Wonderful days like this

Today was wonderful. Amazing. Fantastic...and it's only 4:30! Last night the roommate and I were chillin out in our friend Scott 's room, listening to great music like John Mayer and Phil Collins with good friends and good conversation, and then Virginia and I watched Oklahoma because I'd never seen it. We were invited to go to the Kaufman's for pancakes and so we went. This was the beginning of a very good day.

We walked there this morning because we thought the roads might be too icy with all the snow. Breakfast was delicious - I had only 3 pancakes and did not get hungry for at least 6 hours. Magic. There were great people there too, and we sang some hymns, read some Martha Stewart Living, drank coffee and then walked back. The snow was perfect for packing so we threw a few snowballs. We decided to go to the soccer field, where the snow was undisturbed.

Someone had the idea to spell out SCOTS in giant letters, so we did. Then, we went up and viewed it from a distance. I made a pretty good "s." We left and walked around to the other side, where we found a soccer ball! Oh yes. We played snow soccer. It was so much fun - took me back to when my youth group used to play every Sunday and Wednesday night.

I fell a lot due to boots with little traction (and possibly my lack of coordination), but it was so worth it. Such a wonderful morning. Virginia and I walked back and put on warm, dry clothes. We didn't need lunch becasue we weren't hungry, so we just made a cup of coffee and did some reading for class. She read Tristram Shandy and I read Candide. I actually really enjoyed Candide. We have been huddled up in our room, so pleased with the day.

Now, hunger is beginning to set in. I will go to the Great Hall in my purple boots with the fur and be satisfied. Ah, God is good.

Day of prayer

Today is a day without any school, with plenty of time spent with halls, and plenty of time spent doing whatever you choose. Things people usually choose to do on Day of Prayer may include sleeping, reading, homeworking, fasting, and/or prayer. My hall, Highlands, usually does a pancake brunch with our brother hall, 1st Belz. I'm a fan. Last night we watched Roger and Hamerstein's Cinderella with Brandy (good movie, haha) and ate muddy buddies. This morning we also had a sunrise service and went up in the Carter tower to sign our names (you probably know this, but the guy who shot John Lennon signed his name up there too...creepy). Now it's about 2 p.m. and the kitchen is cleaned up and we're free for the rest of the day.

So what will I do? Well...I plan on planning a bit to begin with. Some things on the agenda will be: time spent with the Lord in prayer and reading, a second nap, reading/studying, and relaxing. It has already been really good to reflect on God's mercies even just for this semester. He has conquered a huge battle I had last semester with sin's effects permeating my family and my heart here at school. He has allowed me to be gracious to people I find hard to love. He has given me life and allowed me to live it to the fullest.

I was telling my RD that even as I had such a hard time last semester and would claim last year to be my least favorite yet, it drove me to realize that God was the only thing sufficient for me. I have seen what it looks like to call upon God's mercy and praise Him just for the strength to wake up and face the day. I have also seen, especially recently, what it is like to see God working in your life, redeeming brokenness in the world. I have seen how I should praise Him because He has made me and keeps me, in times when I see it and when I don't.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (English Standard Version)
So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

It's just one of those times

Those times when one redefines her place in the world. Thankfully, it's not changing quite as much as I first suspected. Sometimes when thinking about this, I have felt homeless - not in the sense that I don't have a place I could go to, but in the sense that I didn't feel that I belonged anywhere. Strange feeling really.

It's not all that different, though. I think what spurs on this kind of contemplation is the sheer amount of ideas of what my life could be like, what it is now, and who I want to be as a person. Too much overanalyzing - as usual, King Friday (anybody get the Mr. Rogers reference? Love that show).

I have been craving Barnes & Noble recently. Just to be relaxing with a coffee or tea and a book on a Saturday afternoon. That should happen soon, I think. Ooh! A sunny day and a nap would be good as well. Oh, summer...come soon to me!

A fresh start

Well, I have been very into blogs and introspection and thinking recently and I don't know what else to do but to blog my thoughts right out!

Let's cover some basics:
-I'm a follower of Christ above all.
-I'm almost finished with my sophomore year of college.
-I'm a dual citizen of the UK and the US.
-Sometimes I get very excited about ideas like me living in a little room in the back of a closet with a slanted roof and a little bookshelf for the summer.
-I love my family.
-I am a huge fan of natural living, adoption, travel, snails, toast and tea, writing(wish I did more), babies, and open windows.
-My hobby is people.

This is the beginning. Who knows what will end up here...it's mysterious and exciting. Ooh la la.