I just wish some changes could be immediate... That I could be rid of certain things sooner rather than later. God will give me aid, but I know that I have to sort of meet Him half way. I think that's the part I'm most anxious about. Logical or not, it's true.
Seriously, with days this long, I need more God in my life for strength, guidance, acceptance, peace, wisdom, and just everything really. I've fallen into even more of a spiritual slump than I was before, and it's because I've been neglecting to spend time with God. It's awful. The worst part is, with more separation comes more apathy, and that is NOT something I'm okay with. So, I want to wake up tomorrow morning (ideally every morning) and do a devotional before I go to class. And so I have some structure, I think I am going to pull out the devo book Nikki gave me last year. Prayers would be greatly appreciated. I always hate it when I start slacking in maintaining my relationship with Christ. Obviously we are called to just the opposite, so I need to make a change.
"23Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." {Psalm 139:23-24}
I won't pretend like today was complex, because it really wasn't. I only had one class, and it went very smoothly. I happen to know six people in that class with me, so I should never have to sit alone :) On the way to class alone I saw and hugged six individuals, one of which was my English professor from last semester, Daisy :) She is such a sweetheart. I had a lunch date with Stephanie, one the way to which I saw three of my other SAO sisters. Stephanie and I ended up serenading one of our sisters that came by later, haha. I think that made her feel awkward, because she just slowly backed away. Hahaha! It happens :) I picked up my parking pass, so I don't have to worry about being towed. And I also picked up/filled out a dining hall application. Brianna and I went to Walmart in search of a new TV (we didn't buy one today, but we'll have one soon!). I enjoyed dinner with my small group tonight :) I was worried it would be awkward since Kim isn't here anymore, but it actually went very well! IV had an ice cream social tonight, and I got to see a lot of lovely familiar faces. In short, today was good. I'm really sorry that a lot of these sentences start with "I," and that my posts have been extremely choppy. It will be worked on, I promise. Right now I'm just tired. With that being said, goodnight world :)
That was the first word out of my mouth when I sat up in my bed this morning! Haha. I like having my bed next to the window :)
There's not a whole lot to report today. I found out my television isn't compatible with the school's new digital cable. Dumb. So we aren't real sure what we're going to do about that, but we shall see! E-hall brunch was delicious, I hit that up with Brittany and Brianna. I got to see Britt's room for the first time. I made a Target run. I got to see my darling Stephanie!!!! And it was her birthday!!!!! I was so very happy to see her :) As for dinner, I enjoyed some Festi with Britt, Bri, and Andrea. Andrea called me a freak of nature for pulling all-nighters and getting so little sleep, but she also told me she loves me for it, so.... It's all good :) Haha. I've been straight dorm room chillin' ever since. Tomorrow is the first day of classes! Eeeeep! Wish me luck! Oh wait.... I only have one class :) Yay! The luck is still appreciated though! Haha. Goodnight all :)
Well, I'm all moved in... minus the laundry hamper filled with my bed sheet, blankets, and pillows that I left at home. Yeah, don't ask. I don't quite understand how I forgot that stuff, but luckily Walmart has the hookup. Holla! I got some Chipotle and ate it at Hannah and Brandi's house. It was very lovely to see them :) I finally came back to my room and set up pictures before our hall meeting. Okay, my RA is far too good at 2 truths and a lie... Someone's lie would be "I have 2 brothers," and she would say "Do you have 2 sisters?" and that would be right. That happened on multiple occasions. Creeeepy! Haha. But she seems really nice, so that's good. But yes, here are some pics of my room:
Skyping Brittany from the other side of campus.
Brianna's half (most of it). Her pictures and whatnot will be up soon :)
After all of that was assembled, I went to a movie night/hang out with a group of SAO sisters. We just talked and laughed a lot :) I do love them! Today's been pretty good, all things considered. I thought it was going to be harder than it actually was. I think this is a good sign. Praise! Goodnight loves!
I mean, in my head I realize that I'll be leaving for school in about 8 hours, but none of it has really processed we me emotionally. I haven't really cried.... at all. That is so abnormal for me it's not even funny. Maybe it's because today was so crazy? I don't know.
