Thoughts of a Pseudo-Adult with an Eighth of a College Degree

It's winter break.  One eighth of my undergraduate career is finished.  It went by extremely fast.  During my first semester, I surpassed my GPA goal(which was a 3.5).  I signed a lease for an apartment for next year.  I swam 2 miles in 1 hour.  I failed a few quizzes (Don't worry too much, I got a "B" in the class).  I had pizza delivered for the first time.  I got to know some pretty cool professors.  I put off washing my laundry for longer-than-normally-accepted times.  I was annoyed with my nocturnal roommate.  I watched as some people struggled with college-level coursework while others easily comprehended and understood it.  I spent way too much time watching videos on youtube.com.  I helped give pancakes to people at 2am.  I put a carved pumpkin on my high school guidance counselor's house.  I experienced a cadaver lab.

Obviously my first semester has been full of new experiences here are a few things that I learned:

1.)  Meeting your GPA goal feels absolutely amazing when you find out on Christmas eve.
2.)  Showing up to work on time and doing your job makes your boss like you.
                    I always thought this was logic, but apparently not everyone does this.
3.)  Talking to your professors helps a lot.
                   Large schools frequently get a bad rap about letting students getting lost in the system,                but I learned that the professors generally want to talk to the students, they just have to be                    sought out.
4.)  Signing a lease for an apartment makes you feel more like an adult.
                   Yes, I signed a lease for an apartment which made me feel like an adult for about 10                    minutes and then I was right back to my pseudo-adulthood life. :P  I'll always be a kid. :)
5.)  Exercise.
                    I feel better and sleep better when I exercise.  This should be motivation to exercise for              me, but I'm still fairly bad at doing this on a regular basis.
6.)  When your roommate becomes nocturnal, just roll with it.
7.)  When your roommate smells funny and makes your room smell funny, just pray for a stuffy nose or buy an air freshner.
                    Asking another pseudo-adult to shower was a conversation I didn't want to have.
8.)  Help others when you see them struggle with coursework if they will accept your help.
                   It helps you understand it better and they might even appreciate it.
9.)  Be selective with what you'll spend your time on.  Youtube is great.  Life experience is better.
10.)  It's okay to wait one more day to do laundry.  Really.  Just leave it.  (that is until it starts to smell                   like your roommate)
11.)  Doing something that gets your feet wet in what you have to look forward to gives you more motivation.
                      For me, this was the cadaver lab. It gave me a damp toes and a little more motivation to              work hard to get to medical school.  For other people that may be job shadowing or finding                  an internship.  If you can't get excited about your future, you may want to reevaluate your                    goals.
12.)  Talk to people....some of them are cool and talking to them makes it worth talking to the ones that aren't quite as awesome. :)

Delicious Muffins and other Thoughts about Delightful Nourishment

On my way to math class I had the realization that it was Monday.  Upon realizing this I also remembered that I needed to post a blog.  And so upon arriving to math class an hour early I sat down in the hallway AND.........no ideas came.  Then someone started messaging me and I asked them for an adjective and a noun with the decision that I would blog about whatever he messaged me.  He graciously gave me a noun and an adjective that went together, "Delicious Muffin."

I eat a muffin almost everyday for breakfast.  Sometimes it's a blueberry muffin and other days it's a chocolate-chocolate chip muffin.  Both kinds of muffins are delicious.  However, after nearly a semester of eating nothing but muffins for breakfast, they've become routine.  I easily and unappreciatedly eat my muffin without realizing it's full yummifulness.  I can also become like that in my daily devotionals.  It's very easy to just read a chapter in my devotional book and Bible before I go to bed and not stop to think about it.

But that isn't what God wants me to do.  He wants me to sit down and think about what I'm doing.  He wants me to talk to Him throughout the day.  He asks that I not just read the Bible, but study the Bible as well.  He wants me sit down and think about what I'm reading and why I'm reading it.  It's easy to just read my Bible just like it's easy to eat a muffin, but that muffin has to be digested, and so does the Bible if I actually want to be spiritually nourished.

You see, although digestion isn't a conscious effort, it's still a relatively complicated process that happens in your body.  After you chew(when your teeth crush and break the food to increase surface area to allow your saliva to begin breaking down starch into sugar) you swallow.  Swallowing involves peristalsis, which is a muscular movement allowing you to swallow water while standing on your head (Try it if you want!  I did when I first learned about this....albeit, the librarian thought I was a bit crazy afterwards...).  So in your saliva there are enzymes to break down starch to sugar which is then swallowed with peristalsis and the bolus (the ball of food) is then passed to the stomach!  Then in the stomach the food is broken down farther with gastric acid (composed mostly of Hydrochloric acid).  That sounds simple, right??  But wait!!   When your bolus hits your stomach, there isn't a ton of gastric acid already there.  Why? Because if your body constantly produced Gastric acid you would have the insanely annoying stomach ulcers.  Basically, when your stomach registers that there is food in it, the stomach sends a signal to your body to release the hormone "gastrin" which then tells your body that it's time to produce Gastric acid!  Whew!!  This is complicated and we haven't even absorbed any nutrients yet!

Okay, for the sake of keeping this blog a decent length, I'm going to stop where I am, because I think you get the point.  Digestion can be complicated.  That being said, it happens naturally.  Processing what you're doing when your do a daily Bible reading doesn't come nearly as naturally(at least not for me).  I really have to focus to think about what I'm reading.  Because, afterall, if I am not thinking about, learning about, and letting God convict me through what I'm reading, why am I reading it at all?  From here, I will make it a goal to "digest" my Bible reading.

Living in Reckless Abandonment for Jesucristo,

Jo

P.S. If a blog doesn't happen next week, it's because it's finals week for me.  Enjoy your week!
P.P.S.  Also, if you want more about the digestive system, I recommend a quick google search...I had to in order to remember some of this! :P

What It's all About

I love listening to Pentatonix.  They are a pretty great group to listen to with a semi-unique sound.  With that said, when I listened to this song it really bothered me.  I don't know how much they changed the lyrics compared to other versions of the song because I don't normally listen to a whole lot of Christmas music.  I really hate to pick media apart and this song isn't going to stop me from listening to Pentatonix because I still love their music.  However, while listening to this song I noticed that a huge piece of Christmas  was left out.  Even in their video when they talked individually about what Christmas means, they only mentioned it once.

