Precious Life

It's a good, wonderful feeling to know that the soul is eternal and not only that, but that our God is so big and great that He cares for each one. With my niece's birth I've been acutely aware of how precious our souls are to our God and today is no different. One of my best friends, Shannon Riley's father died. This isn't news for most of the people reading this blog, but Shannon is loved by the people in WA that know her and read this blog. Her father was one of the best men of God I have known in my life. If only to have shaped my beloved friend to the godly, caring, quirky woman she is would have been enough (for me at least) to qualify God's hand, but I have heard so many stories about his ministry and have personally experienced his love of people and God that I know his life will be honored forever though the legacy he left and the glory he gave God.

One month old

Joslyn is one month old. WOW.
I got to babysit her yesterday and give her her first bottle. HAHA my plan to becoming her favorite is going nicely. She looks so much like Gardner in this picture. She usually looks more like Janet, but this picture reminds me of dressing Gardner up like a girl when he was little. :)

School and this blog

I guess I didn't realized all the people reading this blog aren't aware of all my comings and goings. Also important I didn't realized the people that knew about my blog and the people that didn't. I got an email from my mother with a short note saying she wished she knew about the blog sooner. I really didn't broadcast I had one, people just found out. That's what I told her. Funny how I started this thing as just a place to think out loud because of my stressful job and now my life is so different. I was planning to just rant, but really it's just a newspaper on my life (however important or unimportant). I have less to complain about and less time to think. (Personally I think office jobs allow to much thinking time and not enough doing time, but that could have just been the business I was in, Katie and Shannon would definitely disagree with me on that matter.) I estimated I spend up to 60 hours with work, school, and homework and that leaves little time to do anything other than rest and a few (ok more than a few) TV shows. So mom I'm sorry I didn't tell you (and sorry to any one else). And the answer to Jer and Amanda's question is I'm going to Northwestern College. I love it!!! I never thought I'd say something like that about school. It's stressful and hard and interesting and hard and time consuming and hard, did I mention hard? Every syllabus I print I stress out until the class starts and I get into a grove with the new professor. And I've had some great ones. So far I've taken a Discipleship, History and Bible Study class. The Bible Study class was my favorite so far. We got to chose a passage of the Bible and study it for 3 weeks. I now realize how pastors can preach for so long. The Word of God is so intense. I knew that before the class, but now I realize all the steps that happen and when a pastor uses words like "wrestle" and "study" and "meditate" in sermons I now have a glimpse to what they mean. My next class is Art Appreciation and once again I'm intimidated. I have to do an art project!!! I have to emulate a famous artist. YIKES!!!! Well we'll see if I carry my A average over to this class. THAT'S RIGHT AN A AVERAGE!!! What a difference learning as an adult can make. Mrs. Baron is definitely right, learning and cartoons are wasted on the young.

Shopping

By no means am I'm a making a definitive statement about females and shopping, but this last week I realized something about me. I like to shop to release stress.
Why it does? I have no idea. Probably because most of my stress comes from sources I can't control.
How did I find this out about myself?
I have searched on and off for the last 4 weeks for references for my latest college class, Bible Study Methods. My Prof gave the class a 4 week assignment to study a personally chosen passage of the Bible. I have had a lot of fun doing it, but I have discovered my library is seriously lacking and I now can understand how pastors can and need to own so many books!!!!! Anyway this last week I have looked and looked and now I feel like I hate shopping. So just to prove I didn't I spent 2 hours in Super Target browsing. I admit that I bought stuff, but the point is I didn't go for anything specific (except cold medicine and milk). I just got to enjoy the clearance rack and the holiday section. I feel so much better. But now back to my research...