20 random posts : : five random things that make me happy

This is number 5 in my 20 random posts.  As a side note, since I skipped number 4 (how you met your spouse/significant other), I'm going to make up another one towards the end so there are actually 20 of these posts, instead of 19.  Also, I found another list like this for 30 things to blog about over the course of a month, so I'm really excited to do that once I finish up this series!

Five Random Things That Make Me Happy :D

1. Getting letters from my Compassion sponsor children. I appreciate how it says "message from your sponsor child" right on the outside of the envelope so you don't have to guess and then be disappointed when it's actually a bill or something else.

2. When my hair actually kind of curls.  I have a lot of curl, but when I brush my hair it just poofs most of the time. :)

3. Getting a test out of the way.  Hopefully I get a good grade, but the more important thing is that it's over and done with. :)

4. Weddings.  I'm such a sop when it comes to romance, so weddings definitely make me happy.

5. Finding a really good quote that makes me think and inspires me.

weekdate #014

1. This week I have been starting to get ready for my anthropology midterm on October 3.  It's going to be a really hard test, so I'm getting a head start.

 Hooray for 75 definitions and 27 essay questions! :(

2. On Wednesday we all went to the state fair!  It was a lot of fun, even though it was blazing hot! :)

*credit for all the photos goes to Ellie*

3. Also on Wednesday I had my first class for introduction to teaching.  It was a late start one, and it's only 12 weeks long, but I'm really looking forward to it!  My teacher is great and there's not much homework.  Overall it just sounds like it's going to be a fun class.

4. For my intro to teaching class I have to have 45 hours of classroom observation.  Basically I go to a school and sit in on a class for 4-5 hours a week and just see what teaching is actually like.  I'm going to be going to an elementary school about five minutes away from my house.  I'll be with a second grade class, which is exactly what I wanted!  I start this Wednesday--so excited!

5. Yesterday I sang on the worship team in church for the first time in months.  It'll probably be my last time in months, too, because my intro to teaching class is right when worship practice is, but it was a nice opportunity.  Thanks, Corey! :)

20 random posts : : my greatest challenge

So this is number 5 in my 20 random posts series: my greatest challenge.  I lead such a difficult, persecuted and suffering life, it was hard to narrow it down... Ha!  God is so incredibly good for me.

" far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think"

Ephesians 3:20

I would have to say that my greatest challenge right now would be in being content with where God has me.  As I go through my classes and look for a job, I have to admit, I want to be out of here!  I want to be in India already, teaching kids at an orphanage and ministering to people in true need!  My desire is to be a few years down the road, finished with my degree, on the mission field.  But I guess I'll always struggle with that: once I'm in India, I'll want to get married, and then I'll want children, and then I'll want grandchildren!  I'll always struggle with trusting God's purpose with my placement in the world.

To combat this sort of thing, I usually try to figure out why God has me where I am now, and what I can do here and now that will minister to people.  For example, I think one of the reasons He has me here, going to school and working and living with my family, is so I can grow up and gain some life experience before I just go off on my own.  I mean, I'm only 19--I haven't really done much with my life yet!  I need time to grow in the Lord, to establish myself and solidify my faith, and to just prepare myself for what He'll have for me.

 Sorry for the terrible quality!

In terms of ministering to people here and now, I have my Compassion kids: Djamsel, Majoie, and Cristian.  The three of them are such incredible blessings in my life; everytime I look at their pictures on my wall, I'm just blown away that the Lord of the universe, who created these kids and can speak to them so much better than I can, has allowed me to reach out to them, even if in just some small way.

Overall, in struggling with contentment in God's plan, I just have to remind myself that He is God, I'm not, and He's in control.  I am learning to rest in Him

May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way.

2 Thessalonians 3:16

I wanted to share some of the music I've been worshipping to lately.  Enjoy!



I found this song a long time ago and just recently discovered it again. It is so beautiful!



