believe it or not, it's sunny in scranton again. two wednesdays in a row... it's a MIRACLE! hehe

it's amazing how a little sunshine can change my attitude. several little annoyances occurred today, and i responded to them very differently today than i have in the past (for instance, when it's really gloomy outside). like this morning... i was going to the meter to put some more money in when i saw that there was an open spot right in front of the building. so, i thought i'd move my car up, but by the time i got to the spot, someone had already taken it. on a different day i probably would have been frustrated by that, but today i thought to myself, "oh well. i'll get to drive around for a couple blocks listening to the new fall out boy cd and enjoying the sunshine". now i know some of you *cough--mark--cough* will probably think i'm lying about this, but i'm really not. i become very different when the sun is shining. it's like i'm the opposite of a vampire... or something. hahahaha (forgive me... i'm really random today... perhaps also a symptom of the sunshine...)

now if only i could learn to have the same positive attitude no matter what the weather or the circumstances. but growth is a process... and when i struggle i'm able to experience God's grace... what a wonderful thing...

so, i hope that as you're reading this, it's sunny wherever you are...


love to all...

today is beautiful. walking outside this morning without wearing a bulky winter coat was wonderful! it's amazing how a little sunshine can make me feel so good. it is a beautiful reminder that winter doesn't last forever. there is always the hope of spring...


you should feel the sun in spring
comin out after a rain
suddenly all is green
sunshine on everything
i can feel it now
i feel You now
and how could such a thing
shine its light on me
and make everything beautiful
and you should hear the angels sing
all gathered round their king
more beautiful than you could dream
i've been quietly listening
you can hear them now
i hear them now
and how could such a king
shine His light on me
and make everything beautiful
and i want to shine
i want to be light
i want to tell you it'll be alright
and i want to shine and i want to fly
just to tell you now
it'll be alright, it'll be alright


'cause i've got nothing of my own to give to you
but this light that shines on me shines on you
and makes everything beautiful, again
it'll be alright...

-david crowder band "stars"

12 weeks til the end of the semester... 15 til i'm back in lancaster!


woo!!!!

as i do every year, i will now share with you my favorite anti-valentine's card of the year...

love it.

well... it's official...




i'm moving back to lancaster in june (yes, this june)!!!!




woo!!!!!





anyone know of an apartment i can rent?

what is your passion?


last night i started reading the book about Green Day that i bought recently. it's called Nobody Likes You by Marc Spitz. besides being well written, the book is captivating because of the story of these three guys who are so passionate about their music, and the message behind it, that they're willing to sacrifice anything in order to play.

it's no secret that i'm not much of a musician, but it's also no secret that i love music a great deal. a good song can touch my soul (and even change my life) in ways that not much else can. as i was reading the introduction to this book i couldn't help but feel this longing to be a part of something like Green Day. their music and message have touched people's lives in very real and special ways, and i'm jealous of them. i'm jealous of their talent, and i'm jealous of their passion.

i say i'm passionate about a lot of things... like poverty, environmental issues, people (that's pretty vague, eh?)... the list goes on. but when was the last time i really sacrificed anything in order to further these causes that i'm so "passionate" about??? i'm not sure i ever really have. it's time to change that...



love to all...

calmer than the sky
far away so blue
land of Living God
grant your peace on earth
we can feel you move and cannot stay the same
the winds are blowing strong
God of heaven come

breathe peace
breathe your peace on us
so we might breathe you deep
breathe peace
breathe your peace on us
land of the living God

if we are in the way
move us to the side
God forgive our wrongs
rest your hands on us
all the world is yours
let us not forget
it was you who bore the cross
God of comfort breathe
breathe peace...

-Robbie Seay Band "Peace"

i'm bored i'm bored i'm bored i'm bored i'm booooooorrrrrrrred!!!!!!


ok, now that i got that out of my system...


i'm at catholic social services today. i was supposed to have one client today, buuuttttt he didn't show up. this is nothing new for this client, or most others for that matter. it's frustrating, but i shouldn't complain. i did a little reading, and got to chat with some friends for most of the day. the good news is that i won't have to do this kind of thing forever, and while i am doing it, perhaps i'm learning to be more patient (those who know me well are probably thinking, "where's the evidence of that?!?").

on a less whiny note... this past weekend was wonderful. i'm very much looking forward to living in lancaster again. it's always so hard to leave...

i'm also looking forward to this weekend. ceejer and i are gonna have movie night (or "chick night" as she called it today) on friday or saturday. that'll be a good time, as always.


i have such wonderful friends... i'm so blessed...


love to all...



(14 weeks)

I give up, I lay down
Rest my face upon this ground
Lift my eyes to Your sky
Rid my heart of all I hide
So sweet this surrender

How great Your love for us
How great our love for You
That grace could cover us
How great Your love

How marvelous, how brilliantly
Luminous, You shine in me
And who can fail to give You awe
To fear You, God, so sovereign and strong

I’m so bored of little gods
While standing on the edge of
Something large
While standing here, so close to You
We could be consumed

What a glorious day


-David Crowder Band "How Great"

*sigh*





116 days...




on another note... old friends are so wonderful... i've been so blessed by some of mine lately... even in the short time that i spent with them (or just talking to them)... i hope you all know how much i appreciate you...




love to all...

a little thought from our daily bread...

"...we can be at home in any dwelling, for our safekeeping lies not in the place where we live but in God Himself. We can dwell 'in the secret place of the Most High' and 'abide under the shadow of the Almighty' (Psalm 91:1). There, in His presence, under His wings, we find refuge. The eternal God becomes our dwelling place."


perhaps the reason God sometimes allows us to live in places we're not all that fond of is to force us into His presence. often, when we're comfortable we tend to forget about God. i think this is why He allows difficult circumstances. if only we could learn to keep Him first when life is easy...

