Wow, I just want to start off by saying that today was BEAUTIFUL! The sun was shining, there was just a slight but wonderful breeze, and I could finally wear a tanktop again! Days like this definitely make up for gloomy days that we too often see. The flowers are in full bloom on campus, and as I was driving home from work, I noticed that the grass along the river is finally starting to turn green :) Spring is so wonderful, for so many reasons! 1) it means we are finally ending winter and summer is on the way! 2) everything is exceptionally beautiful, and 3) Easter happens in spring, which is a great segue into what God has shown me today.
This week, HIS is in the middle of "Daffodil Week," which is our big philanthropy this semester. Yesterday, we got to bless others by eating Mexican food at Red Cactus, and a portion of the proceeds went to cancer research. Today at meeting, we received daffodils that we bought for each other a couple weeks ago, and those proceeds also go to cancer research... and tomorrow is Menchie's day! Yay frozen yogurt for a good cause! So, this is a week of giving in HIS so that we can help people that we know are suffering. But a lot of times, we forget how important it is to help others... none of us does it enough! I do community service to put it on my resume and fulfill my two required philanthropy hours each semester. It's really sad. I know better than that, but I keep convincing myself that I am too busy for extra community service. You know what's funny about that sentence? There were 3 references to ME. My little, Victoria, spoke at meeting tonight about bearing each other's burdens. Paul commands us as Christians to bear each others burdens... and I am failing to do that by not doing community service. But community service alone does not fulfill the role of "bearer of burdens." Any little thing to help someone out, to help them get through their day, can help lighten their load. I frequently get beautiful little messages from Bry that just say "I hope you have a good day!" or "Good luck on your test!". I normally just smile and think how sweet she is, but now I know that she was doing her job as a Christian by making my life a little bit easier by encouraging me. And Michael.... he is the BEST at encouragement! When I have too much homework to do and I say that I'm too busy to hang out, he still comes over and just sits next to me... just to be there. The things he says to me just constantly remind me that he is there not only as my boyfriend, but as a brother in Christ. Another important point that Victoria made is that, in order to begin carrying someone else's burdens, you also need to open yourself up and let others carry YOUR burdens. What's kind of funny is that she looked straight at me when she said it. She knows me too well. I only ask for help if I have tried everything I could try and exhausted all my resources. Even when I am broke, I do not ask my parents for money. When I need a day off from work to just have some alone time, I do not ask my boss for it. I have so many burdens, but this world has led us to believe that asking for help is a sign of weakness and failure. But it's not! It is a way of saying, "I need you to help me right now, and as a sister in Christ, I will help you when you need it."
So why should we carry each others burdens? In thinking about the wonderful weather and how Easter is coming up.... I thought, Jesus carried ALL of our burdens and sins on his shoulders. I could do ALL the community service in the world, and it won't even compare to the burden that Christ carried for me. How awesome is that? Therefore, we need to carry others' burdens not to look good on a resume or just to fulfill philanthropy requirements, but to make it a part of our lives in our futile attempts to imitate Christ. Wow, isn't God awesome?
That's it for today... it's time to wrap up the night. Goodnight all... and for future reference, if you have some burdens that you need someone to bear, just let me know :)

Wow, so it's been a while... my life has been crazy the past couple weeks! Lots of things, ranging in scope from dreadful to amazing, have happened since my last post. I've taken a lot of midterms and quizzes (I have a midterm tomorrow... about which I am clearly not concerned), and I have been preparing for my trip to Costa Rica!!! I leave Friday morning, and I cannot wait!
Aside from everything, I have learned a lot of important lessons in the past few weeks... what's new? Since I have really begun to focus my life on bringing glory and honor to God, I have learned sooo much! I just don't know how I made it through school my first 2 1/2 years of college... praying every morning gets me through the day, and realizing that God has a plan for me makes everything I do just a little bit easier, so it doesn't get overwhelming. I am currently busier than I have ever been, and when I wake up every morning the FIRST thought in my head is always: "How many hours til my next bedtime??".... yet somehow God always seems to grab my hand and lead me to the coffee pot to begin my day.
God has also shown me recently how important character is... if you open your heart to Him, he will show you others' character. I know this now after making the mistake of thinking I knew somebody... and allowing myself to get hurt. It was entirely my fault that I didn't listen to God, who had been telling me all along that this person was not the best influence in my life. God opened my eyes WIDELY today to reality, and we'll just say, his message felt like a slap in the face. While it felt entirely degrading, I know that's what it took for God to tell me to not have this person in my life anymore. He knows best, and I constantly need to be reminded of that.
Luckily during the mess that was February, I met someone really special :) He has a heart for the Lord, and it shows through in all of his actions. I am really looking forward to getting to know him better! He has the most patience of anyone I have ever met... Even though he didn't know me well, he stayed beside me as I dealt with school, relationships, and family issues. I told you February was a mess. He is respectful, genuine, and has every quality I look for in a man.... people might be going "yeah right... they just met... it will die down" Buuut, we'll just say it looks good for now :) You know that feeling you get when you're so sure that God has had a hand in something? Yeah... :)
I have also been following the book of James to keep up with our study of authentic Christianity at Southcliff, and I have also been following Philippians to keep up with HIS Faith Circle... but beginning tomorrow I am going to also work on Esther. While in my futile attempt to become a true woman of God, it just never occurred to me to look directly in the Bible for direction. I look to my Mom a lot for inspiration, because she is one of the godliest women I am privileged to know. I look at my wonderful roommates and friends, and have learned a lot of great things from these great women. But I still struggle in my trek to become a true woman of God, and I think beginning the book of Esther and really diving into it will help me in my attempts. I know I will never be perfect, nobody is... but all God wants me to do is wholeheartedly try to be in His son's image.
While this isn't the most eloquent post (words are not coming to me easily today...), I said what I wanted to say. May God's blessings be with you, and Goodnight :)