What was it?

Christmas is someone's birthday.  Christmas is Jesus' birthday.  His birthday is significant for a wide range of reasons.  One of these would be the fulfilling of prophecy.  He was born of a virgin which was prophesied in Isaiah 7:14.  He was born in Bethlehem, which was foretold in Micah 5:2.  Clearly, Jesus, who came with humble beginnings, was the prophesied messiah.  THAT is what Christmas is about for me.  Christmas is about my messiah, my savior, my shepherd, coming to live in this dirty, sinful Earth, so that he could die as the perfect sacrifice as an adult.

As if being born in a barn wasn't humiliating enough for the Son of God, he proceeded to live his life in servant hood and die a willing death for the world's sins even though he had lived a perfect life.  I don't know about you, but I think that my Savior's birth is pretty fanflippingtastically amazing and should be celebrated more than just once a year.  We should be celebrating it every day of our lives.
We should want to show others his love whenever we see them.  We should want to be servants to others around us so that they can experience his love.

Please know that I'm not saying we shouldn't be grateful for gifts and family and snow.  I just think that Christmas is about something much deeper than any of that.  My family can actually tell you that I haven't been super excited for Christmas these past few years, and it really comes down to what Christmas is about.  I am tired of seeing commercials with Santa and toys to buy.  I don't want to decorate a tree that is going to have to be undecorated in a couple of months or buy a toy that will only be broken in an hour.  I want to celebrate the birth of my Savior.  I want to tell others about the significance of his birth, the greater significance of his death, and the Amazing Splendiferousness of his resurrection.

Living in Reckless Abandonment for Jesucristo,

Jo

Pumpkins at 2am

A few weeks ago I had fall break.  The first night that I was back in my hometown, I didn't sleep in my own bed.  Instead, I stayed at my friend's house.  There were a few of us there and we had spent the evening at a corn maze.  Then, after getting back the friend's house, we decided that we needed to do something else with the rest of our night.

We decided to go buy pumpkins.  As it was fall and Halloween had not yet passed we decided that jack-o-lanterns would be the most logical thing to make from our newly-purchased pumpkins.  Of course after we bought them and carved them we needed some place to put them.  We could have put them on my friend's porch, but my friend was headed back to her college the next day, so she wouldn't even be able to enjoy them.  As such, we decided that the best thing to do with our pumpkins was to let someone else enjoy them.  And so, after we had pulled out all of the gook from the inside of the pumpkins and carved a variety of things into our pumpkins, we walked across town with them and left them on the porch of our high school guidance counselor's house.

Something to note is that my hometown is very small.  After it is dark no one really is really around town, so 3 teenage women walking across town carrying carved pumpkins is relatively conspicuous and inconspicuous at the same time.  This is sort of the same concept as a tree falling in the woods making noise if no one is around to hear it.  Basically, if 3 girls are walking around town with carved pumpkins, are they conspicuous? Yes.  But what if no one is there to observe their conspicuousness?  Are they still conspicuous?  I think they are and here is why:

When my guidance counselor looked at her porch the next time, it was going to be very obvious what we had done.  Her small porch was going to be a billboard of the "mischief" that my friends and I had taken part in that night.

But I think that is how we should live our lives.  And no, I don't mean that you should leave pumpkins everywhere you go.  I mean leave a trace of yourself everywhere you've been.  Or more accurately, leave a trace of the light of Jesus everywhere you go.  If you only serve God when people are watching, they'll recognize you as a nice person.  But if you continue serving even when other people aren't around, the world will want to know who is performing these acts of servant hood, and if we're honest with ourselves the answer isn't a person.  It's God.  God will use your talents as a tool to serve others.  And that, is pretty amazing.

Also, here our pumpkins: pumpkin pie, odd face, and a kitty :)

On a separate note, the likelihood of a blog being posted for the next week is slim.  I have 3 exams split between Monday and Tuesday.  As for the week after that, a blog might happen on Tuesday, but I will not make any promises, as I have an exam on Monday.

My Window

I'm not the greatest at poetry, but I spontaneously wrote a poem while avoiding homework and decided to share this unrevised work with you as it is close to the time of week when I blog, and it has some nice parallels.

My Window

During the day, my window is broken.
During the day, my window is cracked.
It is ugly.
Grotesque and hideous, it hides the outdoors from my eyes.
I cannot see the trees through my window.
What good is a window through which one cannot see?
It has no purpose.
You cannot see the beauty beyond.
Twilight comes.
The sun begins to set.
Daylight flares through the cracked pane.
Sunshine streaks the window, illuminating every flaw.
Suddenly, unexpectedly, there is beauty in every blemish.
A spider web of light is refracted throughout the expanse of plasic.
The luminescent design spills into the room.
This beauty is not new.
The beauty always was.
'Twas invisible.
'Twas disguised as something ugly.
But really, the sun has shown me something that always was.
The sun has shown me perfect and unquestionable artistry.
The rays burst through the plastic.
The tree's leaves now glow outside.
I see the beauty outside.
I see the beauty of my window.
The plastic's formerly horrid pattern is cast upon the floor in an alluring splash of daylight.
The beauty shines about the room.
I stand in awe.
My window.
Fractured and Phenomenally Beautiful.



I have one window in my room.  The bottom pane is cracked and flawed.  While studying around dusk today, I turned and looked at my window (not through the window, as I was level with the bottom pane and it's not the clearest thing to look through because of its cracks).  The bottom pane has been cracked since I moved in.  I never really took the time to notice my window, because I just tried to not look through the bottom pane.  However, today, I had my curtains open and was amazed at the power of the sun/son.  He took the gross-looking window pane/pain and turned it into something that was not only beautiful, but could cast an entirely new and more elegant pattern of light throughout the room.  Because that window pane is cracked, it is weaker than the other window panes.  But it can do something that the other two sections of my window can't .  It shows the Son's power and light in ways that I never would have expected.

