ive been busy but not in the usual way.

haven’t really felt like writing. thus. no words.

hopefully they will come soon.

we’re heading back to dallas tomorrow and i can’t be more excited. mom and dad picked me up in chattanooga and we came straight to florida–where we all spent christmas.

it’ll be good to be home and to spend time with my sweet friends

today is one of two reading days that we were given to ’study’ before finals, which commence on monday morning.

today has been slightly un-productive in terms of school but SO productive for my sanity.

i slept in a little bit, walked to breakfast in the rain with lauren, and sat on the futon with sarah for an hour or two and just read articles on various blogs and informed myself of recent events.

went to starbucks to catch up with the girls i worked with last year on cab and that was delightful.

i love these days of relaxing. tomorrow i’ll research and begin writing an essay discussing art and imagination, what the church should look like, and how the inklings writings have affected my theology and my conception of the church.

it should be an interesting essay but one that i’ll have plenty of time to work on. this is the kind of ‘work’ that i enjoy…for the most part.

things i’ve been thinking about and want to write on:

–we picked a hall name. want to share the story behind it with you

–continuing my thoughts on ‘confessions of an r.a.’ series in relation to loving people

–share some interesting articles i’ve come across and would love to hear your thoughts

just a few things you can check back up on in the next few weeks over christmas break. i’ll have plenty of time to write, read, and reflect as i sit in a condo with  my family on the beaches of florida for christmas break.

yea, i’m excited

one of my best friends pushed and pushed for a coffee date with me and one of my other really good friends. i am thankful she made it happen.

Read the rest of this entry »

…only to pack my bag again in 3 weeks. nonetheless, i am flying back to chattanooga for the last few weeks until christmas

i cant wait to go to florida, again, for christmas

“I failed.”

That little sentence use to be so hard for me to admit. You see, I operated out of a “failing is worse than death” system. Failing was always out of the question. I would create such high standards for myself, that were impossible to achieve, and when I would fail or not measure up, well…I was pissed. I couldn’t be seen as anything less than perfect. At least, thats what I thought… Read the rest of this entry »

 i’m going to atlanta, georgia for the pca’s national conference.

i’m excited to hear what they have to say about youth ministry and just hanging out with some sweet friends.

it’ll be good to get away for a bit….more to come later

http://www.pcacep.org/discipleship08/

“I admit that this means loving people who have nothing lovable about them. But then, has oneself anything lovable about it? You love it simply because it is yourself. God intends us to love all selves in the same way because it is yourself. God intends us to love all selves in the same way and for the same reason: but He has given us the sum ready worked out in our own case to show us how it works. We have then to go on and apply the rule to all the other selves. Perhaps it makes it easier if we remember that that is how He loves us. Not for any nice, attractive qualities we think we have, but just because we are the things called selves. For really there is nothing else in us to love: creatures like us who actually find hatred such a pleasure that to give it up is like giving up beer or tobacco…” –ch. 7, forgiveness from mere christianity.

As I sat in my inklings class thumbing through my worn copy of Lewis’ Mere Christianity, I came across this deeply, deeply profound quote. It is something that I needed to hear with all of the mess going on in the hall, recently. That I am called to extend love to the girls on my hall who are being bratty, rude, or maybe they even seem unlovable. I am called to love them because really, I am unlovable but Jesus truly and authentically loves me, daily. I am praying that the Lord would use me to extend this kind of transforming love to the girls on my hall…to the ones who need it the most.

at the beginning of this semester, my r.d. gave me some notecards that were filled with encouragement from past r.a.’s in my building and i found this one to be such a great encouragement…

“Our sin is much bigger than we think it is, but God’s grace is far greater than we could ever imagine it to be. You will realize both of these this year–throw yourself upon the grace of Jesus.” 

my caravan and i come home tomorrow!

can’t wait