117 days til the end of the semester!!!!



perhaps soon i'll be able to tell you why that's significant. *crosses fingers*


:)

"Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face"
-Victor Hugo






...which reminds me... i need to see my katie... and sooooooon!!!!

i had a wonderful christmas! i hope you all did as well.

i spent most of the day laying around, making dinner, eating dinner, and laying around some more with my family. i also received wonderful reminders that i have some very special people in my life, whose minds i must have been on at some point during the day (and who are often on mine as well) since i got text messages from them... which completely made my holiday. it's 'little' things such as these that make life worthwhile.



love to all...

it's 4am and i'm wide awake.



and i have to be up in 3 hours.




i've taken longer naps than that.

i read this in the daily bread this morning, and thought it was pretty awesome... so i decided to share...

"Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more."
-Hebrews 8:12

the author was talking about how pastors and Christians in general emphasize that God says He'll forget our sins. he continued by saying that this isn't always very comforting to people because God can always remember... he is God after all. then the author spoke about a time he heard a pastor say that the verse says God promises to remember no more. it doesn't say he'll forget. it says he chooses not to remember. that is so much more powerful than forgetting. he willingly chooses not to remember so that we can be right with Him.

awesome.

i heart lancaster county.

this weekend was fantastic. i got to spend most of saturday with my buddy, garrett from high school. it was absolutely wonderful to spend time with an old friend... especially one who loves God with all his heart, and cares so deeply about people. there's something so comforting about friends who know you well and with whom you can be honestly yourself. i hope we get to spend more time together soon.

after hanging out with garrett, i went to reading to see the kateness, which was wonderful as always. we spent the evening driving around berks county looking at people's christmas decorations. some were very nice, others were completely ridiculous, and we had a wonderful time making fun of the latter and laughing like idiots. it was great.

on sunday i went to church and saw some people i haven't seen in a while... like jess kerr... the coolest girl in youth group! i miss her so much. after church mark and i went to lunch and then to borders and target. it was an experience, as always.

speaking of missing things... i miss lancaster so much. i absolutely love being there. i'm so much happier when i'm in that county than i am any other time. i can't really put into words how i feel when i'm there. garrett asked me what i love about it, and i didn't really have a good answer. i said it reminds me of bloomsburg in some ways, but it has good aspects of a city. that doesn't nearly describe why i love it.

i love it because to me it's home...

huzzah!!! classes are over for the semester!!!

AND i'm going to lancaster this weekend to see some of my most favorite people in the whole wide world! woo!

and now i present a survey... stolen from the roommate...

Name Four Bad Habits You Have:
1) Eating junk food late at night
2) Talking to myself in public... I've gotten so used to doing it since I now live alone, that I forget that I shouldn't do it when other people are around
3) Sitting with my leg under me, so that it cuts off the circulation and makes it "fall asleep"
4) Cracking my ankle incessantly before I fall asleep at night

Name Four Things That You Wish You Had:
1) My favorite people nearby
2) Something shiny (hahaha... I was just perusing jewelery stores with a bunch of giggling women)
3) A doctoral degree, so that I could just get on with my life already! hahaha
4) The ability to draw and paint well

Name Four Scents You Love:
1) My parents' house
2) My vanilla cookie candle
3) Fields in the summer
4) Christmas trees

Name Four Things You'd Never Wear:
1) Fur
2) Camoflage
3) Ridiculously long fingernails
4) "Ug" boots (or whatever they're actually called)

Name Four Things You Are Thinking Now:
1) "I'm up way past my bedtime."
2) "I'm old."
3) "We're getting our Christmas tree tomorrow!!!"
4) "I have a lot of work to do!!!!"

Name Four Things That You Have Done Today:
1) Went to 2 classes from 9 am- 3pm
2) Drove home from Scranton
3) Went to dinner with my parents, and had this amazing penne with vodka sauce at Balzano's in Bloomsburg (i highly reccomend it... the food is fantastic, and Mr. Balzano gives you a hug and kiss when you walk in)
4) Went shopping in downtown Bloomsburg during their "Late Night Shopping" event with Ceej, Brenda, Erica, and Mama

Name the Last Four Things You Have Bought Recently:
1) A shirt
2) Bread
3) Aluminum foil
4) Krispy Kreme donunts (mmmmmmm....)

Name Four Drinks You Regularly Drink:
1) Diet Orange Slice (or Sunkist)
2) Cranberry apple juice
3) Water
4) Chai tea

Last Thing You Laughed At?
Ceej flirting with the cute jeweler

What's Under Your Bed?
I'm not entirely sure

What Time Did You Wake Up Today?
7:00 am

Current Hair?
A ponytail in disarray (did i spell that correctly?)

Current Clothes?
Pajamas!

Current Desktop Picture?
Johnny Depp playing the bass guitar *sigh*

Current Worry?
School, future, life in general ;)

Current Hate?
Petty girls

Last CD You Bought?
um... All American Rejects "Move Along"... total impulse buy... it's fun to listen to, but nothing to write home about

Favorite Place To Be?
Pretty much anywhere in Lancaster County

Least Favorite Place?
Pretty much anywhere in Lackawana County (Scranton, in particular)

Favorite Color?
Blue, or teal, or purple... depends on the day and the object

Favorite Day?
Saturday

1 week to go.


oh yes, then there's the next three semesters...





is it weird that i want to be a grown up?