Breathe

After two midterms, two church meetings, and a completely intimidating to do list, I am realizing that I need to take a breath. Hopefully I can relax a little tonight and tomorrow and get reorganized and refreshed.  I'll let you know how it goes :)

A Baking Extravaganza

This afternoon my roommates and I went over to bake cookies with a woman from my church, Donna.  It was so much fun!  She invited us over after I asked her for the recipe, so we were able to bake them at her house and get to know her better.  This is just a wonderful example of the hospitality and fellowship that I am experiencing at Grace church.  And in addition to that, we now have more cookies than we could (or should I say should??) ever eat.  I hope you are all having a wonderful and cozy Saturday as well!

Camping

I officially love long weekends.  After two quiet (meaning homework-filled) days, some friends and I took advantage of the long weekend and went camping Sunday night.  It was so much fun!  After a rough start with stinging nettles, we took a wonderful walk by the lake, watched the sunset, struggled with tents, and roasted hot dogs.  We washed these down with (what else?) s'mores.  Unfortunately, around 11 we realized that despite the freakishly warm day it was still January and FREEZING!! So after a very long night in very inadequate sleeping bags we headed off to the beach to end the adventure with some sun.  Despite the fact that we were all very tired and still a little cold, it was the perfect way to end our long weekend.

Big Plans

I am finally starting to settle into this quarter and things are starting to slow down (thankfully).  Study abroad stuff is starting to come together, despite the ridiculous amount of paper work, I had my first piano lesson yesterday, which was so much fun (!!!), and if I can muster up some self control this weekend I just might be caught up on reading by Tuesday.  Speaking of this weekend, I am so excited for four days off.  I don't really have any big plans, but on Sunday night I am going camping with a group of friends, which will be great.  Most of the campgrounds on the beach are already pretty full, but I think we found something that will work.  I'm so excited!

Ireland??

Hopefully, this will be where I am studying next fall.  In addition to the craziness of the first week of the quarter, I have been rushing around trying to get my application in to study abroad.  Unfortunately, before I do this I have to get a lot of potential courses approved so that the classes I take there count towards my degree.  This is (naturally) fairly complicated and is quickly becoming my newest anxiety.  How did I go from completely care free to this in only 4 days? Despite all of the work though, getting started on this is making me really excited for next fall!

And it begins

Today was the first day of Winter Quarter, and I think it is off to a really good start.  I've only gone to my first two classes so far, but both went pretty well.  My mood has been boosted by my certainty that I am enrolled in the easiest math class offered at Cal Poly (theory of math) and that in eleven weeks I will be done with math forever.  For all those who hate math, you can imagine how wonderful that feels.

Another mood-booster this afternoon was Psalm 130.  I try to make a point to do a "quiet time", time with just me and God, once a day.  Because of vacation, and because I am just very lazy, this hasn't happened in quite awhile.  So I made a point to sit down this afternoon when all my wonderful (but noisy) roommates were in class and do a quiet time.  I read this psalm, and it was so reflective of what I'm feeling.  I love when God gives you just what you need!  Here it is for anyone who is interested.

Psalm 130

Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;

Lord, hear my voice.

Let your ears be attentive

to my cry for mercy.

If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,

Lord, who could stand?

But with you there is forgiveness, 

so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,

and in his word I put my hope.

I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning,

more than watchmen wait for the morning.

Israel, put your hope in the Lord,

for with the Lord is unfailing love 

and with him is full redemption.

He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.