God is GOOD!

I'm supposed to be doing homework, but I just needed to write this!

Time and time again, I am reminded how big, how awesome, and how caring the God I serve is. Does it ever amaze anyone else? That the God who created the universe in all its infinite vastness cares about you and I? That he cares enough to make sure the book I need for class tomorrow got here today when it wasn't supposed to come till Wednesday? That even though there are wars, and disease, and violence, and a thousand other huge, bad things going on in the world right now, he still cares enough to put me in classes about subjects that I love? Does this not amaze anyone else?

There was no reason for today to be a good day. It's a Monday, it's icky outside, I don't have all my books, I'm tired, I'm scared about this and that decision...and yet, despite everything that could have gone wrong, it was a pretty good day! I came back to my room after all my classes and was just happy. I just had to do a quick raise my hands in praise because God is at work. And I can feel him at work. He is big, and vast, and beyond comprehension. But he cares for me. Beyond a shadow of a doubt. He cares for me. And he will get me through all the almost bad days there could ever be. And he will see me through on the plan he has for me. Of this I am sure.

I just had to share that with you all. Off to do homework! (Is it weird that I'm kind of excited for the homework I have tonight? Must be God. Again.)

Rachel's guide for college newbies!

I have many friends who will be starting college for the first time next year. I realize that is still quite some time from now. However, it's never too soon to start thinking about things. As I'm currently in a similar transitional stage (second semester isn't quite the same thing, but bear with me) I started thinking about things I wish I had known before I started school. And so I compiled a list (which may be as much for the student as for their moms!). Feel free to tell me any more you can think of and I will add them to the list!

Things I've come to know that I wish I had known before entering college.

1. Bring more quarters than you think you will need. Laundry is expensive. And it's better to have too many, and still have clean clothes than it is to run out and face the alternative...
2. Keep a supply of extra notebooks, pens, etc. Stock up when it's cheap in the summer because chances are you'll forget when it comes time for second semester.
3. Get creative in the cafeteria. the food gets pretty repetitive. My favorite is making different bagel creations. Keeps things interesting.
4. Keep everything you need for pbjs on hand in your room. So many times I'll need something quick to eat when I'm running late. Sometimes you won't have time to go get a regular meal, and pbjs are a great fix.
5. Bring things such as paper clips, post it notes, stamps, envelopes, sharpees, tape, etc. Things you always use at home but only have because your parents keep them on hand. Your dorm room will not come fully equipped with these things, however surprising that may be to you.
6. When making flashcards (which I strongly encourage) cut the note cards in half. That way you get twice as many cards for your buck.
7. Get a desk lamp. Sometimes your roommate will want to go to bed before you are done doing homework. A desk lamp becomes a necessity.
8. Stock up on toiletries before you head off to school. It sucks having to pay for conditioner when you run out.
9. Bring a good laundry basket. And put your name on it. Mine got stolen once.
10. Two words. Storage crates. Great for food, books, printers, your desk, etc. Dorm rooms do not have nearly enough storage space. And if you have one of those locker shelves, save it! They work great on your desk!
11. Bring your own pharmacy. Tylenol, band aids, cough drops, etc. Again, anything your parents keep on hand that you will want at some point. Eye drops. Nail polish remover. Clariten.
12. Go to events on campus. For one thing you make friends. For another, they usually have free food.
13. Find out which churches do college ministries. They will usually feed you.
14. Make a point of making friends right off the bat. It's really easy to stay in your room and not branch out, but then you get stuck. And bored. REALLY bored.
15. Remember that is more than acceptable to buy Great Value brand items.
16. Bring crayons, construction paper, and glue sticks. These are vital. I cannot stress their importance enough.
17. Bring your nerf gun. If you don't have one, get one.
18. Set good study habits early. Set a goal for yourself and give yourself a reward when you reach that goal. Movie nights are always good motivation for me. :)
19. Good walking shoes. It's not like high school where everything is right in one spot. Sometimes you will have a long walk between classes.
20. Get to know your profs. Chances are they have some amazing stories to tell, and are probably brilliant. They will invest in you if you make an effort.
21. Take notes. I would not have survived Philosophy without notes from class.
22. Don't get discouraged. College is hard, but keep plugging along. You'll get through.
23. Don't be afraid of asking for help. There are so many people who can help you but you have to ask.
24. Keep things on hand to snack on.
25. Try to budget your money. Sounds lame, but it is so easy to spend away your life savings.
26. Command strips and hooks. Life savers!
27. I can't stress enough the importance of getting involved in things at schools. Go to games. Go to events. Speakers. Everything.
28. Keep your chin up. Bad days will come and go. Don't let them get you down. Focus on the good days and make time for fun things. You will survive.
29. Remember God has a plan for your life. And he will see you through.

