As introverts and dedicated students in high school, my group of friends does not get together outside of school all that often. It's not that we don't like to spend time with each other, but that we like to focus on school. Also, if we get together too often we easily exhaust ourselves because most of us our introverts and need time by ourselves to recharge. That being said, this year we decided that we were going to do social things together more often. After all, this was our last year in high school, and we wanted to enjoy it with each other! A few of my friends created a list of things that they wanted to do while they were still in high school. The list included quite a few things, including having a sleepover on a school night.
Although we had a sleepover on the night before the first day of school, we decided to have another one in the last couple of weeks of school. However, this time we decided to have it on the roof of one of my friends(it's a flat roof). It was the perfect temperature to sleep outside, and there aren't too many bugs yet this time of year. We checked the forecast and saw that rain was a possibility, but decided to go for it anyway. We stayed up late playing a card game that ended with all of us losing. We proceeded to stay up until about 2:30a.m. talking.
After the chatter had died down, the others drifted off to sleep. I however, remained wide awake. At 3 or 3:30a.m. I felt a little bitty sprinkle. I shook the person next to me awake and she sat there for a second as if deciding if I was telling the truth about the rain or not. After she realized that it was indeed raining, it became a very quick jumble and scramble as we all shoved our blankets through the window and jumped through ourselves in order to get inside.
As we all settled into various sleeping areas inside and fell asleep there, I realized I was actually glad that it had rained. Not because it gave me an excuse to sleep on a bed, or because it gave me something to blog about, but because it had given me another story. Much like one of my first blogs about a border-line disaster involving a balloon and a crazy fed-ex delivery man, I am thankful that God gives me stories to remember. He has shown me that the things most valuable in life are the memories that I can look back on and remember with joy. I might not have remembered sleeping on my friend's roof on a school night had it been like any other sleepover, but it wasn't. It rained and we had to jump through the window to get inside. That memory is much more valuable than many other possessions that I own, because it is something filled with laughter for me. :)
Living in Reckless Abandonment for Jesucristo,
Jo
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Saturday, May 17, 2014
More Stories from a Crazy Life
Having lived in a teeny-tiny, itty-bitty town my entire life, I have become accustomed to a quiet life. In my teeny-tiny, itty-bitty town, there is a gas station, a bank, a small school, and a Family Dollar store. That is it. I'm not kidding. It really is teeny-tiny and itty-bitty! That being said, I still manage to get into adventures of my own, like losing my keys under a locked door in the school at six thirty in the evening, or getting terribly lost in the next town over on the way to Walmart to get last-minute supplies for a project. The most comical thing that has happened to me occurred a couple of Wednesdays ago.
After school it was a beautiful day outside. Not only was the weather gorgeous, but I had finished my second AP test that day, which made the day seem even better. However, there was not time to enjoy the weather. I had to drive 20 minutes to have my annual physical and 20 minutes back before the Spring Band Concert. Hopefully between things I would have time to eat supper (as I wouldn't be getting home until after the concert), and to change into dress clothes. As it turned out, I had ample time after my physical to find something to eat in the refrigerator and to change clothes so that I would receive a passing grade for the concert. I chose to wear black dress pants with a nice blouse, as I was going to wear a couple of dresses for other presentations that would happen later that week.
I ate quickly and got into the car to drive to the concert. I had the perfect amount of time to arrive at the school, put together my flute, and get my chair and stand ready on time. Upon parking the car, I started to unbuckle my seat belt. I pushed the button on the buckle....aaannnnndd the seat belt remained latched. I suppose now is a good time to mention that the seat belt in the car sticks on a regular basis, so I calmly pushed the button on the buckle again. My seat belt remained exactly where it had been. The warm weather no longer seemed so great to me, as the car was rapidly warming and I was feeling a bit trapped and claustrophobic. I decided to try the buckle one last time, BUT MY SEAT BELT WAS OFFICIALLY STUCK! At this point, I realized I had a few options:
1.) I could drive home and honk until my parents came out of the house. (This option would probably make me late)
2.) I could stop a random person in the parking lot by honking and beg for help. (Despite it being a small town, I felt like this option could get a bit creepy depending on who heard me honk, not to mention I'm not sure what they really could've done for me.)
3.) Climb out from under the seat belt. (This could prove to be difficult and annoying, given that I was wearing heels)
Clearly the third option was my best bet! I quickly took off my shoes and wiggled out from underneath the seat belt and exited what was now a very warm car.
After all of this took place, and I had a few good laughs with my friends about it, I realized how grateful I was that I had been wearing pants for that whole escapade! I had almost changed my mind and worn a skirt, but decided not to! Thank God I was wearing pants the night my seat belt stuck! And thank God for stories I can look back on and laugh about!
After school it was a beautiful day outside. Not only was the weather gorgeous, but I had finished my second AP test that day, which made the day seem even better. However, there was not time to enjoy the weather. I had to drive 20 minutes to have my annual physical and 20 minutes back before the Spring Band Concert. Hopefully between things I would have time to eat supper (as I wouldn't be getting home until after the concert), and to change into dress clothes. As it turned out, I had ample time after my physical to find something to eat in the refrigerator and to change clothes so that I would receive a passing grade for the concert. I chose to wear black dress pants with a nice blouse, as I was going to wear a couple of dresses for other presentations that would happen later that week.
