Si Dios Quiere

Over Spring Break I traveled, along with 50 other Young Life leaders, to Jarabacoa. Jarabacoa in located in the center of the Dominican Republic. Vida Joven was founded in the Dominican Republic in 1986 and has since then spread to six different locations within the Dominican.

On Saturday, March 6th, we boarded flight 409 to fly from Atlanta to Puerto Plata. At the start of the week I could already tell that the Lord had many blessings in store for me and my fellow leaders. Upon arrival, we were dismissed from the bus to haul our luggage up a dark, muddy hill, to our then invisible destination, Pico Escondido. I laughed thinking of how the Lord delivered us safety to the foot of the hill but yet still required us to walk up the road to camp. Many of us giggled because we were all unaware of how long the road would be and just how muddy would be upon arrival.

I loved how rain-drenched and mud-covered we arrived. We were in perfect condition for the tasks set ahead of us. The next morning, we journeyed by what I would call, an original hummer-styled motor transporter, to church. A tarp was draped across the bars encompassing the back end of the truck. Spanish church was such a delight to experience. Worshipping the same God in an unknown language, or in my case- one I am attempting to learn- is thrilling. It just awakens a deep knowledge of God's infinite power. God is never limited by language barriers and neither should our love for Him. Love for the Lord cannot be defined by a certain culture or by certain customs. "Santo, Santo, Santo" translates into "Holy, Holy, Holy". There, 50 something Young Life leaders from Athens, Ga lifted up songs of praise in a tongue unbeknownst to them while knowing that worship transcends all barriers. The Lord hears our hearts. Not our words.
I used to think that our choice of words meant so much. I would search for the perfect prayer, the ideal way to express my heart. Singing in Spanish made me realize how little the correct choice of words matters...there, in a small outdoors church, the different between singing with my heart and singing with my mouth became apparent.

After church that Sunday a large group of us hiked up a mountain to jump off into a water fall. The water was freezing and absolutely liberating.


Monday through Thursday we all awoke at 6am- literally to roosters crowing- for devotional and hot chocolate or coffee. I was on the landscaping (flower planting) committee which I thoroughly enjoyed and felt extremely blessed to have. I was able to learn about gardening. My mother is an avid gardener and I wholeheartedly regret never taking the time to learn more from her while growing up. I usually simply picked, pulled, or planted what I was told- no questions asked. The quicker I completed my task the quicker I was free from garden work for the day.

One of my favorite memories from the week was the Vida Joven club performed for us by the Dominican leaders. It was absolutely hilarious.

Many girls showered in the river daily. For three days in a row they described the breath-taking beauty that accompanied the river. They spoke of the trip up the mountain with excitement that they could hardly contain. Finally, on the fourth day, I tried it out. I wish that I could say I developed a deep and newly founded love for "river showering" but I'm still extremely partial to hot, steamy showers. Plus, rocks got all inside my bathing suit. That was just unpleasant. I will remain a enthusiast for swimming in new waters....but strictly swimming...not bathing.

I also developed such a passion for learning Spanish. Speaking with natives is so drastically different than repeating after a professor inside the class room. The excitement of overcoming language barriers is thrilling.

I think this is one of those "absolutely-must-have-at-least-once-in-your-life" brunches

Eighteenth Sonnet

The Eighteenth Sonnet
by William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate;
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date:
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimm'd
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;
Nor shall Death brag thou wanderest in his shade
When in eternal lines to time thou growest
So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

Holiday Inn

I was riding the car a few days ago when I recalled a certain thought I possessed as a little girl. See, I thought that all “Inns” were connected and part of the same business but created specifically for your needs.

There was the Sleep Inn, which was designed for sleeping. I imagined you walked in, someone would come over, take your bags, and you would be escorted to a silent room with a large, white, and fluffy bed in which you would immediately start to slumber. I thought this would be an ideal place for grown-ups traveling. There was the Holiday Inn. I imagined this Inn to be festive and lively. I couldn’t decide if it was only open during the holidays for those traveling to visit families or summer vacations or if it was merely an Inn that pretended that every day was a holiday. I hoped for the latter. There was Days Inn. This Inn was one at which you stayed if you needed to be there for a few days. Staying just one night was not an option. The Quality Inn seemed pretentious to me. The mere fact that it only advertised “quality” seemed to imply an air of priggishness. The Comfort Inn would have been my Inn of choice. It seemed to be the only one that included the possibility of having everything I could ever desire in an overnight hotel stay.

Often, I would worry that if we checked into a hotel and then changed our minds that we no longer wanted a holiday but would prefer to rest for a while that we would have to pack up and switch the the Sleep Inn. I always took notice of the locations of these Inns while riding in the car, feeling it would always be better to stay in one surrounded by the other Inn options.