Greenville semester cuatro!

Well. I'm back at Greenville. Semestre numero cuatro. I'm taking 18 credits, which will probably mean that my free time will be pretty limited. I'm currently purchasing books, and dreading the toll that will take on my bank account. It's a scam. Someone out there is making a ton of money by stealing it from poor college students. There is NO WAY books should cost as much as they do. Ridiculous. Lucky for me one class for sure and possibly a second don't have any books listed, which means Rachel gets to save some money! Hooray! :) Unfortunately I still I have several I have to buy or rent. But hopefully they won't break the bank too much.

Here's my schedule for this semester! I'm excited about some of the classes I get to take this year. Because much of the Spanish major is focused on the semester abroad, I really only have to take one Spanish class a semester. And since I don't have a second major yet, I get to take some fun classes! (Some of these classes will apply to a future major- probably International/Cross Cultural Studies.)

MON. WED. FRI. classes
-Policies and Agencies
-Advanced Spoken Spanish
-Intro to Anthropology

TUES. THURS. classes
-Marriage and Family
-Theoretical Found TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)

ONLINE class
-Intro to Fine Arts

And that's what I'll be studying this semester! Hopefully they're interesting and not too terribly difficult. But we shall find out! :)

(nearly) Midnight musings.

I feel like writing. I am lying in my bed, unable to fall asleep because I think I'm getting an ear infection and while I'm waiting for the advil to kick in, I think I will write. Lucky you, dear readers! A blog post filled with delightful stream-of-consciousness like thoughts...

We got snow today. Lots of snow! I'm not complaining; I love, love, LOVE the snow. Makes me immensely happy. There's just something about waking up to a snowy morning that instantly fills me with glee. Maybe it's that waking up to snow falling outside my window takes me right back to those days (however few they may have been) when I would wake up and race to the tv praying that school would be cancelled, and that over-joyous feeling when it actually was cancelled. Snow days. Those were the best days ever. Period. And it was even more exciting when those snow days occurred on days that weren't deathly cold so that you could actually go out and enjoy the snow (as in not days when school was cancelled for freezing weather. Those days- not so fun. Can't do much when it's WELL below freezing.). It was on those rare and wonderful days that we would pack up our sleds and tubes and head down to Hill 17, also known as the greatest sledding hill ever. Seriously, if you haven't been, go. Now. It's open; today's snow fall made sure of that. But if you're reading this at 11:06 pm (current time in Door County, WI) don't go...wait it out till tomorrow. Much safer that way. But seriously. It's the best sledding hill ever.

Today I did not go sledding at Hill 17. Even though we got plenty of snow. I don't think it would be quite as exciting by myself. And seeing as how most people have gone back to school already...I might be out of luck this break. I did, however, go down the tubing run at camp a few times. It's a tough job, but someone's gotta make sure the hill is in top shape for the up-coming guest groups. It's a sacrifice I occasionally have to make. And hopefully it will be a little bit more packed down the next time I go. Wasn't too fast today. Don't worry. I'll keep working on it. ;) And let's see, I did a little bit more work on the video stuff over at camp. Stay tuned: there should be some new promo stuff coming at ya soon! Reworking some videos from this summer, making some new ones, figuring out ways to not break copyright laws, the usual. I am not overly well-versed in the ways of technology, but I'm learning as I go! It's kind of sink or swim. And I've always preferred swimming to drowning. Just saying...

