Sunday, December 30, 2007

playing dress-up






















our second costume party was on friday-and it definitely compared to the first!
with gluten-free cookies, mexican food, charades and our imaginations, the party was quite a success.

the part of mr. graham, the millionaire was played by paul.
"go buy yourself some new clothes"
(throws several hundred dollars on the floor)























the part of herman, the nerd was played by peter-a very convincing performance! =)























the part of skitteery aka skit-tree, one of the newsies was played by john.
"what a dame-real hoity toity."























i played the part of giselle, from enchanted. i do secretly aspire to be a princess, after all. =)























the part of miss mary, the librarian (inspired by "its a wonderful life) was played by mommy.























and last but certainly not least is the part of jack frost, played by daddy (inspired by "the santa clause 3", which by the way, none of us have ever seen.) i thought he looked quite distinguished as a frosted gentleman.























games aren't much fun without prizes!















Saturday, December 29, 2007

a little reality

we took down our tree today.
christmas officially seems to be over.
its only a little less than a week (in hours-not days) until i head back to school.
bother.

Thursday, December 27, 2007

a familiar face

i love the gift of new friends. college has blessed me with so many new faces to love.
but yesterday i also enjoyed the blessing of an old friend-someone i've known since pre-school days.

i love this girl-
she's darling.
she makes me laugh.
she's fun, but can be serious. =)
she loves boys, but realizes that they are scum.
she hates my cats.
she eats too much sugar.
i never have to wonder if she likes me or hates me-she tells me.
she loves musicals and movies.
she's almost a teacher.
she's as afraid of growing up as i am.

love you emma girl!

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

twinsies

mommy and i bought each other the same pajama pants for christmas this year.
as the saying goes, it is more blessed to give than receive-or in this case, equal? =)
it still makes me laugh to think of how we gave each other the same thing-but i'm so glad! i wanted them, even as i was buying them for her...and she wanted them too!
according to another saying, great minds think alike.

most wonderful time of the year

christmas was magical-
staying in comfy clothes all day long
decorating cookies
snow-my first white christmas!
giving and receiving presents
watching movies
eating delicious food
phone calls to room-mates
happy birthday jesus







Tuesday, December 25, 2007

love came down

love came down at christmas
love all lovely, love divine
love was born at christmas
stars and angels gave the sign
- christina rossetti

christmas is more than just a warm and fuzzy holiday, but a blessed reminder of love-love that is offered so that we might taste reconciliation, true peace and all that God dreams for our lives.

jesus, thank you for this beautiful gift of love.

Monday, December 24, 2007

taste of christmas

another day filled with the sights, sounds, smells and particularly the taste of christmas-
it was especially nice to make things to be enjoyed by all. it also nice to bake with familiar carols to sing along with as they played in the background.
batch five and six of fudge were made, along with the baking of gluten-free bread and gingerbread.
"at christmas, play and make good cheer, for christmas comes but once a year."
-thomas tusser













Saturday, December 22, 2007

a purring heart

when you're used to hearing purring and suddenly it's gone, it's hard to silence the blaring sound of sadness. -missy altijd

as i told martha on our last one-on-one before break, one of the things i love most about being home is my sweet kitties. as i've been resting this week, it has brought my heart such joy to have one of my cats curled in the space my bent legs make, or to have whiskers and a wet nose rub against my face. oh, how i've missed davy and jane.




















there are few things in life more heartwarming than to be welcomed by a cat. -tay hohoff
i couldn't agree more. =)

there are two means of refuge from the misery of life - music and cats. -albert schweitzer
between christmas sounds and my purring animals, i've found quite a refuge this week.

are we really sure the purring is coming from the kitty and not from our very own hearts? -emme woodhull-bäche, translated
i often wonder this too-because if it is possible to purr, i'm sure i would have by now.

who would believe such pleasure from a wee ball o' fur? -irish saying
i think part of what make pleases me the most is the knowledge that my kitties are just as happy to see me as i am to see them.

























if i tried to tell you how much i love my cats, you wouldn't believe me - unless your heart is also meow-shaped and covered in stray fur. -lexie saige

fudge

today i made my fourth batch of fudge for the season. i hadn't ever attempted it before a week or so ago, but due to the favored response, it has quickly become one of my favorite things to make. so far, i've tried my hand at plain fudge, fudge with nuts and rocky road fudge. the verdict is still out on which is the best...

Friday, December 21, 2007

his coming

christmas is magical. but more than the traditions and tasty treats, i can't help but be in awe of the wonder surrounding the coming of our savior.

this is why he came.

i don't know that i'll ever understand it. but i do know i have sing his praise for the beauty, the sacrifice, the wonder of his coming.

Monday, December 17, 2007

gee, do they still make wooden christmas trees?


















i've always loved a charlie brown christmas. such a short, simple, darling film which chooses to focus on jesus, instead of the commercialism of christmas.
i recently discovered what a special thing this movie really is.
-such a "blatant message" in a movie horrified the producers and they tried to discourage charles schultz from his intentions
-this film went against many aspects of children's shows of the day: they used real children's voices, no canned laughter and the bible is quoted to demonstrate the true meaning of christmas
-my favorite thing that i discovered about this film is charles schultz's response to the pressure to remove the bible from his movie, "if we don't do it, who will?"





















"i guess you were right, linus. i shouldn't have picked this little tree. everything i do turns into a disaster. i guess i really don't know what christmas is all about.
isn't there anyone who knows what christmas is all about?"

"sure, charlie brown, i can tell you what christmas is all about.
lights, please.
"and there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. and lo, the angel of the lord came upon them, and the glory of the lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. and the angel said unto them, 'fear not: for behold, i bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. for unto you is born this day in the city of david a savior, which is christ the lord. and this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.' and suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'"

that's what christmas is all about, charlie brown."


