Five things to think on

First, to provoke thought:
why does God have me where I am?

A question I ask myself often, but a good one to think on. God is using us in every moment of every day. Be happy with where you are now, even if you'd rather be in a different place.

Second, to strive to be:
humble, gentle, and quiet

"Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." -1 Peter 3: 4

Third, to do more of:
PRAY

Prayer is strong. A friend recently shared a story of prayer with me, her experience brought me to tears. Prayer is powerful. Prayer is not limited to before each meal; be in constant communication with God. 

Fourth, to remember:
when you seek, you receive

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." -Jeremiah 29: 13

Fifth, to know:
that the shadow proves the sunshine

The trials of life illuminate the greatness of God's love and grace. We have to climb the mountain in order to enjoy the view from the top.

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.

I'm a crazy, library loving, college student

Five hours later I find myself slightly ahead on my homework. 

Arriving shortly after two in the afternoon I watched as night fell over the city of Marquette. It brings me to the awareness that I have been sitting in one spot for far too long. It is time to call it a night and bask in the accomplishment of the vast amount of pages read, notes taken, and words typed.

Bits of Kindness

I have this little book called Highlighted in Yellow: A short course in living wisely and choosing well. The very first chapter is on kindness. It lists out thirty four different ways to show kindness on a day to day basis. The end of the chapter offers you a bit of homework to work on in the week ahead.

All thirty four ways are great, and I highly recommend you pick up a copy of the book for yourself.

Here are five of my favorites:

1. Smile a lot. It costs nothing and is beyond price.
"They might not need me, but they might; I'll let my head be just in sight. A smile as small as mine might bePrecisely their necessity." -Emily Dickinson  

2. Call a nursing home or retirement center and ask for a list of the residents who seldom get mail or visitors. Send them a card several times a year. Sign it, "Someone who thinks you are very special".
"Alone and without love we die. Life itself is as dependent on relationships with other as it is on food." -M.N. Beck  

3. Whenever you hear an ambulance siren, say a prayer for the person inside.
"More things are wrought by prater than this world dreams of." -Alfred, Lord Tennyson 

4. Make a habit to do nice things for people who'll never find out.
"That best portion of a good man's life, his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love." -William Wordsworth 

5. When going through the checkout line, always ask the cashier how she's doing.
"Nothing is ever lost by courtesy. It is the cheapest of pleasures, costs nothing, and conveys much. It pleases him who gives and him who receives and this, like mercy, is twice blessed." -Erastus Wiman