Life in this Jungle

In case you haven't noticed, my blog has gone through a bit of a change....

When I say a bit I just mean that I've spent the last twenty minutes renaming my blog, adding the said collage as the background, and picked out a new color scheme. 

If you know me at all, you know that should not have taken me twenty minutes. I was in prime decision making mode just now. 

Anywhoooo. 

You may have noticed, my blog's name has switched from "A Whole New World" to "Life in this Jungle." Let me tell you why.

 If you haven't been on my hall, then you probably wouldn't know that our floor theme is a jungle.

Happens to be literally right next to my door. I'm in love with that pink hippo, I swear.

My RA, Lette, made all these super cute animals and hot glued them to the walls of the hallway. Also, spread out throughout the hall are "survival tips" - aka Bible verses that are key to living life. 

These are just three of them. I picked out the ones I liked best.

Basically, Lette's talked about thriving, not just surviving, in our daily lives here at Trinity. This semester, that's something I really want to do. I want to thrive in the midst of the craziness, not just survive. I want to love and enjoy it as much as possible. Hence, the new blog background. It's just a reminder to my own self to keep having a good attitude throughout the semester. 

And, Trinity isn't a whole new world anymore...it's home.  So it needed a new name.

And it was a way to incorporate hippos into my blog.  -unashamed smile-

Interim and more

This interim has been crazy! I feel like I have been constantly doing things, which has been so good for me. I love being productive.

My interim class has been a bit of a let down. While my eyes have been opened to many issues concerning people with disabilities, the class is not at all what I was expecting. Going into the class I was under the impression that we would actually be going out and doing disability ministry and working with people with disabilities. But instead we just sit and listen to lecture for 3 hours. Some of them have been really good; we have watched a ton of excellent videos like this one on Down Syndrome  and this one about siblings of students with special needs. But I was really hoping to get out and actually be working to serve people with disabilities, and we only got that opportunity once. In my mind, we would have learned a lot more working alongside people with disabilities than we learned doing hours and hours of reading and homework.

But besides the class, interim break has been super relaxing and fun. I have hung out with my lovely Kaity a ton, which is nice because I missed her a ton over break. We spent countless hours laughing at the most ridiculous things, falling asleep to movies, having lunch/dinner dates, going shopping, and just spending time together. I am so thankful for that girl :)

 I have spent time with the roomies and we've had lots of roommate bonding and good conversations, which was also a great way to start off the new school year.

Basically my mornings were spent by myself in the room. Usually I would wake up and walk around Lake Katherine, then come back and spend an hour or so reading my Bible and drinking coffee. I really love having the mornings to myself, just to spend time with God and relax. I'm definitely going to miss that once the semester starts. 

Some things I have been blessed by in particular this interim:

1) Lette. Not that this one is surprising to anyone. Lette has already been encouraging to me this year, and the official semester has not even started yet. The past few days especially I have had the chance to spend a lot of good quality time with her and I have so enjoyed it and getting to know her a little bit more. On Friday we went to Lake Katherine and got coffee and then hung out in her room for little bit, and then yesterday I went to visit her when she got back from her retreat and we talked for a bit then I did homework in there while she worked on a project. So just little things we've done together that have been such a blessing.

Lette and I at open mic night last week

2) Kara. Kara is my residence hall director. She is one of the most loving, caring, nonjudgmental people I have ever met. Our friendship started developing before Christmas break and is continuing to grow and I am very thankful for her and the love and support she shows to me and all of the rest of our building. She also has an adorable little baby boy, Chase, who I love to go in and play with whenever I have the chance.

3) Max. Max and my relationship has started to heal these past few weeks. Basically since I came back from Florida. Since then he has been talking with me more and over interim on nights when I have been missing home I have called and he's talked with me for like a half hour each time just about the most random things. It's been so good for my heart to have him back. I am excited for God to continue to work and heal that relationship in these next weeks and months.

I feel like there is so much more I could say, but I have to go get ready for class. Last day of interim? I think so!!! Yes! Love to all!