Sunday, December 16, 2007

an unseen hero
















it has been so good to be home. i've loved being able to rest and spend time with my family. last night, we watched the nativity story together. despite a few details either left out or small liberties taken, i was quite impressed with this film. it showed how hard our christmas story is-how difficult and beautiful the circumstances surrounding the birth of our lord truly was.
one part of the movie that i found particularly impactful was the character of joseph. i've always been aware of how God chose mary for her role as jesus' mother, but it was enlightening to see more of joseph's role and how God so obviously must have chosen him.

what an honorable and virtuous man-to be willing to quietly divorce mary, so not to shame her, to listen and obey the word of God, to raise a child who was not his own, to move to a foreign country.













i loved having this message emphasized yet again in church today through the sermon, and even through paul's quiet portrayal of joseph in the christmas play.

jesus, thank you for the example of such a humble and self-sacrificing man. thank you for choosing joseph to be an earthly example of what you intended a family to look like.

"this is how the birth of jesus christ came about: his mother mary was pledged to be married to joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the holy spirit. because joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. but after he had considered this, an angel of the lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "joseph son of david, do not be afraid to take mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the holy spirit. she will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." all this took place to fulfill what the lord had said through the prophet:"the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him immanuel"—which means, "God with us." when joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the lord had commanded him and took mary home as his wife. but he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. and he gave him the name jesus." -matthew 1:18-25

Friday, December 14, 2007

nothing to study

its a little hard for me to believe that i am done with classes. all semester, there was always something to be studying. whenever i would do something fun, there was the little voice in the back of my head, reminding me of what would need to be worked on when i was done or what nursing concept i should be learning right now. i feel like i should be doing something, but it is so freeing to know that there is no new information that needs to be memorized or concept that needs to make its way into my head. no tests or exams for a month! yippee!
last night jodi and i helped deliver gifts to the family that the nursing program adopted for christmas. it was an adventure to get a little lost with my friend, singing along with chris tomlin and enjoying the christmas lights along the way...
we also made some treats-fudge and chocolate covered marshmallows. yum!


Tuesday, December 11, 2007

ornaments

last night was the res. life christmas party. our staff dressed up as hallmark ornaments-so basically, (as sarah later said) we could dress up as any ambiguous thing and call it an ornament...as seen by our eclectic assortment of costumes. i went as a reindeer ornament. but i'm not so sure i would want all of us on MY tree. =)
here are some of my favorites from the evening...
i found a friend!

















i found another reindeer! =)

















my staff as ornaments...

















and my co-ra...this picture makes me laugh. what a goon.

room-mates

celebrating christmas with my room-mates...they bless me lots.




Monday, December 10, 2007

theme song

last night, for a study break, jodi and i came up with our own theme songs for the semester. after using some of our nursing skills, like "critical thinking" we each determined ours. i almost chose "i have confidence" from the sound of music but instead chose "eighth grade" by chris rice.

some of these lyrics are exactly what i held on to this semester:

remember the days when life was not so mysterious
follow me down the hall to the cafeteria
where the worst thing i could mess up
was dipping yesterday's corn dog in last week's ketchup
back in the eighth grade

why does the past always seem safer?
maybe because at least we know we made it.
and why do we worry about the future?
when everyday we come just the way the lord ordained it.
you can believe it-
just like the eighth grade.

Sunday, December 9, 2007

the thing to remember...

"the great thing to remember is that, though our feelings come and go,
his love for us does not." –c.s.lewis

this is what i need to be reminded of. finals and studying really can't compare to the love God has for me. church today was just what i needed-to hear how desperately God wants to save me, so much so that he sent jesus. i don't know how many times i'll need to be reminded of his steadfast love, but i have a feeling that it will never be enough. thank you jesus-for coming to be my savior even though i'll never even come close to understanding what a great and glorious gift that is-for holding me and helping me as i study-for reminding me of what really matters.

studying

i'm so thankful for the opportunity to study nursing at george fox, but my brain and body are tired. the last thing i want to do is study, but it is the one thing i must do. and for once, i share a bit of calvin's feelings...

Saturday, December 8, 2007

an annual event

to celebrate jenny's birthday, we had lunch at claim jumpers. the waitress assured me that she would provide extra wheat for me. =) we met up with some of the girls from our freshman floor. then we went to bridgeport for gelato-jenny's choice. i got "hot chocolate" which was basically just creamy chocolate, but quite delicious. i thought it was funny to have a "hot" gelato. our birthday adventure ended with 20 candles on jenny's cake.

Friday, December 7, 2007

geometry

i've studied about all i can for tonight-i woke up at 7 this morning, and have been studying practically all day. i feel like there's still so much i don't know yet. i'm just praying that God will make everything clear in my head in the morning. i'm trying not to worry, but trust Him to do his part, since i've been trying to do mine.

still...there is a little part of me that has some worry for this pharmacology test tomorrow:
anne seems to know how i feel-
"as rachel lynde used to say, the sun will go on rising and setting whether i fail in geometry or not.
i think i'd rather it didn't go on if i failed." -anne of green gables

but whenever those doubts come in, i have been trying to counter them with the knowledge that people are praying for me along with the reminder that jesus is on my team.

"for God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of self-control." -2 timothy 1:7

"have I not commanded you? be strong and courageous. do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." -joshua 1:9

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

halfsies

today is my half birthday*. =)
half way done with being 20!

*a half-birthday is one of many unbirthdays, to use the terminology from "alice in wonderland" (not to be confused with alison wonderland, even though they sound remarkably and annoyingly similar) for any day that is not a person's real birthday.