Living in Reckless Abandonment for Jesucristo,

Jo

Light

Two things before this blog actually begins:
1.  It almost didn't happen.
                   I started to do my Chemistry homework and it turns out I've already completed it.  I don't remember what it covered, but it's done, so I have the time to blog.
2.  Parts of this blog were written last year for a writing assignment that I was given.

At my old elementary school, in fourth grade, you have a homeroom teacher and a reading teacher.  Because of this, for about thirty minutes or an hour each day each student leaves their homeroom teacher's classroom and goes to their reading class. My reading teacher was a fantastic teacher.  She kept us busy reading to us, having us read, assigning interesting projects, and performing skits and plays for the school.  She taught in such a way that you almost didn't realize that you were learning.

Not only was she a great reading teacher because we were always doing and learning something in her reading class, but she also taught my class at "Crusaders Club."  Crusaders Club is a program that happens every Thursday night at the Baptist church in my hometown.  My teacher would patiently teach the small class Bible stories and how to memorize verses.  She would also share stories about missionaries who lived all the way around the world.  To be able to see how my reading teacher acted outside of school and how my Crusaders Club teacher acted in school was a great privilege for me.

She knew how to lead students through their coursework so that they would be motivated.  What she taught me in Crusaders Club through her words has been useful in my life.  What she taught me at school, through her actions, has been invaluable in my life.  At Crusaders, she taught me the facts of the Bible and told me stories of great Christina people.  But in school, while she was teaching me new words and themes in books, I got to watch a great Christian woman live her life as a woman of great faith, great compassion, and great love.  I got to learn how a great Christian woman lights up the world around her with the love of Jesus.

Throughout my life, I've been exposed to some pretty amazing teachers.  They have taught me much more than how to read and how to add numbers.  They have lived out their faith in the classroom.  They didn't preach about it or talk about it in the schoolroom, but I could tell.  They lived their lives in a way that was different then the rest of the world.  They lived their lives to show the love of Jesus.  (Thanks to all my amazing teachers!!)

Now as I look back on those years I have to wonder, "How much I of what I learned am I applying to my life?  Can others see that there is something different about me?  Am I truly living my life as a light, pointed towards Christ?

You are the light of the world.  A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:4-16

Week Eight

I am now in week eight of my college career.  It does not feel like I have been in college for two months, but I have.  It doesn't feel like am halfway through my first semester, but I am.  It does not feel like I should have a routine, but I do.

There are times in life when things do not feel real, but they are.  About a month ago was the yearlong anniversary of the death of Danny Zaragoza, a little boy who lived in Mexico.  A year ago he went to be with Jesus in heaven.  It does not feel like a year has passed since I heard about his death on a Sunday morning.  It still does not feel like I have grieved properly for him.  How do you grieve for a child's death?  How do you adjust to not having him around when he already wasn't nearby?  I feel that the first time I visit his family, I will still expect to see him.  Instead, I will see a family, scarred from the hurt of losing a brother and a son, but healing with the Lord's help.

Truthfully, that is what I need to depend on in my extended grieving for Danny.  The Lord.  The Lord can heal my heart.  The Lord can help me grow to be where I need to be as a pseudo-adult a quarter of the way through her freshman year of college.  The Lord can help me form my routine so that I have time to give to him and time to give to my studies.  The Lord will be with me. :)

If you would like to read Danny's mom's blog about what his family did to celebrate the one year anniversary of Danny moving in with Jesus, click here. 

But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.  I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain.  I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.  I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side.

Psalms 3:3-6

Pancakes at 2am

First and foremost: An apology.  I'm sorry that I did not blog last week.  Quite simply, I had homework and needed a break.  The blog hit the back burner.

This weekend I got 18 hours of sleep.  It was glorious.  However, it is not this weekend, but the weekend before that that I would like to blog about.  I have gotten involved with a ministry here that does various things on campus.  On homecoming weekend, they decided to serve free pancakes.  Apparently, most people on college campuses are not morning people.  (I knew that beforehand, it's just a bit more exaggerated than I had anticipated).  Because most people are up late at night, the most logical time to serve pancakes is not on a Saturday morning.  Basically, they decided to serve pancakes from 10:00pm on Friday until 2:00am on Saturday.  I decided to help out with this, even though I'm typically not a late night person.  I wake up before around 6:15-6:30 most days of the week.

I really enjoyed being able to help out with this unique ministry.  My group started by walking around campus handing out flyers to let people know about the free pancakes.  After that, around midnight, we went back to the house where we ate some pancakes and socialized with the people that had come to get pancakes.  We let them know who was behind the pancakes and informed them about other events that the ministry has.  We did this for about an hour and then went into the building where we prayed for the event for the last hour.  I had anticipated feeling completely exhausted by that time, but I didn't.

To be honest, this was an event that wasn't something I would normally do.  It's not that I don't like pancakes.  It's more that I am one of the few college students who actually wakes up on Saturday morning most of the time.  In reality though, doing it when it was most logical and convenient for me would not have been nearly as effective.  They give out the pancakes late at night because they know that that is when they will be in demand.  Because they match the demand, they can have a much greater impact.

What I'm really trying to say is, you don't want to be of the world, because then you make no impact.  However you do want to be in the world, because that is when the real impact can be made.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2 Living in Reckless Abandonment for Jesucristo, Jo

Learning New Things

I'm going to be quite brief for this blog.  I'm tired.  Also, I have an exam approaching.

Now before you wonder why in the world I would post this video here, let me explain.
1.)  I like to watch Ted talks when I take breaks from studying.
2.)  Having learned to speak a second language when I was 13, I know how hard it can be.  I also feel like I used some of these methods without knowing it when I was in the process of learning.
3.)  The principles and main ideas in this video apply to much more than learning a language.