(If you want to know why it was crazy, let me give you the short version. This morning I had my intern exit interview. After an emotional breakdown, I got the dealer to sell me the purple saturn for my offered price. I had a gelato/photobooth date with Kelly. Packing! Dinner date with Heather. Went to the dealer to pick up my car. Movie night at Chandler's. Fill the car up with gas.)
I am very glad, though, that I got to see so many of my loves today before I left. I had a wonderful time with Kelly this afternoon, even if it was only for a short while. I haven't had as much time with her this summer as I'm used to, so I treasure any moment I get. Dinner with Heather was so lovely; she is far too kind to me, also. We had delicious sushi while we sat and discussed several different life happenings. After looking at pictures in my house for a bit, she joined my mother and I for our trip to the dealer. That wasn't the most pleasant trip in the world, so we won't talk about it, but at least Heather and I got to laugh with Kenny and Jonathan (dealer guys) about the whole situation. Bless my best friend; she was with me from the accident to the new ride. Bahhh. I just love her so much!
Even though I was over an hour late, I went to Chandler's for movie night. I cuddled with Juliana on the couch while sitting next to Elsbeth and watched Despicable Me and The Ringer. Twas a lovely night :) I will always consider Elsbeth one of my dearest and most humorous friends. She just makes me so happy inside :) Juliana, as many of you may well know, is one of my most precious little loves. And even though I'm sad to leave her, I'm glad I got to say a proper goodbye. As for Chandler, he's the coolest asian ever, and I am going to miss him! Who knows, maybe he'll bike to come visit me.... Haha, probs not :P
Well, this was my last day in Richmond for a while. Well, until retreat, actually. It can't come soon enough. And for those who are wondering what the key to getting through separation anxiety is, it's skype. For real. I couldn't go without seeing the lovely faces of my darling friends for that long! Hopefully tomorrow won't be the setting of a meltdown. I can do this.... I can do this.... Goodbye sweet Richmond loves! I'm going to miss you terribly!
I'm trying to figure out how on earth I fit all of my clothes into two suitcases last year. I'm afraid the zippers are going to break... It made me think of this commercial:
Yeah, I'll probably have to sit on top of mine too. Woops! Also, I hope my closet is big, because I have A LOT of hang-up clothes. Who knew? Not me. But yeah, a good portion of today consisted of packing, since I have less than 36 hours left before I leave Richmond :/ It still hasn't really hit me yet that I'm going to be gone; it's weird.
Aside from that, though, I got to hang out with Rachel and Victoria today :) I'm glad I got to do that before I left, because I do love those girls, and I didn't really get to spend a whole lot of time with them this summer. My mom, Johnny, and I went to Maggiano's for dinner :) There were only two downsides: 1) We had to run through the torrential downpour to get into the restaurant, and I looked like some sort of wet animal. 2) They no longer serve the mushroom ravioli :( I was craving it! It's okay though, the cheese ravioli is good too. That was a nice "going away" meal. I enjoyed it.
While at the bank this morning, I ran into Gina and Juliana! That was cool :) And apparently they had just been talking about me when I said hi to them. Strange coincidence indeed! I wish I could tell you I now had a car, but I don't. This dealer is starting to frustrate me, and I have quite a bit to say to them if they actually decide to call me tomorrow.... Breathe in, breathe out.
Well, I am super sleepy, and I have been for about two hours now. Grandma status.... Sad day. Goodnight world! Tomorrow is my last day in RVA.... still can't believe it.
This summer, being a part of this internship, has been the most amazing experience. I was excited to be a youth leader, and I was stoked to be able to go on choir tour. However, I never imagined that I would forge the relationships and be given the opportunities that I did. Beyond leading in Bible study and Sunday school, beyond leading prayer time on stage and being in charge of t-shirt distribution at choir rehearsals, I was blessed with being able to reach out to people and offer them comfort, advice, and guidance through prayer and one-on-one fellowship time. God is working in each and every life of every single person involved in this youth group, and I am so humbled and thankful that He used me as a vessel in this ministry. The relationships, the love, the compassion... it would all be nothing without His presence in it. And no, this hasn't just been about me; His work in the lives of these youth has spoken to me in volumes! God has taught me so much through each person I have come to adore. I did nothing to deserve the blessings that God has showered on me through this internship, and I will forever be grateful that He gifted me with all that He has. None of this will ever be forgotten, and I know it is just a phenomenal start to many years to come in regards to my involvement in Seek and Echo. Though school will put distance between us, I will never be detached-- not after a blessing as tremendous as this.
