blessings

 I take things for granted.WAY too much. 

Like being able to fall asleep right when I want to. 

Or at least shortly after I go to bed. I am not saying I have become an insomniac. But the past couple weeks I have had a harder time falling asleep. Whether this has been due to guests staying in my room with me (who I enjoyed having), or too much on the brain, or in tonight's case, one White Chocolate Mocha, almost 9 hours ago. 

 And when I am tested I am sad to say that my responses are not of "pure joy" when it is ME "facing trials of many{albeit minute and short lived} kinds."  No, instead of thinking how blessed I am to be ALIVE, I complain about my poor blistered feet. I forget to thank God for the beauty of HIS creation, and I mope because it is cold outside, when I am ready for spring. Rather than looking to God for His "ever present help in time of need", I whine about my course load, and the amount of studying I need to do, for the tests I don't want to take. And now, it is not nearly enough for me to have a beautiful home, and a comfortable bed, but I need to be able to sleep when I , Colleen, decide it is time. This is the battle that was going on in my head, well not much of a battle really, since it's pretty obvious what mind set was conquering.

But then a verse I have been trying to memorize came to mind.

 Psalm 3:5

 "I lie down and sleep;

I wake again because the LORD sustains me."

Isn't our God incredible? I'd like to say that it never ceases to amaze me, but sometimes it does. Sometimes I am not amazed. Sometimes I forget that God holds EVERYTHING together. The planet, the universe, and yes, even me. 

Thank you Lord, for sustaining me. Thank you for making me. for not punishing me in my ungratefulness, and pride. I get tired of fighting the same struggles against complaining, against my sin. I get frustrated, and quit trying. But when I am faithless to fight, when I am lazy, exhausted, in pain, and just plain sinful, You are faithful, working, renewing, forgiving, and HOLY. And you CALLED me! You LOVE me, and despite all my sin, my continued rebellion against You , You have promised to keep me from stumbling (see the book of Jude). Wow. 

Thank you.

Megan Janelle

So as you may or may not know, today is my VERY good friend Megan's birthday. =D =D =D =D

YES! Break out the balloons and streamers!!!!!!! This is a beautiful day to partayyyyy.

What's that? You don't get it? Oh! You're wondering why I am sooooo excited if it's not MY birthday? Because it's Megan's birthday. Hmm...I guess  maybe there are a few things you should know about her,so that you can celebrate as much as me.

1.)She is funny. I know very few people who can make me laugh as easily.

Job 8:21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter  and your lips with shouts of joy.

2.)She LOVEs her family. Even when it is hard (you won't see me signing up to live with 10 people). She respects her parent's, and honors them by seeking their counsel.

Exodus 20:12 "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you"

3.) Megan cuts hair. (shameless advertising for my talented friend)

sorry no verse for this one ;-)

4.)Megan doesn't sit around waiting for God to wave a magic wand and make things easier for her, she realizes that she is called to FIGHT, whether it's a fight for joy, a fight for contentment, or just a fight to get out of bed on one of her very early mornings, she makes it her goal to glorify God in the way she is proactively proclaiming the gospel to herself.

2Corinthians 10:3-5 "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

5.) Thank you Megan for the countless texts offering or asking for prayer, sharing encouraging verses, or even pointing out the beauty in the sun rising over the Potomac.

I know it's not easy for you, but you don't quit.

6.)Megan is an amazing photographer. Now you know who to call for a fabulous hair cut, and some new portraits =0)(more advertising, and again no verse, just a link )http://meganjanellephotography.blogspot.com/, 

7.)Megan has red hair. (maybe a weird reason to celebrate, but hey ;-) )

 

8.) stuffed crust pizza. need I say more?

Happy Birthday Megan, I love you so much! I hope your day is full of laughter, fun, and an awareness of God's grace on your life for the last 20 years. I look forward to the next 20 years, before we are "over the hill"

Dream a little (day )dream of ...

...SPRING! 

Spring is on the way! yes, I do realize that this is only February, but on a day like today it feels more like May. All thoughts of winter are relegated to the back of my mind, much like the few trace piles of slushy snow remaining in the shadows on campus. My winter paleness try's to convince me to soak up the much missed sun, but the Irish in me says it won't do any good, and getting a sunburn in February is a *little* bit ridiculous. So I stick to the deliciously breezy shade, and hope for the best. The weather makes me want to read the Shakespeare that isn't due until Monday, instead of studying for the more immediate test I have to take. Makes me think about applying for summer jobs, and reminds me of all the wonderful things I want to cook. Fresh salsa, Kabobs on the grill, this summer I swear I will try my hand at fresh gazpacho, and sorbet, and a million other things I want so much to cook. I am trying really hard to reign myself in from all my wild day dreams. I feel like I could sit down and write a whole book about anything I wanted, creativity can't sleep on a day like today. Well, I could write about ALMOST anything...but not quite...Geology? No, not so much. So adieu my friends. I must away to study for the impending test. Until the morrow.(or whenever I get the chance)

For now enjoy this song  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_070zWcEuk

What's the big idea?

So now that you're here, I bet you're wondering what this blog is for? Well, you asked the wrong question. It's not really "for" anything in particular. Post topics will range from cooking and baking, to writing, to photography, to art, with a few thoughts on life as me sprinkled in. Haha get it? ;-)  I will also post things I have been learning in my devotions, or just something that stuck out to me from a sermon I heard. Its not that what I am going to be saying is new. But I need the reminder, so I figure someone else might too =)

NOT impressive...improving

I'd love to be able to say I had one great talent that I was known for. That I was the funniest person, or the best cook, photographer, artist, or writer that you would stumble across. But as it is, I am just me. Me. Crazy, random, scatter brained, too many interests me. I have many loves, as I have listed, and I would love to share them with you.

More important though, than any of my interests is this: that the God of the universe loves ME, and sent His Son to die so that I can live with Him for all eternity.

Wow. that's the only impressive thing I have going for me. But here's the kicker: I did nothing to earn this love. No, I did everything in my power to show God that I wanted to do things my way. Yet in spite of me and my sin, God still loved me, and graciously showed me that my pride and self sufficiency leads only to death. Because of His grace and love, I have been able to choose His love, over my own arrogance. And although I am still painfully proud, I know that He who began a good work in me will carry it through until the day of completion.