Merry Christmas!

"For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace"

Isaiah 9:6

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I hope that this season and upcoming year is filled with many sweet things (like this yummy fudge), but most importantly with the sweetest thing that will only ever fully satisfy: Jesus Christ.

"Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"

2 Corinthians 9:15

*I had fun putting together a simple Christmas centerpiece for my table in Berkeley. I took a lantern (that I got as a gift for Christmas last year) and filled it with cheap-o ornaments from Ikea. I put the "peace" ornament on top; and a candle and a little bird finished it off. Inexpensive and festive!

a weekend trip

*beautiful Boston*

*so thankful to see where this girl lives*

*Newport, Rhode Island*

*this tiny state is big on donuts, yum*

*breathtaking fall colors*

Here are a few pictures from my recent (free flight!) trip to visit Katelyn; she does campus ministry in and around Providence, Rhode Island. What a sweet treat to experience her new home, friends, and the surrounding cities. This was my first visit to the East Coast and I would love to return. . .but I was also happy to leave the cold behind. According to the weather, it felt like Christmas was right around the corner; whereas it has felt like the 4th of July is right around the corner here in California. Speaking of which, I wouldn't mind seeing fireworks soon. . .Disneyland here I come! Before you think life is all fun and games, life has also been busy busy with work and pretty emotional as well. Overall, I am thankful - but looking forward to Thanksgiving break as well. . .which is when Disneyland is on the agenda. A few more days in Berkeley and then off to one of my favorite conferences for students (http://www.crossroads.psw.org/) down south - can't wait to see many staff friends and be a part of God's plan. But first, I need to work on my talk for the weekly meeting - one thing at a time. Hope you're having a good week!

Mornings

Mornings are good. . .that's why we say Good Morning, right?!

Now, not all of you agree because I know there are a lot of night owls out there (almost all of my students), but I'm proudly part of the morning club and here are a few reasons why:

- There's nothing like knowing you have a full day ahead of you

- One of my favorite Bible verses mentions the morning, Psalm 143:8

- Working out in the morning (walks, bike ride, gym, swim) helps me make healthier choices throughout the day and is a great time to pray

- It means I went to bed on time the night before and feel well rested

- Breakfast! I just love breakfast - waffles and bacon with lots of syrup, fresh fruit and scones, Dutch pancakes made for loved ones, so many excuses to have sweets start off my day. . .so much so that I've been know to say that I would serve breakfast for dinner at my wedding one day - we'll see about that :)

But who am I kidding - I usually just have a bowl of cereal, and I'm so content to do so. Lately I've been making batches of homemade granola. After making it 4 times (I can't believe that much granola has entered my tummy!) I've decided it's high time I pass the recipe on to you all. It's easy, cheap, and healthier then the stuff you buy at the store.

So, go to this lovely website for the granola recipe of your dreams. Get creative with what you add. . .I put flax, walnuts, and a mix of dried fruits (cherries, blue berries, craisins, and golden raisins can be bought in one package at Trader Joe's) along with the other ingredients. And I learned after several batches that I prefer to add the dried fruits after the oat/nut mixture has been baked.

Oh, and fun fact - I know Whitney, the blogger and granola maker. . .she goes to my church in Berkeley, is new to the faith, and is such a treat to know!

What is one reason why you like. . .or dislike. . .the morning?

Blake Garden

I was able to pull away from campus for a bit today, so refreshing! I finally made it out to Blake Garden, thanks to a dear friend's recommendation - wow, what a find. Blake Garden is this incredibly beautiful and peaceful garden with amazing views of the bay, about 10-15 minutes from where I live. There are lots of great benches and quite places to reflect on life and the goodness of God through it all. . .at least, that's what I did there! Part of my time was spent reading a page or two in "Desiring God" by John Piper. Here's a quote, that basically sums up his main point:

"Christian Hedonism is a philosophy of life built on the following five convictions:

1. The longing to be happy is a universal human experience, and it is good, not sinful.

2. We should never try to resist our longing to be happy, as though it were a bad impulse. Instead, we should seek to intensify this longing and nourish it with whatever will provide the deepest and most enduring satisfaction.

3. The deepest and most enduring happiness is found only in God. Not from God, but in God.

4. The happiness we find in God reaches its consummation when it is shared with others in the manifold ways of love.

5. To the extent that we try to abandon the pursuit of our own pleasures, we fail to honor God and love people. Or, to put it positively: The pursuit of pleasure is a necessary part of all worship and virtue. That is:

The chief end of man is to glorify God

by

enjoying Him forever."

Lots to chew on, which is what he proceeds to do for the next 300 (eek!) pages. What do you think of the progression of his 5 points? I have seen this to be true in my life. What about you?

In other news, I had so much fun "skyping" with a college roommate who is a social worker with the International Justice Mission in India this morning. Oh technology!

And my parents are en route to Holland right now. Slightly (ok, very) jealous but also so happy for them.

Well, that's it for now. I hope to post again soon, but you know how that goes. Oh, and if you'd like me to take you to Blake Garden just let me know, I'd love for you to experience this Berkeley treasure as well!

Butterscotch Cookies

Baking for college students is one of the sweetest things - they are always hungry for something homemade and so easy to please! I often just make a quick go-to recipe that I have on hand because I'm usually pressed for time. . .but this week I made something new and it was quite the hit with my freshmen girls' small group. It requires "browning butter" which I had never done before. It looked like I kinda burnt it instead. . .but the cookies still tasted great so it must not have been that bad. A couple more tries and hopefully I'll have that new skill perfected. Also, my philosophy on baked goods is usually: if it doesn't have chocolate it's not a dessert BUT this cookie might have caused me to change my mind. That's a big sign that you should make these super soon! Ok, here's the link: Butterscotch Cookies

What's the last thing you baked? Also, if you've got a link to one of your favorite recipes I'd love to have it!

Blooper

One of the sweetest things in life is laugher. . .well, I hope this will make you laugh, though I am still slightly horrified at my tiny mistake -

I write a monthly newsletter updating ministry partners on what God has been up to. Many of these partners give financially to my ministry so that I am able to do this work. Well, I thought I would include this great quote that I came across in my latest newsletter. It's by AW Tozer and goes like this, "As base a thing as money is, it can be transmuted into everlasting treasure. . .whatever is given to Christ is immediately touched with immorality."

