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).