Dancing with you has revealed itself as the picture book of our relationship. You always stood tall, calm, and prepared. You possessed a certain grace and fluidity that I would never grasp in the same way. From the first time you took my fifteen year old hand you realized that I was pushy and eager to lead. Excitement and readiness to move would always get the best of me. I was never great with knowing when to take the first step. Long introductions often lead to stutter steps and premature movements. From the first step I would attempt to push and pull you around in rhythm to my own too fast or too slow version dictated by my current mood. I was so eager to lead. Completely confident in my motions with little regards to the fact that I rarely remembered all the steps or the sequences. After years of learning the same dances over and over again I still evaded memorization. You, on the other hand, always paid careful and close attention. You could have danced without music. Your mind would have kept perfect rhythm. You were always patient as you withstood direction from me. You would hold our dance frame strong and push forcefully back until I would give up and merely mirror your moves. Eventually I would relinguish control I was never concerned with spinning into you or other people. Nor was I ever concerned with perfecting about the steps. You knew I withheld attention from instruction but yet allowed me to carry on in a free spirited manner that elaborated spins and added “flair” when routine wasn’t enough. I always secretly admired your agility and grace. Dancing with you always made me feel like I wouldn’t ever grow old. I knew immediately, years ago, that I would not ever be graceful with you. I loved that nervousness and silliness that caused me to revolve around the room in giddiness and simple delight. Steady. Energetic. Tenacious. You were never upset in slightest by my shenanigans but that’s how we were in life. You were always the patient, calm, and prepared one. You always wore a smile because you knew that life was just a playlist of songs and not all could be happy and upbeat but some had to be slow and somber. It was merely about learning more than one form of dance. All types of music call for dancing in the same way that all of our days do. You thought before you acted and looked before you leaped. You were logical and kind and I was often rash and unreasonable. I was driven by nonsensical beliefs and emotions. I was ready to decide everything on my own. You were steadfast and had none of it. You always waited until I calmed down and was ready to listen and to learn. You perfectly balanced me out in the same way you’d shoved, pulled, and pushed me across the dance floor. Insinuating direction but leaving the actual footwork up to me.

Ballons or no ballons

I'm falling in love with you Balloons or no balloons So it's time I forget the past And just learn to love what I have 'Cause I love waking up to your laugh Something about the midwest sun and oh It makes me miss you more than a lot Could be the trees that stand alone in the fields They remind me every couple of miles I'd love to stop our lives, stop everything Just so we could move far away We'll live alone together with the sweat of the summer With the chill of the cold winter air, oh yeah I'm falling in love with you For more reasons than 22

I've come to realization that majority of all blogs created on blogspot/blogger are by people that are doing extremely interesting things with their lives. They've embarked on a new and exciting adventure, usually outside of this country. Regardless I still, perhaps naively, really enjoy my summer here in Athens, GA. Two classes is way more work than I imagined. I imagined that with only one class I would obsessively study and find myself idle far too often. I wanted to make sure my days were filled with "productiveness". CHEM and CBIO are together just rather daunting.

CBIO is actually extremely intriguing. The human body just blows me away. I look at science and I can't help but feel the assurance of my faith. I do not really understand those that insist on separating God from science. I think everything around me outside on a hot, summer day is testament in itself to the greatness of God. I've been learning a lot from conversations with different people. I'm blessed to listen.

My family and I are still spending every weekend working on my new "home". It's really coming along! I'm still without TV but I hardly notice. Luckily I'm able to get online from some of my neighbor's wireless. Perhaps going without Internet here for a month would have helped by studying and general time spent around.

I'm disappointed that I've yet to have much time to read anything for fun. I love reading book after book in the summer. Now I just spend my time staring at different organs of the body and chemical equations.

I am beyond thankful that I will never have to take another Math Class for as long as I live.

This really wasn't an interesting update. I had a lot to say when I started but I seem to have forgotten the majority of it.

There are only two ways to live your life. one is as if nothing is a miracle. the other is as if everything is a miracle.- Albert Einstein

Yesterday evening I went with Young Life down to the Hundred Acre Farm in Madison, GA. I could not have asked for a more peaceful evening to remind me all that I have to be thankful for in my life. The weather was warm and beautiful. It was the senior appreciation dinner. It is always interesting to me to watch people be in positions that I will be in years from now. One girl wrote herself a letter as a freshman explaining her deep desire to not leave without making an impact. That is also my fondest desire. I just wish I knew exactly how to go around making that difference and making that impact.

This morning in English I discovered that my English professor is probably one of the most interesting individuals I have encountered all year. He shared a life story of how he refused to study out of a desire to protest against having to study. He said he received six credit hours in two years. He went into the military for the two years following and then finally came back to school and took 30 hours a semester to graduate on time. It made me think a lot about  unused potential. 

The lady working behind the counter at Jittery Joe's in the SLC complimented me on my shirt today. What if every time we thought something nice about another individual we told them? I think I'm going to make a point to compliment 5 different people every day. It makes such a different to have someone else take notice. 

I'm off to my part-time residence. The Milledge Hall Math Lab. I'm tempted to stay here in the SLC and continue to people watch. Everyone looks a little more stressed out than usual due to finals. 

It's 92 degrees outside. I absolutely love it. I'm about to go play tennis and I couldn't be more excited to be getting to spend time outside in this heat. I had a CMLT paper due this morning...and I only wrote half of it before going to sleep last night. I have no idea why I do things like that. 