The speaker suggests listening to and using the language at every opportunity.  What if we listened to God at every opportunity?

The speaker recommends getting a "language parent."  What would happen if you got yourself a Christian accountability partner or mentor?

I found these parallels interesting, and know there are others, but my Chemistry and Biology books are calling my name, so....what parallels do you see??

Communion

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."   In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

Luke 22:19-20

In this passage, Jesus tells his disciples to "Do this in remembrance of me."  I was raised in a home where going to church was expected and I have now begun going to a new church that has communion every Sunday.  I have always really liked the concept of coming together as a family in Christ and remembering the sacrifice He made for us.  It is a somber experience that makes you think about the deeper things in life.  It is a moment to reflect about where you are with God.  It is a moment to take a step back from the world and think about eternity and where you stand in it.  But I would really like to have a deeper definition of communion than that.

Let's define "communion."  Dictionary.com has the following definitions:

noun

1.

(often initial capital letter). Also called Holy Communion.Ecclesiastical.

1. the act of receiving the Eucharistic elements.
2. the elements of the Eucharist.
3. the celebration of the Eucharist.
4. the antiphon sung at a Eucharistic service.

2.

a group of persons having a common religious faith; a religious denomination:

Anglican communion.

3.

association; fellowship.

4.

interchange or sharing of thoughts or emotions; intimate communication:

communion with nature.

5.

the act of sharing, or holding in common; participation.

6.

the state of things so held.

 Number one is obviously describing what we do at church, number two is also describing what we do at church.  But now let's look at definition number three.  An "association" or a "fellowship."  When we take communion, we are coming as close to fellowship with God as we can on Earth.  And number four?  "An interchange or sharing of thoughts or emotions; intimate communication."  When we take communion at church, are we sharing out thoughts and emotions on an intimate level with God?  We should be.

But to continue this thought process, what about when we are not in church?  What about the other 6 days of the week?  Shouldn't we still be in or attempting to be in communion with God?  Since Jesus used bread and wine, which were two common food and drink items in that time period I would like to think that he wasn't asking his disciples to come up with another ritual to do on a regular basis.  I would like to think that Jesus was saying, "Whenever you eat, I want you to remember me."  I'm not just saying that we should ask a prayer of blessing before each meal.  I'm saying that before we eat we should take a step back and really communicate with God.  Really think about where you are with Him.  After all, if He gave his son, can't I give a little bit of time each day?  Shouldn't I want to be in communion with my creator?  

I don't know about you, but this is something that I am most definitely in need of working on.  It is easy to forget.  It is easy to be too hungry, too busy, too social, to forget to spend time in communion with God.

Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.  The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41

Living in Reckless Abandonment for Jesucristo, 
Jo

FRIENDS

As a new college student, I am making an attempt to make new friends.  Everyone here seems to be very friendly and also wants to make new friends.  Part of this may be that there are more than 6,000 freshman who are also trying to meet new people and make new friendships.  As I attempt to meet new people through various methods, I have to ask myself, "Why?"  Why do I need friends? Why do I crave the contact of other people?  Why can't I just depend on God for fulfillment?  The simple answer to this is God designed humans for human contact.

The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man [Adam] to be alone.  I will make a helper suitable for him."

Genesis 2:18

God wants us to have friends.  He wants us to have fellowship with other people.  He wants us to support others and to accept support from others.  He wants us to share his Love with others.  

He wants us to depend of him to be fulfilled.  He Loves us so much that his Love is all that we need.  However, He wants us to share his Love with everyone.  He wants us to show the world that He loves everyone.  If we look to human love to be filled up, then we are going to be sadly disappointed.  As hard as we try to fulfill the definition of love given to us in 1 Corinthians 13, we are going to fail.  Therefore, our first step to being fulfilled is looking to  God for love.  Then, as we experience his Love, we can learn to love others the way that we are designed.

So why do I need to make friends?  I need to make friends so that I can love.  I need to make friends so that God can show the world his Love through me.  I can make friends with the motivation being that I need friends to care about me, but that isn't what it should be about.  My goal in making friends should be to show them God's love, so that they can experience his Power, his Glory, his Mercy, and his Grace. 

Love, true, self-sacrificing, unselfish love, is an incredible force.  It's hard.  It is not a weakness.  To love takes strength.  And to find that strength, I will look to God, and his Love will fill me up, pour over the edges, and immerse others in something more powerful then they could even imagine.

Potatoes

Suffering from a lack of inspiration, I asked a friend from high school to give me a random object to blog about.  The word I was given was "potato."  To be completely honest, I have no idea where this blog is going to end up, but at least there will be a blog post.

Potatoes are a very amazing food.  You can boil 'em, mash 'em, or stick 'em in a stew.

However, as it is very clear in this video, that is only one side of the story.  Smeagol does not share the same opinion of potatoes as Sam or myself.  Smeagol might be right about potatoes.  They are relatively starchy compared to a lot of other plants.  Some people might not like the taste of potatoes.  But in the end, it really just depends on the opinion of the person whether or not they like or dislike potatoes.

There is much in this world that is based on opinion.  There are also many facts in this world.  We have to choose which things we are going to believe and where we want our opinions to be.  That reminds me of a Bible verse.

But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

Joshua 24:15

Today, I choose to like potatoes and to serve the Lord. 

Dorm Rooms, New People, Den Pops, and The Magic Tree House Series

I have lived at college for almost one week.  I have moved into a dorm room.  I've met many new people.  I've enjoyed drinking a pop from the store named "The Den."  And I have been to many talks during the events at Boiler Gold Rush.  These talks had a wide range of topics, but most of them had a similar theme.  Basically, if you want to succeed at college you have to work hard and be willing to seek out help.  You can't just assume that you'll understand something.