And with that, I think I shall bid thee adieu. I think the advil has kicked in enough to let me fall asleep. I hope. Buenos noches, mundo. Hasta luego.

Break Update

Welp. It is now the 15t of January which means I've got about 10 days left of my six week vacation from school. Then it's off to second semester. It's been nice to be home, but it will be good to be back at school again too. Door County's not the most exciting place to be during the long winter months. I love being home, but I'll be glad to see my friends again! I could do without the school work, though. ;)

So let's see. What have I done over this break? Not a whole lot... I got to see some good friends from the greater Zion area that I haven't seen in a while over New Year's. It was a fun weekend of hiking, swimming and banagrams- just wish we could have had some snow! And I've been helping out at camp some; working at getting some promotional stuff made. It's been a little frustrating as we've found ourselves faced with copyright laws and such. It's not that I don't want to follow the copyright laws. I understand why they exist and that musical groups need to be payed, I just wish it was easier to use the music that I like! We've had to rethink how to do promotional videos so as to not break copyright laws. So anyways. I've been doing that some. And what else? I've gotten to catch up with some friends. Always good to see people after a long time of not seeing them. I had a sleepover with my good friend Kristi, and another one with several of my girl friends from high school. It was just like old times. :) Staying up late, watching movies (typically Disney movies), eating junk food, and then crashing in a pile of blankets to sleep for a few hours before someone moves and wakes everyone else up. Kristi just discovered these funnel cake fry things. Not as good as county fair funnel cake, but a pretty good substitute! I had a coffee date with another friend from high school, and we had a great time catching up. She just got done with her first semester of college, and it was fun trading stories. And I must say, Blue Horse has some of the best chai lattes. Ever. MMmmmmm. :) I'm told they make their own chai. I don't know how one goes about making chai, but theirs is delicious. If you ever find yourself in Fish Creek and looking for a good chai latte, head on over to the Blue Horse. You won't be disappointed! I started reading Don Quixote (in English. Someday I will attempt it in Spanish...). It's been on my list to read, but I don't think I realized what an undertaking it would be! It's well over 900 pages long, and while entertaining...I'm only about 300 pages in... Sorry, Joyce. I may have to mail it back to you if I don't get it done over this break! For those of you who don't know, the story of Don Quixote is a famous Spanish novel about a somewhat delusional man who believes he is a knight (he isn't), who sets off to undertake what he believes to be many wild and crazy adventures. Luckily, the book is a much more entertaining read that I had originally thought it would be. Now if only it was just a little shorter... But rest assured, I will finish it. Eventually. And that's really about all that I've done. I've watched several movies with my family and friends (Netflix. What a wonderous invention.), cleaned a bunch of stuff out of my room, took said stuff to Julie's to (hopefully) sell, went to a few basketball games and good ol' Gibraltar, made some delicious treats including, but not limited to, guacamole, and otherwise just kind of bummed around. I'm loving not having school work to be doing, but if I'm being completely honest I'll be ready to get back into the swing of things. We'll see how I'm feeling in a few weeks. ;) Anywho. That's a little update on my break! Until next time....

Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Days

Do you remember the book "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day"? It used to be one of my favorite books; my mom would read it to my brothers and I all the time. Alexander wakes up to find gum in his hair, trips over the skateboard, gets his sweater wet, and from that moment on knows he is about to have an awful day. It's just down hill from there. Things continue to go from bad to worse and Alexander finally decides he's going to move to Australia where things are sure to be better. The book ends with Alexander's mom reminding him that everyone has bad days, even people in Australia. Things will surely be better in the morning.