Did you catch the mistake that I did not?! It's definitely supposed to say "immorTality", not "immorality" - and wow, who would have thought that one letter could change the meaning soooo much. Embarrassing! So, if you're one of the 150 people who will be getting this newsletter in the coming days, I hope this mistake brings some laughter to your day. Thanks for dealing with my imperfections graciously!

Ok, back to work on my talk for the Weekly Meeting tomorrow night (1 John 2:12-17) and then a couple of meetings with students. My carpet is being steam-cleaned as I speak/write, excited to come home to it's cleanliness. . .but not excited to put everything back in its place again.

Happy Wednesday!

the college scene

"The college scene" - an expression used to describe the craziness that's about to begin this Friday night, and even most nights of the week. I meet students who get pulled into the college scene by roommates, classmates, and, often their own selves. We're all looking for something to satisfy, or something to numb the pain of living in a broken world, a broken body. My favorite radio station on Pandora.com right now is "Need to Breath", I love that band, as well as Matt Kearney's music. I was wondering what Matt Kearney's story is so I googled his name and found this great blurp that resonates with the college scene -

"Looking back, Kearney first left Eugene, Oregon to play soccer at Chico State University, the notorious school that was once dubbed the No. 1 party school in the nation. Kearney, who occasionally sold weed in high school, fit right into university's wild ways before eventually hitting rock bottom. "I guess I lived it up and did what everyone said you should do in college," he recalls. "I discovered the depth of depravity, the bleakness of that lifestyle. It just wasn't working. I finally started understanding there must be more to life." It was at this point where Kearney had a life-changing encounter with Christ. "God found me when I was at my lowest point. That was the first time in my life when I really felt like I understood who Jesus was-it was more than just knowing about Him, I felt like He met me in that time and place."

Don't get me wrong, I don't think we all have to go to these depths to see our need for something more, something (someone!) that will actually satisfy. But, I do think Matt's story is powerful and connects with so many of the students I meet. I'm so thankful Christ has come to make a way for us to know Him and experience abundant life, even while we're still living in a broken world, a broken body. He really is the sweetest thing. . .

Sisters

Sisters are sweet things (people :)) that let me taste and see God's goodness. As a little girl I would grieve (literally!) the fact that I didn't have a sister - I wanted one so badly. What's fun, is that I'm always gaining new sisters, in more ways then one, and I'm so thankful!

One way that I am gaining a sister is through my younger brother's engagement a little over a month ago! I am so excited that Joost and Kristin are getting married, I could not ask for a better wife for my brother. . .and sister for me, finally! Looking forward to seeing them and my parents for a Giants baseball game in San Francisco tomorrow. . .I've got the peanuts and cracker-jacks all ready to go for my mom and dad's first baseball game ever!

Another way that I have gained a sister happened just yesterday. After a wonderful faith-stretching week of meeting lots and lots of new students, I had the opportunity to share the Gospel with a freshmen who proceeded to begin a personal and very real relationship with God in the courtyard right outside of her dorm room. As we talked about John 1:12 ("Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave he right to become children of God"), it hit me afresh that I have many brothers and sisters in Christ - and that many are still coming to know Him as their Savior, even in the hardest of places. I am so thankful for the work God is doing to draw His children to Himself!

Lastly, this is recruitment ("rush") week in the Greek community here at Cal. Students that are rushing are looking for sisterhood/brotherhood, amongst other things. It has been so neat to see God answer my prayers - He's brought several great freshmen girls, who love Jesus, into my life this week who are going through recruitment. I am excited to see what houses/chapters they end up in and which "sisters" they will be a light to for their next 4 years at Cal.

Thanks for reading some of my thoughts on the many blessings of "sisters" in my life!

Finally!

So, I've been wanting a fresh look and name for my blog for quite some time. Well, today is the day! I'm waiting for some college friends to show up, watching the Jr. Olympics on TV, and fiddling with technology after a full day of campus ministry related things.

If you know me at all you'll know that I just love "sweet" things - things that are sweet to taste, see, feel, and hear. . .but especially taste!

But, I am most passionate about the sweetest thing (errr, person) in my life - Jesus. I have indeed tasted and seen that He is good (Psalm 34:8) and want to continue to do so as I enjoy the people, places, and things that He's placed in my life. He gets the credit and the glory for any of the sweet stories (and recipes. . .) I'll be sharing here, because He's the creator of it all!

So, to start - one of the sweetest things of today was my trip to Costco. Well, Costco can make me grumpy - way to many people, buying way to much stuff. . .and I just add to the problem. Today I went to buy lots of ministry things (like 5 cases of bottled water to give out to new students this week) and was feeling the grumpiness come on as I was pushing a way too heavy cart through the obstacle course that is Costco. I finally make it to the cash register and through a conversation with one of the employees, Dennis, it comes out that I've bought all this stuff because I do campus ministry at Cal. Well, Dennis gets SOOO excited and comes over to shake my hand and give me a big hug while saying "Bless you, sister in Christ". We chat for a bit and I'm on my way. Dennis turned my frown upside down - I definitely left with a smile on my face. How encouraged I was!

I'm thankful for many sweet gifts, pictures of God's grace (an undeserved gift, always) throughout this day and everyday. I hope to give you snippets of His sweetness as the weeks and months of a new year go by.

What is a sweet thing you've experienced this weekend?

bathroom make-over

Well, now I remember why it took me over a year (we re-painted the rest of my apartment in April 2009) to get up the motivation to paint the bathroom. . .it's hard work! I don't want to paint anything for another yet, at least. Here's the before:

It's hard to tell, but it was floor-to-ceiling yellow. . .well, actually the color was called "polenta". So, I had been bathing and primping in a polenta-colored cube - yuck! But, to be honest I now understand why even the ceiling was painted the same color - because it's REALLY hard to do a good job painting edges. Well, I did my best and here's what it looks like now:

I painted the ceiling, cupboards, and sink cabinet white, the walls a creamy sandy color (just found it in the paint closet in the garage so I have no idea what it's called), and changed the hardware. I actually didn't buy a single thing to do this project. . .but I sure wish someone paid me! But that's alright, I have the satisfaction of my hard work and a "new" bathroom.

I've also made some changes to my bedroom - stay tuned. . .

Off to finish laundry - heading out to a staff planning retreat this week, be back Thursday night. Have a good one!

Oops. . .

Well, it's been over a month - and it's gone quickly.

Some highlights. . .

- finished up classes, thankful for a deeper faith in God and His Word, also thankful for deeper friendships

- Joost and Kristin are engaged! My mom and I threw a fun engagement party a week ago. . .it's really happening, probably sometime in April - wahoo!

