A Crazy Week with Overwhelming Hope

This week has been crazy. Yes, most people would say that every week in a college student's life is nuts, but this week was especially insane.

Monday: Paper (writing all day; due by midnight)

Tuesday: ASL Presentation (YAY!)

Wednesday: Attempt to gain sanity before Gear Up Get Ready

Thursday: Wrangle 20 seventh graders with a team of 9 for 4ish hours. Plans changed.

Friday: Get a hair cut; try on a bridesmaid dress; drive 130+ miles

Okay. So from this angle, it doesn't look all that bad, but right now (when I should be sleeping), it felt like an insane week.

All this to say that I have been emotional a lot in the past two days. Worn out from working with a group of seventh graders that we had to entertain, I freaked out a few times. I let things get to me. I exploded. Twice.

But not all my emotions were bad. I talked to my brother today and told him about the field trip. He asked if the students were deaf or hearing. I don't know why, but that made my heart happy. Maybe it was a small reminder of what God has planned for me. A reminder of the passion He put there. And then Caleb told me he was proud of me. I'm not sure how intentionally he said it, but it made me cry. To have my brother proud of me is amazing. It made my morning.

And later in the day, I was driving home from Montrose, MN, where I was being fitted for a bridesmaid dress for my friend Alicia's wedding. I signed the entire way home. I know that isn't the safest thing in the world when driving, but I just couldn't stop. I got home and read Taryn Wobbema's blog, "a campaign for light," and the word "new" at the end of her most recent post jumped out at me. My head immediately signed it. And I almost cried again.

God is good and merciful and gracious and my hope. His plan for me is so much more glorious than I could even imagine. Though this week was crazy, His light was in it over and over. He granted freedom from stress and self-consciousness the day of Gear Up Get Ready. I was able to just have fun. There was very little anxiety. He granted me happiness in my brother's small comment. He granted me a sense of hope in signing.

Today was the culmination of a week of wonders.

Hope is Christ. Christ is hope. All for His glory.

Participation Please!

So at one of my placements, my coop teacher asked me if I had any book suggestions for her 7th-grade son. Now I have some, and I want to email my suggestions to her soon, but I would like to get some other input. These are what I have so far:

• Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
• Slam!
• Fallen Angels both by Walter Dean Myers (or anything by him)
• The Inheritance Series by Christopher Paolini
• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
• Monster Blood Tattoo series by D.M. Cornish
• The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
• A Wrinkle in Time series, especially Many Waters (male protagonists) by Madeleine L'Engle
• The Giver by Lois Lowry

That's what I have, but I would like some more. She said that she wanted books other than Harry Potter. I think he has already read them or was not interested.

Let me know what you think! Thanks!

A Blog About Remembering

So school is coming to a close for the year with only three weeks left or so. It sometimes overwhelms me.

There are so many projects to do. Some are fun and exciting; some are stressful and depressing. All are important.

I have to take some time and just be. I need to remember that my God is bigger than all the important projects. His purpose is for me to do more than get a good grade on projects.

Today I focused on His Word more than I have all week. It helped my mindset and my heart. Why do I choose not to devote time to Him?

It's because sometimes the world seems more appealing. But it's not. It's temporary.

God and His love are eternal.

This is a blog about remembering. A reminder for the writer more than the reader.

Time

But there is something about Time. The sun rises and sets. The stars swing slowly across the sky and fade. Clouds fill with rain and snow, empty themselves, and fill again. The moon is born, and dies, and is reborn. Around millions of clocks swing hour hands, and minute hands, and second hands. Around goes the continual circle of notes of the scale. Around goes the circle of night and day, the circle of weeks forever revolting, and of months, and of years.

--Madeleine L'Engle, The Small Rain, pg. 152

"We Will Dance" by David Ruis

Sing a song of celebration

Lift up a shout of joy

For the Bridegroom will come

The Glorious One

And oh, we will look on His face

We'll go to a much better place

Dance with all your might

Lift up your hands and clap for joy

The time's drawing near

When He will appear

And oh, we will stand by his side

A strong, pure, spotless bride

We will dance on streets that are golden

The glorious bride and the great Son of Man

From every tribe and tongue and nation

Will join in the song of the Lamb

Sing aloud for the time of rejoicing is near

(Sing aloud for the time of rejoicing is near)

The risen King, our Groom, is soon to appear

(The risen King, our Groom, is soon to appear)

The wedding feast to come is now near at hand

(The wedding feast to come is now near at hand)

Lift up your voice, proclaim the coming Lamb

(Lift up your voice, proclaim the coming Lamb)