Not seriously, he just understood very clearly that I'm not willing to budge on what I'm willing to pay. Should all go well tomorrow, that pretty purple Saturn will be mine by Thursday. My dad's going to the dealer with me tomorrow for an extra intimidation factor. Hard ball? Heck yeah.
Not having a car has almost killed my social life. I spent my whole afternoon/evening here at the house. Instead of going to the park with a friend or getting Starbucks, I was sitting at home doing laundry and packing a suitcase. I don't like this :( This wasn't quite how I imagined spending my last few days in Richmond, but there's a reason for everything.
Well, I wish I could tell you I had something more interesting to write about, but sadly I do not. Everyone knows about the earthquake, so that's no longer a topic of interest. I watched my first full episode of Glee tonight, and I only have one thing to say... Barbra Streisand.
Yes, while sitting in Panera with my dad for a late lunch, we literally see my car being towed away to be demolished for parts. So weird! At first I didn't think it was my car, but the writing all over the windows gave it away. Haha. I am going to miss the love messages all over my windows....
But yes, today was extremely productive for me. I got interviewed by the guy from my insurance company who's in charge of my claim. So now I just have to wait to get a copy of the report (such a relief). I called and found out that my car had WAY more damage than was worth paying for, so I called and found a place that was willing to buy it for parts. And after I went and removed all of my belongings from the car, I arranged the towing and everything to get it to the parts place. I found out the Honda I mentioned in my last post had already been sold (or rather, Josh found out). However, I got in tough with the Nissan dealership about a pre-owned Saturn they have, and I set up arrangements to go look at and test drive it tomorrow! I really hope this works out! My mom is hoping too. She trusts Saturn, considering our family has had one for the past 8 years and it's still going strong. So, fingers crossed!
I was able to get about an hour-long nap in today, which was lovely. I didn't realize how tired I was until I laid my head on my pillow. After waking up and talking to my mom for a bit, Chandler and Juliana arrived to take me to Bible study. It was great, as always :) I love how awesome the conversations end up being; it is truly awesome to witness! Chandler also provided me with a ride home, and on the way he sang some The Band Perry for Juliana and I, haha. It was a lovely sound :) Chandler just cracks me up! He was also sweet enough to treat the three of us to sweet tea, which is always a winner in my book :) A generous soul, he is! He probably the coolest asian I know, even in his hipster tanks, haha!
Well, today overall has been pretty good. It was mildly stressful at a few points, but I'm really glad I accomplished as much as I did. Now I just need to pray for the best in regards to tomorrow and the rest of this week! Goodnight world!
Well, let's start with this morning. I got to lead middle school Sunday school! I was actually really nervous that I would do terrible, because I just go into most things thinking that way. But afterwards Jamal came up to me and told me that I did great. He said that everything was well articulated and that I just did a really good job. That was seriously one of the biggest compliments ever, and it kind of made my morning :)
After church, Miranda accompanied me on a Panera outing :) I do love hanging out with that girl. She is so funny and spunky and I just love her! I'm so glad I got to enjoy my lunch with good company :) And after taking her home I myself was homeward bound. I ran a few errands with Jenn for encaustic supplies, so that was fun. When my mom got home, we discussed the potential new used car scenario...
Here's the thing, she doesn't think I can get one before Saturday (when I go back to school). Here's my thing... WHY WAIT?! Once I find out officially tomorrow whether or not my car's totaled, and if it in fact is, I want to be right on top of finding another car. I think my mom finally got it, though, because she drove me to two different dealerships just to take a look. She even scanned craigslist with me when we got home. Here's the funny thing... Josh found this Honda Civic that looks pretty promising. Yes, I said it, a Honda. Those of you who know me really well, you know that Hondas are my pet peeve car. And if I do end up buying said car, I want to eventually get personalized license plates that read "NTAHNDA." Ha! It's not necessarily that I'll be in denial; it's just the principal of the matter :P
Also! I got to hang out with Kelly for a bit tonight! It was the first time in a long time! We didn't do anything crazy; I just accompanied her on some errands. But I'm glad that I got to spend some time with her before I go back to school! It would have been a bummer if I hadn't!