- a SLO vacation with a dear friend; something active in the beautiful outdoors every morning, something super relaxing for the rest of the day, oh - and lots of really good food. . .definitely the recipe for a great vacation!

And now I'm back in Berkeley trying to get ready for year 4 of full-time ministry, year 3 in Berkeley. Hard to believe! Feeling the usual jitters of starting a new year - but have been very encouraged as I am reading Hebrews to walk by faith and run this race with endurance.

This summer has had many seasons - both literally (from snow to humidity and everything in between) and figuratively. A couple of lines in a song (called "Desert Song") have come to mind frequently:

All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

I have so much to be thankful for as I start a new year - I am especially thankful for Jesus and the relationship I have with Him, and I am hopeful that He will do great things in Berkeley and at Cal this year!

What a game

Well, the World Cup is over once again - and I have to say, I'm slightly relieved. . .those games take a lot of time and energy to watch. Though it wasn't the cleanest game on Sunday, so proud of the Dutch for not letting Spain win easily by any means. Here's a picture of where I watched the game - though it really doesn't capture the atmosphere. . .definitely "gezelig", I think there were about 200 Dutchmen and perhaps 10 Spanish fans. Doesn't the guy standing by the pole kinda look like Snijder?

Also, wanted you to know of this GREAT website, highlighting many of the players of the World Cup and their faith in God. Check it out, it's called Beyond the Ultimate I'm so thankful that God is at work around the world. I now I need to get back to work - 4 more days!

the 4th

I am so glad to be a Dutch American. . .

But I am most thankful for my freedom in Christ!

Had fun celebrating the 4th of July with Casey, Amanda, and thousands of Floridans - they sure put on a great show here, and the rain stopped just in time. I LOVE fireworks, and patriotic $3 t-shirts at Walmart!

Week 3

Wow, another week is gone and now there's only 1 left. Highlights of this week:

- I'm really enjoying my "God, Bible, Holy Spirit" class, so thankful for how God is using it to deepen my understanding of Him (though He still is and will always be God, not fully comprehensible), and therefore my love for Him. One of my favorite incommunicable attributes is His unchangeableness - this just brings me so much rest and joy, knowing that He has always been and will always be who He says that He is.

- Spent an afternoon at the headquarters of Campus Crusade for Christ, what a special time that was - I am truly thankful to be called to serve God with this organization. Fun seeing some friends that I joined staff with last summer who are working here. . .our jobs look very different in some ways (they work in a cubicle!) but are founded on the same passion to one day see everyone know someone who truly follows Jesus.

- Holland making it to the finals of the World Cup!! Wow, the end of the game was rough - but what matters most is that we won and now we're off to play Spain on Sunday. I'll be watching it with a group of staff friends at an Irish Pub down the street. Watched the Uruguay game there as well and there were lots of Dutch supporters there - so fun!

Otherwise the week has been full of classes, homework, reading, swimming, some sleeping, eating at the cafeteria, and enjoying the people I'm surrounded by. Thankful to be here, but I'll be ready to pack up and head home in a week. Disney World tomorrow. . .homework can wait! :)

Have a great weekend friends. . .any plans?

GGGGOOOOAAAALLLLL

Well, as I'm sure you've heard - Holland has made it to the semifinals of the World Cup!! What an exciting, stressful, suspenseful, and wonderful win against Brazil! Now we'll be playing Uruguay (sad to see Ghana loose in a shoot-out) on Tuesday. Here's picture of me celebrating with some cake at the cafeteria yesterday, still decked out in my orange and red/white/blue (the colors of the Dutch flag, of course) gear:

Well, off to brunch and then the Kennedy Space Center. Hard to believe that week 2, and round 1 of classes, are done. Really enjoying myself! Have a lovely 4th of July weekend!

week 1

This first week in Florida flew by! There are times where I think I'm getting used to the humidity, to the point where I might even like it, and then there are times that I (and my hair) just can't stand it. Yay for air-conditioning and swimming pools. Actually, they keep the classrooms so cold that I had to buy a long sleeve cardigan, didn't think to pack one of those (yet another great sale at the Gap saves the day).

Classes are going well, but fast! My first two classes wrap up on Friday - meaning I've got lots of reading, writing, studying, and test-taking to do. But don't fear - I'm still having lots of fun, both in the classroom and outside of it. It's really great being with a big group of people with the World Cup going on. I'll definitely be wearing my bright orange t-shirt as I cheer Holland on tomorrow, so exciting! The only sad part is that the game starts at 10 (7AM Cali time) and I'm in class til 11. . .but then again if I worked a 8-5 I'd miss the game altogether so I'll try not to complain.

Yesterday a group of girls and I went to Brierpatch, a really fun breakfast and lunch place. The meal I had definitely filled me up for both of those - banana chocolate chip walnut french toast. So tasty, and very filling as you can imagine! The cafeteria is closed on the weekends so it's fun to try different things in town, I think we might have sushi tonight.

Ok - I really need to get cracking on my Bibilical Interpretation paper. I selected 2 Samuel 9 (check it out if you get the chance) about the kindness King David shows Mephibosheth. . .took me a long time to remember how to spell that and still not too sure how to pronounce it, I'll call him M. Love that passage! So far we've looked at the historical and literary contexts as well as the scenes and plot development in order to properly understand the author's big idea. Next we'll work toward the theological big idea. Really enjoying it - and trying not to go into school mode (what do I need to do to get the grade?), but trying instead to keep my mind and heart engaged in God's Word and what He wants to show me in terms of my need for Him and His redemptive response.

Have a great week friends!

Florida!

Hello from Winter Park! Yep, that's just outside Orlando and where I'll be for the next 4 weeks. The name cracks me up because it feels NOTHING like winter out here - wow, now I know what humidity feels like. Every afternoon around 2-3PM there's a thunderstorm, often booming away during our Old Testament Survey classes, adding a neat emphasis to what our great professor is teaching us.

Anyways, I haven't taken any pictures yet (no surprise) but here's one of the pool, that some friends and I have been swimming in each afternoon, that I swiped off of the internet. Those boys are having a good time and so are we. The building in the background is the cafeteria and on the other side of the pool is a huge lake. Wonder if there's any alligators in there?

