The days of thanksgiving

I know that a lot of people on Facebook like to list one thing a day that they are thankful for through the month of November, and I think it's a great idea. I thought about doing that but I'm positive I would forget and get really behind. So, I decided to challenge myself to come up with 30 things in a blog post! So, here they are in absolutely no particular order:

1. I'm thankful for a car that works and a father that helps keep it that way.
2. I'm so thankful for my family in general. In a world so full of dysfunction, I have a solid family to come home to. They're maybe a little on the odd side, but I love them all the same!
3. Friends. Man, I'm so blessed with the friends God has given me. I can't even describe the love, encouragement, joy, laughter, and acceptance they shower on me. 
4. My job. I work for a great family who trusts me and have been so awesome and willing to work around my schedule. And baby hugs. They're the best!
5. My dog. It's silly, but I sure love that chubby, lazy, ol' dog! Every time I leave home to go back to school I always wish I could bring him along.
6. Sleep. I do enjoy it.
7. My brother's fiancee. It's so nice to see him happy and I'm so thankful to be getting another sister. 
8. Sweatpants. I just love wearing sweatpants.
9. Calvary Bible College. I've only been there a short time, but I've already learned so much. I'm looking forward to getting to know people there more and develop some relationships!
10. I know I mentioned family, but this is a specific shout out to my parents. I heart them. They have blessed me so much and care so much about me. They've always been supportive of me. It's easy to be thankful in those times when they do something really great (like changing my oil for me) but it's usually in the normal days that I just get a huge urge to hug them. I really have been blessed.
11. I'm thankful for my church. It's been a safe haven for me, a place where everybody knows my name. Oh, maybe I'm confusing my church with a bar... When I was in high school, I was so shy and awkward. I didn't have many friends at school so it was wonderful to feel like I had a place in the youth group. So thankful for the people of Community Bible Church. There's some really big hearts there.
12. Coffee. Yum!
13. Thanksmas. Oh, you don't know what that is? It's that time of the year between Thanksgiving and Christmas that you miss if you blink. This year however I get to see Luke and Nina Olson. Oh. My. Word. I'm excited! I haven't seen them in toooo long.
14. My own bathroom in my dorm room. Oh, it's wonderful to poo in private. Is that TMI? Too bad, it's my blog.
15. A shower at home. While I love having my own bathroom at school, the water pressure in the shower sucks and it's rather small. It's good to have room and some water pressure!
16. New friends at Calvary. The people who have taken the time to invest in the quiet girl that's 'never around'. I'm eternally grateful for the hugs.
17. I'm sooooo thankful that I was able to have my gallbladder removed last year because I feel sooooooo much better now, but so happy that this Thanksgiving I'll actually get to eat some food!!
18. Warm days in late fall. It means I get to wear flip flops, seriously, these feet need to breathe!
19. Flip flops. See #18
20. That I'm able to list all of this... so much to be thankful for.
21. Music. Mmm... so good. 
22. My nieces and nephews. I love watching them grow and learn and they're so gosh darn funny! Remember - Baby hugs! They're the best!
23. The holiday season. I love this time of year. Thanksgiving - Christmas - New Years. I love getting into the spirit of the holidays. Watching movies, decorating, the music, the food, the family time, wrapping gifts.. so much!
24. I'm thankful that I decided to hold off on college until now. I wasn't ready straight out of high school. I really feel I'm right where I need to be now. 
25. I'm thankful for a break from classes.
26. I'm thankful that I live in a country where I have freedom.
27. I lack nothing. I don't have to worry where the next meal will come from. I know some who don't have that luxury. 
28. Carpet. Weird, I know. But I'm thankful for it!
29. Food. Man, I really like to eat! I plan to get some solid eating in this weekend!
30. Salvation. This is the best of all. God is good, all the time. I'm nothing without Christ. Thank you Jesus for taking my sins upon yourself and bringing me new life!!

