Day 1.

today… we traveled through virginia and west virginia. the first 4 hours or so of the trip were in virginia… that was a breeze. the last 2 1/2 hours or so… felt like forever. wv is pretty and all, but its a loooong drive up and down through the hills. Poor Malcolm was having a rough time. But we made it.

Facts of the day:
451 miles driven
9:30am-5:00pm
3 orange cars spotted
0 yellow cars spotted
approx. 10 butterflies killed
Weird names: Oilville, Goochland, Cowpasture River, Lake Moomaw.
Music of the day: pride and prejudice. J lo.
Amazing things seen: a truck overturned and everyone merging when a lane closed 1 mile ahead with only 1 cheater.
Quote of the day: Twitterpated butterflies… and I… killed them.
State license plates spotted: Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, DC, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin… and Quebec.

Tomorrow– Louisville and St. Louis.

another dream.

so i had another weird dream. i really do most of my dreaming in the morning once i’ve woken up and fallen back asleep. this morning, i woke up, helped jessica with something and went back to sleep… so i dreamed that i had woken up again, and walked into the hallway to find lauren’s bed in the hallway. i couldn’t figure out how she had moved the entire top 1/2 of the bunkbed down while i was sleeping.. but whatevs. so matt rongey and john enns were on the hall which i thought was weird since it’s a monday morning and many girls are running around getting ready. then some girl (who doesn’t exist) was walking around with no pants. i went to yell at her but she acted like i didn’t even exist. sup widdat? so jessica and i made them come into our room so they wouldn’t have to deal with crazy pantless girls. as soon as we walk into the room matt starts to spasm because he’d pricked himself with a safety pin. i could see his eyes rolling back into his head so i grabbed his shoulders and he fainted. then i woke up. random.

back to class.

God is alive and moving.

God is so so alive and moving.

I feel as though I have continually struggled in being able to quiet myself in order to clearly hear His voice. I’m learning.

Although I don’t allow Him to speak in the quiet, He is SOOO speaking in and through my life. This week I felt His hand so directly. He didn’t have to answer my request, but He not only answered it, He answered it beyond what I could have imagined Him to do. I can’t say much more about it, but man do I have so much joy just in seeing Him work in some minor detail this past week.

I have been able to recognize Him recently in the speech of others, and even in my own actions. I know that He continues to use me as a tool to bring glory to Himself. And I find so much joy and peace in each day knowing that I am utilizing the time that I have when He asks me to allow Him to use me. This has truly been one of the greatest times of my life recognizing the importance of doing everything for His glory. If that means putting aside homework to have great conversations with people, He’ll give me the strength and endurance to get it done. But I’ve learned to take every second as a precious moment in which He has purpose.

On another, but similar note, tonight was our staff info meeting.

I just can’t but be overjoyed when I hear and see others desiring to serve the Lord through seeking to fulfill the Great Commission. I know that not only has He given me the passion and heart for the lost and broken, but He has definitely given me a passion to encourage others as they seek to fulfill this same goal. I love my job.

And I just have to say, I am SO excited for missions conference. I’m excited partly because my ma finally gets to see first hand what Biola’s about and what I’ve been about these past 4 years. But I’m also more so excited to see what the Lord has in store for Biola during missions. He is so moving through our staff, especially as MC diligently continues to work to make everything come together. I’m just waiting, (completely impatiently I might add), for that week. Time to get that ooga-booga prayin goin on, as my mom would say. This thing needs to be bathed in it.

Dreams 6,7,8.. some.

1. I dreamed I was swimming in a lake and everywhere I went jaws popped up and ate a limb off of someone. but i was okay.

2. i dreamed Joy was a part of team Morocco with Kerri. But it was an all girls team, and they only made it to New Orleans, which was actually only a little park where they built a house.

3. i dreamed something else silly this morning. but i don’t remember what. but i’ve realized all of my best dreams happen in the morning right before i get up. i also talk in my sleep… but only in the morning. interesting.

i feel like i should start blogging things that matter again. but who knows that i’ll ever keep up with it.

last week i learned a lot of great stuff about God’s original intent for relationships, as well as what He expects of us both in terms of His original design and His expectations as a result of the fall. interesting stuff.

we had our staff retreat this past weekend and we talked a lot about what our biggest stresses are that we won’t let go, as well as our ultimate helplessness and neediness of God. It’s been really great praying completely and totally out of helplessness… as it should be. but i’m still really figuring out what God wants of me. in the meantime, i’m livin it up and giving the Lord as much joy as i possibly can in everything i do. i’m being useful of every second… whether doing classes, homework, work, or spending time with people.. i don’t want to waste time. if i’m with people, i don’t want to be off thinking about other things i have to do.

so, i’m going to end this now. i’m a little scattered. that’s one thing i won’t make time to do…a blog that makes sense. can’t win ’em all.

Dream #5. (plus some).

Last night I dreamed I flew around with Santa. Only Santa didn’t have a sleigh, he flew a 757 plane. The plane was lit up completely in Christmas lights that resembled the Peter Pan’s ship at the end of the movie. It was quite a sight. So I’m flying on this plane with lots and lots of people… I’m unsure why. Why but I went up to the front and hung out with Jack from the nightmare before Christmas. We flew over DC and my neighborhood in Portsmouth. Then Jack made me get out of the plane and we magically flew around this neighborhood where he told me that our family needed to take in an old woman and take care of her. I told him the thought would be ridiculous since I can’t make that kind of decision without my family, and I am not even living with them. So we went to discuss the issue with my family, only my family wasn’t my family. I had a sister, brother, both parents and a golden lab. They were kinda crazy, so I left. That’s about all I remember.

A few nights ago I dreamed I was playing Wii baseball but all of the characters were from ToyStory. And I wasn’t playing Wii, I was in the baseball game.

Then 2 nights ago I dreamed some woman was chasing after me and a bunch of people. We were flying around and I was trying to help them escape. And there was a tunnel. Umm… That’s about all I remember.