I really should be doing homework before dinner so I need to wrap this up. Quickly, here's what an average day looks like:

- 8:30-11:00 Biblical Interpretation

- 11:00-12:00 reading

- 11:30-1 lunch

- 1:00-3:00 Old Testament Survey

- 3:00-4:00 swim

- 4:00-5:30 homework

- 5:30-7 dinner

- 7:00 on - evening activity/homework

Well, at least that's what the past 2 days have looked like. I'm enjoying meeting people and learning lots about the Lord and His Word. So thankful to be here!

Thoughts on a Thursday

• I am just loving my road bike, went on some fun bike rides while home and have enjoyed biking to various hangouts with friends these past couple of days in Berk.
• Go Holland, they’re playing game 2 tomorrow (being shown at 4:30am, eek!). . .the World Cup is such an intense display of physical strength and team/country spirit. Love it!
• There’s lots of great sales going on right now. . .one at Bath and Body Works that I thoroughly enjoyed. Stocked up on great hand soaps for cheap!
• I’ve really been into making smoothies (ice, plain yogurt, and lots of fruit - I’ve been doing blueberries, strawberries, banana, and apricots) and salads (spinach, romaine, garbanzo beans, pan-grilled mushrooms and onions, hard boiled egg, and lunch meat or salmon (that’s a new one for me!), with balsamic dressing - so tasty) lately. . .summertime naturally makes me want to eat fresh and healthy, feels good!
• Reading for my classes has been great. . .but it’s too much - getting antsy with all the siting that goes along with it, and it’s not going to get done (which is ok, I’ll just have to be reading while I’m there). I leave for Florida on Saturday - excited. . .need to remember to pack an umbrella for the daily afternoon thunderstorms!
• On my drive back to Berkeley from home (had such a great time - lots of time at the pool and lake - my kind of break) I saw the most beautiful sunset. This always reminds me of how my mom used to say “Looks like God spilt lemonade” when we saw sunsets as kids, love that. Here’s a picture I took while waiting at a stoplight:

• And lastly, because I know you’re curious. . .the Trader Joe’s has opened and it’s magnificent - so fun checking out all the goodies, and so far I’ve behaved both in terms of cost and calories!
• Have a lovely weekend.

books, books, books

Yep, here's the reading I need to do before I board a plane for Orlando next Saturday. Eek! Of course, it's awesome reading about the Lord - but it's also lots of siting and focusing, hard to do in the summertime. I hope to share quotes that stand out to me from time to time, hoping they will minister to you as well. So, to get the ball rolling - a compelling reason to study systematic theology. . .and not only for those in full-time ministry:

"The task of fulfilling the Great Commission includes therefore not only evangelism but also teaching. Ask the task of teaching all that Jesus commanded us is, in a broad sense, the task of teaching what the whole Bible says to us today. To effectively teach ourselves and to teach others what the whole Bible says, it is necessary to collect and summarize all the Scripture passages on a particular subject" (Systematic Theology, Wayne Grudem, 27).

Now, off to read some more and then head to Costco, they've got some great coupons right now!

June 11th

What's so special about June 11th you may be wondering? Well - it's the Grand Opening of Trader Joe's 1 block from my apartment of course! Over 2 years ago, when I knew I'd be moving to Berkeley, one of the first things I did was google to see if there was a Trader Joe's near by. Upon doing so I found out that they were just about to begin a huge building project including apartments and my favorite store closer then I could have ever dreamed (a sweet blessing from the Lord, no?). . .that proceeded to take over 2 years. Man, it's hard being patient! Well, the day has come. The doors are opening this Friday and I'm super excited!

Now, not to make you think I have been Trader Joe-less, there are 2 locations about a 10 minute drive away. . .and here is a list of my favorite products (great blog idea Bethany and Rebecca!) off the top of my head:

- dark chocolate pretzel slims

- kashi harvest wheat cereal

- mediterranean hummus

- chewable adult multi-vitamin

- tissue box

- naan, in the freezer section

- "soy milk extra"

- fat free balsamic dressing

- butter and eggs (cheaper then at the grocery store)

- berries (black, blue, straw, rasp)

- beets (fresh, ready to eat)

- frozen balsamic veggies

- "soy creamy min chocolate sandwiches"

- craisins

- fire roasted guacamole

- white whole wheat flour

- natural peanut butter

- snap peas

- toasted sliced almonds

Ok, wow, this list is getting embarrassingly long. I still do some shopping at a regular grocery store because Trader Joe's doesn't carry everything and their produce can be more pricey at times - but as you can tell, I'm a big fan of this store. Shopping here motivates me to eat healthy and creatively and the portions are just the right size for this single lady. I hate it when food goes to waste! Oh, and their label design and product descriptions are just fun. I'll keep you posted on new TJ finds. . .if you'll do your part and hold me accountable to not spending too much money and calories (though there's lots of healthy foods there are also a lot of tempting not so healthy options) at this store that will just be a hop, skip, and jump away!

From Breck to Berk

What a difference flying in a plane for 2 hours can make. I got back to warm weather and a loud Indian festival happening down the street in Berkeley. Just a little different then what I experienced in Breckenridge the past couple of weeks. It is good to be back though. I tried to unpack and get settled in as quickly as possible because I won't be here for long. Flying out to Orlando, FL to take classes through Campus Crusade's Institute for Biblical Studies (not the definition for IBS that most people think of. . .thank goodness!) on June 19th. Until then I will be reading, reading, reading. I'm taking 4 intense classes and it is strongly recommended that we do all the reading before we get there. I'm doubtful that I'll get it all done in under 2 weeks but I'll try. I also plan on going home to Oakdale for a few days - can't stay away from family for too long!

Beautiful places and faces

Here are the staff and students of Greek Summit Breckenridge 2010!

The end.

Some of the staff and I just watched the last students drive off in a shuttle to the airport. All good things (except for eternal life - yesss!) must come to an end I suppose. What a sweet time. The banquet went really well last night. It was so special to hear students share the things they had learned about the Lord and how to have a ministry in their Greek houses. Each of them are different men and women then when they came - so fun to see transformation happen.

Just a couple of random pictures. We bought decorations for the banquet at Target - check out the scenery, this has got to be the most beautiful location for this great store.

And here is what the table decor looked like at the banquet. We put fun quotes from our time together in small frames. We lit candles and sprinkled candies around, within the color scheme. Each student and staff had a 12x12 sheet of paper with their name on it underneath their plate. Over the corse of the night everyone wrote notes of encouragement and fun memories so that we all had something tangible to remind us of our new friendships.