And that is that. Happy Thanksgiving y'all! 

Until next time...

I disappoint.

Well, hello!

I was looking through some old journals in search of a particular entry when it dawned on me that it was a blog post and not a journal entry. That is when I realized that I had only one post for the whole year so far and it was from January 1st! And that, friends, is disappointing! 

Well, this one is for Lawrence and Ellen Friesen! :) Probably my only 2 readers left!

Here's a little update to what's happened since January 1st in no particular order of date or importance:

I started back to college. In my first semester I did something I've never done before (besides rapping in front of my health class about gonorrhea). I got really good grades! In fact, I had a 100% or higher in 4 out of 5 classes!

Well thank you Mr. Dean!

I made stuff! Including:

 

A bag from a tshirt that I also designed using bleach and scotch tape.

Not too shabby for an amateur decorator!

Took these pictures and created this for my momma for mother's day.

Spent time with friends:

Love these ladies.

Caught a T-bones game and plan to see a few more!

Hosted a clothing swap. Hence the varieties of clothing represented. Don't worry, she doesn't wear this in public!

I've been babysitting, pet sitting, house sitting, plant sitting pretty much non stop this year and I plan to continue that as the fall semester starts up! 

Speaking of fall semester... It's quickly approaching. I will be moving on campus next month and have mixed feelings about it. The idea has led me from feeling excitement, to nervousness, to loathing, and back again. CBC has pretty strict lifestyle rules which will be a change (no movie theaters, no hand holding with boys, no drinking, no dancing, no secular music, no smoking! Okay, I admit a couple of those won't really be a problem for me!). I think it's just going from being an adult who makes her own decisions to being under the restrictions of someone else' guidelines, it's... well, restricting! A talk that we had in TREK about 'relinquishing our rights' keeps coming into mind. It's just for a time. It's not like their asking for my first-born child. But let's be honest, how am I ever supposed to have children if they won't even let me hold hands with peoples of the opposite sex. ;)

Also, pride. Ugh. I know that I'm not old by any means... but I kind of am... for a college campus. I think I'm just prideful in thinking that I'm somehow beyond the other students there because I have a few years on them. But, man, pride is ugly. And sinful. And it sure won't help me make any new friends at school. Still learning to work through that. This is a lesson that God has been teaching me for quite some time now. Some lessons just take longer! 

So... do you feel like you have more insight into my average life? I do! Blogging is therapeutic... Thank you for reading and allowing me this outlet for some meditation. I do hope to be better in the future. I don't want it to be another nearly 8 months before I blog again. As it was I was sweating bullets that I'd even be able to remember my password to access the blog! :) I'm babbling. It's because I'm tired. On that note...

Until next time!

Reflecting

Do you know what you were doing on the evening of June 8, 2008? I wouldn't if it weren't for a very important journal entry that has stuck in my brain. It was storming out, and I was incredibly lost, even though I was sitting at my kitchen table. Confused, lonely, dissatisfied, bored, desperate. Just lost. I felt like I was a failure and that I'd been left behind by the world. I began a new journal that evening. This is an excerpt from that entry:

"Where was I a year or two ago?... Is this what I wanted to be doing in a year or two a year or two ago? Nope. I'm not content, not fulfilled. Where will I be in another year or two? I have no more excuses, it's time to jump."

And by jump, I didn't mean off a building. I wasn't that kind of depressed! I just knew that there was more out there for me... I wasn't living life to the max! 

A year ago, I was preparing to leave the country and join TREK. I had no idea what to expect and to which country I'd be sent to. I was excited and scared stupid but had a peace that passed understanding. Sitting here a year later, I can honestly say that this has probably been the best year of my life. And not because it was all rainbows and sunshine and laughing babies (although I've had a good dose of all of that!). This year has been tough! This year I really felt like I was walking with God and really following his leading.

