Still Here A Year Later

First of all, I feel that I should apologize for my month-and-a-half hiatus. I got caught up in the Christmas festivities and the first half of a new quarter of school and other nonsense life happenings.

Second of all, it has been over a year since I started this blog, and I'm still here...more or less. I kept at it better than I thought I would, and that is something I take pride in. :)

Thirdly, I'm going to address the really pathetic execution of last year's resolution: to read 100 new books. I kept a record of what I read and when, and looking back at it, I'm a little ashamed at how short of my goal I fell. I only made it through 32...and eight of those were plays that I was required to read for a class. Like I said, pathetic.  But it did, mostly, get me back into the habit of reading a little bit each day. Something I fell out of after I graduated, so it wasn't a complete loss. Plus, I have roughly two whole shelves worth of new books to keep me company for a while.

And now, here I sit, halfway through another quarter of school,and one that has been quite enjoyable, I might add. Finally, I was able to get into some classes that weren't GE's that are required for my major. Two of which are a children's lit class and a poetry class. Both have been wonderful and I've gotten to read some really awesome stuff. You can check out some of it here, here, here, and here. These are probably my favorite things I've encountered this quarter, and I have no doubt I'll come across more.

All in all, it's been an excellent start to 2013.

Isaiah 46:4 NIV
"Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you."

BAD WOLF

Caught in Complaint

You know what just dawned on me, literally seconds ago? I'll tell you: most of the time, things that I complain about are things that I should be thankful for! It was one of those things that just popped up out of nowhere. Where God just said, "Are you sure you want to gripe about that? ...Again?" and I stop to realize that I really don't.

My biggest complaint-that-is-actually-a-blessing is my class schedule this quarter. I have about 2.5 hours between my first and second class, and then another 1.5 between my second and third class. So, for the past four or five weeks, I've spent that time working on homework, bonding with Pinterest and complaining about how much down time I have. Complaining! ABOUT FREE TIME! Free time in which I can do homework that I otherwise would have to do when I would rather be sleeping. Free time in which I can study and prepare for other classes. Free time in which I can take a breather if need be. Why on earth am I complaining? I have all this time AT SCHOOL in which I can do things and have all that lovely extra time to do more entertaining things when I'm home and have people to hang out with.

So today was a bit convicting. As soon as I had that 180 degree mindset change, I was ashamed. Far too often I focus on the negative aspects of things instead of viewing them as the good that they are. I have a grand total of 2 hours of free time left for today, for which I'm going to be thankful. Because not everyone has the luxury of doing all necessary school-things at school.

Have a wonderful day, friends!

I Thessalonians 5: 16-18 ESV
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

I know this was the verse I put at the end of my last post, but sometimes, I need the reminder, and it was so utterly relevant. 

Back to School

Hello everyone! This long extended silence on my blog just goes to show that A) I'm really bad at keeping up with things I start and B) Nothing exciting happens in my life. Ever. So this post is really going to be blah and boring and relatively short-ish. Maybe.

I'm finally started school again...about two weeks ago...and so far, it is infinitely better than the last one. In fact, the only really bad thing I have to deal with right now is waiting for a couple textbooks to arrive (and I don't even NEED them until the last week of the quarter). I've decided that last spring is about as bad as it can get, so it stands to reason that everything is going to be better from now on. Right? Right! Anyway, I'm taking French this quarter because I need a foreign language and I didn't want to take Spanish. Of course, in 10 years, I'll probably very much regret this decision, but for now, I'm rather excited about it.

On a completely unrelated note, I went to the LA County Fair a couple of weeks ago and got to see some family that I hardly ever get to spend time with. My cousins are seriously the cutest little girls on the planet! No joke. My cousins are cuter than yours. Sorry. It was oodles of fun.

So really, that is all that has happened since my caking endeavors...which I might add, came to an abrupt ending due to being ridiculously cheap and refusing to spend obscene amounts of money to continue. Now that I have the basics, I can do some pretty cool stuff for my own purposes, which is just dandy. So yeah. Have a wonderful week, friends!

I Thessalonians 5: 16-18 ESV
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Cake

Goodness. It's been so long since I've posted anything, I all but forgot I had a blog. Oops. Again. Alas,  don't even have the excuse of having been super busy in the past month and a half. No, I lead probably the most boring life ever. But I'm okay with that. It leaves me time to do random things...like cake decorating.