Oh, and everyone had a little Andes mint at the corner of their place setting - to mask the amazing taste of ribs, beans, and cornbread that we had for dinner. But don't worry - we definitely had dessert too. . .custom ordered awesome cupcakes. The night also consisted of a short charge by the project director, Brandon, and a prayer time. And, of course - lots of fun dancing.

Well, I'll be back in California mid-morning tomorrow. About to have lunch, staff meeting, packing and cleaning, then a fun night with the staff and then we're off. Hope to be back again some day - and if any Cal Greeks are reading this. . .you've gotta come, can't wait to tell you all about it!

Thursday?!

As cliche as it sounds. . .time is flying! It's Thursday night - students leave Saturday morning, sadness. It's hard for me to put it to words here but things are going really well. We just heard a couple great talks from Roger Hershey. I heard him speak for the first time November of my senior year in college - and it's after that weekend conference, and how the Lord spoke through him, that I decided to do an internship with Campus Crusade. That was 3 1/2 years ago - wowzers. It was so special to have him with us in a smaller setting, I had the chance to tell him what an influence he's had on my life. He gave talks, similar to the ones I heard, about eternal perspective, still great stuff that I need to be reminded of constantly. The students LOVED him as well. In honor of Hersh we had an ice cream social last night and I made "Better Than Hershey's" warm chocolate sauce. Here's the recipe - I highly recommend it!! Ok, off to grab dinner with students and then more activities. Banquet tomorrow - I'm in charge and it's coming together. I kinda feel like I'm planning a small wedding, fun!

4 tbsp. butter

¼ cup Karo syrup

7 tbsp. unsweetened Hershey cocoa

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 ½ cup sugar

1 cup evaporated milk

2 tsp. vanilla

*Melt butter in a sauce pan, stir in Karo syrup.

*Add cocoa and oil (be careful not to burn).

*Gradually add sugar and milk stirring constantly; bring to light boil, add vanilla.

*Serve over vanilla ice cream with chopped pecans

baseball and antler chandeliers

We headed to a Rockies/Dodgers game in Denver last night. Got caught in a hail storm on the way, quite exciting! Fun seeing a game at a different stadium but I don't want to talk about the outcome. We did get a great wave going all the way around the stadium - that was fun!

We've been going to a church called "Agape Outpost". I just had to snap a picture of the sanctuary, complete with wooden beams and many antler chandeliers. Only in Colorado!

Off to prepare dinner with a couple of students I recruited to help. Later tonight one of the staff couples is giving a talk about relationships - should be great!

California girls

It's been fun representing California well with my fellow staff girl (at USC) Casey. So thankful to be at Greek Summit with her - and maybe one day we'll see a Greek Summit start on the west coast! That would be great for students in our "pacific southwest" region. Later tonight we'll be sure to cheer for the LA Dodgers playing the Rockies in Denver. We're all going and it should be a blast! Before then we'll be striking up conversations about spiritual things with people in Breckenridge. The students have been getting lots of great training in how to have Gospel conversations and how to share their stories of what God has done in their lives. I'm excited to see what the Lord will do during this time. Ok, off to write a couple of post cards and go for a little hike. I hope you have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Spa Day!

Hi friends,

The day us girls at Greek Summit have been waiting for has arrived - we're going to Vail to have a spa day! I'm getting a mud wrap - just a little nervous, should be interesting to say the least.

Things are going really well. We had a great women's time last night - learning about idolatry, making good things ultimate. Many of us, myself included had "light bulb" moments. I just love that as I have the privilege of pointing women to Christ I get to grow as well.

Ok, well - this is a short one, our morning meeting starts in 1 minute so I need to head down stairs. Each morning we start with some worship, then a talk (today's is on "service and sacrifice"), then some reflection time, and then another talk (Casey's speaking on "being in the world but not of it"), lunch, and then community groups. That brings us to 2 PM - so as you can tell the days fly by!

Would love your prayers as I finish preparing for my talk tomorrow on God's/our heart for the lost and the world. Big topic!

Will Berry If Found

It's a very windy Sunday here in Breckenridge, seems appropriate on Pentecost (Acts 2:1-3). So thankful that God has made His home in us as believers, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, thanks to Christ's death on our behalf.

It was also SUPER windy while white water rafting yesterday - but we still had so much fun, and are all rather sore today. One of the guides told us that because of the wind we ended up paddling 10 times more then on a calm day. In the picture I'm toward the back right, with the yellow helmet and sunglasses (that was the first time I've worn a wet suit, quite flattering).

Our guide, Will is pictured on the back left. Let me tell you a story about him. So, I momentarily forgot that his name was Will and was seated near a red bag (I'm assuming it had rescue/safety gear inside) that said, exactly like this:

Will Berry

If Found

Return to Noah's Ark Rafting Co.

Well, I proceeded to have a long and loud conversation about how Berry was spelt wrong because that's a fruit, and how it should be "Bury". It's curious to me why someone should bury this bag when they found it, and then how that someone would return a buried bag to the rafting company. And then, all of a sudden, it hits me that "Will Berry" is the guide's full name and I've been (unintentionally!!) making fun of him this whole time. Oops! :)

Hope you're having a lovely Sunday!

The Gospel

It is so fun and refreshing to be with a concentrated number of students who love the Lord! Yesterday I met with my two other girls, Allie and Marie. Both shared their sweet stories with me, I'm always humbled when someone chooses to let me in on their pain, as well as God's redemptive work in their lives.

The students meet in community groups every week day, using curriculum called "The Gospel-Centered Life". I was reading one of the articles this morning and here's a quote that really stood out: "As my understanding of my sin and of God's holiness grows, something else also grows: my appreciation for love for Jesus. His mediation, his sacrifice, his righteousness, and his gracious work on my behalf become increasingly sweet and powerful to me. The cross looms larger and more central in my life as I rejoice in the Savior who died upon it". So true!

I'm missing out on two weddings today, sad! Tiffany, a college friend who I met in the dorms, and Melissa, a student I discipled/mentored at Cal Poly, are both making significant commitments to godly men today and I'm just so excited for them. I look forward to seeing pictures on facebook soon!

These students, that quote, and thoughts on marriage all are reminding me of the beauty of the Gospel working itself out in every aspect of life, as it is intended to.

Merritt

How cool is her name? Merritt just finished her freshmen year at the University of Texas at Austin. She is so fun! She is a Chi Omega - and comes from a long line of Greeks in her family. Next year she'll be helping to lead a small group Bible study for freshmen Chi O's and that's so exciting. Our first hang out this afternoon was so encouraging. We looked at Psalm 16 - one of my all-time favorites. It was so fun to chat with her about who we are in Christ and what the means for our lives.

