and when I least expect it... God shows up!

I've discovered over my lifetime (however long or short it may seem to some) that God does things I don't expect. When I look back after He does them, though, I always wonder why I didn't see it coming. He's the completely-surprising-to-keep-you-on-your-toes-while-still-being-somewhat-rational kind of God. Well, He's mostly that kind of God. I'm not going to try to put Him in a box. ;)

Anyway, today He did some very cool things that I now can see make very good sense, but were things I was a little flustered about initially. One of them regards housing for next year (here in Lafayette... I'm re-interning if they'll have me), and is not completely set up yet, but involves living with Pauline! I'm uber-excited, and we have a couple of potential places to check out... it's a little scary to have to be grown-ups, but also exhilarating.

ON ANOTHER NOTE: I'm going to Freiburg this summer (oh yeah!), and just got (almost for-sure) confirmation that Mel is going to meet me there at the end of the project for some sweet Europe-hopping fun (just like last time, perhaps?)! I'm pretty psyched for that, too, since I really wanted to do a little travelling, but didn't want to do it ALL ALONE. Europe is so much better with a buddy!

God's been answering prayers all over the place! RAWHIDE!

some thoughts on some things (the abridged version)

This evening I spent an hour or so at my favorite coffee shop here in W. Lafayette, and read a little. It was great, and (since I'd forgotten my Bible on the kitchen table at home) an opportune time to do a little writing/rambling/you-get-the-picture. These are the abridged notes from that prattlization....

"I'm at Cafe Royale. It's a Tuesday night, so it's get-an-upgrade-card--FREE--with-any-purchase day. I bought a vanilla tea ($1.85). I did not get an upgrade card. Therefore, I am generally frustrated (but not enough, apparently, to have asked my barista for one).

"And my frustration frustrates me. It bothers me for multiple reasons: #1--I've only ever gotten an upgrade card once, but I didn't even use it myself (I gave it to Colin); #2--I always get tea, and there are no sizes involved (and I get as many free refills of hot water as I want!); #3--I hate being bothered by "this sort of stuff" (referring to materialism in general, which, I had erroroniously thought I didn't struggle with)!

"I don't have too many money issues...I think I spend A LOT on coffee and tea.... Anyhow, my problem really manifests itself when "free stuff" is on the scene. I'm quite a sucker for the "free stuff". Embarrassingly so....

"I wonder if throwing money at the problem will solve it... like, "ok, I want free stuff. I'll give more of my money away to combat it...." Would that even help?

"I like to be generous, but I'm stingy when it comes to free things. What's my deal? REALLY... WHAT IS IT? Ugh. I hate materialism (and that means I also hate free tampons from PCB, even though I desire them)."

*****enough of that topic... here's more thoughts on more things*****

"Blue Like Jazz is pretty mellow. I like that it makes me think, and that I feel intellectual when I think. Another thing--I feel like solidarity is some kind of regal thing when I read that book (and that makes me feel regal, since I have lots of alone time here).... I desire my little introvert-fix after I read BLJ, I just want to become a hermitess and write manuscripts and think deep thoughts, and post on my new blogspot [as I am currently doing!]. I could do that a lot... for a day or two.

"I think it's like circadian rhythm--very glamorous and seductive at first because it's different and chic, but after a little while, you're up during all the night hours and sleeping all day... and you can't have any friends anymore because your schedules do not coincide AT ALL, and then it's not chic or rebel-cool anymore, it's simply weird, annoying, and lonely. And, at that point, you wish you'd been reentraining yourself every day instead of fighting your natural inclination and doing this "freedom" thing that really only imprisoned you more."

*****and the last bit*****

"Today I felt like I got a glimpse--ever so small--of what an effective ministry could look like in Meredith. It was (actually) a glimpse of me casting a vision without doing so "officially". I shared my life and what is amazing about God with both Kari and Lyndi. I did it naturally--they thought it was just one of my (many) tangents. If I continue to (secretly?) share God's work in my life (really, it was just His work in Joshua...), I could secretly be discipling and transforming women by pointing them to a truer depiction of Christ and a deeper relationship with God as they begin to grasp and understand Him more. Could be awesome."


