Christmas Confusion

Some days, it really strikes me how different our Christmas holiday is from the first Christmas, when Jesus was born. It's not just the materialism and stuff that has began to personify Christmas, although granted, that is a stark contrast. When a dirty stable, full of hay and animal droppings and a young, poor couple are looked at next to my home; large, comfortable, and warm with plenty all around me, it makes me pause to think.

But this year, I've been considering how much confusion and heart-break must have surrounded that first Christmas. It began with Mary when she heard the news from the angel that she was pregnant. Her immediate response was confusion [she was greatly troubled], something I can understand. Surely, she had dreams about how her life would go - being married to Joseph and beginning a home on her own terms; living perhaps poorly, but comfortably and happily with her husband; raising a good, normal, God-honoring Jewish family. And then this - an unexpected pregnancy? That changed everything for her, and she probably felt like her dreams were shattered. I'm right there with her this year - crying out to God, "Why me? Why wasn't the future I had planned good enough? This may be better, but it doesn't seem like it right now. I don't want confusion and heart-ache - I just want a normal life with Joseph, like I had planned." And yet, in the end, her response was correct. In just that short time with the angel, she was able to submit to God. That doesn't mean she wasn't still mourning over her lost dreams, but she was accepting that God's will was superior, and recognizing that she wanted it more than she wanted her own dreams. And we know it turned out to be an amazing plan - God himself called her blessed among women, and she was.

Joseph was confused and heart-broken too. With the news of Mary's pregnancy, his dreams must have crumbled and his reputation was likely marred forever. His initial response was just like a man - do what I can to fix the problem! He chose the "proper" and right route, what God had laid out as law for the Jewish people, and something he had every right to do - "divorce" her, or break off the commitment of future marriage they had made. He must have cared about Mary, because he wanted to do it quietly, so she wasn't disgraced. We don't hear a lot about Joseph's heart in the matter, or what he felt about Mary. But when the angel came to him, he said [do not be afraid] - what was Joseph afraid of? His reputation? Being responsible for a child conceived by the Holy Spirit? Or marrying a women who was of questionable purity, and who he may not have even "loved"? I'm sure he mourned over his lost reputation, and the loss to his relationship with Mary. While they still got married, this changed the nature of that relationship forever. But again, Joseph ultimately obeyed God. Through his heart-ache and fear, he stood up and fought for his relationship with Mary, even though it was "marred" in the world's eyes. He accepted this change in plans, knowing that even though it was different, it would be better than he had imagined.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." -Isaiah 55:8-9

No matter how good or right our plans may be, God's ways are always better. I think it's appropriate to be heart-broken and confused when we discover that our plans won't come to pass. God says he is near to the broken-hearted, so it's clear that he understands it's a part of life and the human condition. I also think it's okay to mourn over our lost plans, when they were good and wholesome and of God. He made us to be creative beings, and expects that we will use our imaginations to dream of what we want in life. But ultimately, we must come to Him in humble obedience - realizing that the things life brings us (even the hard ones) are under His control. Nothing takes Him by surprise, and He promises to work all things to good for those who love Him. Quiet trust is what He asks of us.

How God has Worked [this semester]

School has been great. Loving every minute of my OB clinical experiences, and enjoying my med/surg ones too. Classes are insanely busy, especially for just 12 credits, but I'm keeping my head above water. Being busy helps time fly by and keeps my mind where it should be - not on myself.

first day of clinicals!

Friendships have continued to deepen, and I continually marvel at the people God has placed in my life here. He really has sustained me with friends this past year - so much encouragement and mutual growth. Time has not allowed to develop many new friends, but I've gotten to know a few freshmen.

I miss my family a lot this year. Not in a homesick way, as in the past, but just in that "I'm growing up" way. It makes me sad that I miss out on so much of their lives, but I do thank God for the times I've been able to go home and watch soccer/volleyball games, cuddle with the little ones, and talk with the older ones. We've skyped once, which was very exciting for all involved. :)

Mark and I have continue to grow closer in our relationship at a manageable rate. He is planning to go to graduate school next fall, probably somewhere far away, so we enjoy every moment we get together right now. 2.5 years doesn't sound like a long time, but it seems like a lifetime - hard to remember what it was like not having his calming and encouraging presence in my life, and not knowing what laughing with him was like. We've enjoyed spending more time with his family this fall, including his brother David, and sister in law, Emily.

me and Mark at a photo shoot with Nathan/Renee :)

Went to a really good sunday school lesson this weekend. He talked about how, in the Lord's Prayer, everything Jesus tells us to pray about are things that He has already promised us as believers. . . so why does He want us to pray about them? Won't they happen if we don't, since they are promised and they are God's will? He proposed that prayer is a means through which God performs his will. As we pray, God works the things He has planned for us. It's a way He has given us to be a part of what He's doing in our lives and in the lives of others, and in doing so, build relationship and intimacy with Him. Even through struggles and trials, prayer helps us gain a right perspective, not asking God to take pain away, but to use it to accomplish His will and draw us closer to His side.

