It has been a difficult week. I struggled through saying goodbye to my grandpa, a goodbye only for a little while, and then found out the news a few days later. One of my friends found me crying and I knew they were just tears of joy, thinking of memories. I see God's hand so much. That day, I wasn't thinking much along those lines which was unusual. I had a friend ask me how I was, had another friend give me a little gift. Dad called me but I was at work, and for some reason unlike every other time, I didn't think that it was bad news. It seizes to amaze me, that God knows the exact hour and time. Even now I am smiling and the tears are forming. What a life lived. I bought some pink roses this week and as they begin to droop and fade, I'm thinking about many things. Grandpa's life was beautiful. Just as those roses, he faded, but the best part is that it's only for a time...I know there was much rejoicing on the twenty-eighth when a saint made it home.
There was also news of a friend's mom who lost her job and another friend who's friend lost her baby.
My struggle with school seems so trivial but God is sovereign and nothing is a surprise to him. All this reading and papers and yet it sometimes seems like you are getting nowhere. The truth is progress is made and yes there is so much more to life than school. It has value, but it is all a part of the big picture.

He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young. -Isaiah 40:11

But those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint. -Isaiah 40:31

Keep up the faith and the fight, it's so worth it!

One step at a time, Grandpa finally got to see what's on the other side. We love you and miss you already but know you are having the time of your life!

There is more to write about but for now the fact that my ed psych book had a child's story about Napoleon Nose to illustrate that the student is in Piaget's formal operations stage made me smile.

Well it has been quite a week. Somehow this week seemed much longer than actually 5-7 days. Interesting how time works but then again in the long run (eternity) time isn't really an issue because it's eternity, if that makes any sense. That's a bit of an abstract concept for this morning as I'm still waking up. As I'm dancing a lot more this semester that means I have been sore quite a bit. Weird because I wake up sore and then can't get comfortable enough to sleep again oh well. So I decided to start the homework I should've been doing all week. We are reading a book called Hollywood Worldviews by Brain Godawa. It's about learning to look at the meanings behind movies. He included an excerpt from Geoffrey Hill's Illuminating Shadows: The Mythic Power of Film that I thought portrays movie-goers, myself included, quite well:

"As ironic modern worshippers we congregate at the cinematic temple. We pay our votive offerings at the box office. We buy our ritual corn. We hush in reverent anticipation as the lights go down and the celluloid magic begins. Throughout the filmic narrative we identify with the hero. We villify the antihero. We vicariously exult in the victories of the drama. And we are spiritually inspired by the moral of the story, all while believing we are modern techno-secular people, devoid of religion. Yet the depth of and intensity of our participation reveal a religious fervor that is not much different from that of religious zealots." (Hill 3)

copyright:
Illuminating Shadows: The Mythic Power of Film by Geoffrey Hill
found in
Godawa, Brian. Hollywood Worldviews Watching Films with Wisdom and Discernment. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2002. Print.

Oh my goodness, it has been too long since I have posted and for that I give my apologies. Needless to say, it has been very crazy around these neck of the woods. You may not have known but Jackson had a big freeze which caused the pipes to burst. This would normally be no big deal except that oh say 70-100 pipes burst. As a college student showering it just seemed like the pressure was a little light but then they started hanging out bottled water and we were a bit in trouble. We eventually got kicked out because the heaters are run by water so that would not due. We were quite happy however that we didn't have to utilize the porta-potties. Ended up going to Olive Branch, MS for a week of extra vacation (school started a week late!). The rest was much appreciated. The trip was complete with good southern homecoming (grits which I had never had before), viewing Gone with the Wind (which is rather depressing but has great characters), and oh maybe 18 college kids!

So it is only 3 days into the school year and I'm exhausted but it's ok because God's got good plans. I am learning lots, at least I think I will be and much more than just academic college. There's a song I heard at a church service that had great lyrics called Rock of Ages by Sandra McCracken and I wanted to pass along two of my favorite verses....




"Rock of Ages, when in want or rest
My desperate need for such a Savior I confess
Pull these idols out from my heart embrace
Rock of Ages, I need your grace"

"Rock of Ages, 'It is done,' You cried
The curtain's torn and I see justice satisfied
Now write Your mercy here on my heart and hands
Rock of Ages, in faith I stand"

Also a really neat quote to think about: "Faithfulness is what's left when pretense disappears."-Rev. Mike Winebrenner

So I should really be doing school work but somehow I have found many other things to do. I suppose I'll try and get on that on Friday except that a plan like that never seems to pan out seeing as it's the weekend. Well, it'll get done at some point.

I am also lifting up my dear Grandpa to the Lord, He's so ready to meet his Maker but he will be immensely missed. Battling cancer for numerous years, he has overcome odds and God has used him mightily. We love you Grandpa Schreck!

So first of all I am back at school! It's always hard to come back but good friends help that. Boy I was so bummed though that when I actually have an opportunity to sleep in my body's time clock decided to get up super early and be super sore. Oh well. I have been meaning to write a post about emptiness and just haven't gotten around to it so now I suppose I will.....