And that concludes today's ramblings, yet I think I have so much more to share. My brain has been working overtime lately. I really do enjoy that.

lost in translation

This morning I attended the second-to-last URL (University Religious Leaders) meeting of the semester (which I needed to attend because I haven't been to any yet this semester), and heard some keynote speakers talk about genocide in honor of Holocaust Remembrance Week. It was a bittersweet experience.

I truly enjoyed hearing one guest share with us (however briefly) about her experience as a Holocaust survivor, having fled to Shanghai with her mother to escape Nazi persecution. I love learning about the truth behind such eras... truth that comes from individuals' experiences. I enjoyed her bit so much that I even waited around after the breakfast to thank her for coming and swap email addresses.

The rest of the breakfast speakers were a little too political for my liking, and also, it seemed (along with many of those asking questions at the end of the short speeches) simply wanted to talk above the group, rather than explain things so that we would be inspired to act. Now, I can't really judge their motives (since I don't know their hearts), so please don't think that I desire to do so, but I found myself wondering why.

Maybe I wonder about this because I enjoy sharing my faith and speaking in order to motivate others to act. That is one idea. Another is that because I was a communications major, I understand the value of communicating effectively.

I really, truly want to believe, though, that I simply hate to see people being belittled, regardless of their education or social status. I want people to care for each other, and extend that care by making efforts to treat others with respect. If someone is speaking to a group about a certain agenda, why not cater the speech to the group's vernacular (of course, within reason...) so the message is not lost in translation? It seems that too often, action never occurs because people are left scratching their heads in confusion or laughing in mockery after they've been addressed by a speaker.

This whole concept has me reevaluating my own norms of communication, particularly regarding my communication about Christ. Do I ever try to speak above those I'm sharing with? Do I try to use fancy jargon to make myself look elite and all-knowing? How do I use my own situation in ways that estrange people, and consequently, turn them from the gospel? Perhaps most importantly, How do I become all things to all people so I can relate to them and meet them where they are?

This is something worth discovering.

come one, come all!

Right now (as in, 30 seconds ago), I have officially opened this blog to the public by making its wherabouts known on my xanga. Welcome!

Today I watched the movie version of Godspell. I have, until this point, intentionally avoided it. I would love feedback from others who've either seen the play or the movie before I add my two-cent's worth. (Did that last bit sound like my grandma talking?) I need to go warsh my laundry, okie-doke?

I never call Russia in real life.

I had a funny dream last night that I was running from secret service agents or something. I had a bodyguard, too, who I had to pretend I was married to whenever we went anywhere. I don't remember his name, but he never slept. It seems creepy and completely abnormal, but in the dream (of course) it was perfectly fine and I didn't worry about his lack of sleep at all. I mean, that was his job. He was really good at it.

I remember very little other than the fact that I had to keep changing clothes, I got a haircut, and I had to hide beneath a restaurant booth so I could make a long-distance call to Russia (it was of critical importance... there was some crazy music going on in the background, too!).

When I woke up this morning, I almost thought my real life was the same. Then I really woke up when I realized that I never call Russia in real life.

mmm... yes!

Today at ECC (the women's Bible study), Sara asked Char and me to teach for a couple of weeks on how to practically share our faith in everyday life! I'm so geeked for this that I want to scream! YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
I can't wait to resource these women and send 'em out as gospel-sharing machines!

so here we go again...

Yeah, it's official. I'm a blogging nutcase.

I just can't seem to commit when it comes to a server... but I think blogspot is it. If it's not it, then I think I'll probably retire from my searching and call it a bust.

Here are some highlights from today:

• Jon asking me what a "duvet" is, as well as what a "sham" is. I love his vulnerability when it comes to things he "doesn't know because he's a guy".
• Hearing from Christi how well her times with God have been this semester after she started reading through the New Testament and journalling her questions and insights (heck yeah!).
• Having Angela come to Bible study (I mean... "cell group"--I really do still have difficulty with that terminology.)... AND she ate my snack! Yeeeehaw!
• Sending "top-secret" packages to my sweet sistas.
• Checking things offa my list! I just love doing that!
• Getting a message-board post from Mark--it made my day to hear that my post made his day! :)

I think (in general) that I might be made for grad school (someday, not TODAY). I really miss being a student, especially over the last couple of days... I want to have a ministry to my peers, and that seems to require me having peers. Definitely would be easier if I were a university lifer.