"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."
Romans 5:3-5

Miss Bunny Pants

I would like to formally introduce you to the one and only Miss Reese's. She's basically the cutest ever. This first photo is of her as a little baby, the rest are more recent. She grows by leaps and bounds. . . and she also leaps and bounds, sometimes over her enclosure! Quite amazing, quiet and adorable. . . basically perfect.

On Forgiveness

This is borrowed from a blog written by a friend of a friend. :) Here's the link, if you're interested in reading more of what she has to say.

Have you ever taken a step back, looked at a situation, and realized that you've been making it a lot more complicated than it really needed to be? That was entirely rhetorical, because I know that you're just like me and have probably done this more than you realize. It's funny, because when you're in the middle of it, it sure doesn't seem like you're over reacting. It seems like you're reacting to the exact, appropriate degree. But I have been wrong, wrong, wrong.

Something finally clicked in my stubborn brain today. There is a person in my life that I find rather difficult to love. And my reservations, my concerns about honestly loving them, my doubts, they are warranted. Or, at least, they started out that way. (Though one concern in particular I'd probably categorize as simply human, and not at all warranted.) But I have been selfish.

For days (or months, if you really need to know...) I have talked myself, and my friends, in circles about why I am right in this situation. Why my failure to love them is excused because I have to protect my heart, and if that relationship has to suffer in order for me to do that, well, you can't win 'em all. And yet, I constantly feel this need for affirmation. This need for others to validate that mindset, to agree with me that I'm right... That would be because I wasn't right at all. I have been copping out.

I have been so caught up in the little things that I've lost sight of the big picture. I realize that I have spent entirely too much time thinking about all the reasons why I shouldn't love them, instead of remembering the one reason that I should: because Jesus does. Because Jesus asked me to. I took my doubts and blew them way out of proportion. Because it is so much easier to concentrate on being frustrated, on all the reasons why loving them is a bad idea, than to risk being hurt by sharing my heart with them.

And I think my selfish motives run even deeper. I was looking for reasons to be frustrated. Why? Because loving them is hard for me. It requires my vulnerability without any guarantee that I'll be protected in that vulnerability. It requires the kind of reckless love that I have been praying for but (I'm now understanding) I have been too afraid to live by. I'm afraid of being hurt. I'm afraid of making things messy. And I'm reluctant to step outside this comfort zone of half-hearted love that I seem to be very fond of.

But...

It isn't about me. Who do I think I am, to blatantly ignore the call to love someone, simply because it makes me uncomfortable? And my concerns didn't even start out as wrong. But that fact that I've been using them as reasons to excuse my selfish behavior? That is wrong.

I was wrong.

And the thing is, it doesn't make it any easier to love them. I think it will always be a struggle for me. That fear of being hurt, that desire to simply run away and let someone else love them is still there, still strong. But God doesn't call us to love each other like Christ because it is easy. He calls us to love each other the way he loves us because he knows how powerful love like that can be. It is that kind of love that changed my life. How dare I deny someone else the chance to know that kind of love? Because it's hard. Because I might get hurt. Because I'm too cowardly to love everyone the same.

Because I'm too selfish to love with reckless abandon and trust that God, not I, is in charge of protecting my heart.

Who do I think I am?

My call is to love. To love recklessly. To love everyone the same. To foster the same heart for people that God does. That's not what I've done at all.

I was wrong, wrong, wrong.

Troop Carrier or Luxury Liner?

The church, like the SS United States (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_United_States) has been designed for battle. The purpose of the church is to mobilize a people to accomplish a mission. Yet we seem to have turned the church as troop carrier into the church as luxury liner. We seem to have organized ourselves, not to engage battle for the souls of the peoples around the world, but to indulge ourselves in the peaceful comforts of the world. This makes me wonder what would happen if we looked squarely into the face of a world with 4.5 billion people going to hell and 26,000 children dying every day of starvation and preventable diseases, and we decided it was time to move this ship into battle instead of sitting back on the pool deck while we wait for the staff to serve us more hors d'oeuvre.