So... what about this year? I'm starting school in a week and again... feeling scared stupid, but I have that peace! I've never been excited for school before and I actually am a little excited for the classes I'm taking and for what the future holds! (Check back in a month!) I desire to spend another year (and all the ones following) to continue walking in step with the Lord. 

So... what will you be doing in a year? Working in a job that you hate? Traveling the globe? Starting something new? Perhaps you will become a professional underwater basket weaver. Okay, the last one's not likely, but if you can dream it, you can do it! 

Until next time...

Back to normal

This week I caught myself thinking 'Hmm, guess life is back to normal.' I mean, after all, my car is beginning to have that lived in feel, I'm back to living at home with my parents, I'm working in some cubicle in an office, and once again I'm wondering what my next steps are. 

But, man, I don't want normal. I don't want the old normal back and I certainly don't want to settle into another routine of comfort. 

So what will be different this time? A renewed sense of purpose?  New goals? I don't want to be bored with life and I certainly don't want to waste it!

So I'm not entirely sure yet. 

What about you? Are you settled into a routine of comfort?

Until next time...

What comes from boredom.

I don't pretend to be a poet. But then again, I wrote a poem, so by definition I am a poet. So let me rephrase, I don't pretend to be a talented poet. Alas, I'm willing to embarrass myself. I'm not really sure it makes sense or flows. Oh well. Regardless, enjoy.

Untitled

Here I am a-gain

Feeling that same old pain

When will it go away, when will it go away

What is all of this for

This constant knocking at the door

When will it go away, when will it go away

A feeling of needing more

'Cause this life is such a bore

When will it go away, when will it go away

Now you've shown me what I'm worth

What a treasure to unearth

It doesn't go away, it doesn't go away

This bewildering love I must share

Give others a new breath of air

It doesn't go away, it doesn't go away

Lord, thank you for this passion

May it always be my mission

Don't let it slip away, don't let it slip away

~Andrea Haley

Until next time...

Update.

I know that you've all been waiting with baited breath for my next blog post. Really, you can breathe now!

Well, I feel like I should put up a new blog post. Partially to keep people coming back in the future (though this post might bore you to the point of no return) and really, I just like blogging. It's a nice way to get my thoughts out (I'm not patient enough to actually write these things out in a journal!) and document my time, and get feedback from friends!

So, still playing catch-up with some friends these days! Applying for lots of various jobs and trying to be so very patient while waiting for that one special company to realize what gem I am! Doing some odd jobs to pay the bills in the meantime! Enjoying sleeping in nearly every morning! Yesterday and today I spent some time with some really fun people, finding 'the dress' for a super special friend. Yup, been busy! :)

So... that's that. I think this is just a grab bag post. And, here's a picture of my silly dog:

He's so goofy sometimes. Just chillin in the corner.

Um. Well. I guess that's all for now! :)

Until next time...

Hope.

Yes. There is hope!

Hope that I'll get a job (I just put in a couple applications!)

Hope that my suitcases will quit vomiting all over my room! I'm taking time today to unpack/purge/clean

Hope that I'll win the lottery and be footloose and fancy free! (well there's maybe not as much hope for this one!)

And definitely a hope that I will figure out what really is next!

There's hope for it all! I'm trying to be optimistic, and remembering that vision that the Lord gave me of only seeing the little bit that the Light illuminated in the dark. It's still okay to not really know. By not knowing I'm all the more dependent on the Lord's leading!

In the meantime, I'm certainly enjoying my first summer without a job since high school! I've been able to catch up with some friends, see my family, eat some really great food, and facebook stalk a lot! (Yeah, that's right! I'm not ashamed, but you maybe should be! I saw those pictures you posted, yeah! You! ;) )

So. Not that I don't care about the future, I'm actually very excited! I just am not stressed about it right now!

'Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.' -1 Peter 5:7

So, do you have anxieties that your holding tightly to? The Lord cares for you! Turn your burdens over to Him!

BTW- Happy Independence Day! :)

Baby, you're a firework.

Until next time...