Well loves, I have dawdled on the internet far too much tonight! Sleepy time :)
Almost no packing done.
No car.
No clue how I'm going to afford a new one.
Not sure how I'm going to see people before I go.
Very little peace.
A lot of anxiety.
That's not really worth blogging about. I do, however, want to share pictures of my time at Maymont today with my dear love, Kaitlyn :) We went after our lunch date, and it really was a splendid time!
I love her so much! She truly is a blessing :)
As for my evening, I was very happy to have a dinner date with Nikki. I love spending time with her, and she just makes me oh so very joyful inside :) Then, quite some hours later, Elsbeth saw my tweet and asked me if I would like for her to come watch Tangled with me, and boy did I! Despite the fact that it was almost 12, she came right over to my house. If today has taught me anything, it is that I have an amazing support system of friends that truly care about me. From my best friend who picks me up when I'm broken down, to e-mailing me to make sure I'm okay, to simply spending time with me, they are all the most beautiful people imaginable. I love them with every inch of my heart. I am so blessed, and I am so thankful. There are certainly things to be upset about, but I have so much more to be glad about. Praise be to Him :)
Tonight, for my friend Samantha's birthday, we surprised her with a pole dancing class at Studio X downtown. She had no idea, we even blind folded her; haha :) I'll admit, I was a tad skeptical about the whole endeavor, but I am so glad Taylor and Laura convinced me to do it. It was actually a lot of fun! And I think I would do it again if the opportunity were to present itself :) Anyone interested? Haha.
We even danced a little to this song! I instantly recognized it, since I am indeed a True Blood fan (it's the theme/credits song):
(All photos were stolen from Laura!)
I hope y'all don't think I'm too crazy after reading this, haha. I don't make a habit of doing things like this, but like I said, I really did have a great time :)
And yes, that is my term for fake Uggs. My old pair has super worn-down soles, and they need to be replaced. I'm too cheap to buy real ones, and, let's be honest, no one's judging me for wearing knock-offs. If you know of somewhere that sells decent fuggs, please let a sister know :) I went searching for two-and-a-half hours today, and to no avail. Needless, to say, it was frustrating. Oh well, it's certainly not worth throwing a fit over, that's for sure.
Dinner with padre was good. We simply enjoyed some leftovers while talking about going back to school, his upcoming vacation, and future employment possibilities for me. I do enjoy talking to my dad (most of the time; naturally we have have some conversations that are completely sour). He offers some very sound advise, and he can be very good at putting things in perspective. It's quite comforting, really.
As for youth group, it was great! John gave his testimony, and I really think he is going to do an incredible job as the new high school director. He definitely radiates a heart for the youth and the ministry as a whole :) Great things are on the way! (Sidenote: we did "Be Bold" tonight! So crazy!!! I have missed that :D) Afterwards, we were Chick-fil-a bound! Two lovely individuals **cough Evan and Emily cough** got kicked out. Haha. To borrow John's term, the staff thought they were causing too much of a "ruckus." They really weren't that loud, and we made up about 88% of the people in there. So I'm wondering which of the three other customers supposedly lodged the noise complaint... Oh it's fine, we're just going to find a new spot. Sorry 'bout it Chick, your Wednesday business just got drastically reduced. It's too bad though, because we've enjoyed going there the past few weeks. Womp. Oh well! Again, definitely nothing to throw a fit over.
The parking lot hang out that followed lasted until probably 10:45. I love talking and spending time with my darling youth friends :) They are some of the most amazing individuals. And I don't know if they will ever truly realize how much they mean to me, but I love them with all of my heart and then-some :) I am truly blessed to have them in my life!
-Something Heather actually did not know about me until today! Haha.
