A Week's Wrap-Up

I've been absent from this blog for a week. It's been a big week - so here are some highlights in somewhat bullet-form.

Tuesday:
- First day of an awesome class with a prof who trained animals in Sea World and who now lives the world-changing life I aspire to.
- Super stressed at the amount of homework piling up.

Wednesday:
- Went to lab where I get to do experiments with rats. Discovered that when I get near the little fuzzies, I talk in a high pitched little kid voice and earn bewildered looks from the super-smart scientists in my class.
- Stress level climed as homework increased, schedule filled, and sleep decreased.

Thursday:
- Stress destroyed. Found myself with tear ducts that work overtime and ended up in a puddle on my bathroom floor, where all I could think was: "I'm like those little rats...(they like small areas, and when I fall apart, apparently I do too, because I go to the smallest room of my apartment to curl up.) I'm a rat. Awesome."
- Actually...I didn't really know what to think. All I could do was sob, rock back and forth, and recite the lyrics to the song "My Hideaway." I ended up managing to crawl across the floor to my bookshelf to pull "My Utmost for You Highest" off the shelf and open to the marked page (June 18th). Chambers was talking about when Jesus calls Peter out of the boat and into the storm. Peter starts walking, and then gets distracted by his surroundings and instantly goes down. Chambers urges to let your circumstances be what they are, but recognize Christ in all of it. *Pause.* *Breathe.* *Read again.* I usually think of the chaos of my life as the stormy sea that Jesus calms with a word. I always hear Him say: "Why are you fearful, oh you of little faith?" This was the first time I considered letting the chaos remain, and letting it be what it is. He doesn't have to calm the crap storm of life in order to provide peace by His presence. What a kick-ass savior we have!

- Went to small group, updated my loves on my life. Listened, laughed, prayed...left with room to breathe and "feet in spacious places (Psalm 31 - Thanks Lisa!)."

Friday:
- School. More rats. More embarassing baby talk.
- Visited my lovely Krysta and enjoyed her company...I miss that woman like I would miss my right arm if it ever moved an hour away from me. It was beyond delightful to sit with her and just BE - even if she is as sick as a dog. :-(

- Came back to campus where I danced the night away with these fine folk at a "Resurrection Dance." I'm telling you - if there is any way to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, it is with a bunch of fun loving peeps dancing like fools to old-school hits from the decades when we all sat around and drooled. Oh the beauty of a Christian campus...

Saturday:
- Enjoyed Red Mill Burgers and "Miss Pettigrew lives for a day" with two of my favorite women: Greta and Allie. I LOVE Amy Adams!!! And the MAN in that movie...Lee Pace! I've never seen him before but he was FANTASTIC.

Almost as fabulous as James McAvoy.....ALMOST. But let's be honest. No one beats McAvoy when it comes to hollywood men worth admiring....- Followed the movie up with homework at Starbucks.

- Followed that up with homework avoidance in the form of catching up on new movie trailers, talking on the phone with my future mother-in-law, talking on the phone with my fiance while making funny faces at myself in the mirror and giggling like an idiot (a side effect of the latte I drank), and enjoying the hyperlink and photo insert adventures of blogging.

Reflection:

Life is worth enjoying. God is too good, our days are too short. Even if the present storm of non-stop appointments, work, class, homework, and people never ceases to rage - Jesus is still standing strong ready to catch me when my knees buckle. And then there are adventures to be had, songs to dance to, people to laugh with, movies to watch, and people who love me beyond reason. And even when that all falls...He's still there holding me tight.

Safe in Your arms, my hideaway...:-)