Just before finals I found myself having one such day. From the moment I woke up, I could just tell it was not going to be a good day. I was stressed about finals, and papers, and projects, and presentations (of which I had MANY in the days leading up to finals) and it seemed that everything was crashing down all at once. I was frustrated with teachers who weren't giving clear directions on assignments, I was frustrated that classes weren't as easy as they should have been, I was frustrated that my grades weren't where I wanted them to be. I was feeling lonely, and overtired, and in an especially self-pitying mood. It was just one of those days. When you're just down about everything, and can't see a way out of the darkness you're in. The beauty of it is, there's one who can and will see us through. Here's a journal entry from the day after that particularly rough day. Hopefully it can be an encouragement to someone else out there.

Rachel and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Not my finest moment, I'll admit. But the beauty of it is, I can go to bed completely broken (lying awake wondering why things were so bad, praying tomorrow will be better) and lonely and sick of the world, and wake up with a completely new, refreshed spirit. Further proof that God has not left me. I am not and never will be alone. It's true what they say, though. The darkest part really is right before the dawn. Sometimes we have to get to that lowest point in order to see clearly, in order to be brought back to the light. Sometimes we have to be brought just a little lower to even want to be brought back up. That's the thing of it, isn't it? Sometimes we like our complacency. We like the pity parties we throw ourselves, we like to wallow in that self-inflicted darkness. And it takes us to getting to a point of not knowing which way is up, which step is next, what is best, to be able to look past ourselves at the hand waiting to pull us up. He will be there, ready to get us back to where we need to be. It's foolish to question whether or not he's really there. Of course he is. He promised to never leave us or forsake us. He is and always will be with me. Sometimes it's me that moves away. I get to this point when I can barely even hear him. It's not that he's stopped giving instructions, it's just that I've moved to a place where it's hard to hear. Sometimes I choose not to listen. But that doesn't mean he's left me. Far from. He is there. My one constant when all else is shaken. Waking up to the daylight doesn't erase the hurt. It doesn't immediately make it all better. But I'd for sure rather be in the daylight than wrapped in the darkness!

Psalm 18:28
"My God turns my darkness into light."

'Daylight', Remedy Drive

Has everything you've counted on
left you right here with no warning
Have your dreams become invisible
wait with me, dear, till the morning
light will make the night burn out.

Hold on- daylight is coming
Daylight is coming to break the dawn
Daylight is coming

The brightest stars are falling down
Is hope lost in the black skies
The darkness must precede the dawn
Hold on till sunrise
Light will make your night fade out

In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee...

¡Feliz año nuevo! Just when I was getting used to writing '10 on all my papers too. ;) Oh well. Such is life, I suppose. Today...er...yesterday I was reminded of the song 'Seasons of Love' from the movie Rent. I don't agree with much of what the movie teaches, but I LOVE the music. And this song is especially fitting when looking back at a year.

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty-five thousand moments so dear
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?

In daylights, in sunsets,
in midnights, in cups of coffee,
in inches, in miles,
in laughter and strife
in five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure, a year in the life?

How about love?
How about love?
How about love?
Measure in love.

Seasons of love.
Seasons of love.

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty-five thousand journeys to plan
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure the life of a woman or a man?

In truths that she learned
Or in tears that he cried
In bridges he burned
Or the way that she died

It's time now, to sing out
Though the story never ends
Let's celebrate, remember a year in the life of friends!

Remember the love.
Remember the love.
Remember the love.
Measure in love.

Seasons of love.
Seasons of love.

When you look back on 2010, what do you see? 365 days crossed off a calendar? How do you measure this last year of your life? Was it well spent? All five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes of it? Can you learn from the mistakes you made? Can you move past the hard times, the sad times, the times you never want to see again? Can you remember the good times, the truly amazing? Can you see love in this last year of your life? More importantly, I suppose, what will you do with the next five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes (minus a few now)? Who will you be in this next year of your life? How will you live?

Ok. I'm done asking rhetorical questions now. I'll let you sleep. Happy New Year!