Take It All. Ice Skating Included.

Ice skating? At this time in the semester? You’ve got to be kidding me. Am I the only one who has finals quickly approaching? I’m pretty sure I have more papers to write, more quizzes and tests to take, more presentations and debates to do, and more final exams in the next two weeks then I did my entire freshman year. So ice skating is definitely out of the question. Besides, it's cold outside.

I’m tired. I’m having a hard time figuring out some food allergy stuff. I just want to be done with this semester. I miss a Robert and Trina. And I miss the joy and peace I started the semester with.

The questions and doubts I have won’t leave when I finish my last final. The things I’m struggling with won’t disappear when I board the plane to California. The things hurting me won’t be healed when I’m done packing. My life doesn’t end when the semester does. Except for the schoolwork, it all comes with me. I think somewhere deep inside I’m hoping that it just won’t - that this time will be the exception.

Take it All

by Third Day

All the promises I've broken

All the times I've let you down

You've forgot them

But still I hold on to the pain that makes me drown

Now I'm ready to let it go

To give it away

Take it all

'Cause I can't take it any longer

All I have, I can't make it on my own

Take the first, take the last

Take the good and take the rest

Here I am, all I have

Take it all

All the roads that lie before me

All the struggles I go through

Every second I'm reminded

That it all belongs to you

Now I'm ready

To let it go

To give it away

Ever since I died to myself

You gave a better life to me

I give you my finest moment

I give you the last breath I breathe

When my heart aches it takes me a while to realize it's aching for Him, to know more of Him. Maybe I should leave notes for myself. Once again, it comes down to surrendering my life - my daily battle that I just can't seem to win.

Perky Turkey Day.

Perky Turkey Day. That’s what we’re calling it. Because it was a good day!

Although it’s a little strange not being with my family on holidays like Thanksgiving and Easter, this Thanksgiving was highly enjoyable! Lots of fun...a trip to the airport with Annie to drop off her sisters, listening to Lecrae while driving back to campus, stopping at Jewel for cereal and almond milk, baking chocolate chip banana bread, lunch while watching The Princess and the Frog, a nap, cooking dinner, eating dinner with a few friends, gluten/soy/lactose free dessert of the bread and chai tea, an uninterrupted time to talk to Robert, and now time to write.

I’m thankful for:

A good attitude, and even better friends

Food without lactose or soy

And our own Twitter hashtag #thanksgivingwithannieandandrea

And, of course, many other things

I feel like there’s a lot more I could write about...but I that’ll have to wait until tomorrow! :)

Photo #2: Dreams

Brooke (Barrettsmith) Adams at Spirit West Coast

There's a few dreams represented in this picture (future, past, and present)

1. she's married (that's her husband playing bass behind her)

2. she's a rockstar

3. she's confident in who she is

Photo #1: Introduction

A friend forwarded me this challenge: to take a photo for each of the 100 themes given and to write a brief description of what it is and the significance of it. I love photography, challenges, and writing... So here we go!

Photo #1: Introduction

This photo is of the arch at Moody Bible Institute. It’s typically the first place you walk into when you come to the campus for the first time. It’s the meeting place for BroSis events, awkward DTRS, and random musicians who love the acoustic qualities of the architecture.

My favorite memory in the arch was when Emma threw her slurpee down the few stairs by the door. It was an accident, but nonetheless, it was funny. It made a huge sticky mess and there is still a mark on the ground from where it hit. It wasn't the slurpee that made the arch special though, it was the conversation that happened that night. Well, it wasn't that particular one, it was the ongoing conversations that happened after our late night slurpee runs about life, God, love, and everything in between.

116 Clique

There’s something attractive and enticing about rap and hip hop. I’m not really sure what it is.


This past weekend I had the opportunity to go the Unashamed Tour: the Movement in Moody’s own Torrey-Grey Auditorium! 116 Clique - Lecrae, Tedashii, Trip Lee, Sho Baraka, Pro, and DJ Official. I hadn’t heard much of their music before, but I still enjoyed it! Sho Baraka might have been my favorite...

I loved that the artists shared the gospel in all that they communicated...through their lyrics as well as spoken word between and after their set of songs. It really wasn’t about the performance or the performers, it was all about God and they continually took the spotlight off of themselves and pointed it on God. These guys have massive amounts of talent, but they know who to give the glory and fame to.

I Love Being Alive.

(two of my favorite pictures from being home in October)

Trina and A!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pumpkin carving party...Rachel, Derek, me, and Robert.

*note - I carved a pumpkin out of my pumpkin :)

Galatians 5:22-23

The Fruit of the Spirit as translated and explained by Dr. Sauer...

But the fruit (result, effect) virtues cultivated by the Spirit are:

(1) Love - willing, sacrificial giving of oneself, for the benefit of another, without thought of return

(2) Joy - gladness of life, happiness of heart

(3) Peace - harmony with others, tranquility of mind

(4) Patience - passive, calmly bearing the hurts and insults inflicted by oneself by others

(5) Kindness - courtesy

(6) Generosity - openhanded with ministry, time, advice, money

(7) Faithfulness - consistence

(8) Meekness - harnessing one’s strength

(9) Self-Control - harnessing one’s weakness

There is no law prohibiting such wonderful virtues as these!

easy chai tea

This might be the ONLY recipe that I EVER post on here! Annie and I made it a few days ago and it was wonderful.

8 cardamom seeds

8 cloves

4 black peppercorns

2 cinnamon sticks

1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced

2 cups whole milk (or soy, almond, rice, or coconut milk)

4 bags black tea

8 teaspoons sugar or more, to taste

(makes 4 cups)

*Place the cardamom, cloves, and peppercorns in a resealable plastic bag and crush with a heavy skillet.

*Place the crushed spices in a medium saucepan, along with the cinnamon sticks, ginger, milk, and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add the tea bags, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes.

*Strain into cups. To each cup, add 2 teaspoons sugar or more, to taste.