Yesterday

Yesterday my younger brother and I were involved in a pretty awful car accident. (Actually, it could have been waaaay worse, but for me, it was awful.) I'll spare you all the details, but there were four cars and a large patch of black ice  involved. All cars were decently damaged. Everyone miraculously made it out without being seriously hurt. Cops and ambulances were called. Basically what happened was: Car 1 hit black ice and swerved into the middle of the road. Car 2 slammed on it's breaks and swerved into the other side of the road, basically making a road block. Car 3 (me) tried to get out of the way but ended up hitting Car 2. Car 4 came and hit me in the side/back. When the cops got there they said they didn't know how my car did not flip into the ditch. 

God's protection was definitely over Max and I last night. It was so scary and I am so thankful that God protected us. I think I handled everything well overall; it really did not set in until my dad dropped me off at Trinity and I went into Tib and saw Lette. That was the first time what happened fully hit me, and the first time I cried. Today I have been okay- shaken up a bit at moments, and definitely very sore. But I am so thankful that Max and I are both safe. I can't stop thanking and praising God for that. God is good...

Don't Let Me Lose My Wonder

Oh my you all.....This morning I had probably the most amazing morning I have had with God in a long time. And I am so excited to share it with you.

Do you ever feel like you are just in a dry spell with God? Like you are reading the same thing in your Bible over and over again but none of it is applicable to you and your situation so you just skim over it to check it off the list? Do you ever feel like you are not learning anything new? 

Lately I have been feeling a bit like that. While God is teaching me more and more about Himself in my daily life, like that I need to learn to depend on Him more as I wrote about in my last blog post, I feel like in my daily reading I just have not been getting anything from it.

Over Christmas break I began reading the beloved Chronicles of Narnia series. I started with the Magician's Nephew and worked my way through the series from there. I was struck by something while reading Prince Caspian, but never really thought about it until this morning.

Lucy's faith.

We all know that Lucy is the one that never gave up on Aslan. She is the one who first entered Narnia in first book and then the first one to see Aslan in the second when no one else believed her. She's the one that always believed Aslan would come rushing in to save the day, even if they did not know how or when. She never, ever, lost her wonder.

Lucy was amazed by Aslan in all ways. She never got sick of learning about his character, and never thought she knew everything about him. She knew he would and could surprise her at any moment. She knew He was good even if he did not come rushing in to save them in the way she expected. She always, always had faith. And she never lost her wonder and she marveled at Aslan and all he could do. 

I thought about this this morning as I walked around Lake Katherine. I saw the Swans sit on the frozen lake like it was not freezing cold and wondered how they survived there. I saw the lake somewhat frozen over and wondered at how quickly more of it had frozen over since yesterday when I was there. And I started thinking about wonder. And how I did not want to lose my wonder about God.

I walked around Lake Katherine today differently. I walked slower then usual, taking the time to wonder at God's creation around us. I took the time to think about how incredible God is and how amazing the world He created is. 

Just think about a spider's web. Think about how spiders make all kinds of different webs in different patterns. Think about how strong the silk of a spiders web is. Think about how awesome our God is to have thought up how to have a spider create it's web.

Or think about the human body and how it works. Our bodies are amazing and complex. God created it to work just so. He designed us. Is that not incredible?

Or think about the beauty of a sunrise. Think about how that's something our creator is doing and making and how skillful of an artist he is.

I've already been brought to tears today as I have thought and began to pray "God, don't let me lose my wonder. Don’t let me become used to or immune to the wonder of you and your creation.” I want to have that wonder again as I watch the changing of the leaves, or the clouds moving in the sky, or the stars shining bright at night, or the ice as it freezes over the pond, the spiders as they spin their delicate webs, or even just seeing a baby cry. God thought up all of that, He then designed all of that, He then CREATED all of that, and so much more. And yet, we get so busy in our daily lives with the technology we have, or our class schedules and homework, that we are forgetting and missing out on the experience of awe and wonder at the amazing creation and more importantly the amazing God we have.

So friends, take a few minutes and step outside today. Watch God's incredible creation, even for just five minutes. And this is my challenge to you, pray along with me, "God, don't let me lose my wonder." Be like Lucy, always marveling at Aslan and all that He does. 

What's something you saw today that made you wonder about our awesome and incredible God? 

But YOU can....