-David Platt, Radical

Long Time, No See, eh?

Oh hi. Wow, I was reading through old blog posts of mine the other day and my glory days of blogging have definitely long passed me by. However, I will strive to provide a brief and entertaining synopsis of my adventures, going-ons, etc.

Last semester - Got more into nursing stuff, worked hard in some very challenging classes, and pushed through till the end. Some highlights were:

• making TONS of quality new friends, including one who has been more encouragement in my life than I thought possible;
• getting good grades and 3 nursing department scholarships for next school year;
• deciding to room with DANI STEELE next school year (Guys. Meet her. You will understand my overwhelming excitement);
• growing deeper in relationship with a godly older lady in Kirksville who has shown me what a faithful Christian and prayer warrior looks like;
• adventuring around Kirksville;
• taking 3 weeks away from a special person in my life in order to gain clearer perspective on life and relationships - I learned a lot and came to a much greater appreciation of the things I love;
  
• and just overall starting to genuinely enjoy living at school.

Abby visited for a week! That was cool too.

This summer started off with a perfectly wonderful week of hanging out with my family and this cool guy I know. Then he shipped off to Kansas City (well, Olathe, KS actually) to work all summer, and I have been here in Rolla since. So far, I have;

• Trying and failing to connect successfully with the CNA instructor so that I can get mah li'l self certee-fiable (take care of the elderly and assist nurses and such and such);
• bathed old people;
• bathed small children;
• acquired a bunny, a whole lot of crap (literally), and a daily job of mopping (oh - and he's super cute and I love him a lot);
• cleaned many inches of the Quakkelaars' house;
• spent a long weekend with Gracie and Zeko;
• played tons of random games, etc. etc. with the kiddos at this here house where I live;
• gone ridding several times;
• attended weddings (none of my own);
  
• taken a plethora of naps;
• skyped some of my super cool friend from St. Louis and KC;
• spent some time with friends from Rolla;
  
• gone walking with Mrs. Hickle;
• and begun the planning of a baby shower.

I'm now working out at Camp David for the next two weeks, which is (as always) an adventure! (a good one)

I miss blogging! I need to do it more often, that's for sure. Hope you all are having a beautiful summer and soaking up the rain and sunshine and goodness of God.

Puppy Love

Puppy Love by Rebekah G featuring satin shorts

Jane Norman kaftan top
35 GBP - janenorman.co.uk

Satin short
$25 - maruione.jp

Seychelles flat shoes
$161 - asos.com

Kate Spade crossbody bag
$129 - nordstrom.com

TopShop straw hat
$65 - topshop.com

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Eyeshadow Palette
$42 - neimanmarcus.com

Chloé Love, Chloé (Edp, 30ml)
40 GBP - harrods.com

Christian Lacroix Christian Lacroix's Sleeping Beauty
13 GBP - brownsfashion.com

Just Another Weekend?

As a college student, a three day weekend home can seem like just another weekend to relax and enjoy family and friends. Unfortunately, in our culture, even a weekend like Easter has become that to many families - simply time to gather with family and enjoy good food and pleasant feelings.

In my devotion times lately, I've been indulging my imagination a bit more than usual. One of the things I like to do most is to put myself in the place of a character in a Bible story. This week, I took the luxury of spending nearly 45 minutes spinning a story of what this weekend of the Last Supper, the crucifixion, and the resurrection would have been like for me, had I been there.

As the story progressed, I found myself increasingly confused by the situations around me. I think I got so into the setting in my imagination, that I forgot how the story ended. Jesus being taken from the Garden of Gethsemane sent my thoughts into a wave of worry, wondering what was happening. I started to doubt - hadn't I given everything to follow this man? What would happen if he was brought down by the government? What would happen to our group that followed him? Would we be in danger? How would our beliefs ever last beyond just our generation?

And then the beating and the crucifixion. I won't walk you through my entire imagined story, for it's very personal. Mixed into the crowd as just another face, and yet feeling the pain and shame that He endured with every mocking. Hiding my face as I stood at the foot of the cross, longing to step out and speak out against what was happening, but holding back in fear. Going home from there, and sitting in the dark, sobbing. The next two days, going about my daily activities with no interest or desire to continue living.

And then the news from the disciples. Skepticism. Doubt. Wishful thinking. What dreamers they were! They needed to accept reality. I don't believe all that. But I do need to walk by the tomb anyways, put the customary spices and such. Might as well go today, check out these rumors.

