25 things for 25 years

I turn 25 in 2 weeks. To keep me from a quarter-life crisis I've decided to focus on the intricate and unique ways my Lord has created me to be and is growing me. Below is part 1 of what I hope to be an interesting sketch of "who I am at this point in life" and all my weird quirks that I love:

1. When I’m reading a good book, I take it everywhere with me. It’s always in my hands, in my purse, or with me when I drive. Even when I know there won’t be a single moment to read, it’s with me “just in case”. In fact, the thought of not having the book with me causes me a little anxiety!

2. I wouldn’t necessarily say I am a morning person because my bed is one of my favorite places in the world, but if I have to get up, I can be vertical and alert. (Except for the few times I’ve tried to grocery shop after waking up – then I’m really clumsy and knock things off the shelves.) I don’t drink coffee or any type of caffeine (exception being a vanilla lime Dr. Pepper from Sonic every once in a while) and I don’t like the fact that it’s perfectly acceptable in our culture to be so dependent on caffeine that we can’t function without it.

3. I don’t eat fish or pork. My palate has grown a lot since I’ve gotten older and began travelling and I’m a lot less picky than I was… but my tastebuds still say “Yuk!” to anything that’s been in the sea or any form of swine (except for Lillian’s lomo which I thought was lamb and ate a lot of).

4. One of my favorite moments in the whole wide world is when I hear new music (a new CD) for the first time. It brings tears to my eyes. I like to hear it for the first time when I’m driving because I pay better attention to the lyrics. I can immediately tell you what my favorite song is, and it’s usually track 9 (which is weird bc that’s my favorite number!)

5. I am a teacher. It is not my job, it’s part of my personality. I taught my sister double digit addition before she was in the first grade. I love to impart knowledge. I’m still unsure about the paperwork and politics part of the public school system. My dream job is to teach people about Jesus, formally or informally, and/or how to read.

6. I am (mostly) ambidextrous. I do about 5/6 things with my left hand (write, brush teeth, detailed stuff) and everything else with my right. When I try something new I have to try it with both hands to figure out which one I like better (still trying to decide with tennis and hammering, I’m equally bad with both hands!). I also have had long nails since I can remember (thanks Mom for your genes!) and when a nail breaks I find that daily tasks are more difficult without my nails!

7. I hate the cold. This should not be surprising to anyone.

more to come...

light-hearted

ringing in 2010 with my crazy sister


baking gingerbread cookies -- which later my sister decided she wanted sugar cookies :/


i love this girl :)


denton snow day


me and my denton family

sunset in denton!

capsize

What a great word. Heard it in a Amos Lee song a few months ago and thought "wow! i love him so much more now for using that word!"
***

This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, keeping faith and a *good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered **shipwreck in regard to their faith. [1 Tim 1:18-19]

*good conscience - Greek - to be aware of, to see, to perceive, to understand right and wrong + to be together with, union

Our "good conscience" comes from us being close to the Lord, being together with Him -> living in the Spirit -> being aware of and perceiving right and wrong and choosing right

If we neglect this "good conscience" - if we neglect being close to the Lord, being together with Him and walking in the Spirit - we suffer the shipwreck of our faith.


**2 examples of shipwreck:

- The disciples are on the boat with Jesus. The seas toss, the waves crash, they freak out and run to Him. He says "oh ye of little faith", calms the sea, and saves them.
- Jonah is walking/running in disobedience and gets on a boat. Tries to go the opposite direction. The seas toss, the waves crash, and he jumps off the boat into the ocean. Instead of facing God, he sits in a fish for 3 days.


If we neglect the Lord, we will suffer shipwreck. But, when we realize it, we don't have to jump off the boat. If we turn to Him in the midst of it, He bestows grace and shows His loving and patient character.

...meditate...

heavy

So often I am reminded that this world is not perfect. It is not beautiful. It is broken and hurting.

My pastor has stage 3 cancer and 3 young children.
One of my best friends is walking through a world of hurt.
I'm far away from the man I want to marry.
A co-worker is emotionally separated from her husband.
People I closely walk with fight daily temptations of anorexia and depression.
The wall over my bed is covered with faces of those who may be hungry, cold, or neglected right now.
My roommate works at a woman's shelter and hears the stories of abuse and fear.


This week in my mentoring I learned something:
there is a difference between relying and hoping in the Lord for daily earthly things
(help me with this, lead me in that, teach me to this, let me do that)
and putting and storing up my hope in being with the Lord in heaven
(your blood and sacrifice that grants me salvation is enough and all i need because You alone are my ultimate)


The world sometimes hurts too much to make sense of it. Come, Jesus, come.

revelation

Been thinking deeply about Christ and the Bride (the church). About the final days, when we will be finally with our Maker, our Husband, our Love.

awful things will occur before then. awful terrible things that i do not look forward to. the sun will turn dark very soon, your days are numbered when there's blood on the moon... the skies will open and He will come for us.

with anticipation and excitement, Bride is making herself ready to meet her Husband. the church is complete when the last person who will ever believe finally believes. then all the waiting and the longing will be over. we will be with Him. our King will come to free us from these decaying bodies, from hurt and suffering.

old things will pass away. the pointless things, the painful things, the past things will be no more. all things will be made new. the Bride and her Husband (the church and the Lord) will finally be together.


there's a longing deep within us. a longing for restoration. a longing for wholeness. a longing for things to be "made right". they will be in that day.

so the Spirit and the bride say "Come"

in response to my previous post

I have found the stress-relief cure! Go to the Walmart off 288!

No, there are no short check-out lines.
No, it is not really as clean as they want you to think.
No, it's not been evacuated by every other Dentonite except you.
And, no, the parking lot does not have a space by the door with your name on it.

What it does have, however, is people-watching fun.

For example, the "little person" i saw today who bust out a Michael Jackson move complete with the hat touch, cross-the-ankles-spin, pelvic thrust, and rhythmic "hee-hee! ow!"


Is there anything more stress-relieving than laughter?

stressed is desserts spelled backwards

So maybe if I eat a lot of chocolate this will all go away.

Stress from work. Things I can't change.
Sick. (strep?)

ok so that's all on my list - but still, if i was at liberty to share everything, you'd understand.

it's interesting how people advise you to handle it. yesterday the First Year Teacher Academy told me to "leave school at school" and breathe with ocean sounds in the background. some people tell me to drink (rum and tequila are readily available...) - part of me blames the fact that i missed yoga this week and i'm tempted to just curl in bed and sleep.

but that doesn't make it better. so glad that i have truth in my heart for moments like today when i went into the school bathroom and cried on the floor --

Psalm 9:10
Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

Psalm 115:11
You who fear him, trust in the LORD— he is their help and shield.

Eccles 2:22-23
What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.

1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.