Just for kicks, I signed up for a four week cake decorating class at my local Michael's. It was quite fun. I learned some fun basics to decorating and I now know how to do awesome frosting on cupcakes. You know, where the frosting is all swirled and pretty and sticks up above the top of the cupcake roughly three inches? I was pretty excited. And then I felt super dumb because all you need is the right consistency of frosting and a large star tip. Who knew? So I did that this past month, and starting on Friday, I'll begin the level 2 class that they offer. I think everyone ever should take one random class in something. You never know what might come of it. =)

Also exciting: my brother and sister-in-law will be coming to visit us for about a week. I love them so very dearly and seeing them is a rare treat, due to a distance of about four states in between us. I'm very excited to get to hang out with them.

So really, it's been a delightfully quiet summer--even if I do have a hard time remembering that I wanted all this excess of free time that I now have. I really do need to enjoy it while it lasts. Random side note: the Wicked soundtrack is amazing. Now I REALLY want to see it.

3 John 11 NIV
"Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God."

Summer and Reflection

Well, friends, I made it. I have survived my freshman year of college. That is a slightly unnerving thing. When I look back over the past year, I find it incredibly difficult to believe that I graduated from high school, and have completed 25% of my undergrad. I feel like graduation was just the other day. Time seriously does speed up the older you get, and it really freaks me out. I know this is all mushy and nostalgic, but mostly, it's weird. Don't get me wrong, it's a fabulous weird, but weird none-the-less. All of a sudden everything is much more grown-up-y, and there is so much more responsibility.

Here is a list of things I learned this year at college:

1. You are going to have professors you like and professors you don't like. And I'm just going to leave it at that.
2. Some classes are going to be good, and others are going to teach you nothing but patience and self-control. I especially learned this this past quarter. There were moments when I literally wanted to throw things because certain material was complete and utter hogwash. God held my hand through a lot of frustration in the past 11 weeks.
3. Pay attention when setting your schedule. Yes. Going to school twice a week and getting five GE's knocked out in one quarter is superb. But after having scheduled them so tight that making it from one class to the next is a hassle, I've learned to pay attention to where my classes are when I register.
4. Don't lose your syllabi. Personally, I didn't have this problem as I pride myself on my organizational skills, so  I always knew where they were. But if I did lose one (or more), I would have been in VERY bad shape.
5. Talk to people. While this kinda seems like a no-brainer, it's not something that I did too much. I almost missed out on a couple of great friendships because it was halfway through a quarter before I realized that we had nearly EVERYTHING in common. Friendships aren't going to happen overnight, and they take effort. It's up to you to seek them out and cultivate them.It is also helpful to know at least one person in all your classes so if you miss a day, you can get notes/email them assignments to turn in for you.
6. Sleep is good. I'm such an old lady and I love my sleep. It is actually true that you perform better (ie-learn more, test better) when you aren't fighting to stay awake during your lecture on Death of a Salesman.
7. Make your professor know who you are. Speak up in class. Ask questions. Email them. They'll love you (or at the very least, appreciate you) for it. And when you're on your professor's good side, your academic life is a much happier world.

Basically, college takes a bit of getting used to, but it is definitely manageable. And like every other year that I've been a student, I am more than a tad excited to have three glorious months of no class to encroach on my reading time. =)

Matthew 5:6-10 NIV
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Summer and Tea Parties

It is getting to be the end of the school year. YAY!!!!! This means last minute paper writings/finishings/editings, prepping for finals, seeking out opportunities for extra credit, and trying to hold onto my sanity. The past few weeks have been slightly eventful and more than a little frustrating. I have shed my fair share of angry tears, and taken off more time from work than I would like in order to complete things. I have been in a constant state of negativity, but my Father has preserved me and given me strength to make it through the most trying of days. Now it is down to finals week. Two days, two extra credit assignments, and four finals. That is all that stands between me and a summer of freedom.

To celebrate my upcoming free time, I'm in the processes of obtaining a Pinterest account. I really don't know a whole bunch about it, but I've heard nothing but wonderful things about it, so I'm quite excited. =)

On a different note, I hosted a tea party yesterday for the junior high girls at my church. We had an overabundance of food (I'm pretty sure the two of us that planned it were overcompensating for a dismal tea party we went to last summer...), seven types of teas, and six adorable girls. It was probably the greatest tea party ever. We totally played Just Dance 3 and hung my mom's good silver spoons from our noses. One of the girls accidentally stuck her face into a bowl of soup in one of her fits of giggles. Despite our attempts to make it semi-fancy, it was...not quite there. But that doesn't even matter because each of the girls had a blast, and that is what we were going for.

Here's to a happy summer!!!

Ephesians 3:14-19 NIV
For this reason I kneel before the Father from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth drives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power though his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.