Yes, at times I can get nervous about these opportunities to impact these women's lives but I know that as long as I keep it Christ-centered and rooted in the Bible we're good to go. I love showing them that I'm not perfect and just as much in need of God's love and grace as they are. If they have a question I'm not sure how to respond to I'm not afraid to let them know that I don't know/have the answer or I need some time to think about it. Also, the power of Christ works through me so I have to trust that He'll work, even when I don't say things right or what I say comes across wrong.

So, the reason I'm going to head back to California with an accent is that everyone else, staff included, is mostly from Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana - no native Colorado peeps in our group. Although, the locals are great. After our hang out at Starbucks (it's the highest one in the world!) Merritt and I were walking back to the condos and this local woman began franticly whispering and pointing at us. At first we were very confused but she was letting us know that there was a Momma fox and 2 of her babies playing near by. So cute!

Well, we're doing a progressive dinner with the students tonight. Should be fun! Dessert a couple nights ago was brownies, last night it was birthday cake for one of the students, and tonight it's store bought pie. . .we're not afraid to keep it simple out here.

Time to go - here's Psalm 16 in closing. . .

You Will Not Abandon My Soul

1 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 2 I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you." 3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight. 4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips. 5 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. 6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. 7 I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. 8 I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. 10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. 11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand arepleasures forevermore.

Summer time?

This is the view that greeted me when I woke up this morning! It was 30 degrees and snowing. For fun I checked the weather in Orlando, Florida (where I'll be for the 2nd half of my summer) at the exact same time (well, I guess that not entirely true because of the time difference) and it was 77 degrees. . .that's a whole 47 degrees warmer. Oh dear!

I have arrived!

I wrote here exactly a week ago, while in my lovely hometown. . .and now I'm in a whole other state! And boy, my boy's definitely letting me know it's not in it's element. Altitude sickness is real my friends - we're just shy of 10,000 feet here.

Breckenridge, Colorado is so beautiful. We are surrounded by huge snow-covered mountains and cutesy shops, restaurants and ski lodges. The clouds are fluffy and the wind is crisp . . . good thing I packed (way too much as usual) lots of cold-weather clothes.

I am so loving getting to know the staff I'm working alongside as we prepare for the students arrival tomorrow afternoon. Everyone has been so nice and welcoming toward us (Casey's on staff at USC) California girls. . .and their thick southern accents are just going to take a little getting used to. Who knows, I may even come home with one!

I love how Gospel-centered our project directors, Brandon and Jenn, are. . .we will definitely be focusing on the main thing, Jesus, these next couple of weeks. At staff meeting this morning, Brandon spoke a little on God's unconditional love for us (1 John 4:7-8) and his great delight in us because of Christ, and how that's not based on anything we do. Such refreshing truths that I hope these students will walk away with a deeper understanding of as well.

Speaking of students, I will be mentoring 3 girls from 3 different states (Texas, Virginia, and North Carolina). I am so excited to get to know them, speak grace and truth into their lives, and encourage them to step out in faith in their Greek chapters on their campuses. I am also looking forward to learning more and more about the Greek culture through the experiences of these men and women here - trusting that the Lord will show me what, and how, to implement different ideas back at Cal. Oh, and white water rafting is happening this Saturday - just a tad excited about that as well!

That's it for now - off to a staff dessert/getting to know each other time. . .and I'm going to continue chugging lots of water. Oh, let me know if you have any questions and I'll blog in response. And I do hope to post some pictures as the days go on so come on back y'all (I've heard this said countless times by the staff the past 24 hours)!

Thoughts on a Tuesday. . .

Eek, this week is flying by! I'm in my hometown, hanging with fam and (supposed to be) prepping for a summer project that I leave for in less then a week. I'll be on the staff team of Greek Summit in Breckenridge, CO. Giving a couple talks, putting on a banquet, mentoring women, and learning tons about the Lord and Greek ministry right alongside the students. Excited!

Thinking about heading out to Colorado brings back lots of memories of last summer, at New Staff Training in Fort Collins, CO - what a great couple of weeks that can never be re-created. I'm sure I've forgotten a lot, but some random things I'm remembering right now are painting with Jen and Cara, turtle cookies in the cafeteria, thinking I was going to die while walking back to the dorms from a shakespeare play (yuck, still not a fan) in a major thunder storm, rodeo in Wyoming, not being able to read Lecrae's lyrics fast enough, white water rafting. . .ok - this list really could go on and on.

It's crazy to think how poor my memory is - how quick I am to forget things both small, and more concerning, big. Basic things too - like the steadfastness of God's love, the fact that He is in control, and that ultimately it's the eternal things that really matter. Oh man, I loose perspective, that's for sure. Good thing God is gracious and patient toward me - how I want to grow in living out His grace and patience toward myself and others!

So, I'm kinda getting into coffee - gasp! Well, I had my 2nd frappe-chino (ha, I don't even know how to spell it - that's what spell check just told me, still doesn't look right. . .) today. Craziness! I learned my lesson from last time and went for de-cafe, oh dear - I was a shaky, head-achy mess. Got one with a sweet friend at Starbucks because from now until May 16th they're doing half-off fraps from 3-5pm. However, I have decided that I probably should do my best to stick to tea - so much healthier, and still cheaper. Gotta love being Dutch!

Speaking of being Dutch, if my Oma (mom's mom) were alive she would have turned 90 today. In honor of this wonderful woman I asked my mom I teach me how to make her Appeltart (I guess like apple pie, but nothing like you've tasted - for one, there's rum in the recipe!) and in doing so we converted the recipe from grams to cups and now I can make it for all of you. Don't ask for the recipe though - top secret. :) So so tasty, we shared it with some neighbors tonight and it was fun getting to know them.

Do you ever get overwhelmed by the number of people in the world?! If I stop and think about it too much I go kinda crazy. Not only are there all these literal neighbors to get to know in my parents neighborhood but there are countless neighborhoods like it. . .all over the world. It's not like I need to get to know everyone but still - the thought of so many people living, feeling, experiencing, eating, talking, etc at the same-ish time is, well, overwhelming. Once again, thankful that God is truly in control, working in each segment of society world-wide, asking me to simply be faith-filled and obedient to the things He's called me to.