Today was the last day I'll ever have to say memory verses for internship! HOORAH! Guess who didn't lose any money? Me! Praise :) And despite having to make 240 packets worth of copies, we finished an hour early today! So, naturally, I hung out and chatted with Mama Tobz for an hour until Heather arrived at the church :) We had a lovely boba date complete with a game of checkers and much laughter :) I do love my best friend! She always brings a smile to my face, always :)
After being dropped off at my car, I picked Miranda up and we headed to Jenna's surprise going-away party! There was a lovely turn-out, and it was really fun to just see and talk with everyone-- even youth I've never really had a conversation with before! And Jenna was just too precious; I am certainly going to miss her darling face when she moves to Florida. But knowing her and her social-butterfly personality, she will definitely make a lot of wonderful friends there :)
In other news, it is dawning on me more and more that I have less than 10 days before I go back to school... This is utter craziness. I need to start planning dates with people, right now. Goodnight all!
So, tonights season finale of Teen Wolf was absolutely epic! I loved it! (Spoiler alert!) I was SO happy because Scott and Allison ended up staying together!
Now I realize that a televised couple is in fact not real, but their on-screen relationship just makes me feel giddy inside! So it got me thinking about my love language-- I think partially because love languages came up in conversation about two weeks ago at Scoob's house. After some thought, I've come to the conclusion is physical touch, or so I think. And I think the love language I'm most receptive to (from a significant other, I mean) is affirmation. (For a friend relationship, I'd say it's quality time.) Funny how a TV show made me think about that, haha. My friend asked me what my love language was a few months ago, actually, and I had no clue! Anyways... Let's move on!
Tonight I led middle school Bible study, and it went smoother than I had anticipated! The kids were participating, and I don't think words can express how much better that made me feel about the whole endeavor. Haha. I won't lie, I was rather anxious. I'm afraid of saying something even the slightest bit off, because it's the Bible! Haha. Messing that up, especially when you're teaching it, would make me feel so awful. But Nikki told me afterwards that I did well, so that definitely made me feel better :) No scriptural mistakes to my knowledge! Praise :)
Well, there wasn't much else about my day that was interesting, so I'll leave it at that. Goodnight, all!
At the end of last semester, our small group leaders had us write a letter to ourselves that they would mail to us towards the end of summer. I received mine yesterday...
Stephanie,
This year has certainly been a growing period for you, whether you were always aware of it or not. You came in only knowing a hand-full of people. Despite your initial interest in IV, you saw how easy it was to get distracted in your faith. On more than one occasion, you sat in your dorm room and cried-- all the while trying to figure out how you could return to the feeling and faith that you had in youth group. Look at you now. You have learned so much about the Word, and you have a greater understanding of the importance of maintaining faith and trust in God through small group. Through Justice Team, your heart for service had been challenged. Through SAO, you have established the closest relationships you have at JMU. You are a part of a Christ-centered sisterhood. They love you and have built you up in your faith. You have become so much more willing to share your struggles with others-- no longer just the bearer. You've seen the importance of investing in your community of brothers and sisters. You have been truly blessed. AS you go into sophomore year, know that friendships may change and you will continue to be challenged, but Jesus never leaves you. With Him, you will continue to grow and prosper in your faith. Keep grounded in your Father, always.
WORDS WITH FRIENDS! (I know I'm late on that, but still.)
I am currently in 16 separate games... I have no life. Haha. But seriously, I've just been doing this all night. Mostly with Jennifer, which makes it even more lame because we were right next to each other the whole time. Haha! Whatevskies :)
Speaking of Jenn, TODAY (the 14th) WAS HER 17TH BIRTHDAY!!! Yay!
That cake was the bomb. It's one of the Carvel ice cream cakes, but the fact that it looks like a cupcake just makes it that much more legit :) We had dinner at dad's with the grandparents, and I found out that I have no clue how old my dad or my grandparents are. Child/grandchild fail? Maybe. Woops!
As for my morning/early afternoon, it was filled with Echo Sunday School, third service, and Boba with Chandler (not pictured)! Holla!