This made me laugh....

Twitter-Sized SparkNotes 

Lord of the Flies:
Lack of female presence leads to cannibalism, tears.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn:
Before advent of email, runaways miss big news at home.

Catcher in the Rye:
Sexually frustrated hipster has meltdown, recovers.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream:
Unemployed misanthropes pool resources for double wedding.

Oedipus Rex:
Antigone’s Family Tree Project looks more like underbrush.

Animal Farm:
Tyrannical pig finds comfort in whiskey.

Frankenstein:
Young woman chooses suitor with too much baggage.

Catch-22:
Dude hates war.

The Great Gatsby:
Car accident kills trashy lover of married man, pool cleaner has big job.

Ethan Frome:
Elm tree just not big, hard enough.

"The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him."
Ralph Waldo Emerson  

Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some people move our souls to dance. They awaken us to a new understanding with the passing whisper of their wisdom. Some people make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon. They stay in our lives for awhile, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same.
 Flavia Weedn  

"A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out."

 Walter Winchell  

"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that gives value to survival."
C.S. Lewis 

"Good character is more to be praised than outstanding talent. Most talents are, to some extent, a gift. Good character, by contrast, is not given to us. We have to build it piece by piece -- by thought, choice, courage and determination."
John Luther 

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy." 

 Martin Luther King, Jr. 

It's pretty embarrassing the number of lists on sporcle that I can't complete.

Lately the Lord has been teaching me about learning to surrender to him. Unfortunately I feel that many believe that the word surrender has many negative connotations attached. It implies weakness or defeat. The Lord is teaching me that surrendering is beautiful and gives me a certain delightful freedom. 

"Give yourselves to God...Surrender your whole being to Him to be used for righteous purposes" (Romans 6:13).

"Surrender yourself to the Lord, and wait patiently for Him" (Psalm 37:7).

Here are some of my favorite verses that I thought I'd share.

Never let faithfulness and loyalty leave you. Tie them around your neck; write them on the tablets of your heart.   Proverbs 3:30

My soul waits in silence for God alone; from Him is my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation; my stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken. Psalm 62:1-2

Let your beauty be that of your inner self with the unfading loveliness of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of the Lord.  1 Peter 3:4  

The Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion, For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!  Isaiah 30:18 

Eugene Peterson- " Joy is not a requirement of Christian discipleship, it is a consequence." 

A couple of months ago I purchased Life's Little Instruction Book in an antique store in Milledgeville. The store was one of my absolute favorite places, it happens to be from where a good deal of my favorite jewelry was purchased. I thought I'd share some of my favorites from the book.

43) Never give up on anybody. Miracles happen every day.
54) Surprise loved ones with little unexpected gifts.
83) In business and in family relationships, remember that the most important thing is trust.
104) Take a brisk 30- minute walk every day
113) Learn to identify local wildflowers, birds, and trees.
115) Give yourself a year and read the Bible cover-to-cover
139) Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all they have.
183) Be insatiably curious. Ask "why" a lot.
187) Measure people by the size of their hearts, not the size of their bank accounts.
188) Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
322) Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.
332) Live your life as an exclamation, not an explanation.
357) Let your representatives in Washington know how you feel. Call (202) 225-3121 for the House and (202) 224-3121 for the Senate. An operator will connect you to the right office.
425) Don't allow self pity. The moment this emotion strikes, do something nice for someone less fortunate than you.
456) Send your loved one flowers. Think of a reason later.
Over this past summer I received a copy of the lyrics of one of my favorite hymns, "Come Thou Fount" with scriptural references included. I've been blessed with numerous encounters with others sharing an affection for hymns and offered to make them copies but I've failed to do so I thought I'd post it below.

Come, thou Fount of every blessing, (James 1:17)

tune my heart to sing thy grace;

streams of mercy, never ceasing,

call for songs of loudest praise. (Psalm 28:6)

Teach me some melodious sonnet,

sung by flaming tongues above. (Revelations 5:11-12)

Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it,

mount of thy redeeming love. (Exodus 15:13)

Here I raise mine Ebenezer;

hither by thy help I'm come; (1 Samuel 7:12)

and I hope, by thy good pleasure,

safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,

wandering from the fold of God; (Luke 15:1-7)

he, to rescue me from danger,

interposed his precious blood. (Romans 5:6-8)

O to grace how great a debtor

daily I'm constrained to be! (2 Corinthians 15:10)

Let thy goodness, like a fetter,

bind my wandering heart to thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,

prone to leave the God I love; ( 2 Peter 2:25)

here's my heart, O take and seal it,

seal it for thy courts above.

O that day when freed from sinning,

I shall see Thy lovely face; ( 1 John 3:2)

Clothed then in blood washed linen

How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace; ( Revelation 7:15)

Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,

Take my ransomed soul away;

Send thine angels now to carry

Me to realms of endless day. ( Revelation 22:12-14)

Some of my favorites hymns....

- Be Thou my Vision

- Blest Be the Tie that Binds

- I Love to Tell the Story

- I Surrender All

- I'll Fly Away

- Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

- Rock of Ages

- Standing on the Promises