It's paragraphs like the one above that explain, in part, why living in a big city is not my favorite thing. The long country bike ride I went on this morning soothes the soul - well, if I ignore the part where I almost blew over because of a semi-truck that flew by me. Oh, and in case anyone wonders if there truly are happy cows in California . . . yes, there are - I love the contrast of their colors against the bright green grass and the crisp blue skies as they contentedly chew their cud and watch me go by. Oh, the simple life of a cow. Glad I'm not one but they're fun to admire none the less.

Ok - lots of thoughts on a Tuesday, thanks for tracking with me. . .and keep my wonderful students in your prayers, they're in the midst of finals - yuck. Good night!

Hello!

Just a little post to let you know I'm still alive. . .but barely, it's been busy my friends!

Next week is the last week of classes for the students - craziness, I hope I'll be able to connect with everyone before they/I head off for various summer adventures. As usual there seem to not be enough hours in the day!

A verse that has super encouraged me lately is 1 Corinthians 14:33, "For God is not a God of confusion but a God of peace". And the peace theme continues. . .

I am just loving my road bike - such a great purchase! When it's not raining I ride it to and from campus and I've gone on some longer rides as well - it's just so fun. Hoping to squeeze a bike ride in tomorrow morning - after a skype call with a dear friend in El Salvador and before packing for my flight down south for our regional staff conference.

After a weekend conference staff get that Monday off - I'll be spending it at Disneyland with staff friends, excited! I haven't been since I was 5, curious how it'll be, especially since I'm not a big rides person. Got a free ticket in so it's worth a try at 25!

Hum, what else. Oh - my roommate made us salmon burgers for dinner last night. . .and I liked it! Granted, beef will always be my number one choice but this was not bad at all. I am super thankful for my roommate and will be sad to see her go again in a couple of weeks. God's timing has been good, having her company has been a sweet blessing!

Ok - time to hit the sack. Hope you're well!

April showers. . .

Bring May flowers? I sure hope so! I can hardly believe I was wearing shorts and my favorite rainbow flip-flops last week and have needed an umbrella and rain boots this week. Oh dear!

April is the last full month with students before summer starts - full is a good word to describe it. Lot's going on to wrap up and finish well. Sometimes I'm motivated, sometimes I'm not - good thing the Lord is to be my strength and He never tires!

"Feelings, feelings" - my high school stats teacher used to say that to us in a sing-song voice (maybe it's actually a song?) anytime we'd mention how we were feeling about the class, or him for that matter. . .he wasn't a big fan of feelings. Well, you don't have to know me well to know I'm a big time feeler. Sometimes a good thing, other times not a good thing at all. Because of "feelings, feelings" (I wish you could hear him singing these words like I can right now :)) these are some things I've enjoyed through my senses lately:

- the sight of the Berkeley Marina at sunset. . .oh my goodness: sailboats spotting the bay, the last bits of light hitting the gorgeous green hills, people out and about catching the end of the day - so great. Seeing our students grow in their hearts for those who don't know Jesus and the reality of the spiritual battle while playing "Capture the Campus" (kinda like Capture the Flag) at the marina made the sights that much more beautiful.

- the taste of my roommate's Key Lime pie. . .words will fail to describe, but it was oh so tasty to say the least. Yep, I've got a roommate for 7 weeks and it's been glorious! Maybe it's the honeymoon phase but I'm going to enjoy it and thank God for her for all it's worth. One of my favorite times with her thus far was starting story time before bed - we're going to read The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis. Probably not something you should choose to read to little ones before bed but we're big girls so it works. :)

- the sounds of loved ones on the phone, there are so many people in my life that I love that I don't live close to. I really don't love that but I'm super grateful for phones. I'm not even a big phone talker but I'm more then willing to do what it takes to hear the voices of dear family and friends as they share stories, process life, and make me laugh. I love to laugh, and though laughing with people in person is my favorite. . .over the phone works too. Like, laughing with my mom on the phone about a silly dream I had - that would brighten anyone's day!

Ok, this is long enough - I'll end with a verse the Lord is using big time to encourage and challenge me, maybe it's what you need to hear to?

"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you" (Isaiah 26:3).

A fun project

A while ago I was in my favorite town (SLO, of course!) and saw a paper bird garland for sale at a great little store downtown called Paper Sky. I was unwilling to pay the price for something I thought I could pretty easily, and very inexpensively, make. So that's what I did a few weeks back - I used paper in colors that I like, cut out birds from it (getting the stencil to look just right was the hard part, glad I had my mom's help), and then used a sewing machine to sew across their little bodies. Voila! I love how it's added some color and fun to a wall in my living room. . .and how you can see their reflections in the mirror:

There's something about birds right now that I love. . .they're the picture of freedom, and they sing joyfully in response. They don't earn their freedom, it is freely given to them. This is how I feel in Christ - it's for freedom that He's set me free. I'm so thankful for the freedom from sin, guilt, and condemnation that are only fully found in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus - it's this freedom that causes me to sing joyfully in response. . .especially since I don't have to earn it, but it has been freely given to me!

Ireland

So, thanks to that "pray for Europe" website I told you about earlier. . .I prayed for Ireland today. I also read a blurp on their spiritual background which ended with this paragraph, a paragraph that sums up the present reality while keeping in mind the past and future (and current!) work of Christ. . .this is true for every country:

So now we face an uncertain economic future, a nation steeped in a religion that has failed them, and a church bruised and broken. In light of all that calls itself impossible, we believe in the God that parted the Red Sea, that broke down the walls of Jericho, that slays the giants, and that raises from the dead. We know He has a plan for our nation, a restoration of hope, of peace, and of broken lives being made whole. We trust Him to be the hope of our nation- not any one prophet, or denomination, or book or 5-step guideline. We look to him alone as the author and finisher of our faith, knowing he is faithful to complete that which began thousands of years ago.

Life

Wow - I've got life on the mind right now because I just got a text from a friend saying she's engaged, exciting!, and a minute before that I read an email from one of my Greek girls letting me know her dad suddenly passed away last week. Please pray for her. Isn't it true that He gives and takes away - let's choose to bless His name together.

With the mention of "engaged" my mind goes to the 2 weddings I went to the past 2 weekends. What incredible Christ-centered celebrations they were!

Here we have Andrew and Cara Henry! Cara and I went to elementary school together and reunited, thanks to Campus Crusade, in college. She is so dear to me and I am thrilled that the Lord blessed her with such a godly man. During the reception he asked all of us to hold them accountable to spending their lives together sharing the Gospel - love that! I also loved the daffodils, the tri-tip, seeing friends from long ago, and of course. . .the dancing!