And then, I see a man. In the garden. Maybe I'll ask him what's going on. He says my name - I know. It's him.

My name. The name He's given me. Spoken softly, intimately. Has He thought of me all throughout this weekend? Even through His great pain and sorrow, even through death - was He aware of me? Of the pain and need I would one day experience, and of how I would rest confident in this death and resurrection of His? Surely, He was. As He hung on the cross, His thoughts drifted to me. To the image of me crying, sitting on the bathroom floor. To how He would be with me in that moment, and in each after it.

In His death, and life, God was glorified. May my life also bring glory to Him.

A Blue Day

A Blue Day by Rebekah G featuring a box pleat skirt

Shoes, Friends, and Other News

Things I'm excited about today:

shoes!
being home in 24 hours
riding horses on Saturday
Seussical!
having friends from school meet my family
good friendships
sitting on the roof at the CCF house
getting some extra hours of work done
spring weather (even rain - as long as it stays warm!)
the song Sweet Home Alabama

I've been on a shoe hunt. I need summer sandals that are church-okay and sufficiently casual. If you know me, you know that heels are out of the question. Thankfully, cute, flat sandals are currently in style! Here are some cute options I've found - opinions are welcome!

1. from Target 2. also from Target 3. found at Famous Footwear (free shipping and 15% thru April 23rd!) 4. another Famous Footwear selection
5. found at good old Payless Shoes Source (idk if I could pull these ones off, but they are CUTE!) I've also been wanting these next two, but probably won't get them. One, because I can't stand spending much money at all on shoes. Two, because I really don't need them. And three, because both are pretty fad, brand-name type shoes, and I usually veer away from that type of thing style wise. :) But here they are:

Chacos!
TOMS! Terrible photo, but I love these so, so, so much!

I have also been on a mission looking for men's shoes, for a certain someone who has holes in the bottom of the only shoes he wears. Ahem. This is not nearly as easy (shopping for boys never is), but I have some decent options so far.
All from Payless:

Not sure I could handle these ones - I think Zeke has the same exact pair. :)
Here's another color variation, similar shoe:

And if he refuses everything else, this is my last ditch option:

Also, if you took that seriously because you own shoes like this . . . well, I hope you are a grandpa. If you aren't, then we should talk. Call me. Please.

Thank you for letting me share my heart with you today. :)

Friendship

In times of trouble, God has not forgotten me. When I can't feel His comfort or compassion, and it seems to dark for any of His light to shine through, His body of believers comes through. His love is in them, and it's been shown to be so fully as of late.

Parents: they are the best. I love them a lot, and it is so encouraging to know that I don't have to be all put together before I can come to them for comfort. They understand me so well.

Gretchen: I don't think I've ever had such a beautiful, self-less friend. She has made me promise to text or call her at anytime of the day or night if I need a friend. And the craziest thing - we've only been friends for a couple of months! God has worked in her life in great ways already, and continues to do that daily as she lives out her love for Him.

Audrey and Gretch

Dani: S.A. and future roomie - she's basically the greatest. Dani is a rock in my life, and her hugs are needed on a regular basis in my life. I can't believe we lived in the same town for 5 years and didn't know each other. . . I sure was missing out.

Audrey, Allison, and Jen: They live together, and kind of all go together in my mind. Each has different strengths, which makes them such a wonderful group of friends. Jen is full of encouragement, compassion, and attentiveness to those who are hurting. Audrey is full of life and adventure, always up for a good time and laughter. And Al is the thinker, who loves to talk about life and learning and the deep parts of what goes on in our minds and hearts. I love them all so dearly.

Danielle: She disciples me, and I couldn't have asked for more. Wow, what a godly young woman! She encourages me in so many ways, and is an inspiration when it comes to trusting God completely and having Him rule every aspect of life.


Meegan: She's Australian, which is basically enough to tell you all about her. :) She is a woman of great wisdom, and also crazy fun, all at the same time. She's always willing to fit me into the busy schedule she keeps, and has an unshakable faith and confidence in her Savior.

(on the far left, with the thumbs-up)

So yeah. God's been pretty great, especially this week.

Passion and Purity

Here are some of my favorite quotes from Elisabeth Elliot's Passion and Purity.

"There is a dullness, monotony, sheer boredom in all of life when virginity and purity are no longer protected and prized."

". . . the bringing of our unruly wills and affections into order will cost us something."

"Do I want what I want, or do I want what He wants, no matter what it might cost?"