Truthfully, I can be a very stubborn person who doesn't like to accept help from people.  Obviously I am not the only person like that here.  The speakers frequently reminded us to stop by and talk to professors during their office hours and contact tutoring services.  Why are we so stubborn as humans?  Why are we unwilling to ask others for help?  Or, to ask a somewhat deeperish question,  why won't we ask God for help?  God created us.  God loves us.  Why wouldn't we want to depend on him for help?  As humans we want to stand by ourselves.  However, we've been designed as weak human beings for a reason.  We have faults.  We have these so that we have to depend upon God.  Because we are weak, God can show everyone his strength through us.

At college they want you to ask for help everywhere.  Not just for class but also in the libraries here.  During the question and answer session after the presentation of what kinds of resources are available in the library, many kinds of questions were asked, very few got applause when the answer was stated.  However, there was one particular question that was asked that received applause when answered.  What was the question you may ask?

"Does the library here have The Magic Tree house Series? "  And of course, being the wonderful resource that librarians most often are, the librarian did not know.  However, upon looking it up it was found that the Purdue library does indeed possess The Magic Tree House  series.  And so, as I start classes at college on Monday I may just check out one book in The Magic Tree House  series.  After all, what is cooler than a magic tree house??  I mean, really...I can't think of anything except for maybe a magic tree house with laser beams...but I'll think about that another day. :P

Thoughts of an Almost College Student

It is Friday.  This will not be posted until Sunday.  Tomorrow I move in to my dorm room at Purdue University.  Everyone that I've run into in the past week has asked me if I'm excited.  They've asked me if I'm nervous.  And, to tell the simple, honest truth, I don't know.  I would not say that I'm overly excited about the new responsibilities that I'm about to have to fulfill.  I would say that I'm excited about having more freedom, I am not nervous about that.

So what is it that I'm feeling as I am about to start my career at Purdue University???  I, quite simply, am a little bit excited, a little bit nervous, a little bit sad, a little bit happy, and extremely curious.  I'm ready for freedom.  I don't feel ready for college coursework and other "real life" responsibilities.  I will miss my parents. I like seeing my brother on almost every weekend.  I'm happy that I'll make new friends.  But most of all, I'm curious.    I don't know what these next 4 years will hold.

But guess what???  I've never known what's going to happen in my life.  Suddenly I realize that this point in my life is no different than any other part of my existence.  When I was in fourth grade I would not have guessed that my week-long trip to Mexico would change my life forever.  In eighth grade I wouldn't have guessed that I would enjoy homeschooling more than public school.  In ninth grade, I wouldn't have guessed that I would be sent back to public school in eleventh grade.  And in eleventh grade I wouldn't have guessed I would end up choosing a large state university instead of a private Christian college. And now, as I'm about to begin the first semester of my college career at Purdue University, the familiarity of unfamiliarity strikes me as nerve-racking.   Why?  Why can't I simply look back on the past 18 years of my life and see that God has always provided and will continue to provide and guide me just as He has always done.  Why can't I look at everyone close to me and see the same thing?  Why am I so anxious to know what is going to happen?  Why can't I just choose to live the adventure that God has put me in?  Why can't I choose to love the adventure?

God has put me here for a purpose.  I'm going to Purdue University.  I don't know what will happen there.
  Quite simply, I haven't figured out life yet.  However, even though I don't know God's purpose I can choose how to live my life.  I choose to live the adventure.  I choose to love the adventure.  God has put me here for a reason.  I will not pretend to understand why.  However, God has a purpose for me and I will attempt to be a light that shows Christ's love to those around me.  I choose to live life.  I choose to love life.

VACATION

I went on vacation with my parents this week it was nice.  As I've been busy doing things all week and can't choose which story, I will just give you a quick log of my vacation:

Monday:
Begin 8 hour drive.  Our GPS tried to take us through Canada to get to New York near Niagara falls, so that was annoying, as we didn't want to take that route.

We hit Toledo around lunch.  Toledo was officially released from its water advisory but none of the restaurants were ready to reopen yet.  We drove around quite awhile before we found an open Subway.

About 5 hours into the drive we pulled over to the side of the interstate to realize that there was only one nut left on our right rear wheel.  After getting a trooper who called a tow truck, we got out car disconnected from our camper so that it could be put onto the flat bed.  The same tow truck company brought a separate truck to tow the camper.  The tow company was willing to fix the problem, so we went to his house to fix it.  He found another issue, so they fixed that as well.

Back on the road...and something still wasn't right.  The steering wheel was jerking a lot in my dad's hands.  We decided to find a nearby campgrounds and stay there.

Tuesday:

The next morning my dad took the car to a tire place that figured out the problem and fixed it!  HURRAY!

We arrived at the campground that we had originally planned on

We then went to Niagara Falls on the U.S. side.  (Yay gravity and water)

Wednesday:

My parents and I enjoyed looking at Lake Ontario from our campgrounds before heading to Canadian side of Niagara Falls.

We proceeded back to the U.S. and hiked along the Niagara River for a few hours.

Thursday:

Another 8 hour drive

About 3 hours in we had to stop to change a tire on the camper.

Upon arrival to our campgrounds we saw warnings about bears, which is not something I am used to.

After enjoying hobo pies with my dad, I went to take a shower and discovered that it was 25 cents per 5 minutes.  Not a huge deal, just unexpected.

Friday:

While my dad was looking through a container in the back of our car, I attempted to aid him.  It is a hatchback, so I had my knees on the bumper to get to where I could see.  My knees began to hurt so I hopped down and started to walk away.  As I began to walk away I hurt the container's lid shut on my dad's head.  I began to laugh and he told me to help him again.  While still laughing I attempted to get to where I could see again.  However, as I began to lose my balance I grabbed the cooler....that has wheels!  I quickly realized that this would not stabilize me and started to grab my dad's arm, but alas, it was too late.  I went a tumblin' out of the car, hitting my shorts on the greasy hitch and still laughing as I hit the ground.

I also met some of my dad's cousins throughout the day which was pretty cool since I've not really met this side of the family in my memory.  (I met them when I was young and only have a few memories of them)

We got to play euchre, which is something I enjoy.