And here we have Kelly (and Matt) Grieve! I got to know Kelly her freshmen year at Cal Poly. I was her Bible study leader and discipler for 3 precious years. How I love this girl - and though I do not have a picture of her hubby know that I think he complements her so sweetly. It was a huge honor to do a scripture reading for them during the ceremony - now I will always think of them when I read those wonderful verses in Romans 12. I also loved being a part of the set-up and tear-down, the 20 different desserts at the reception, and the incredible hospitality of her whole family, and the beautiful bouquet of orange tulips that I was sent home with.

I would show you more pictures but it's not letting me so this will do for now. Praise God for His design of and intent for marriage and that these 2 couples get to live their lives for His glory together!

Europe

I've got Europe on the mind and heart. . .and the Olympics just reinforce this right now. I've got men's figure skating on in the background - W.O.W. My skating abilities on display at Union Square in San Fran during the holidays are laughable in comparison. . .and they're sooooo young (or I'm old?)!

Anyways, why I'm writing all this is to invite you to pray with me, and many others, for Europe. A ministry of Campus Crusade, called Global Media Outreach, created this awesome website with a page for each country, giving you stats and specific prayer requests. What a great way for us to increase our heart for the world, asking God to do great things for He is certainly capable. And a fun bonus is that our geography skills will improve too! :)

I've signed up here for a daily email reminder to pray for a specific country every day for the next 40 days, starting tomorrow. Look at that, facebook will be a distant memory!

Facebook

Is it spring? I hope so!

Tomorrow is the start of Lent - a 40 day time of prayer and fasting leading up to Easter. I've actually never given up something for Lent. For the longest time I thought: that's only for Catholics. And after I got over that I realized that often I have impure motives when I try to give something up - it's usually not to glorify God and deepen my walk with Him. Well, the past couple of days I've been asking God "what would help take my walk with You to a deeper level?", wondering what He would say. I sense that the answer right now is facebook. So the plan is to not go onto facebook for the next 40 days (unless it's absolutely necessary for work purposes), spending that time in reading, fellowship, writing, prayer, etc. I'm excited for how God's going to use this to deepen my dependance on Him. . .and lessen my dependance on facebook. Please ask me how it's going! :)

Any thoughts on Lent?

Discover something new

I hope that I will always have a desire to discover new things, regardless of what stage I'm in (the post right below this one will help you understand where this thought comes from)!

One of these new things for me right now is the world of road bikes. I made my first Craig's List purchase on Friday and am now the owner of a Trek road bike! I am really excited about this new hobby and hope that the Lord will use it to open up opportunities for me to enjoy Him, His creation, and who He's made me and others to be even more!

can you believe it's a 1994?!

Valentine's Day

Hi friends! Hope you are well and feeling loved today. . .first and formost by the Lord!

I had a lovely afternoon with some of the Cru ladies. We decopauged journals, decorated cupcakes, and had a little discussion about beauty. We listened to a song titled, "There Will Never Be a More Beautiful You" - so true. I love helping others, and myself, grow in a biblical understanding of God and ourselves!

I've been reading a great book lately that I recommend to all woman. It is sweetly speaking to me in my singleness but is also writen for those in other stages of relationships. It's called "When I Get Married", by Jerusha Clark, and each chapter addresses a myth about marriage (ex: I'll always feel loved, I won't feel lonely anymore, life will be so much better, etc), replacing lies with truth shared via scripture and story - ah, sooo good.

I have a love/hate relartionship with singleness, though I am asking the Lord to continue to change my perspective so that I don't waste this season, but rather use it for His glory and my good. Here's an article I recently read and recommend to all the lovely single men and women reading this. It's titled "In the Meantime: What to do while waiting on God". Please go read it, but if you choose not to here's what the author encourages us to do:

Get to know God

Build a community

Do what you love

Discover something new

Help others

Buy dishes

Be reasonable

But Don't compromise

I'm encouraged this Valentine's Day - I hope you are too!

Incomprehensible

. . .and yet He has made a way for us to know Him through Jesus - amazing grace how sweet the sound.

"When we try to imagine what God is like we must of necessity use the that-which-is-not-God as the raw material for our minds to work on; hense whatever we visualize God to be, He is not, for we have constructed our image out of that which He has made and what He has made is not God. If we insist upon trying to imagine Him, we end with an idol, made not with hands but with thoughts; an idol of the mind is as offensive to God as an idol of the hand" (The Knowledge of the Holy, AW Tozer, pg 8).

Love Sweet Love

Hi friends,

Happy Friday!

I just stummbled upon this blog/website with lots of super fun and mostly easy Valentine's Day ideas. . .check it out HERE (I'm loving knowing how to link things!).

Ok, off to prep a "Chicken Fiesta Soup" to throw into the crock pot - oh how I love simple domesticity! :)

An Update

Just a quicky. . .then back to work, what a weird day! So, I'm going to have a root canal and crown done in the coming month. Today he removed the root and put some temporary filling/medication in there to ease the pain. I'll go in early next month to have the real stuff put in. Obviously, I don't really know what any of this means but I trust my dentist. It's going to be a long process though - lots of driving in the near future. If you read the other post in time, thanks for praying for me today!

Good things of the day:

- my dentist leaves for a medical missions trip tomorrow (yay for not earlier!) to Guatemala, pray for Him and His team!

- got to see my older brother for a 1/2 hour (the rest of the family were busy or out of town)

- hit 1000,000 miles on my car and it's still going strong (as far as I know)

- the first trees are blooming around town, one of my all time favorite things!

Off to prepare for an evangelism training I'm doing with our students after the weekly meeting tonight!

Dentist

Hi friends,

First off - thanks for help with the links thing. . .let's see if I can make it work:

Testing, Testing. . .one of my favorite blogs is THIS ONE!

Also, I stand corrected - Tebow is not going to be in the Superbowl, his commercial just happens to be during the Super Bowl. Now you know how much I know about professional football - nada! :)

Now a quick prayer request. I'm headed to the dentist today (which requires going home) because I've had some swelling and pain for a week and a half. Since I don't want to pop advil for the rest of my life I decided it was time to call and see what I should do. Pray that I would have peace about having to cancel meetings with students - I hate doing that. Pray that the Dr. would see what the problem is and be able to take care of it quickly. Thanks!

I'll close with a verse or 2 that I've been chewing on lately, from Romans 4:

8Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be."[d] 19Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. 20Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." 23The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, 24but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.