Hello everyone!
It's getting late and I have midterms next week, so this is going to be a short little post. I just want to share that God is a loving God, and He delights in giving us gifts. He can give us a wide variety of gifts, but this past week He has lavished me with material, physical gifts. First of all, I received a package from my best friend Kira. She sent me all sorts of things - from chocolate to cough drops, pop-tarts to shampoo. Everything had little sticky notes on them, and it was a very fun package to open. She also sent me birthday gifts from my friends Krystina and Brittany. Then, on Saturday the senior girls had a sale to get rid of clothes and things that they don't need anymore. I got a few cute skirts and things for not very much money. But the most exciting purchase was a classy, long black dress that fits me just right. It was $10. That was truly a blessing from God, and I am SO excited to wear it sometime.
I hope it doesn't sound like I'm bragging about my possessions, because that's not the point of this post. The point is, God loves us. And God shows us His love in many different ways- through protecting us, guiding us, disciplining us... the list is inexhaustable. But sometimes God shows His love through gifts, and He did for me last week. Remember to thank God when He gives you gifts, and give gifts to others. God wants to use you to spread His love.
♥♥♥
Carissa
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
A wonderful visit
Happy Valentine's Day!Okay, okay, I know I'm a week late. But I just had to say it, because Valentine's Day is my favorite minor holiday. To all you cynics out there: Yes, it is a holiday and yes, it is worth celebrating. It's a day dedicated to love and friendship and pink and flowers and chocolate and hearts; what could be better? ♥
My Valentine's day was fantastic. Did I have a special valentine? You betcha! ;) As I mentioned, my best friend Kira came all the way out from California to visit me last weekend. She flew in early Saturday morning, and left late Tuesday evening. We had a phenomenal time. We took lovely pictures, danced to crazy songs, "played" (ie. me watching Kira play and sing
) music, took walks, laughed at crazy things, went to a dance, and got very little sleep. But for all the fun things we did, my favorite part was simply having Kira here, showing her around my school, introducing her to my friends, and taking her to my classes. It was good to integrate her into my life here. Even though our lives the past 6 months have had very little in common, I have been so blessed to be able to stay close and connected with her. She is truly a life-long friend.
) music, took walks, laughed at crazy things, went to a dance, and got very little sleep. But for all the fun things we did, my favorite part was simply having Kira here, showing her around my school, introducing her to my friends, and taking her to my classes. It was good to integrate her into my life here. Even though our lives the past 6 months have had very little in common, I have been so blessed to be able to stay close and connected with her. She is truly a life-long friend.One of my favorite things about Kira is how she can bring out a side of me that some people don't even know I possess. She makes me be more bold and outgoing than I usually am. Somehow, having her here last week gave me a new perspective on college. She let me see the fun and excitement there is in this college adventure. All the sudden, I can look at my experiences as enjoyable, instead of merely a few months to live through before I can go home.
I'm also becoming more involved in my church. I will start helping in the 2s and 3s c
lass once a month, and I just got back from my first night at AWANA's. It feels good to get involved somewhere other than PHC. I'm also developing closer friendships here at school. and if all this weren't enough, Kira is seriously considering transferring here in the Fall. God's blessings are abundant.More challenges and opportunities loom on the horizon, but for the first time since coming to college I can say, I'm content. God has me where He wants me, and I will serve Him to the utmost of my ability.
God is good.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
For your sins were as scarlet, but He has washed them whiter that snow
I hope that you all are having a Sunday afternoon just as lovely and relaxing as I am.
God has been teaching me about His strength this week. I could not have made it through the week without Him. Seriously. More than once, I've been totally overwhelmed with the projects that needed accomplished. But God has given me the strength to accomplish what I need to at the given time. On Tuesday I gave my first speech for rhetoric. It was a pretty low-key, informal project. But God gave me the courage to get up in front of people (did you know that public speaking is the number one fear?), and my professor and classmates seemed to enjoy it. I told how to go down a zip-line (since I have plenty of personal experience :P). Thursday a five-page paper was due, and God gave me the grace to accomplish that. Another 10 page paper is due on Monday, and I was able to finish that last night. I've learned a few key ways to tell that you're a college student: 1) When the clock reads 11:30 and you think "it's not that late; I can keep working for a while." 2) When you tell you're friends, "it's only a five-page paper; I'm not that worried." and 3) When your breaks from paper-writing consists of meals and reading your lit homework. By these standards, I am definitely a college student. :) And like I said, I only got through this past week by the strength of God. I can't do it on my own. It was a lesson I had to learn last semester, and God is making sure I learn it.