"Patient waiting is an important discipline for anyone who wants to learn to trust. . . waiting on God requires the willingness to bear uncertainty, to carry with oneself the unanswered question, lifting the heart to God about it whenever it intrudes upon one's thoughts. Waiting silently is the hardest thing of all."

"God gives us material for sacrifice. The loneliness itself is material for sacrifice. The very longings themselves can be offered to Him who understands perfectly."

"When obedience to God contradicts what I think will give me pleasure, let me ask myself if I love Him. If I can say yes to that question, can't I say yes to pleasing Him?"

"If the yearnings went away, what would we have to offer up to the Lord? Aren't they given to us to offer?"

Coming Soon. . .

. . . thoughts from my latest reading of Passion and Purity by Elisabeth Elliot.

Who Am I?

I, Rebekah Grace Hall am. . .

-a child of God, His beloved daughter.

-big sister, little sister, and daughter

-a peacemaker, good at listening to friends who are struggling

-supportive of those I love (this might not apply to baseball)

-intelligent (my brains come from my dad - Mum still has all of hers)

-funny (see above)

-one who loves to talk through things, even hard issues, especially religious/theological, relational, and social issues. Political, not so much.

-a lover of calming music

-creative

-a big fan of mountains, pine trees, and hiking

-in love with Jesus, even when I feel like He's dropped me off in a desert and left me there alone (because I know, somewhere deep down, that He hasn't)

-more inclined towards a few close friendships than many surface friendships

-introverted

-an outdoors adventurer

-a reader

-a writer

-finding comfort in the Psalms these days

-wanting what God wants for me, even when it hurts

-in love with my family. Each one of my siblings is special to me in a different way, and I love the completeness I feel when I'm at home with all of them and Dad and Mum.

-a fan of dried fruit

-burdened for those who hurt like I do

-strong in communication skills

-weak in . . . well, many areas. Emotionally, and at managing the many feelings I have. Finding my value in who God says I am, not in what other people think.

-often insecure about my weight, appearance, etc.

-a big fan of bare feet

-compassionate and kind

-attentive to the needs of others

-hard-working, especially when I know it pleases others (also a weakness . . . I'm not as self-disciplined, in areas that wouldn't impact other people positively)

-not given to anger or rash decisions

-critical thinker

-often bossy, and disrespectful to my family (both stemming from thinking more highly of myself and what I do than I should)

-punctual

-an appreciative listener of piano and guitar playing

-still a little girl in many ways, but old beyond my years in other ways

-changed, from who I was last year

-grateful for Christ's sacrifice on the cross

-one who has dealt with the pain of loss and change a lot recently, especially in friendships. . . I know it's natural, but it aches to lose the closeness of relationships

-whatever the opposite of rebellious is (compliant?)

-thankful for her parents, because who they are has helped me form so much of who I am, especially in my faith

-undisciplined in many areas

-a good cook

-a bad seamstress

-one of those weird people who get satisfaction from cleaning house

-organized

-meticulous, good at paying attention to detail

-redeemed by Christ

Who are you?

My heart aches tonight.
I'm trying to be strong and do what's right.
But it's so hard.

Why Do We Worship?

I've been thinking a lot about worship lately. Both in the context of what we typically think of as worship (music in a church setting), and in the context of living lives of worship.

First, in living lives of worship: I believe that God created us to worship. It's a desire we all have. However, like usual, sin mars the story. As sinful beings, when we look around ourselves here on this earth, we see a multitude of things we could worship, and too often, we do worship those things. Lately, I've seen this in my own life mostly in relationships. God has designed us with a great capacity for loving others, and He works through those in our lives to show us His love. Relationship, however, should be based on how God is working through the relationship, as well as a mutual love/respect for each other based on who God has made you. When we start to value a person, but take God out of the equation, that can easily lead to "worship" - and like I said at the beginning, God created us to worship, not to be worshiped. Worship in relationships only leads to disappointment. Worshiping God however, leads to fulfillment.

Second, worship in the context of church: How does your church worship? There are many different "worship styles" out there, everything from heavy rock bands to a solemn organ. Last night, I experienced a very emotionally driven worship service. It got me to thinking. The purpose of our worship is for God. Yes, because of our intimacy with Him, we also benefit greatly from worship. But the number one reason we worship is because of the greatness of God - it's so that we can try, in our feeble and imperfect way, to tell Him who we've seen Him to be. Worship can often awake strong emotion in us, because it's a time of communion with the Creator. However, sometimes I think that some music styles are designed to create that emotion, rather than to worship God. Often times, the words are shallow, and about us - what we're feeling, what we're doing, etc. They repeat endlessly, causing an increasing build-up of emotion. It might sound good, but when we stop to think about the ultimate purpose of worship, it seems silly. For example, "I praise you, Jesus." What does that mean? All you're doing is saying what you are doing. If I were to want to serve someone, but instead, just stood in front of them and said "I'm serving you," that would be awfully silly, wouldn't it?