I had heard this song before, but I guess they did a new recording of it recently, and I like it a lot more. I know I haven't done an Everyday's Thanksgiving post in ages, but this song reminds me anew of how much I have to be thankful for; 10,000 things to thank Him for shouldn't be difficult, let alone 1000!

weekdate #013

1. This week I have my first Spanish test, and my anthropology midterm is in two weeks (!!!).  This semester is flying by already.  My intro to teaching class starts on Wednesday; so excited!

2. Last Tuesday I went to a BSU college Bible study.  It was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed the teaching, so I think I'll keep going with Rachel.

3. Then on Wednesday Rachel and I went to another college Bible study that's starting up out where we live.  Unfortunately, since we have a class starting next week it was our only chance to be able to go, but it was really good!

4. Saturday night was the Bible memorization meeting with the Living Word Initiative.  It was so good to see everyone. :)

5. Today is my mom's birthday!  Yay!

6. Chloe and I had a photo shoot tonight. :) Enjoy!

for 9-11

I was debating whether or not to add a weekdate to this post, but I just decided to forego that this week.  My life is very boring lately, and absolutely nothing exciting has happened since last Tuesday.  So, without further ado...

Tuesday, September 11, 2001

I had just turned eight, and was starting third grade.  I was at school with Rachel (we were in the same class).

My school went on lockdown, and I didn't think much of it because we had practice lockdowns and fire drills pretty often.  But then over the loudspeakers Rachel and I were asked to come to the office.  Our teacher got us ready to go and we went out into the hall.  I remember it was really creepy because all the classroom doors were shut and locked and we were by ourselves walking to the office.

My mom had come to pick us up early, just to make sure we were okay, and we went home.  That was when I found out what was going on because my mom left the news on all day.  They played the clip over and over of the planes flying into the towers, and then the towers falling.  I still didn't really understand it, though.

The next day I went to school and one of the girls in my class was crying because she thought her dad was on one of the planes.  I thought she was silly for crying.  I didn't know how many people had died.  It took several years for me to grasp the magnitude of the event.

May we never forget.

20 random posts : : my dream job

This is my number 4 post in my 20 random posts series.  As I mentioned in the last one, number 3 was "talk about how you met your spouse/significant other", so I had to skip that one.  So I guess there'll actually be only 19 of these posts.  Oh well. :)

Anyhow, #4 is "if you could have any dream job, what would it be?"  Let's get to it!

Obviously, if I could have any job in the world, I would want to be rich and carefree and sit around eating bonbons all day.  Ha!  What a waste of time that would be.

My dream job is to be a missionary teacher at an orphanage in India.  For some reason, India has always fascinated me.  I can't really explain it, except that there is a great need for people to get over there and start sharing the gospel.  With over 1.2 billion people, widespread poverty, a crippling caste system, and the largest concentration of Hindus in the world (over 900 million compared to about 70 million Christians), the need is great.  Over 88% of the population in India is still unreached.  And as my desire is to work with children, specifically orphans, India is perfect for me: out of about 400 million children under the age of 15, over 35 million of these are orphans--the largest number of orphans in a single country in the world.

It's kind of overwhelming!  But when I look at those numbers I have to remind myself that the Lord Himself fashioned every one of those 1.2 billion people, and He holds each of them in His hand.

So, my dream job is to serve India in some way, specifically the orphaned children.  And beyond all that, I would like to personally found an orphanage in India at some point in my life so that, by God's grace and strength, I'll be able to meet the needs of more and more children.  Who knows if and when that will happen, but He can do anything!

Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

James 1:27

* To learn more, go here!

weekdate #012

1. On Wednesday this week, I bought myself a turtle!  After writing about how I've always wanted one in this post, I decided to just get one!  His name is Jonah. :)

2. Tomorrow Ellie and Chloe start school, so tonight we all went to look at their classrooms and meet the teachers!  It was fun. :)

3. I've been getting settled into my classes this week.  I never did get into Modern Music Appreciation, but that's ok; I'll have enough on my plate once I get a job and all my classes start full-swing.

4. I can't believe it's already September!  It seems like this year just started. :)

5. It is becoming incredibly difficult to think of things that happened for these weekdates...Sunday was our first church service meeting back in the sanctuary after all the hail and rain damaged the building a few weeks ago.  It was nice!