Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Confessions



Confession 1 -

Red never has been my color.  Well, it is on Wednesday nights now.  This is my first year helping in Awana, and I get to be a leader in Sparks.  In spite of the chaos (these are K-2nd graders, folks!), I'm enjoying it immensely.

Confession 2 -

Tonight's theme was "What NOT to Wear".  The idea was to wear something mismatching, thus the clashing scarves and two different earrings (which I realize you can't see in the picture)...

It was actually fun.  Or funny - maybe I should say it that way.

---

In response to a VERY hard squeeze around the waist from one of my little Sparkies...

Rachel: Are you trying to hurt me or are you trying to hug me?!

Joseph: Trying to hurt you!

Well then!

Confession 3 -

I love little boys.  They exhaust me sometimes, it's true, but I love them.

Every single one of 'em --

Braven.

Cole.

Joseph.

Evan.

Bryan.

Micah.


Will you please pray with me for them?  I want the Lord to use me to impact their young lives somehow.  I don't get a lot of time with them, and I don't want it to be wasted.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

When Old Meets New

My friend sent me an email this week, telegram-style.  Gotta love it.

Woke at 7:10am fully ready for new day Stop

Room cleaned Stop

Amazing Stop

Back from grocery shopping Stop

Groceries make me think of you Stop

Barely time for lunch before leaving for Patterson Stop

Field related response too long for telegram Stop

........

I like the "groceries make me think of you" part...we used to do our grocery shopping together when she was here.  I miss that.

---

Speaking of this week, the mountain of homework finally came to an end (albeit temporary) yesterday.  And I'm still alive.  Whew!  It wasn't easy and I know really butchered that language we were working on...but it's done.  And God's grace is the hero once again.

So now -
Hurray for a weekend with no homework!!!  This little break came at the perfect time.  (I love how the Lord does that.)  This past week was super busy and next week is shaping up to be also.  Prayers are appreciated as always!

I really wish I had more time.  My brain is full of wonderful ideas for posts, but alas, they will have to wait for the nebulous "some day".

Happy Saturday...and second day of Fall!

Until next time, then.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

That Time of Year

Again?  Already?  No, I'm not complaining.  I like Fall, mostly.

There's a subtle color change in the trees around here. I was just noticing it the other day.  When the wind blows, you can see the leaves fluttering to the ground.  There is something beautiful about that, I think.  The days are getting shorter and cooler - and we've had a few drizzly ones this week.

It's the perfect time of year for apple cider, pumpkin bread, and hot bowls of soup.  Or for curling up with a good book, lighting scented candles (Wait!  I do that all year...), or fabric shopping for fun sewing projects.

Well, none of those are on the agenda for today (except the 'lighting scented candles' part).  Or next week, for that matter.  Today it's more like this -

~bake bread

~look for tickets home for Christmas

~do laundry

~clean

~write a note

~memory work (I just started working on 1 Peter this week, and I love, love, LOVE that book!  My goal is to memorize the whole thing by the end of the year.  Maybe more on that another time.)

~visit with Jackie (a staff lady)

~post on Xanga

---

And this week, you ask, what was it like?  To be honest, Linguistics has not been my favorite thing this semester.  (Perhaps a bit unfortunate, since it's the ONLY class this semester.)  It doesn't come easy for me.  Frustrated and totally lost are two ways I frequently feel.  There are the days when I wonder, How in the world am I going to get through this homework problem?  Duh.  The same way I got through the last problem.  And the one before that.

God's grace.

I'm not just saying that, friends.  I really mean it.  Because on my own I have felt completely overwhelmed by the material we're (trying) to cover.  Yet somehow...somehow...here I am, at the end of another week.  The grades aren't worth bragging about, and many times I still don't "get" things.  But Week 5 now sits on the shelf, another trophy of God's grace, joining a long line of similar trophies.  He is the one who brought me to this point, and I'm thankful circumstances have been such that I can claim no glory for myself.

Esther said, "It's one thing to know we have grace.  I think it's another when we're able to experience it."  Amen, Sister!!  And the Lord in His love has been moving me past that "knowing" to the "experiencing".  Easy?  No.  Worth it?  Yes! a thousand times.

He is good.

---

Alrighty.  I think it's time to put the laundry in the dryer and clean up the kitchen from breakfast.  Thanks for stopping by.  I wish you a happy Saturday!

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Where was Rachel...

...exactly two years ago?  I was here.  I came out for an interview (on September 14th!) with the Student Life team.  It's a long story with some crazy twists and turns.

Looking back over the past two years, I couldn't have forseen much of what would take place. When I think of all the cool ways I've seen the Lord provide...all the dear, dear friends He's given me here...all the challenges and discouragement...all the surprises ("good" and "bad") along the way...I'm really not sure what to say.