Saturday:

I met the rest of the family at the reunion and enjoyed some time in my cousins pool.

We left right after supper and head back to New York, about a 5 hour drive.  We got there just before midnight.

Sunday:

We experienced an uneventful 12 hour drive home and were informed by our neighbor that she had found a cottonmouth in her backyard, so we might want to be careful!



On a somewhat unrelated sidenote:  I normally reread what I've written to make sure that it all makes sense.  However today I'm going to wing it and hope for the best.  Please ignore my terrible typos! :)

What year is it?

I love the dresses that women wore i the 1950s and 1960s.  They had the best music in the 1980s.  It would be neat to see the beginning of America, to see how the culture was born and changed over time.  By far, I think one of the most fantastic time periods to observe and live in would be Jesus' life and the beginning of the Church as we know it.

I would love to have seen Jesus' in physical form, teaching, healing, and loving.  I would love to see how He interacted with his family and His disciples.  Did He joke with them? Was He quiet and observant, only speaking when absolutely necessary?  Did He always lead the conversation?  What was the town of Nazareth really like? Did they shun Him and his family?  It would be remarkable to see Him and have these questions answered.

To see the Church grow and expand after Jesus' ascension would be incredible.  There would be many new Christians with incredible faith to be my role models.  It's amazing to read what they went through and what they risked to continue serving God.

After all of this has been said, I would still choose to live in my current era with my current culture?  God chose to place me here.  As such, it is my responsibility to be a witness here and now.  

What era would you choose?  Why?

Living in Reckless Abandonment for Jesucristo, 
Jo

Gifts from God

Having been raised in a church, I am relatively familiar with many different hymns.  As such, I oftentimes find myself just singing the words and forget to really praise God with them or allow them to convict me.  However, I was convicted while singing the song "Make Me a Blessing" at a service during Holy Week (the week before Easter).  Here is the refrain:

Make me a blessing,

Make me a blessing,

Out of my life

out of my life

May Jesus shine;

Make me a blessing, O savior, I pray,

I pray Thee, my Savior,

Make me a blessing to someone today.

But what exactly does being a blessing mean?  The first few definitions from Dictionary.com say that a blessing is:

noun

1.the act or words of a person who blesses.

2.a special favor, mercy, or benefit:

the blessings of liberty.

3.a favor or gift bestowed by God, thereby bringing happiness.

Okay, so definition 1 is not much help.  But what about number 2?  It seems to shine a new light upon what we're asking God to do when we sing the song.  We are asking God to make us a benefit to someone else.  If we continue reading to definition 3 we see that a blessing is a gift given by God.  

Now as I sang this song during Holy Week, I wondered if I really wanted to be singing the song!  Did I really want God to use me as a gift to somebody else?  Quite simply, the answer was no!  (Please recall my blog about those weeks and what I said about being at the service just to be there, not to grow in Christ.  Read that post here.)  I was not at the service for the right reasons.  I just wanted to go to the service, leave and work on my to do list.  My heart was not in the right place and I wanted to be selfish with my time.  Upon this realization during the service, I began to pray that God would move my heart so that I would want to be a blessing.  I still have a long way to go.  Today, when my church say that song again, I sang it wholeheartedly, truly wanting God to use me.  I hope that today God used me as a blessing to someone.  I hope that God continues using me as a blessing.  Some days I am not so willing, but I know on those days God will be gracious, patient, and loving with his flawed daughter.

Do you want to be a gift from God today?

Living in Reckless Abandonment for Jesucristo, 
Jo

Beauty

Do you see the trees?

Do you see the pretty trees?

I see the green trees.

I have a friend who is color blind who came up with this haiku as we were walking through the woods.    He informed me that sometimes he feels that he can't fully appreciate the beauty in nature because he can't differentiate the colors, but at the same time he feels that he is experiencing more beauty because he is seeing the nature in a way that nobody else sees it.  

This conversation made me begin to think about the definition of beauty.  When speaking about humans, most cultures have their own definition of beauty.  Americans find facial symmetry attractive unless it is 100% symmetrical, we also find tanned skin attractive.  Other cultures try to maintain pale skin tones as a form of beauty.  Yet other cultures stretch their necks gradually with metal rings to be considered beautiful. 

 Dictionary.com says that beauty is 

"The quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind,whether arising from sensory manifestations (as shape, color, sound, etc.), a meaningful design or pattern, or something else (as a personality in which high spiritual qualities are manifest)."

Basically beauty is a matter of opinion.  Beauty is what you want it to be.  Beauty is God's creation.  No matter what you look like, you are a creation of the one true God.  He made you just the way you are.  You are beautiful.  The world around you is beautiful.  The people around you are beautiful.  See the beauty in the world today the way that you want to see it, but make sure that you see it.

Wonderfully Whacky Stupendously Strange Staff

As I have mentioned for a few blog posts, I work at a summer camp.  I really do love my job and I have told everyone why.  One of the reasons why I love my job was "Staff Friends," which I would like to elaborate on in this post (Plus, I asked one of the staffers for a title of a blog and am writing from the title that I was given).

As humans we crave time with other humans.  We are designed by God in this way.  Remember in Genesis, after God created Adam he realized that Adam shouldn't be alone, and so Eve was made.  Because of this, we all need friends.  We are to depend on God, but God wants us to have fellowship with other humans, especially other followers of Christ.  We are called to be one body.  We are called to serve God by working together with others. 

I am part of camp staff.  I am part of something bigger than myself.  This year, our program director has repeatedly reiterated that we are all a team.  We are all buddies that should be looking out for each other.  Not only should camp staff look out for each other, Christians should look out for each other.  We should help each other when we see each other struggling.  I am a follower of Christ.  I am part of something much bigger than myself.  All around the world, I have a family that is known as the body of Christ and I know that we can all depend on each other through prayer, faith, and fellowship.

As you rush through life with a smile pasted onto your face, remember that you are surrounded by people who are your brothers and sisters in Christ.  Remember that you have the Holy Spirit with you.  Remember that God wants you to depend on Him and on other humans.  Remember.