It, of course, was not just raining in one spot. But that's what Juliana and I were thinking before we saw the sprinkler..... Hahaha. What a fail :P
Today was lovely! (Minus the awful dream that woke me up this morning, but that's beside the point.) Jennifer brought me Chick-fil-a breakfast again(!), which was a much appreciated and totally unexpected surprise. The two of us took a trip to Hobby Lobby, where I got the supplies I need to hang my pictures on the wall at school (pictures will be posted later once it's hanging in my dorm room)! I also got supplies for another hang-on-the-wall idea, and here is the result!
Yep! Letters for Brianna and I :) She didn't know I was making them, and she said she loved them; thus I am excited to hang them up :) Fast forward a few hours, and Jenn and I went to Casa Grande for dinner! The food was delicious as always, AND I got them to sing Happy Birthday to her (without her even noticing that I told them)! She was SO embarrassed, but she definitely wasn't complaining about the free fried ice cream we got to split! (Shoot, I wasn't either. Haha!)
Juliana and I decided to go on a spontaneous Stizz date, and we decided that Heather needed to come as well! While we waited for Heather to complete her dinner, Jules and I went to the park. We played on the playground, took pictures, recorded a video, and looked for shapes in the clouds :)
I loved doing that :) And I loved that we could both look at the same cloud and see two completely different things-- for example, a turtle and a rabbit. Tis amazing how the imagination works!
Starbucks with Heather was such a lovely time :) The three of us sat outside and just talked for two hours! What about? Pretty much anything and everything! (Okay, I realize talking about "everything" isn't exactly possible, but you know the expression. Haha.) I love those two SO much! They are seriously two of my favorite people on the planet!
I, along with about ten other interns, attended the GLS both today and yesterday. The days were long, but overall it was a pretty good conference, filled with some pretty inspirational speakers. I won't lie to you, I feel asleep during one of them, but the rest were at least fairly engaging. I won't go into a huge shpeel, but here are a few people I found truly inspiring/intriguing.
Mama Maggie, also known as the "Mother Theresa of Cairo," is such a humble and incredible woman. She literally kissed the floor of the stage so that it may be blessed by God. When she started her speech, she was looking straight up towards Heaven with tear-filled eyes. Only seeing her speak would ever truly do her justice, but my guess is that she is the closest thing this world has to an angel in human form. She started the organization Stephen's Children, where she ministers and aids over 25,000 families in the garbage slums of Cairo. Truly, she is a saint.
Cory Booker is the Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, and he has made it his mission to reduce the crime rate in that city. What really struck me about him was his determination to do just that, and he really cares about the safety and security of the people he represents. Not only that, but he holds your attention!
I really want to see Street Fight, the documentary that follows his mayoral election! I think it would be really interesting.
Michelle Rhee used to be the chancellor of the D.C. public school system, and despite her lack of expertise, she had a genuine heart for kids. She made extremely hard and controversial decisions so that, even though she had adults screaming insults to her face, children could get the quality education they needed and deserved--something that had been very much lacking. I also loved that, in response to the last interview question at the summit, she admitted that she is not yet able to call herself a Christian. She confessed that she is so logical in her thinking that it is making it difficult for her to accept the supernatural nature of God and to depend on Him despite not being able to physically see and touch Him. However, she said her and her husband are going through the Experiencing God workbook together every day, so I pray that she will soon be able to give her life to God! She seems like an amazing woman!
I had to officially say goodbye to Kathryn tonight. It's so sad when some one you love so much has to leave for a large amount of time :( Especially after a summer as crazy and wonderful as this one!
^This actually does make me laugh :) Haha!
I love you, Kathryn! You going to do wonderfully in LCF, Bonner, and school in general; never fret :) I cannot wait until retreat so that we can be reunited! It will come sooner than we know it :)
I'm Stephanie. I love everyone, and everyday I am amazed by the blessings God has bestowed upon me. I have an amazing family of friends that I share my life experiences with, and I have a crazy culmination of thoughts that clutter my cranium. I have passions and dreams, opinions and questions. I blog to share these things with others, and for my own personal relief at times. My hope is that someone, somewhere, is interested enough to read about it. If not, that's okay too :) I just enjoy the opportunity to set my thoughts free!
