Those days...

You know those days. 

Those days were you're tired of watching the rainy mixture of snow fall. Those days 

when you've had enough of walking on ice.

When you are tired of studying, even though you have yet to open your notes.

Yesterday was one of those days.

I needed to get away. And I couldn't simply drive home. 

Instead, I made my way to Donkers' for lunch. 

It was delicious. My stomach had been crazing real food.

The half-and-half combo is my new favorite. 

Half a Tuna Melt and a cup of Creamy Portobello soup, yum!

10 things you may not know about me

One. I have a fear of mice.
Laugh all you want, but it is true. I can share multiple stories about my run-ins with mice.

Two. I never mastered the art of roller skating.
Sad, I know.

Three. I am addicted to Chaco sandals (and the Chaco tan).
This is no secret.

Four. I have two fake teeth.
It is true. This past summer I had two bridges placed in my mouth because two adult teeth never came in.

Five. I have traveled to eight National Parks.
Acadia in Maine, Denali in Alaska, Glacier Bay in Alaska, Glacier in Montana, Grand Canyon in Arizona, Petrified Forest in Arizona, Rocky Mountain in Colorado, and Yellowstone.

Six. I am an only child.

Seven. I came to college planning to become a wildlife biologist.
And now I am a History major (you just never know).

Eight. I love backpacking.
Again, not really a secret.

Nine. I love to wish on 11:11.
I even skipped my Biology class on November 11, 2011 at 11:11 in order to make the most of the moment.

Ten. I own 21 pairs of Smartwool socks.
They last forever.

Connecting

A few Sundays back our pastor gave a sermon on connection. At the tale end of his sermon he outlined six practical steps to connecting with others. I wrote them now for me and for you because when it comes down to it, we can all work on being better people.

1) Identify those who may need your connection.
Although when we're honest with ourselves everyone needs connection. Challenge yourself to find talk with the quiet girl who sits behind you in History, share a smile with the lady at the checkout at the grocery store, make an effort to reach out. 

2) Do not wait for them to act first.
"Always do what you are afraid to do." -Ralph Waldo Emerson  

3) Communicate.
Easier said than done. Start with a smile, then a hello. 

4) Empathize.
No one is perfect, when it comes down to it we all share in the same struggles, pains, and joys.  

5) Listen.
Listen when rearranged makes the word silent. Listen by being silent. 

6) Respond with a gift.
Lunch at their favorite restaurant, homemade cookies, or my personal favorite a handwritten note. 

Every fiber of our being

Since last fall I have been "leading" a Bible Study on campus. I don't like to use the term leader because I not any wiser, smarter, or scholarly than any of the other girls who attend the study. Rather I see myself as the facilitator: sending out the emails, texts, and coordinating time and place. Last semester we worked our way through Hebrews. The idea behind the study is to take a deeper look into a book of the Bible, one chapter at a time. Each week we read the chapter together, then on our own, and then come back together as a group to discuss likes, dislikes, things we found intriguing or confusing.

I fell in love with this idea and have begun implementing the same idea into my personal quiet time. Currently I am weaving my way through 1 Peter. It is taking me some time to get through the book, as there is so much packed into each chapter. I have been breaking chapters down into sections in order to dig a bit deeper.

Today I read from chapter four verses one through eleven. As I basked in the sunshine I found the words hitting me in all the right places. I began jotting down thoughts in my notebook, and here is what I came up with.

First, you need to live for the will of God.
Honestly, I don't know what this looks like. It's something I have wrestled with during these college years. For now I am taking each day as it comes, moment by moment. I am trusting God.

Second, you need to be clear minded and self-controlled "so that you can pray".
Whoa! Two things I know I need to work on, especially when it comes to prayer. I am not clear minded or self-controlled, rather my mind wanders and I begin to think of what else needs to be done. Something for me to work on.

Third, love each other.
Love is the greatest commandment. "As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love". -2 John 1: 6

Fourth, do so without grumbling.
How often do you grumble? I think so often we think of kids grumbling at not wanting to clean their room or help wash dishes. But, we all do it in one form or another. "There are two ways each of us can approach life: spending our days meeting our need or looking for ways to meet others' needs. The mystery is what when we spend out life focused on out own needs, we are never satisfied and our deepest needs never seem to be met. But when we pour out our life and focus on how we can serve others, not only do we find incredible fulfillment, but our deepest needs are met as well." -Eric Ludy

Last, SPEAK with the very words of God and SERVE with the strength God provides.
A reminder that God is in every fiber of our being.