ice lollies, homeless people, and friendships.

Well needless to say it has literally been forever since i have posted a blog. I think i have gone to start a new post like 20 times then stopped myself because i somehow convinced myself i didnt have anything quite worthy enough to blog about. how silly is that? It's not like drowns of people are reading this thing anyway,lol. Alot has been going on around here. things have been so busy. I started my spring break off with a 6 hour drive with Jas to Ridgecrest, NC to work Fuge winter camp for the weekend. This meant that we were going to be leaving at 4 in the morning..a time i was largely unaware existed. We got caught in the most wicked fog i have ever seen (detailed below in this special picture) and after finally pulling in somewhere and exclaiming we had finally gotten lost..Jas turned his headlights on to the Ridgecrest welcome sign. Thank you Jesus. it was an awesome weekend investing in students and seeing lives changed. It really is what i live for.

( The extreme fog) 

                                                      (our winter camp team)

My spring break consisted of wedding planning with my mom and spending time with daniel at night. Even though it was fairly uneventful, just having time without worrying about homework or school and getting to spend time with daniel was so good. It ended with a DNOW weekend with the 10-12th grade girls..excellent weekend learning about what our actions say about what we believe about Christ.

                                     (10-12 grade girls)

i also went with miranda tonight to get the first ice lolly of the year..man it was good! i love those things..

                        (Rock & Roll (grape and blueberry) ice lolly)

Mir and i had a really long conversation the other night about friendship. The conversation went somewhere along the lines of how some friendships take more work. Im talking about the kinds where you do all the pouring and they do all the taking. It led us to another subject of how we become so consumed with our own lives that sometimes we just fail to recognize what's going on in people we say we care about. I know i never want to be that kind of friend. The kind that never initiates calling or spending time together, never asks about the other person, never sees beyond themselves. This brings me to the book i just started and finished. "Same Kind of Different as Me" is one of the single greatest books i have ever read. I was so challenged by this true story that often times i couldn't read because my eyes were so blurred with tears. The basic premise of the story is about a homeless man who becomes  friends with a highly successful art dealer. The story convinced me on so many levels again, how easy it is to place a value on people and forget to really love them... like Christ. Something to chew on for a while..


John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

crazy

So my life is basically insane the next two weeks..I have three (yes, three) midterms tomorrow..which i need to be studying for now but need a break! i Also need to finish my final lesson for winter camp before 6 tonight so i can meet with Jas and figure that all out. I need to pack tonight for Winter camp AND spring break...which is not good because i always wayyyy overpack. Tomorrow after having class 9am till 8pm i need to hop in the car and drive home (cross fingers i dont fall asleep..jk...kinda,lol).
Then there is FUGE winter camp..which we are seriously leaving at like 6 in the morning so we get their in plenty of time..then the crazy weekend starts..however i am really pumped about it and cant wait.
Then my spring break starts..which is looking a whole lot more like a week of insanity of trying to get wedding things done, possible job, and spending time with daniel (which is the sweetest part). i pretty much tell myself daily that in just over 8 months daniel and i will be laying on the beach in the virgin islands..and this is a very motivating thought to me to push through now...which is good because im lacking in the motivation department lately.

Now that i feel semi exhausted just by writing that all out...
I woke up this morning and was keenly aware of my need for Christ. There is just more to do than i simply have ability. i need more time, more strength, more energy, more wisdom..more. I am given peace just in the knowledge that Christ is not only my sustainer, BUT my strength and all the more (and more) that i need. I am glad to be at a place of inadequacy, where i know that the only good things have literally come from Him. I am thankful for his word- a healing balm to my soul. May i be the first to boast in my weakness.

2 Cor 12:9
"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."

mended

We serve a God who is a mender of broken things. I am always reminded of the goodness that comes from a place where we are nothing more than broken before the Lord.

Psalm 73:28,
   " But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and i will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do." 


Mended:
You repair all that we have torn apart and
You unveil a new beginning in our hearts and
We stand grateful for all that has been left behind and
All that goes before us

Chorus:
You've got all things suspended
All things connected
Nothing was forgotten
'Cause your love is perfect
You are our healer
And you know what's broken
And we're not a mystery to you
(to you, oh Lord, to you)

We will dance 'cause you restore the wasted years and
You will sing over all our coming fears and
We'll stand grateful for all that has been left behind and all that goes before us

Bridge:
Lord, you mend the breech
And you break every fetter
You give us your best, but what we thought was better
And you are to be praised
You are to be praised