Be still my soul, the Lord is on Thy side.

So it's been quite a while since I've blogged. The last weeks have been so full and I have been enjoying them so much.
June 14th I celebrated my birthday. I wasn't very excited to turn 19. Such a boring age. But I've decided that this year will definitely not be boring. I feel like I have many changes and adventures in store for the next year. It's just hard to believe that this time next year I'll be 20. Crazy.
Also in June I completed a 2 week training in adult literacy and ESL(English as a Second Language) through Literacy and Evangelism International. I'm now equipped to teach adults to read and speak English. I'm excited to have a tool I can use whether I am ministering overseas or even just working here in the States.
The last month has seen me learning lessons on God's provision. My store has not been getting fantastic business so we are having to cut back on hours so I am getting scheduled less and shorter hours. On top of that, because of the training, I had to take two full weeks off. So needless to say, money has not been abounding in my pocket this summer. Naturally, that was worring me a lot with having to pay phone bills, car insurance, gas, plus I have been really needing a laptop and the fees for the training were $330. Well, in the midst of worrying about all this, a friend of mine's dad informed me that he felt God wanted him to buy me a laptop as a sign that He is providing for me. Amazing or what? Then, not long after that I was worrying again about how I was going to pay LEI for the training. The next day, they e-mail me, telling me that they had recieved enough scholarship money to cover my fees entirely.
So now I am sitting here typing this on my brand new, Dell laptop and have no doubt that God is good. I really feel that He has been showing me in this last month that He is in control and is working His plans for me. I just need to learn not to worry so much.

Anyways, I should be off to bed. I have a full weekend ahead of me.
Grace and Peace.

Love wins.

This song has never meant more to me than it does now. Tonight I have learned the power of love and communication. That nothing can be solved without understanding the other person and being willing to see one's own faults. I've learned that true Christ-like love never gives up, but bears all things.
Healing in a relationship can begin when we realize that we love each other enough to do whatever it takes to restore it.
My heart is full, but no longer with the anger, guilt, and bitterness that the Devil has been building up between me and one of my dearest friends. The door has been open to healing. I have been set free.

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

Midnight.

I really love Beirut. A whole, whole lot. Simply fantastic.

Headaches that you wake up with and that last all day are no fun at all.

If you are not feeling well, Sour Patch Kids and mocha coconut chillers over ice with whipped cream will help.

I have a lot to do. I thought I would get most of it done today but didn't. Lame.

There's nothing I want more right now than to be sitting and fellowshipping with friends.

Writing letters to people is harder than it seems.

Summer should hurry and get here.

I should be in bed.

Goodnight.

"I Still Care for You"

This crazy spring is driving me nuts. I am so ready for warm weather. Nevertheless I am excited that it is Holy Week. I can't wait to spend Easter with the family. I just hope it's warm!

So my big news of the day is: I've decided to spend part of next semester in India! I'll go over there with my dad sometime in September and stay for a month at the least, hopefully a couple. I don't have more details than that but we'll be making plans in the next few weeks. I'll need to start working on a support letter and decide if I want to attend the Literacy Training to get geared up for it this summer.

I have been listening to this song very much today. Ray Lamontagne is a genius. His voice is so stirring and the lyrics are just amazing. I advise anyone to check out his stuff. I love his Trouble and Gossip in the Grain albums.

Well that is all for today, I have to clean and do laundry before going to class. I hope everyone is having a wonderful Holy Week!

More thoughts from the farm.

I'm at the end of another long, relaxing day on the farm. This one has been particularly enjoyable. I slept in a little bit and then enjoyed breakfast with my sisters. I then enjoyed a nice walk down to the creek with my sisters, mom, and cousin Kyle. It was a leisurely walk and the weather was just so nice and sunny. After lunch the aunts took Stacy and Taylor to the airport to see them off and I enjoyed a nice time of just chatting and sipping tea with Emily and Kyle. It's always great to have time to reconnect with family members. Emily and I also spent some moments soaking up the last of the sunshine out on the deck. Dinner was a rather small affair as most of the people who've been here throughout the week are gone now so it was just a few of us with various leftovers from the week's meals. After dinner the sisters and Kyle and I discussed various social and theological topics and connecting shared interests. It was fun to think that the four of us have gone from just a short time ago when we would have been in the woods playing orcs and elves to now sitting and discussing real, important issues. We are growing up yet we still feel so small thinking on such subjects. They are so vast and go far beyond our little knowledge. These are issues that great people have been discussing for generations. We all agreed that we will never really know the answers to these questions. It's just almost difficult to think of how far God's thoughts are above our own. Anyways, these are jsut the thoughts bouncing around in my head after our time of discussion. It was cut short becasue the rest of the family wanted to watch Chariots of Fire which I hadn't seen since I was pretty little. It is quite an inspiring movie. most have gone to bed now and I am sitting writing this while Kyle plays a tune on the guitar and Emily is reading beside me. Tomorrow is our last full day here and I am beginning to think I have had sufficient rest here and will be ready to pack up and get back to normal life. Well that's all for now I'm ready to read a bit and then head to bed.

Chai and Indian anthems.

Well I am up in Herminie, Pennsylvania. We left around 5 pm Friday and arrived here at around 10 last night. Long trip but not too bad actually. It's such fun just hanging out with my aunts and uncles, cousins, and grandparents. So far the time has consisted of numerous cups of chai, church this morning, soup for lunch, a nice walk all around the farm, feeding swans, a big curry dinner to celebrate my grandparents 68th anniversary, me and others entertaining with various musical pieces, and to top it all off: a dance party. I love my family. It is just too much fun around here. I am definitely missing my friends but it feels really good to get away. Lately I've just been so tired of my routine of classes and work so it's just nice to break out of my schedule and move at a slower pace. My dad and aunts and uncles have so many stories from their childhood that always come out when we're all together. It is wonderful to hear bits and pieces of their past. They are all such entertaining stories. Tomorrow my sister and brother and their families will be coming in and I'm excited to have them here as well. It has been a long and eventful day and I am ready to go to bed. Goodnight.

New blogger.

Yup, this is my first time to blog. I'm pretty excited. The only thing similar to this I've done was Xanga back in my early high school days. Hopefully this will be cooler than that was.
Today the weather is absolutely beautiful. I am so excited for spring and warm weather everyday. I'm not much of a cold weather person. I always get so anxious at this time of year for it to be spring.
In about a week I will be getting in my family's big old van to drive up to Pennsylvania for spring break. My dad's family all lives up there on a big farm and I am excited to see loved ones up there and spend time with my family as well as get away from school and work.
I have a class in just a few so I'd better be finishing getting ready for that.