2008 and I - a very miniature reflection

Because it is the last day of 2008, I figured today was my last chance to blog for the year.

The BBC has a great collection of pictures from the year. If you click on the link, you need to click on the link on the right hand side to see what I am talking about.

It's crazy to think about how much has happened within this year. 

Personally, it is fascinating watching how my perspective and understanding of everything has changed since last January. 

My view of the world has changed - literally. Visiting London, Prague and India are memories with people that I hope to never forget. Frankly, I don't think it's possible to forget because they have shaped a part of who I am. I have a ring on my nose to remind me of India - of the reality that goes on there and the ways the eyes of my heart were opened by its people.

My appreciation of my family and friends has changed - Having Nick and Sophie in London made me understand how much I value their friendship. Their engagement is a reminder that we are growing up - and I am more than excited to be able to be a part of their lives as they get ready to start this new stage.

New Stage. It's crazy that I will be graduating in a year. That this is going to be my last spring in college. That my brother is going to be starting junior high, jojo and chris are getting married on saturday, tia and craig in july or august, jason and stephanie in june....

I don't feel that grown up at times.

Like when I sleep in until 11:30 just because I can. But I guess I am. College is insane - it's transition 24/7.

I have no idea what will happen this next year, and what changes 2009 will hold.

I am going to start a the features editor for the banner (CBU's newspaper), continue to be an RA of some incredible girls that have become friends, take classes that are more challenging than previous ones, be a part of planning sophie's wedding and continue the daily surrender to glorify God through it all. 

Thanks for being a part of my life in this past year :)

Finals: A new perspective

Tonight Rachel, Amy, Molly, Teresa and I went to the Mission Inn and walked around looking at lights while enjoying kettle corn- fresh from the kettle. On our journey we saw a man singing on the walk by the Mission Inn. His soundtrack was very similar to a certain musician I have heard. It reminded me of this video that I saw on American Idol gives back a few years ago...

I think I have been on a video track lately... so let me add another also from the same season.

I cried the first time I watched it :)

Tonight was also the late night breakfast.

I have come to the conclusion that I love finals week. No regular class, lots of fun activities, great food and excuses to splurge on the sweets.

Okay, so maybe I don't love this week.

But it's not as bad as I previously thought.

Sure there is stress and I am realizing I should not have procrastinated as much as I have. But with the year winding down, it reminds me that I really do love the opportunity I have to study here. And I really love the friends I have made.

Maybe I have a skewed perspective, but I think I am okay with that for now.

It will be very different on Thursday morning when I wake up for an 8 a.m. final, but for now I am going to bask in the afterglow of a wonderful evening

Created for International Human RIghts day

Go where others will not

For the past year I have had a part time job working in the faculty workroom of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Besides having a quiet place to work on homework in between tasks, I have learned interesting bits of information from conversations with professors.

Today, Professor Biermann was talking about a website he had worked on of a group called International Crisis Aid.

It sounded like another non-profit that works with international issues such as human rights and poverty... right up my alley :)

So I looked at the website, and their locations caught my eye.

Afghanistan, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Indonesia, North Korea, Pakistan and Sudan.

Not the typical locations.

One of their vision statements is "Go where others will not."

It kind of inspired me - I want that to be part of my mission statement.

The kind of work they do is unglamorous. Dangerous. Kind of like the cross.

Hmmm...

Is it any surprise their vision verse is from Isaiah 58

"And if you give yourself to the hungry, And satisfy the desire of the afflicted, Then your light will rise in darkness, And your gloom will become like mid-day. And the Lord will continually guide you, And satisfy your needs in sun scorched land, and give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden. And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail."

It's the most wonderful time of the year???

It's that time again.
Christmas Spirit and Final Papers combine to make a motivation for anything else than school...
Which brings me here to blog... avoiding a ten page paper that has been assigned all semester and is due on Monday.

There is something in me that loses motivation to do something once it has become mandatory. Unfortunately this semester blogging has had to suffer the consequences. HOWEVER now that semester is winding down, my fingers are free once again to type (or not) as they please.

A recent discovery of this week:

Organizations I would love to work for

1.BRAC: Alleviation of poverty and empowerment of the poor

2. Foundation for sustainable development

This is a very uneventful blog. But at least the silence is broken.