A new beginning

In eight days I will be moving my things back out of my parents and into the very fabulous Mary Mayo hall with some even MORE fabulous girls to start a new year of studying and furthering my knowledge. This summer was a strange one to say the least. I was incredibly busy for about the first month of it, but after my many trips and such, I can honestly say I have done nothing. I didn't get a job this summer (besides the VERY rare babysitting). It has been so weird waking up every morning and have truly NOTHING to do.

Needless to say... I am excited for school. I am craving the routine! This year is going to be a good one; I can tell already. I have changed A LOT since this time last year and I am excited to see how God is going to use me.

Suummmerr

It is already July 12. I ask you... where did my summer go? It seems like last week I was packing up my dorm and moving out of Brody forever and the next thing I know summer is half over. This summer has been a strange one. Things have happened that I never expected and the things I actually did expect have turned out to be even more weird then I ever imagined.

Here is a list of the most impactful things that came out of this summer thus far...

• The new found closeness I have with the guys in our group


• Photography trips across the western United States with my Momma and Dad


• Summer Staff at TWL


• The deepness I now share with the friends I did Summer Staff with


• A desire to start journaling my prayers... in that case... praying on a constant basis


• The realization that school WILL NOT actually suck next year


• Broken relationships effect deeper then origanilly thought


• I cherish Sara Kells friendship more then I ever thought


• Jesus is changing me from the inside out and I am more then ready

Old Buttons and New Family

Today was a good day.

It started off with church then my mom and I went to Antiques on the Bluff, an antique fair along the bluff in my town, then we went to lunch. Times like these always amaze me with the conversations that occur between mother and daughter. Today was the first time that I really shared some things about last year and how I truly felt... deeper then the "Yeah. I liked school." It felt good to finally get it across just how hard last year was.

We also had a picnic with my brothers new fiance's family. I was a little nervous and not really looking forward to it, but it actually turned out really fun. Both my parents arent very social people, so it had the chance of being very awkward. But once again, it was great. It is really funny how alike our parents are; right down to looks and personalities. While at first I was pretty upset about this whole pregnancy thing, I am now getting more and more excited. I see so many more opportunities I will have to be in both the new baby's life and my brothers.

Amish Country!!

Today my parents and I went to Shipshewana (spelling?) and had a grand ole' time chilling with the Amish folk. It is such a strange thing to be driving along and suddenly, WHAM, you are staying into the eyes of a horse pulling a little old man in a straw hat along side your car. Life just seems so different there... easier, more pure, dare I say better? I don't think this calmness comes along JUST with the Amish, just small, country towns in general. I live in a pretty small town, but when I go someplace like this tiny Indiana town I am instantly in shock of how small towns can really be. People in these types of towns always seem to know something that everyone else doesn't though. I think they know the importance of cutting away all the fancy clothes, ipods, and fast cars and getting back to the basics: God, family, and nature.

So lets take a clue from those jolly folk in straw hats, black suspenders, and buggies; lets put down our laptops and go churn some butter.

Time to Get Serious

Alright. So I am bad at writing on this. When I started it, I was determined to keep at it, so this is me getting serious.

I am going to take it a little easy getting back into the jest of this and make a list of the
top things on my mind at the moment...

• Unlike all the other times I have been away from school for long periods of time, I am actually NOT dreading going back to MSU.


• I really miss Sara.


• I have no idea how I will ever make even the slightest amount of money this summer that I will actually need for next year.


• My brother is going to be a father and I AM GOING TO HAVE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN MY NEICES/NEPHEWS LIFE (especially their spiritual life)


• I hate 5.9% increases in tuition


• I have discovered a new love for classical music and Mother Teresa quotes

So thats it for now.

"In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love."

Mother Teresa

Wow. I haven't written on this in awhile; I have good reason however! For the last two and a half weeks I have been working at one of myvery favorite places on this Earth, Timber Wolf Lake, a young life camp in Northern Michigan.

Two years ago I spent a month working at this camp, and while it taught me a TON about who I am, I can not say that it was the best month of my life. I guess I would say about the same for my experience this time. While it was amazing for me being at TWL spiritually and deepening my relationships with the people I came with, I did not form many new relationships at all.

One thing that Summer Staff did do for me was to show me that Younglife will continue to play a huge role in my life for the rest of time. If not my eventual career, I plan on leading in some sort of way. One form of leading that my heart is really pulling me towards is Capernam, a ministry for kids swith special needs. I know this would be amazing and something I would love. A lot of people question if these kids "get it" or understand God at all, but I know they do. Jesus loved these type of people, so why shoudn't we all?

The Perfect Picture

I am currently in Moab, Utah sitting in our hotel room after a full day of sight seeing. Our family seems to love the West, seeing as we visit it just about every summer. This trip began yesterday morning at 3 am. So far we have visited Arches national Park and Canyonlands National Park. I must say that these places have proved to be stunning. We drive along these winding roads that seem like they will never end, and I look out the window at the scenery picturing God's hand craving and sultuplting the majestic stone. Once again I don't know how people can't believe in God with beauty like that.

My dad is a huge landscape photographer and at times I think my mom and I are on HIS vacation where the ultimate goal is the perfect picture. We drive along and are forced to stop at every place my dad is "called" to photograph. I have attempted to get into photography so I have something to do on these trips, but nothing compares to the love my father has for the art. When it comes down to it though, I would gladly sit in the car on the side of the road or follow after him on a 14 mile hike to see an arch that might have good lighting at the moment just to see him so happy about something. My dad is a shy guy and doesn't get very excited about much. Except these trips and the thought of that PERFECT PICTURE.

The Old and Dusty

I spent all day today at my good ole' local library and loved every second of it. There is something about libraries and book stores that draw me in and soothe me completely. I spent a lot of time in libraries as a child and I think those good memories are the reason I could, and do, often spend all day walking amoungest the shelves filled with old, fabulous books. I always think about the people who read all these books. There are just so many of them. How often do books on these shelves go their entire lives without anyone picking them up and cracking their spines?

ANOTHER beautiful day out!! Crazy Michigan weather...

Take 2

PLEASE take a second and look outside right now! I can not believe how dang beautiful it is today! I don't understand how people don't believe in God with sunshine like this.

Today I job shadowed at my old elementary school in the Special Education classroom. I am beyond happy that I decided to go in and do it. It has shown my that this is EXACTLY what I want to do with my life. Those kids are great and it breaks my heart that people consider them broken. You should see them. They are so loving and caring and welcomed me into their room the second they all met me. People keep telling me that they couldn't do that job, and I think I am just now realizing that it does take a certain person. That leads me to worry that I will turn out to be the type of person that can't do it. These worries are what freaked me out with African Studies. What if I go through college and get my degree in something that turns out I am not right for? I realize these worries are stupid though. I know what kind of person I am inside and how much my heart yearns for these speical kids.

This weather calls for a picnic. And kickball.

The Beginning

So I have been thinking about starting one of these for awhile; some very strong and powerful people in my life have one and have showed me what it has done for them. So sitting at home on this beautiful spring day I have decided it is time. I doubt very highly anyone is going to ever read this, but I am kind of happy about that. I want this to be for me. Something I can turn to to get my words down. A place I can be creative. A place where I can show people the beautiful things God is doing in my life. A place I can be me.

Enjoy.