After packing for school and with all the other moving we are doing, my room is officially empty. We gave away my bed to a good friend to help furnish his college apartment. It is strange to think I slept on a sofa because I didn't have a bed but then it went to a good place and use. Also thinking about how so many people don't even have a bed is astounding, such seemingly insignificant/average things I so take for granted. Well that is a whole other issue in itself and not the gist of my thoughts, though a part. I began to think about emptiness. My room was empty. Nothing in it, white walls, a blank canvas. Then I thought about what if I came to God like that. I let everything go and just came to Him. That is what He does after all, washing us whiter than snow (Psalm 51:7). How much more could God use me if that were the case?

Trader Joe's Tissue Quotes:

"Please don't leave me in you pocket when you do laundry!"
"I'm there when you're sad. -love tissue"
"I'm there when you need to pick up icky things.-kindly tissue"
"I'm there when you're sick.-feel better tissue"
"I'm there when you run out of toilet paper.-you're welcome tissue"

Just thought it would brighten your day a bit-Emily tissue
p.s. 'tissue' is a weird word

Pink phones are for girls

I was in Walmart today and heard the following conversation between a very cute little girl and her daddy; it went something like this....

Little girl: I got a pink phone daddy!
Dad: That's cool, I wish I had a pink phone
Little girl: No, you don't need one daddy
Dad: Why not?
Little girl: Because pink phones are for girls, and you're a boy

It made my day, that along with an STP from Groucho's and a mountain dew...mmm I love SC!

Brudder and Seister!

Woa, it has been a little while since posting! That is because I am way out west in Portland, Oregon to visit my brother and sister! We started out flying on Friday but with two fights canceled it ended up being a two day trip. We took one of the shortest flights ever to Atlanta and they put us in first class, I guess because we had so much trouble. It was funny that it was so short but that's good because it felt like everyone was staring at us. First class isn't for me and I think I would rather have someone take my place. It wasn't super different, just a few free snacks and some leg room. I suppose other longer flights' first class are much different. Anyway, I love how the soldiers are all recognized at airports, some get first class and most get recognition and early boarding. I sat next to a soldier on the five and a half our flight to Portland but he seemed pretty sleepy so we didn't really get a chance to talk. But wherever you are soldier, thanks for your service! So after the Atlanta flight it was so cold as we waited outside for a bus to take us to our hotel. We kinda get messed up again because we were supposed to get two rooms and so many meal vouchers when we really got one room and two less meal vouchers. Anyway the hotel we stayed at was nice and they were having an isec (i think that's what it was call) business convention for college kids. It was their last night and they were having some sort of hoe down? There were people with blue hair, short skirts, reindeer ears and a few cross dressed guys. I almost stopped and asked what sort of bet he lost but then we were so tired that I didn't talk much. Smile and nod would've been a good philosophy on that one I suppose.

Anyway we tried to get another room for about an hour and a half and then gave up. 6 hours later we headed to the airport and boy was that place hoppin'! The lady at the ticket counter was super stressed because she wanted to get the plane out early due to winds. Then we held up the line because we had to get our exit row seats switched. Well long story short, well not so short now, we made it a few hours later. Oh, I forgot, our luggage made it before us because there was room for it on the flight but not passengers. Boy are airports busy these days, so many flights are oversold, sometimes there aren't crews to fly, and the confusion just keeps growing.

Josh and Alli met us at the airport and realized that mom and I are very short. They could only see dad in the crowd of people. Anyway after two showerless days we felt awful but were ecstatic to be at our destinatin. Had a starbucks breakfast and headed to ikea-mom's favorite store. It was packed! Then we got showers, I was really happy at that point, and went to Olive Garden!

I ate so much food, oh my word! I felt like I was the finisher, maybe that should be my superhero name. We had gelato, tera massu, and an amazing rasberry cheesecake (that was my favorite)! Since then we visited church and it was such a blessing to be their for the dedication of Josh and Alli's new night church service that starts Friday!

We returned to Ikea for a less stressful visit and I even got some decorations for my dorm room. I know it's silly but maybe it will brighten the place up a bit. We also went to Costello's-my all-time favorite restaurant here I believe. It's a travel restaurant, they have video footage of the owner's trip and the Manchester-roast beef, grilled onions, horseradish and cheese. Sounds strange but it's delicious and a yummy salad to go with it....mmmm I'm a happy camper!

We did some shopping too and had chocolate at Moonstruck. For some reason I am into coffee deserts but not coffee. Odd I know. Oh and there are so many cute little stores here and they don't have tax! It's amazing. We took a quick stop at Trader Joe's and I got some fun presents fro friends who will remain nameless in case they are reading this. Well needless to say, we are enjoying our trip, even if mom and dad don't sleep-in, they must still be in SC time. And Josh still beats me at Mario Kart on the Wii. I was in first and he knew a shortcut and beat me at the last minute!