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

Romans 12:4-5

At camp, even as an area director in charge of an area I depend on the people in my area and the other people in other areas for camp to run smoothly.  In the same way, we need to work together as one body in Christ.  Use your gifts.  Share your talents.  Amaze yourself at the wonders you can achieve with the rest of the members in the body of Christ.

Elimination

2 Versions of a Story:

First Version:

On Wednesday nights, most of the staff has their night off from camp.  We all do pretty much the same thing: eat out, go to Walmart, and possibly head to a drive-in movie.  This past week, a large group of us decided to go to a drive-in.  Upon arrival, we decided to toss a football around.  However, we decided to play it in the form of the game, so that if someone missed a catch to them, that person was out.  This game has become fairly common with staff around camp this year, so we all know the rules and call this game "Elimination."  Upon the first throw, one of my coworkers/friends turned around to catch the ball and ran straight into a pole with his face.  As I was closest to him, I reached him first to see that he had a cut above his eye, a cut below his eye and a scratch down his cheek.  

I proceeded to run for ice, antiseptic wipes, band-aids, and butterfly bandages from the concession stand.  After wiping everything out and applying the butterfly bandage onto cut located on his forehead, we sent him back to the camp to get checked out by the nurse to verify that he didn't have a concussion.  It turns out that he had a mild concussion, but was going to be alright.

Second Version:

While hanging out with us in Indiana, my friend/coworker saw a bear that charged at him and mauled his face, resulting in a cut above his eye, below his eye, a scratch down his cheek, and a mild concussion.  We were all very concerned as his cheek remained swollen for the following day.  

Now, one of these stories is what happened to me this past Wednesday.  I will let you choose which is true and which is what we told the campers.

Obviously, some of the campers thought that a bear attacking my friend in the middle of Indiana was a bit far-fetched.  However it was quite a bit of fun to convince them that this is what had occurred.  It should be fairly clear which of these stories is what really happened.  That being said, what enables us to deduce truth from lies?  

I believe that studying the truth and knowing that the probability of running into a bear in Indiana is relatively low is what allows us to do so.  This is also true of other situations like this one.  Knowing the truth enables us to identify the lies.  As such, we should study the truth.  I do not necessarily mean beg people to tell the truth.  I mean that we should study the Bible, as it is the truth and the Word of God.

Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

John 17:17

In studying what is true, we will know when there are lies being fed to us.  Have you studied the truth today?

Friend Following

Here is another of my Peer Tutoring Journals from the previous school year.  The following story was written as a result to a prompt and may or may not be base on actual events.  I will allow you to decide yourself.

My friends and I shrieked with laughter as we walked through the aisles of Walmart.  We compared prices briefly, selected the "necessary" items and headed to the checkout with our arms stuffed full of toilet paper.It was the night we had been planning on for weeks.  One of my school's teachers was going to wake up to a surprise the next morning.

The funniest part about this whole situation was probably not the fact I was going teepeeing.  It was the fact that I had never even had the teacher that my friends had selected.  Why did I even want to go?  Probably, and I know this is cliché, because "everyone else was doing it."

I have noticed that this is something that is said quite frequently.  As students we face many temptations, especially when we are "hanging out" with our friends.  Most of us just want to fit in and have friends; however, sometimes this comes with a price.  Most of the time everyone around us is taking part in the same activity making us want to do the same.  Because of this, I think that dealing with loneliness is a huge problem.  Many people are never taught how to handle feeling lonely, and it can be very painful.  Humans are designed to be with other people (This goes back to the creation of Eve as a companion to Adam in the Garden of Eden), so when we feel lonely it creates a void in our lives.  Most of us will do anything to fill this void. Become physically intimate with someone. Take drugs.  Drink alcohol.  Choose a popular career choice.  Say degrading things about themselves to get people to notice them.

This is a huge problem, because everyone does it, not just teenagers.  With adults it can be different activities, but they're still pressured into doing it by their peers.  If we can teach people that it's okay to walk away from a situation that would help tremendously.  If we can show people that there are other people who will still like them for who they are, it would be incredible.  But above everything else, if the world would learn to accept people for themselves, that would solve many problems.

Camp

This summer, I am working at a Boy Scout camp.  This is the second year that I have worked at this camp and I absolutely love my job.  Now, I know some people may be trying to figure this out.  I am a girl that works at a boy scout camp.  Yes, that can happen.  No, I am no the only one.  Females are in the minority, but we do exist in the BSA.

I am working as the pool director this year.  Basically I teach classes in the morning and I lifeguard open swims in the afternoons and evenings and make sure that the other pool staff is doing the same thing while we also keep the pool and the pool house locker rooms clean.  This past week has been exhausting. Camp is always exhausting, it doesn't matter if you are a camper, an adult leader, or a staff member.  Going to camp is tiring.

Over the weekend, I had to unclog a toilet that had been clogged intentionally.  (Earlier this week it had had a sock in it.)  I had to pick up boys underwear and socks from a locker room floor.  I pulled trash that was floating in a trash can that had been outside in the rain. I cleaned out the bag from the pool vacuum (if you've never done this for an outdoor pool, trust me when I say it gets pretty gross). This week, I had a scout refuse to get into the pool for class, so he couldn't achieve any of the requirements the merit badge class he was in.  I also cleaned out a funky-smelling refrigerator that is used by the staff members..

