends and family was so special. I seriously have the best family, extended family, and friends anyone could want.It was so fun seeing people and catching up with old friends and family who came.I’ll try to post pictures soon.

The day after graduation, I headed to college for summer school. College has been filled with different emotions and observations. There’s a joke among us here that in the fall “we won’t even look like freshmen.” This is in reference to the other freshmen we see here for orientation–they look lost. I know I looked lost my first few days here, but time helps.

Observations of a Freshman (In no particular order):

~Wearing any other college gear from rival schools is forbidden. However, wearing schools from smaller schools or schools not considered rivals is accepted.

~ If you try to go out the wrong door before realizing that there’s a “Not an Exit” sign on the door, you’re automatically deemd “a freshman.” True story. Happened to me, today.

~Walking with your backpack on or even just walking with your head up and a smile on your face, makes other freshmen, that are on campus for orientation, assume you’re an upperclassman. They come up to you and ask you where certain buildings are. In this instance you simply smile, introduce yourself, and respond. They’ll be amazed that you’re a freshman, too! Perfect time to encourage them and let them know that they’ll find their way around campus within a few days.

~When crossing the street at crosswalks, don’t automatically assume that the cars and busses will yield to you.

~Some supplies in the student store (external cd drive for those of us who don’t have a cd drive on our laptop) are found much cheaper on www.walmart.com.

~Public transportation is amazing. After using a map the first few times, you no longer look like a freshman!

~Choosing studying over fun is hard. But often worth it.

~Locking yourself out of your room five minutes before the office with spare keys closes is stressful.

~Laundry facilities are easy to use, but are certainly a rip-off.

~Take advantage of cooking in the dorm whenever possible. Healthier and cheaper.

~mattress pads are an amazing invention. so are small refrigerators and freezers.

~the snooze button is dangerous.

~coffee becomes a best friend.

~pictures make a room feel homey.

~Cafeterias during the summer have crazy hours and prices. Never open and super expensive. I’ve only eaten there once since I’ve been here and had to pay myself (at orientaiton meals were provided there). Thus, it is usually cheaper to go out than to eat in the cafeteria.

~Stay true to yourself. Don’t let others tell you to wear other shoes or to straighten your hair or to do your makeup differently. God made you YOU for a reason. College is such a great time to realize that. He loves us just the way we are. People who tell us differently might not be the one’s we want to spend lots of time with.

~Meet new people. Go outside your circle and talk and meet with people who at first glance seem different than yourself. When you really get to know them, they often have a lot in common!

~Stay connected to your family. Call them. Email them. Even write them letters. Family is such a gift. Don’t let these relationships die down because you’re not living there full time.

~Most importantly, stay firm in your relationship with Christ.  Quiet times are amazing and so refreshing after hard, long days. Try new churches. Pray about where He wants you to go.  I haven’t found “that” place yet, but I know He has a place for me. Meet people. Share your faith through your actions and your words.

I’m sure i have many more observations to come. I will write more and post pictures soon!

As I embark on my next journey this summer after graduation, many emotions flood my mind. I am excited, nervous, and curious to see what God will do in and through me this summer and this fall.

I will be participating in a summer program at my college, attending classes and workshops, interacting with new peers, and getting to know the campus and my professors. i know that this experience will bring much fun but also many hardships and joys, although i’m not sure what those are going to be yet.

however, while I know that GOD has me going there for a purpose, it is not all crystal-clear why. I’ve been learning lately, though, that even though I can’t always see the results of what GOD is doing at the time, He has it all worked out. I’ve been wondering “why” i won’t be able to participate in the varity of other activities I had desired to do. I still wonder that. I still wonder “why summer school?” Why not Hungary or nannying?” However, I’ve also learned that many times it is only when I look back at the months/weeks that I can fully see how God has provided me. How His plan is and was always the best. I think I’m beginning to see how He has provided for me over my life. Just this past semester I’ve been blown away by His provision and protection. I just need to continue to remind myself of that when I begin to think my plans would be so much better than His.

It’s beginning to dawn on me that a new chapter in my life is about to begin. Feelings of trepidation and excitement fill me, as I look into the upcoming month. I took my last major exam today, and what a relief that was. Knowing that these next few weeks will be busy, but memorable is exciting, although I know that they will go by in a heartbeat.  Graduation will soon be here, and while one chapter will end, a new one will begin.

I don’t know what the road ahead looks like, and I honestly don’t even know what obstacles and joys I will face tomorrow. Too often I let this frustrate me. Not knowing my future honestly excites and scares me. I like to plan ahead and know what I will be doing, in say, five years. But that’s not always in His plan for me to know when I want to know. He will make it known in His time, and He is teaching me to trust that His timing is best. He has my life mapped out. He has each hour woven into His bigger plan for my life. How will I live my hours? I hope and pray that I will seek to live them for His glory. That I will love others because He first loved us. I know that I will fail many times. But yet I know that He is always there, with His arms open wide, waiting for me to run back to Him.