---

I can do all things
Through Christ who gives me strength,
But sometimes I wonder what He can do through me
No great success to show, no glory on my own
Yet in my weakness He is there to let me know

CHORUS
His strength is perfect when our strength is gone
He'll carry us when we can't carry on
Raised in His power, the weak become strong
His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect

We can only know
The power that He holds
When we truly see how deep our weakness goes
His strength in us begins
Where ours comes to an end
He hears our humble cry and proves again

(Chorus)

I first heard that song two years ago, the day before my interview.  And as fitting as it was then...I never dreamed how perfect it would be right now.  We can only know His power when we see how deep our own weakness goes.  Yes.  Yes.  Yes!!!
---

God is faithful through it all.  I'm so very glad that I'm His child and that He'll never, ever, EVER let go of me.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Quotable

"God delights in using the unexpected to show Himself powerful and able.  No matter what, we have no reason to boast.  God will be glorified."

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Overheard

A little girl (about 3 years old), praying before dinner: And dear God, please help Joanne.  Amen.

Little girl's mommy: Who's Joanne, Honey?

Little girl: I don't know...um...um...Joanne is Joanne.

Little girl's mommy: How do you know her?

Little girl: I don't know.

Aren't kids too cute?!  :)

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Just a thought...



Jars (or pots) of clay.  Fragile and easily broken.  Sometimes chipped or cracked.  Commonplace.  No inherent worth, except as a vessel to hold something.

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpasing power is from God and not from us." - 2 Corinthians 4:7

I'm thankful God hasn't called me to be a fancy urn - just a simple clay pot that He can fill with something beautiful.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Virtual Tour

Howdy, friends!  The apartment is now fully furnished and decorated (more or less, anyway), and now there are pictures so I can give you a virtual tour.

But first, go make that cup of coffee.  You know you want to.  ;)

---



Up the stairs we go.  See my hanging ivy?  I like it.



The view from the landing...

Yes, the day was every bit as beautiful as it looks.  Sunny and breezy and simply marvelous!



And towards the left...



Hey!  You're not headed back down those stairs already, are you?  We've barely started!



Welcome to my home!  Won't you come in?



There's the kitchen.  I like how things are now neat and tidy for the most part, but have a comfortable, lived-in feel - as evidenced in this picture by the rack of dishes drying on the stove.



This is the kitchen table, which is more a workspace, in absence of "real" counters, than a place I sit down and eat.  The shelf is my happily well-stocked "pantry".  And of course, you see my faithful friend the coffee maker sitting on the table.



And here's the living room.  I wish the colors had showed up better, but the whole living room-kitchen-dining area has a sort of rustic feel.  Lots of brown and green.  I absolutely love it!



The little table was originally my bedside table, but I needed something to set my phone on, and this was it.



This shelf was here when I arrived - it's just right for a combination of storage and decor/display.

If you look closely at the bottom right corner of the picture, you'll see a yellow clipboard and black carrying pouch - my official work detail gear.



The brown checkered curtains add a touch of country charm, which goes really well with the rest of the main room.  At least I think so.



I think I'll be ready for classes tomorrow.  (And don't make fun of the Pooh backpack.  I needed one and the only other choice available at the time was Bob the Builder.  So there.)

---

For you curious souls...



I stood just outside the bathroom door to snap this one.  That should give you an idea of how small it is.



One of four frames my friend Lindsey gave me (knowing that tulips are my very favorite flower).  Unfortunately my camera hasn't done justice to anything in the apartment, it seems.

---

Now the bedroom.


Just inside my bedroom, two more of the tulip frames.



There's nothing like a closet without doors to inspire tidiness, baby.  (Not that I'm prone to sloppiness.)

Check out those cabinets above the closet, though.  The extra storage space is pretty nice.



More country-ness.  I know, I know.  That's not a word.



That's the bedside table before it was moved to the living room.  And the chair?  I know it looks sort of brownish-purple in the picture, but it's actually a wonderfully rich cranberry color.  I've had it since my first semester here.

And above the chair, note the last of the four tulip frames, which will probably end up getting moved somewhere else on the wall.  I still need to overcome the problem of too much white wall space in the bedroom.



Zoe!



My desk.  (What else would it be, right?)



The navy blue lace seemed like a fun, girlie touch...



Some more fun stuff I found.  (I should explain that this, as well as much of my decor, was found in the "Mission Barrel" - like an on-campus consignment store, only FREE!!!)



That's after the bedside table was gone.  Hey, look!  The colors on the comforter showed up much better here.  But sadly, the chair still looks brown...

What's cool is how God provided so many fun and useful things (that matched!) without me having to spend a lot of time or money.  It's wonderfully homey and I'm really thankful for the way He provided for the needs - and way beyond.

---

Let's revisit that picture on the desk.



Sisters - twelve years ago.



And now here we are...



Yup, we have fun.



Sometimes too much?!

(These were taken the night before I left for school.)

---

Well, so long.  Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Monday!

Thursday, September 1, 2011