I really do love my job, but I sometimes I have to ask myself why, so here is the list that I came with upon reevaluation:

1.) I love kids.
          They're hilarious.  You never know what is going to come out of their mouths.
2.) My boss is a perfectionist.
          This may not sound like a positive aspect to a job.  In fact, it probably sounds like a major pain in the neck, but it isn't.  My boss motivates me and the rest of the staff to strive toward perfection and do our best no matter what the job is.  This will help us in jobs in the future, as we move on past working at camp.
3.) I love kids.
          They watch everything adults do and mimic it.  The wide variety of personalities that the boys display in the classes that I teach makes me think about Psychology and what causes people to act the way they do.  4.)  I love to swim.
          I have the opportunity to wake up at 5:30 every morning and swim a mile if the pool isn't too crowded!  Call me weird, but that is just fantastic.  It is great stress relief and provides me with time to contemplate without having to sit still.
5.)   I love kids.
         The way their swimming improves over just one week of classes is spectacular and reminds me of how malleable they are.  Every little thing matters.
6.)  I'm certified.
        Working as a lifeguard means I've been trained in CPR and basic first aid, making me feel more prepared for emergency situations.
7.)  It's a challenge.
         I love a good puzzle. AP Calculus was my favorite class this past year.  Why?  It gets my brain working.  Sometimes, when I am trying to explain a concept to a camper that is new, he doesn't get it right away and it is a challenge for him to get it.  In these times, it's like a puzzle for me to figure out how to explain the concept in a way that he will understand it.
8.)  I love kids.
        (There might be a theme in this list.)
9.)  It's hard work.
         This is another point that may seem somewhat odd, but it really isn't.  By working hard now, I'm learning how hard life will be later.  I've never heard an adult say that they were happy about how easy a class or chore or job was when they were young.  Rather, I hear gratitude about the difficult tasks, as those tasks prepared them for later in life.
10.) I love kids.
11.)  Sponge Wars.
        Picture dodge ball except with wet sponges instead of balls.  And picture Staff Vs. Campers.  And picture my face with war paint.  And other staffers dressed up (In chicken suits, camouflage, cheerleader outfits, etc)   Yeah.  It's epic.
12.) I lovekids.
13.)  Staff Friends.
         Both years I have met new people who have been awesome.  We all experience things together for six weeks and it's pretty incredible.  We become close enough to trust each other and prank each other.  We work together and we play in Sponge Wars together.  We express frustrations about campers and life to each other.  We aren't just coworkers.  We're friends.
14.) I lovekids.
         Seriously, I want to be a pediatrician.  Children tend to be more forgiving, more gracious and happier than most adults I meet.  They have a more positive outlook on life, and it is uplifting.  Most of them are always willing to laugh.  Most of them have a way of brightening a room when they come in.
15.)  It's fun.
        It's fun to get to know the campers.  It's fun to work with fellow staff.  It's fun to teach the classes.  It's fun to swim a mile.  It's fun to stay up late talking a playing card games with staff.

At camp, it's tiring.  I'm exhausted.  At camp, it's fun.  I have had fun.   At camp, it's crazy.  A good crazy.  At camp, I can work hard.  At camp I can be a big kid.  At camp, I can enjoy almost every minute.

Not only can I thank God for giving me a job, I can thank Him for giving me a job that I love!  If you've had a rough day, I highly recommend making a list of your blessings.  If you can't think of anything, start with the fact that you woke up, then maybe move onto the periodic table of elements (everything in the entire universe is made of of them).  Don't be like the Israelites who wandered in the desert and forgot the blessings that God had given them.  Choose to Praise God for what you have instead of dwelling on what you don't have. :)  After all, you're breathing, aren't you?

Living in Reckless Abandonment for Jesucristo, 
Jo




       

Comfort

Some people, like me, could spend their entire lives sitting in a corner with a blanket, a cup of tea and a good book.  However, living a life like that would have little to no excitement.  There would be not rush, no thrilling moments, and no good memories to look back on.  Living a life that is completely flat lined, it would definitely be comfortable.  But is comfort what humans legitimately strive for? We may say that we just want a "normal" live, but that is not what our actions show.  We have extreme sports, roller coasters, and exotic vacations telling us that new things, or things outside of our comfort zone, are fun.

There are a few of us who legitimately strive for "normalcy." A life inside our area of amenities.  However, we tend to also feel the need to fit in (so that we don't feel lonely).  Because of this desire, we still do exciting things to feel a rush.

But, in the end, getting out of our comfort zones can be a very good thing.  When I look at the Bible stories taught to me throughout me life, I don't see a single one where God said "Oh, why yes, I understand you don't feel comfortable doing this.  Sure, you don't need to serve me in this way."  On the contrary, God called people in areas that were not in their comfort zone.  He called them to do things that they were bad at.  Why?  Because if you are weak in an area, you will depend on Him and others will see His strength in you.  As such, let God use your weaknesses.  Get out of your comfort zone.  God will do great things.

Living in Reckless Abandonment for Jesucristo, 
Jo

Goals

This past school year I was a peer tutor at my school.  Each day I would go to the elementary school and work with in a student in a classroom there.  In addition to that, we also had to write weekly journals about a given prompt.  As I am currently relatively preoccupied with other nonsense, today I will share one of my Peer Tutoring Journals.  It was assigned in the first back after Christmas break, and the prompt had to do with new years resolutions and self-evaluation. Here you are:

In my room, I have a lot of lists and charts hanging on my walls, doors, dresser, bed, and desk.  These charts and lists help keep me organized.  I have things that I need to remember, tasks that I need to perform, and facts I want to memorize.  I also have my life goals posted on my door.  I have a plan for my life, make me driven, motivated and goal oriented.  For the most part this is a good thing.  However, there are times when I become so focuses on my goals that I forget to enjoy the journey.  I forget to take time to spend with friends that I'll have in my life for a limited amount of time.

While in the journey of seeking goals, I forget to keep my life centered on God.  I forget that the whole reason to pursue my goal is to honor Him.  I forget that I should really e seeking Him first, not my goal.  I forget that my sole purpose for living should be Him, and nothing else.

Honestly, each year I think about how I can improve myself.  Each year I come to a similar conclusion.  I come to the conclusion that if I make sure God is the center of my life, everything else will fall into place.  This year, and for the rest of my life, I want to remember to seek first the Kingdom of God and that spending time with friends is better than doing physics.

Brief sidenote written today: the mention of friends being better than physics is a different story that I might share someday.  However, today is not that day.

Living in Reckless Abandonment for Jesucristo, 
Jo