A new chapter, perhaps rollercoaster will begin. I hope and pray that in these next few years that I will grow stronger in my faith. That I will take more advantage of the opportunities He gives me daily. That I will live each day for Him, even the days I might be in the library from 6pm till 1am. All for Him. All for His glory. Not for me.

happy mother’s day to my mom!

firm in her faith. trustworthy. honest. unconditionally loving. forgiving. faithful wife, mother and friend. funny. who is a great baker, and cook, although prefers to leave the cooking up to dad.  who is great at picking up accents. who is always there for me….

i could go on and on…

i love you, mom. thank you for everything you’ve done and will do for me.

my dad’s going  to hungary this week for a meeting. and, how i wish i was there. how i miss the people there. how i miss the country. the amazing pastries and ice cream. but mainly, the people. these people have meant and do mean so much to me over these past few years. they continue to challenge me to grow stronger in my faith. they continue to make me laugh and smile.

hungary will always, ALWAYS have a special place in my heart. i hope and pray i have another chance to go back in the near future (perhaps for a longer period of time?)..we’ll see where God leads me. i can’t wait though, for the day we’re all reunited in Heaven. o the  singing, dancing, smiling, WORSHIPING our Savior together. God is so awesome!

thankful today for:

~JESUS–his forgiveness, love, mercy, for getting me through each and every day…

~The BIBLE

~friends who make me burst out laughing after a hard day and consistently bring smiles to my faces.

~family

~encouragement from friends

~family friends and teachers who are willing and say they’re honored to write reccomendations on a two-day notice of a deadline.

~thought-provoking in-class discussions

~water. how i love it.

~ice cream.

~fresh fruit…i’m addicted to fresh fruit. yum.

~while i’m listing foods, i’ll list two more favorites–potatoes and rice.

~mentors in my life. love these people. they’re amazing. look forward to our weekly Bible Study every week.

~long weekends with the older sibblings home.

~honesty with friends

~my roomie for next year.

~Speak Out–friends and all i learned

~the phone

~rain and sunshine

~green grass

~healing and forgiveness

~good, refreshing books (not text books). currently reading Passion and Purity by Elisabeth Elliot. So amazing.

~itunes..i love songs and song lyrics.  

….the list goes on…i’ll update it again later today….

Chorus to “I’ll Praise You in this Storm” by Casting Crowns

And I’ll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I’ve cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

Lots of thinking today. Some of it was  hard and painful. Some wonderful and encouraging. Thankful for His faithfulness when loved one’s are sick and hurting; when i fail miserably and come crawling back on my knees. Amazed that He died for us, and rose again. That He loves and loved us so much that He took our sin, sickness, and hurt upon Him, suffered on the cross, and rose again. Amazed. Blessed. I feel so indebted. But His gift of grace and eternal life is free. What a gift.

One more day till break. These two days were deemed ‘make-up snow days,’ and i honestly did nothing at school today. educational, right? hmm. what is this whole criteria of ‘180 days’ of classroom instruction? we’ve finished our english curriculum and are about done with science and psychology…but yet school doesn’t end until mid june. crazy. i will never understand it.

But, break is near. Three days of relaxation and hanging out with friends and family. Going to visit one of my brothers at school, and i’ll be staying with one of our mutual friends. Looking forward to that–to seeing campus, sitting in on a few classes, and attending Intervarsity while I’m there. Some friends and I are hosting a carnival at a daycare over break, so we’re busy preparing, and sleeping in order to be filled with energy the day of the carnival.

Otherwise, not doing too much. Just relaxing, thinking, reading for pleasure, phone calls with friends who live afar, a thorough room clean (we’ll see how that goes…), and attempting to complete the homework i’ve been assigned to do over “break.”

Busy, relaxing, fun-filled, work-filled break, i’m ready!

I have a cousin getting married next summer. So exciting. But also makes me realize how quickly we grow up. It seems like just yesterday when we were all having Easter-egg hunts and eating egg-shaped cookies, swinging on the play ground, or building sand castles. We’re entering a new phase of life. Her spouse will be joining us on future beach trips and another condo will be used. We are growing up. I’m excited for her. Excited to see how God will use her fiance to draw her closer to Himself. God has amazing plans in store for them. I’m excited to be a part of it–to see how God will use them for His glory.

Congratulations C&T!

I’ve been thinking a lot lately. About all kinds of things, really. But one thing that has really been bugging me is the typical american hypocritical lifestyle. i know we all partake in this lifestyle at times, but it can certainly go overboard–a few examples that i’ve noticed in our society…

1. The person who calls himself/herself a Christian, but whose lifestyle does not portray it–i.e. getting drunk, underage drinking, sex before marriage, etc. God has called us to a lifestyle of purity. A life that glorifies Him in ALL we do. Getting drunk, underage drinking, and sex before marriage certainly do not glorify Him. our lifestyles affect God–our sin makes Him cry. While He’s already forgiven us, that certainly does not give us an excuse to keep on sinning. I love these verses in Romans:

Romans 5:20-6:14: The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in deeath, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin–because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count y ourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

2. People who are exclusive. God calls us to love everyone. Even our enemies. His love is NOT exclusive. The invitation is open, the invitation is free. We need to display this same love to EVERYONE around us.  

Matthew 12:43-47~ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?”

John 15: 12-13~ “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”

powerful song: Why? by Nichole Nordeman http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRKV8Jh5IgQ

Just a few of my frustrations with our society. I don’t want to live the American Dream. I want to live my life for Christ. It’s not easy. I struggle. I fail daily. But He’s faithful.