There is a flip side to this. Like I said, worship often does evoke strong emotion, even when it isn't written and performed in a way that forces that. But sometimes, worship can be so burdensome and well . . . boring. . . that it's nearly impossible to really have communion with God in that time. When you are focused on trying to figure out the melody, and wondering over what the meaning of some words are, it can be difficult to actually praise God.

In both of these settings though, I see that worship is a matter of the heart. If you worship in song because it makes you feel good, or because it's just another part of the service, you aren't worshiping "in Spirit and in truth." Our hearts have to enter worship with a right attitude towards God - who He is, and what He's done. If we start with that, I believe that the appropriate lyrical choices, musical styles, and congregational response to worship will follow.

Valentine's Dinner

The CCF guys at Truman always host a fancy dinner on Valentine's Day weekend for the girls of CCF. They walk around in groups and serenade us, offer valet and coat checking services, and cook/serve us a delicious meal . . . in turn, the girls get all dressed up and have a lovely evening with friends! I went for the first time this year, and here are some photos:

Memorizing

"I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them, and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.
But those who trust in idols, who say to images, 'You are our gods,'
will be turned back in utter shame."
Isaiah 42:16-17

Work, and other News

I'm currently sitting at my desk at my place of employment here on campus. The Student Health Center keeps me busy - just 4 hours a week, to pay for my university scholarships, so it's not too much. I mostly just answer the phone, schedule appointments, prepare charts, file charts, etc. On Wednesdays, I stay by the phone during the staff meeting. The phone isn't ringing at the moment, so I'm free to blog!

School is going well. We had two snow days last week because of the blizzard that blew through our lovely little town. I went out one evening with a group of people, and fell into all kinds of huge drifts - it was wondrous. I decided that it displayed God's handiwork in a similar way that a Tornado does. . . not so much the way a cute little puppy does. :) This week, I have two tests, which I started the long process of studying for on Monday. They shouldn't be too hard, but you can't ever be too prepared, right?

Other than that, I'm not doing too much these days. CCF is still a major part of my life - two weekly services, a small group, and being discipled by an older girl. That has been really great - the wisdom and perspective of other people can be so helpful for day-to-day life! I've also been making new friends with some of the girls my age who are in CCF. I love making new friends who share my love for the Lord!

TeeVee

Oh Hi.
So, school has started slowly. Not a whole lot to do. But, the good news is, that Netflix is G-R-E-A-T! And, I've been catching up on a whole 18 years of not watching TV. Let me give you a look at what entertains me these days:

I must confess that this is my favorite show.
The names, pineapples, magic head. . . how can you go wrong?

Also a great show. More intense and intellectual than Psych,
and the tie to psychology intrigues me to no end. And British
accents are my fav.

OCD is a serious condition. I am really not a fan of mocking
serious conditions. But this show. . . you've just got to watch
it. If you've ever had any kind of a aversion to germs, or know
anyone who has, you will get a real kick out of it. :)

So yes - these keep me pretty busy! What shows do you like?

Start Fresh!

Back at school. For the first time yet this year, it's beginning to really feel like home. Of course, they say that "home is where the heart is" - if that's the case, then I have my home spread out all over the place. And yes, much of it is here in Kville. :) CCF tonight was really special - it's so amazing how being brothers and sisters in Christ can make a room full of mostly strangers seem like family.

We have to journal about our New Year's Resolutions for one of my classes. Interesting assignment, especially if you're like me, and have given up on the idea of resolutions. :) But I feel that a large part of resolving is tied in with reflecting. Resolving incorporates the idea of change, and how can you change to the "new" unless you're clear on what the "old" was?

My "old" isn't fun to reflect on. Most of 2010 in my life felt like a war-zone. How do you resolve change from that? But each day is a fresh start. The sermon I heard on Sunday urged Christians to look at each day of this coming year as an unopened gift under the tree, that God has given us. I guess my main resolution then is to live in wonder and expectation of each new day, and to recognize that One is directing my days.

"Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which
God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. "
Philippians 3:13b &14