As you may have heard, the east coast got a pretty major snowstorm. We like to call it the "Snowpocalypse." It started snowing Friday morning and went non-stop until Saturday evening. We have about three feet of snow, which is more than this region is used to. It's absolutely beautiful to look out and see the beautiful, white, pure snow covering everything in sight. It is such a wonderful example of what Jesus does to us. Because of Him, we are white as snow. We're not hoping to be white as snow, or trying to be or longing to be: we ARE white as snow. We are perfect in God's sight. The God who created the universe loves us so much, that He sent His perfect son to pay the debt that we owed. I'm trying to wrap my mind around this truth. I try so hard to be perfect, to be righteous. And I fail, time and time again. Sometimes I am overwhelmed by how proud, selfish and self-righteous I am. But although I've grown up hearing it, I am just now beginning to realize that I am pure. I am perfect. By my own strength? Not at all. But Christ paid the penalty, in full. What have I to boast of? Only Christ's sacrafice. I am His, and He is mine. This is the foundational truth that we rest our faith on. I think that growing up in a Christian home taught me well many of the particulars of the Christian faith: how we treat others, how we deal with certain situations, etc. But coming away to college has stripped away my external structures of security, and laid bare what is at the foundation. God had been showing me what the foundational, simple truths are, and He is making them real for me. The particulars are important, but they all make sense only on the foundation of Christ.
This is the theme of my college experience so far. I'm excited to learn more and pursue God further. He is a good God and knows how to give good gifts. Speaking of which, I probably will not update next week, because my best friend Kira will be here visiting me! She comes in on Saturday, and I am SUPER excited to see her.
Thanks for taking the time to read my blog, and I hope it was beneficial for you. Enjoy this all-American holiday: Superbowl Sunday! I'm not a sports fan at all, but this is the one game a year I watch. :) May God bless your week.
~Carissa
God has been teaching me about His strength this week. I could not have made it through the week without Him. Seriously. More than once, I've been totally overwhelmed with the projects that needed accomplished. But God has given me the strength to accomplish what I need to at the given time. On Tuesday I gave my first speech for rhetoric. It was a pretty low-key, informal project. But God gave me the courage to get up in front of people (did you know that public speaking is the number one fear?), and my professor and classmates seemed to enjoy it. I told how to go down a zip-line (since I have plenty of personal experience :P). Thursday a five-page paper was due, and God gave me the grace to accomplish that. Another 10 page paper is due on Monday, and I was able to finish that last night. I've learned a few key ways to tell that you're a college student: 1) When the clock reads 11:30 and you think "it's not that late; I can keep working for a while." 2) When you tell you're friends, "it's only a five-page paper; I'm not that worried." and 3) When your breaks from paper-writing consists of meals and reading your lit homework. By these standards, I am definitely a college student. :) And like I said, I only got through this past week by the strength of God. I can't do it on my own. It was a lesson I had to learn last semester, and God is making sure I learn it.
As you may have heard, the east coast got a pretty major snowstorm. We like to call it the "Snowpocalypse." It started snowing Friday morning and went non-stop until Saturday evening. We have about three feet of snow, which is more than this region is used to. It's absolutely beautiful to look out and see the beautiful, white, pure snow covering everything in sight. It is such a wonderful example of what Jesus does to us. Because of Him, we are white as snow. We're not hoping to be white as snow, or trying to be or longing to be: we ARE white as snow. We are perfect in God's sight. The God who created the universe loves us so much, that He sent His perfect son to pay the debt that we owed. I'm trying to wrap my mind around this truth. I try so hard to be perfect, to be righteous. And I fail, time and time again. Sometimes I am overwhelmed by how proud, selfish and self-righteous I am. But although I've grown up hearing it, I am just now beginning to realize that I am pure. I am perfect. By my own strength? Not at all. But Christ paid the penalty, in full. What have I to boast of? Only Christ's sacrafice. I am His, and He is mine. This is the foundational truth that we rest our faith on. I think that growing up in a Christian home taught me well many of the particulars of the Christian faith: how we treat others, how we deal with certain situations, etc. But coming away to college has stripped away my external structures of security, and laid bare what is at the foundation. God had been showing me what the foundational, simple truths are, and He is making them real for me. The particulars are important, but they all make sense only on the foundation of Christ.
This is the theme of my college experience so far. I'm excited to learn more and pursue God further. He is a good God and knows how to give good gifts. Speaking of which, I probably will not update next week, because my best friend Kira will be here visiting me! She comes in on Saturday, and I am SUPER excited to see her.
Thanks for taking the time to read my blog, and I hope it was beneficial for you. Enjoy this all-American holiday: Superbowl Sunday! I'm not a sports fan at all, but this is the one game a year I watch. :) May God bless your week.
~Carissa
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