Being back at Trinity has already proven to be wonderful, but also already proving to be challenging. If you remember reading a blog from the day after school let out for Christmas break, I ended with saying that this semester I was really going to challenge myself to do more, be more, etc etc. I really want to be "better" at a lot of things this semester, and God is already showing me how much I am going to need Him in that...

Coming back to Trinity was very difficult this time around and it didn't help that I wasn't able to say goodbye to my parents because they were at the hospital in Chicago with my grandparents when I left. I wasn't ready to leave home when things with Max were just starting to get better. I wasn't ready to leave home and come back and be held accountable for things again. I just wasn't ready.

But once I got here I was filled with joy upon seeing my roommates and my old RA, Roch. I hadn't realized quite how much I had missed them. Since Kaity was working, I ended up watching Pitch Perfect with Laura, Becca, and Roch, which was just a sweet and fun time together. And then today I was finally able to see Kaity, which really made me feel at home again. 

But today also came the first real day that I had to start holding myself accountable again. And it's a lot harder then I thought it was going to be. I think setting goals for yourself is a good thing- it's good to have something to work towards. I think I just have to work at 1) not expecting everything to be perfect right off the bat and 2) not setting my goals so high that they are setting me up for failure. 

And I think the biggest lesson of all is realizing that I can't do it all by myself. It's realizing that I need to turn things over to God that I haven't. It's praying, "Lord, I can't...but you can." It's realizing God's plans for me are so much better then my own. 

So tonight, my prayer is, "Lord, I can't. But YOU can." I challenge you to pray this prayer as well if you are going into this next semester struggling with something...put it in God's hands. Let Him work in you. 

Lucky me..

Today, I realized how lucky I was.

I went to drop off Em's birthday gift today, and also to say goodbye as we are both leaving to go back to college shortly. I gave her the gift, caught her up on the most recent events of my life since I saw her yesterday, hugged her goodbye, and then pulled out of the driveway. It was then I was hit with a feeling I'm often hit with when I spend sweet time with my best friend.

I am so lucky.

I am so, so lucky to have Emily as my best friend. She is my other half and she brings so much joy and laughter into my life. She has always been there for me- through the good times and the bad- and has never once given up on me. She's there for me to call whenever I need her, she's there to laugh with me about silly things, she's there to talk seriously if I need to talk, she's there to tease me about a crush, she's there knowing when something is wrong even if no one else does. She's my best friend. I wish everyone had a friend like her, because I bet their lives would be seriously changed if they did. Em is one of the greatest, most loyal, beautiful inside and out people I have ever met and I am so lucky and thankful to call her my best friend. 

So thanks Em. :) I love you.

Florida

Well friends, I've been spending the last 48 hours in Orlando, Florida. My best friend, Emily, turned 21 today so to celebrate her birthday her mom sent the two of us and two of Em's cousins to Orlando for 3 days. 

It's been really fun thus far! I got here Wednesday and surprised Em, who had no idea I was coming! That was exciting. (Oh, did I mentioned I flew by myself for the first time, got stopped in the airport and had to have a test done on my bag because obviously I'm a drug addict or something, and then got lost in the Orlando airport? Yeah. I don't like airports, or flying for that matter. But I'm here, so it was worth it). After that we just bummed around the hotel, watched NCIS, Pitch Perfect(if you haven't seen it you need too), went on an adventure to CVS, then came back to the hotel and ordered Pizza. It was just a nice relaxing night.  

Then yesterday we went to Universal Studios Islands of Adventure. Holy hippo, it was so cool! The highlight for me was obviously Harry Potter World. I flipped out. We walked around Hogsmeade, and then got to go inside Hogwarts. Sadly we weren't allowed to take pictures of the inside of Hogwarts, but the outside was amazing. 

Olivanders Wand Shop

Hogwarts!!!!!!

Owl Post

Hogsmeade

Honeydukes

3 Broomsticks

Hogwarts!!!!

Hogwarts!!

I was kind of flipping out the whole time. I could have easily spent an entire day there! Or a few days. There was so much to see and look at, and so many little shops to go in. We didn't brave the lines to get butterbeer, but we did brave the line for the Harry Potter ride, which I did in fact go on. 

There's a video of the ride- turn off the lights and watch it! It was almost too much for me, and the video doesn't show quite how intense it was, but it was amazing!