I ate quickly and got into the car to drive to the concert. I had the perfect amount of time to arrive at the school, put together my flute, and get my chair and stand ready on time. Upon parking the car, I started to unbuckle my seat belt. I pushed the button on the buckle....aaannnnndd the seat belt remained latched. I suppose now is a good time to mention that the seat belt in the car sticks on a regular basis, so I calmly pushed the button on the buckle again. My seat belt remained exactly where it had been. The warm weather no longer seemed so great to me, as the car was rapidly warming and I was feeling a bit trapped and claustrophobic. I decided to try the buckle one last time, BUT MY SEAT BELT WAS OFFICIALLY STUCK! At this point, I realized I had a few options:
1.) I could drive home and honk until my parents came out of the house. (This option would probably make me late)
2.) I could stop a random person in the parking lot by honking and beg for help. (Despite it being a small town, I felt like this option could get a bit creepy depending on who heard me honk, not to mention I'm not sure what they really could've done for me.)
3.) Climb out from under the seat belt. (This could prove to be difficult and annoying, given that I was wearing heels)
Clearly the third option was my best bet! I quickly took off my shoes and wiggled out from underneath the seat belt and exited what was now a very warm car.
After all of this took place, and I had a few good laughs with my friends about it, I realized how grateful I was that I had been wearing pants for that whole escapade! I had almost changed my mind and worn a skirt, but decided not to! Thank God I was wearing pants the night my seat belt stuck! And thank God for stories I can look back on and laugh about!
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
James 1:2-3
I recently started a study of the book of James and decided to read until I was felt convicted, and then I would sit and ponder those verses and my life. I made it to verse 2.
Learning Joy in ALL circumstances,
Jo
Monday, May 12, 2014
Lessons Learned
As Holy Week came and went, my schedule picked up to an insane velocity. Finally, after the craziness of huge exams, a band concert, and a final presentation, I can take a moment to type up a few of my thoughts. A lot has happened over the past few weeks and I have a few stories to tell, but they will wait. I had a realization after the Maundy Thursday service during Holy Week and I still haven't written about it.
As previously stated, my scheduled picked up at the end of April, especially through Holy Week. I managed to make it to most of the normal church services that happen in that week, but while sitting in the service on Thursday I was not really in the right place. Yes, physically I was sitting in the chair in the sanctuary of the church. Yes, I was listening to most of what the pastor was saying. But mentally I was thinking about everything I had to do. I was going through the list of homework to be done, subjects I needed to study, and tasks that needed to be completed. Afterwards I did not take the time to chat with anyone. I pulled the car keys from my purse and headed out at a brisk pace to avoid everybody.
Simply stated, I was just "Going through the motions." I was going to the church service because I knew that was what I was supposed to do. In my mind, there were more important things to be done. This is not okay. It was then that I realized that I shouldn't just go to church to be there, I should go to church to worship God and have fellowship with Him and other believers. In making going to church services my top priority, I had made it my idol. I had made going to the service more of a priority than praising and living in pursuit of God.
Even what I was thinking about during the service had become my idols. I want to do the best that I can do as if doing it for God, and not for men (Colossians 3:23). However, when I just want good grades because they are my goal, that is a problem. I should want them because I'm working hard to honor God, not to have a good transcript with my name on it.
I let this lesson take far too long to sink into my heart. I now see that it was hardened and weedy in this area. I pray that this will be a lesson that I remember for a lifetime, and don't let myself forget. I pray that God will give me the ability to learn new lessons and discover new hope as I continue in this life so that I may become closer to him.
As previously stated, my scheduled picked up at the end of April, especially through Holy Week. I managed to make it to most of the normal church services that happen in that week, but while sitting in the service on Thursday I was not really in the right place. Yes, physically I was sitting in the chair in the sanctuary of the church. Yes, I was listening to most of what the pastor was saying. But mentally I was thinking about everything I had to do. I was going through the list of homework to be done, subjects I needed to study, and tasks that needed to be completed. Afterwards I did not take the time to chat with anyone. I pulled the car keys from my purse and headed out at a brisk pace to avoid everybody.
Simply stated, I was just "Going through the motions." I was going to the church service because I knew that was what I was supposed to do. In my mind, there were more important things to be done. This is not okay. It was then that I realized that I shouldn't just go to church to be there, I should go to church to worship God and have fellowship with Him and other believers. In making going to church services my top priority, I had made it my idol. I had made going to the service more of a priority than praising and living in pursuit of God.
Even what I was thinking about during the service had become my idols. I want to do the best that I can do as if doing it for God, and not for men (Colossians 3:23). However, when I just want good grades because they are my goal, that is a problem. I should want them because I'm working hard to honor God, not to have a good transcript with my name on it.
I let this lesson take far too long to sink into my heart. I now see that it was hardened and weedy in this area. I pray that this will be a lesson that I remember for a lifetime, and don't let myself forget. I pray that God will give me the ability to learn new lessons and discover new hope as I continue in this life so that I may become closer to him.
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