My Friend and Sister, Penelope

today, i spoke with penelope on the phone and hung up just in awe of the person that she is and the work of L in her life. penelope and i have been friends for almost 10 years now. through the years, penelope's caring, giving, and self-sacrificing ways have always been a great example to me of how to love others. penelope can make me laugh like no one else can and she is the mother of PIPER! (oh, how i miss that little one! i have yet to meet phoenix, but i'm sure he's just as adorable). within the last 6 months or so, i have had the wonderful opportunity of walking alongside penelope as she explored and sought for Truth. through these last several months, L has really used penelope as an example to challenge me in my own faith. one of the things that penelope shared with me today was the fact that the television in her room has been a distraction/hindrance in her reading the word each night. so what does she decide to do? she moves the television downstairs so that reading each night would not be thrown to the side. i was really convicted. am i willing to remove those "distractions" from my own life? do i desire knowing the Word more than the things that take away from my quiet times? what are your distractions?

penelope, thank you for the person that you are! i love that we now are both a part of sandals and i can share another part of my life with you! i love you!

On Being a Woman

today, being a woman sucks. i'm emotional, irritable, lazy, not productive, breaking out, etc. there must be a way to prevent this monthly nightmare. i need to go out for a run or walk but am too lazy to do so. i need chips and fries, but the thought of going into the crowded streets makes me even more irritable right now. argh! i need to plan in advance!

New Job Anyone?

So Familiar Yet So Foreign

Happy Thanksgiving!

so thankful for each of you! thank you for journeying with me through life. though it is hard for me to be far from family and close friends, i am so thankful for the place that He has me in.

i love you, my friends!

This Spoke to Me Today

"My L, I have no idea where I am going. I cannot see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But, I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me and you will never leave me to face my perils alone."

an astounding combination of honesty and faith.

What the Heck? Part 2

there are still so many places/stores here that i have yet to explore. earlier this week, a friend took me to Metro-a german store, similar to Costco at home, but on a smaller scale. it was great! the aisles were full of imported goods. one of the things that i needed to purchase were cotton balls. i dont know why, but cotton balls are not found in local stores here. anyway, so i found them...


...or maybe not.

I Love Fall!

aside from all the thinking on my way home about my midterm, i was able to really enjoy creation. i am so glad that i get to experience fall-all the colors and perfect weather. (high 60's) though i am told that this season is short lived, i am enjoying every second of it.

What has Gotten into Me?

so, i took my midterm this morning. i crammed last night and this morning. i have never been a perfectionist when it comes to my study. so many of you can attest to this. i have always done just enough to pass. (ie. figuring out what score i need on my final exam to get a "B" and only studying to that extent. or not doing an assignment because i have a high enough "B" that that assignment will not affect my grade, etc). things have changed. i dont know why. i was determined to get a perfect score on my midterm exam going in. i left frustrated because a perfect paper, it was not! the teacher threw in characters that were not even in our text! how dare she! nevertheless, i did well. not perfect, but well!

what has gotten into me? i analyzed this on my way home...maybe a bit too much analyzing! is it being in a new culture that makes me this way? do i feel like this is something i have and need control of, since everything else seems so out of control? am i worried about my reputation with people not knowing me so well here? am i trying to build a perfect reputation (i hope not!)? have i been too influenced by my perfect, model student friend, bowyer? am i truly an eager learner and hard worker? (no way!) hey...or maybe i'm just learning that hard work does pay off.

i will get my score next week. will update you then.

Jiaozi or dumplings.....

mass production! i love them! my favorite is egg and tomato! this is a very common, inexpensive food item here. i dont recall ever seeing egg and tomato ones in the states. wish you all could taste how yummy they are!