After we hit that ride, we made a run to get to the bus on time and then just came back to the hotel and chilled. Today we don't know what we're doing...which is funny since it's already 1:15 here and all we've done is figure out flight information for tomorrow. Today is Em's actual birthday so I'm sure we'll end up doing something fun. 

Sytsma

Well folks, it's a new year!

These past two weeks at home have been such an incredible blessing, for so many reasons. They were relaxing and very much needed.

Grandpa is home and doing well- he seems and acts almost just like his normal self, which makes treating him like normal easier. He starts radiation next week- so please, please keep him in your prayers. Also, my grandma is having knee replacement surgery on Monday, so pray for her too. The two of them really need God's healing hand to come upon them. 

But by far the highlight of my Christmas break was this past 9 days because the Sytsma family came to visit us.

All of us kids..Woody, Max, Me, Madeline, Eli, Liam, and Millie

The Sytsma family has been such a blessing to me in my life. They are all wonderful, wonderful people. Mr Ben still scares me, but I realized while they were visiting he isn't quite as scary as I remember. Mrs. Kary is one amazing woman- I've always looked up to her and I was so grateful to get to spend some time with her and talk with her a bit while they were visiting. Madeline Tate is one incredible young lady. She is tall and gorgeous, and has one of the sweetest and kindest hearts ever. She loves the Lord with all her heart and has a real desire to get to know him more and more. She has turned into a beautiful young lady, and I am so blessed to know her. Eli is one hilarious ball of fun. He's 12, crazy, sensitive, and all together just a cool kid. He was constantly making me laugh and smile and I am already missing his positive attitude around the house. Liam is 9 and is one of the most genuine kids I have ever met. He is all boy- into guns, outdoors, hunting, you get the picture. But he is also incredibly sweet. He was way more attached to me this year then in previous years- he was kind of like Max was a year ago in 9 year old form. And then of course, there is Millie. Millie just brings a joy to my soul that no one else can bring. She is my best friend, my cuddle buddy, my movie date, my partner in crime, my little sis, my little sidekick. We were practically insperable when she was here- attached at the hip wherever we went. People who haven't seen us together or heard our story and why we are so close think my relationship with her is weird, seeing that I am almost 20 and she's 8. The best way I can explain is that she is just like my little sister. You can read more about my relationship with Millie here....it might explain things a little better.

My whole family grew closer by having the Sytsma family here. We spent a lot of time together all of us kids, and it was so cool to see old friendships continue as if they had never moved. The boys really love Max, and Millie loves me. Madeline loves hanging out with the boys and girls- she's happy with either. 

I think one of the coolest things was also seeing how Max changed while the Sytsma's were here...I don't know if I can describe it. It was almost as if my Max, or the little kid Max, came back. He was talking and laughing more, playing around with the boys in the basement, spending time with the family and just being really involved and it was just so cool. I saw more of Max, physically as well as just like the Max I remember and know, then I have in a very long time. And it just brought joy to my soul. Coming home has been really hard for me lately, as most of you know that's largely due to my relationship with Max. But this break has given me hope- and I am so excited to see how our friendship continues to grow and heal in these next months. He's such a cool little brother. I've missed him a lot.

The day the Systma's left was emotional, but it went well because we all knew we will be seeing eachother in March, which made saying goodbye a lot easier. My family is actually going to spend 5 days there, which I'm super excited about! 

drop dead gorgeous Madeline

Handsome Elijah Lane

Stud muffin Liam

Cutie pie Millie May

These people have stolen my heart. I love them all so much, and honestly, they are more then family then a lot of other people. I am missing them already. 

Update on Grandpa

So, can you tell I discovered the Blogger app on my phone? Yippee! Anyways, my grandpa had his cancer surgery yesterday, and is now home, resting, and doing well. Praise Jesus! Now its just a matter of waiting for radiation to start. Please keep him and my family in your prayers. Also, we found out my grandma has to have surgery in January as well, so prayers for her would also be appreciated. Right now we are all just thankful grandpa is home and will spend Christmas with us. God is good.

Relaxation at its finest

This is what I have been doing with my break! :) there is something so wonderful about being able to sit and color and not feel bad about it. I hope you all are enjoying break and relaxing as much as I am! Much love.