Saving A Life

Well, I saved a life yesterday. All in a good days work, you know? I suppose I should explain. I work in the Interlibrary Loan office at ACU. Yesterday morning my boss received a frantic phone call from a hospital librarian. I emailed the article to the hospital as emergency request. I found out that afternoon that the hospital wanted an article that only ACU has. They said the information would help save a boy's life. My boss heard from the hospital later in the day that the article helped and boy is okay. So we did good!

That's about the extent of my excitement these days. I'm spending most of my day at work in the library. I now work on all three floors.

I did have some good fun last week. I headed off with Dava Lynn Sullivan to New Beginnings Camp near Tyler, TX. It was a great week, I learned a lot and I came home exhausted. I had thirteen preschoolers for most of the day, and two for the entire day. I was a stand-in mom for a week for Dava Lynn, who is the camp director. Her boys are sweet, though sometimes the two-year-old is a bit of a stinker. I'll write more about my camp experiences later, as it was a great thing.

Since I last posted my baby sister has graduated from high school. Obviously she's not a baby anymore, but it's still crazy to think she'll be at ACU with me next year.

My family also got a new dog. She's a beautiful Australian Shepherd mix that the Reese family had to give up as they head to Thailand. Java will follow you around the house and slide up under your hand. If you don't pet her, she will lick and nudge your hand until you do. Anyway, she's a hoot and we already love her tons.

The kids before Amara' graduation

Java likes to shake, one of her few tricks

My City

I can't believe it, but I'm posting from House 10 once again. I'm overjoyed to be in Oxford right now, as it is one of my most favourite places on earth. I don't want to leave, but we only have two days here. Ah well. I will make do with what I have and try to live these days to their fullest.

We've had a busy, but fun, time these past few days. We spent several days in Paris and a couple in Birmingham. Today we wandered around Cambridge and now I'm back in my city, my second home.

We'll head back home in just a few days, but my adventure in Europe has been wonderful. Hopefully I'll write more later and maybe even post some pictures. So you should look forward to that!

Another Full Summer

I just finished watching the season finale of Lost. And oh my, I’m ready for the next season. I can’t believe we have to wait until 2010 for the next episode. It’s a crazy show and I’m anxious to see how everything will come together. This last season did answer a lot of questions, which was good, but it also managed to raise even more.

It’s been an interesting semester. A lot happened and once again, I grew a lot. I managed to shoot my 4.0, which of course I can never get back. Thankfully this does take a lot of pressure off in the next two years. I also successfully (or at least somewhat successfully) completed the Greek requirement for my degree. We’ll just have to wait and see if I go on to Hebrew or not.

I was told early in the year that perhaps 2008 was my year. That was a bit disconcerting, since I still had something like 11 months left to go in this year. However, now that 2009 is halfway over, I realize that this is a pretty amazing year as well. In June I’ll be going to a camp with one of my amazing Huddle leaders and working with the preschoolers. I’m extremely excited for this opportunity and am so glad that it was offered to me.

Additionally, as a result of a very generous friend, I’m about to make a trip to Europe. Now, this was something that was not even on my radar screen until a few weeks ago. However my best friend invited me to accompany her to Paris in just a short while. We’ll spend several days in France as a well as few days in England.

My only regret? I'll miss the Preakness Stakes this Saturday. I normally back the winner of the Kentucky Derby, always hoping for a Triple Crown winner. However, this time I'm rooting for Rachel Alexandra, a talented filly who didn't run in the Derby. So go get 'em, girl!

My next big adventure is just around the corner, and it’s been a good distraction from the end of the semester. While I’m overjoyed that classes are over, I already miss all of my friends. Three months is a long time to be apart. I've grown really close to some amazing people and I'm excited to see what next year will hold for all of us.

I'm Glad that God Made

When I was growing up, my parents used to sing to us once we were in bed. This is a song that Dad sang a lot. We had to fill in the second line of each verse to rhyme with the first line. I was singing this simple song today as I watched the sunset. The glowing silvery-yellow of the sky turned to a pulsing magenta as the sun sank below the horizon.

I’m glad that God made, the sun in the sky
And I’m glad that God made, birds that can fly
I’m glad that God made the cool April breeze
And I’m glad that God made green, leafy trees

But I’m gladdest of all that God made me
I’m gladdest of all that God made me
I’m gladdest of all because you see
He made me like Him

Motions

I've been thinking and praying about a lot of things lately and realizing some areas in my life that are lacking. I haven't put God first this semester. Schoolwork and hanging out with friends has come first. I think that because my priorities have been screwed up, everything else has been as well. Once I turn myself fully to God, other things can fall into place.

This may be hard for some people to understand. I explained it to someone who doubted a bit because she looks at me and the way I'm living my life and thinks I'm doing just fine. I go to church every Sunday and I help out in the four-year-old class every Wednesday. I gave up facebook for Lent, and do countless other things. I'm even a majoring in Bible.

But here's the secret: it's all sort of a facade. I'm messed up on the inside. I don't read my Bible every day and I'm more apt to worry over something incessantly than lay it prayerfully before God. This is all hard for me to admit; it's hard for me to take the mask off and reveal what's inside. It's also hard because with my admission comes the obligation of change. As long as I keep everything to myself, no one knows I have a problem.

I know I'm not a horrible person, but I also know that I am failing at a lot of things right now. I need to realign my life, and that's my goal for this summer. I've heard a song by Matthew West playing on the radio fairly frequently. It's really struck me and his words ring true. Internally I have a whole lot of work to do. I know it's not going to be easy, but I must change.

This might hurt, it's not safe
But I know that I've gotta make a change
I don't care if I break,
At least I'll be feeling something
'Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of life

I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?

Let me share with you a scene I bear witness to almost every night. As I get ready for bed - washing my face, checking the weather for the next day, looking at my news feed - my roommate sits on her bed with her Bible. Before she goes to bed each night, JoAnna immerses herself in the word of the Lord. I want to do that; I need to allow God to guide me through His word. I'm so thankful for JoAnna and the example that she's been to me.

Helpless

I'm a little ashamed to say that I feel so helpless without my trusty computer. Of course, I had to relinquish it because it stopped being quite so trusty. In fact, it was flat-out unpredictable. Yesterday, after a couple months of aggravation, my Dad dropped my laptop off at the Apple store in Dallas.

Wow, have I really been without my laptop for only one day?

I never realized quite how attached I am to that thing. I do almost everything on my computer. It's how I communicate, how I do research, how I write papers, how I look at the weather, how I find out news. It's also how I goof off. I know, without a doubt, that it will be good for me to go this week without a keyboard constantly beneath my fingers. It will be so tough, but so good. This week will be my final week off of Facebook. I decided to fast from Facebook for Lent, and I now have seven days left. Going without an easily accessible computer for a week can only help me in the long run.

Until I get my laptop back I will have to make-do with hurried trips to the computer lab or the library. But you know what? I think I can do it.

April Fool's

Sadly I didn't pull off any wonderful April Fool's pranks today. Dad, however, was once again a target. His entire office was wrapped in paper. I can't believe those ingenious, I mean reprobate, students stayed up and wrapped each book individually. I can tell you right now, my dad has a lot of books.

Of course, Jesus' face could not be covered up. He is the one thing in the room that was not covered.





This semester I've been volunteering at church in the four-year-old's class. I absolutely love it and look forward to it every week. I really enjoy just playing with these kids and learning with them. A couple of weeks ago we we read the story of the prodigal son. Our teacher asked how the father felt when his son ran away. One little girl shouted out "God". What a classic answer!