A Kid in a Candy Store?

So I've finished a week of classes and I feel like there's so much I could say, but that I still have so much more to learn. I've only just entered this adventure of studying the Bible and all it's different components and let me tell you, I LIKE to study the Bible (remind me of this mid-semester when I will loathe the number of papers I have to write).
But right now I feel a little like a kid in a candy store: it's all so wonderful, fun and exciting. Some of the books (like Philip Yancey's The Jesus I Never Knew) would have been something I would have chosen to read on my own, for fun. Yet here I am, being encouraged (required) to read these books I like.
It's not just the reading, though. It's the fact that I get to be in class with these professors who REALLY know their stuff. It's so exciting. I have every excuse to be a total dork and ask the random questions I want. I even am marking up my text books with questions to ask the professors.
So I don't know if that makes me a kid in a candy store, or a total nerd, but either way I don't care. I'm simply loving it.

Trust in the Lord

Yesterday, last night, and this morning I have pondered a question: should I try and test out of one of my classes? I got conflicting information on it in terms of whether I could get credit for it or not and was really debating whether or not it would be worth the stress and effort to make a change now.
This morning I decided to try to test out of it. This afternoon I had a very long talk with my advisor and found out that if I pass it I will get the seminary credit for it (wahoo!), and decided to drop the class regardless of whether or not I am able to pass the proficiency exam and pick up another needed course.
I felt like I was (and still a little am) running in circles. The verse I chose to meditate on throughout the time is Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path." It's so hard for me, through the craziness of this all, to remember that God is directing all the paths of my life. He knew I'd face this stress, these choices and decisions, and He holds me in His hands directing my every step.
I don't know what tomorrow will hold, much less next week, but I can rest assured that He knows it all, and that as I trust Him and seek to rely on Him, He will direct my path.

Perspective

I had been warned that church in this area is different then church at home. I had come and tried to prepare myself for the difference, but you can never be truly prepared when you face something new. There are always things you do not expect and much of how you handle it depends on your attitude. As I was sitting in church during the announcements - which seemed to have no rhyme or reason and which anyone in the 300 some congregation would add something to - I started thinking of Cherrydale and wishing I was there.

There is something safe and secure about the familiar, and it can be so easy to look at the past with star-struck eyes. That old "back in my day things were so much better" mentality. Because there are just seasons of time when things are hard and it cannot be avoided. When I first moved out on my own and went to Cherrydale it was hard, but I usually choose not to remember that but to dwell on what God did around, in and through me.

God has so many good things in store for me, for those who believe in Him, but how much of that is impacted by how we view things? How much is impacted by our own sin issues, our own holding to what we wanted instead of releasing our plans to him and openly accepting what he has to offer? 

On other matters, I still don't have furniture, but my apartment-mate has moved in. Slow progress. 

Remembering What's Important

This summer has been challenging to me on many levels and during the past few weeks I have let things slide. Most notably, my morning times with Jesus (known by some as "quiet times"). I have rationalized and set aside other time - though often not as much and not as concentrated - I have had some good time with Him, but I could feel myself relying on his grace a lot, and thinking "He loves me, it will be ok." Yesterday and today I was reminded again of the importance of spending time with Jesus just for the pure joy of spending time with Jesus.

My mom offered me a hotel room a little over two hours away for Wednesday night to help break up the trip of coming down to South Carolina and I decided it would be a very good thing to do. Upon arriving, settling and showering, I took out my journal and Bible and had my time with Jesus. It was nothing hugely profound, but it was good. It helped calm me down from the day.

This morning before the rest of the drive I took time to read my Bible and was again reminded of how sweet it is to spend time with Jesus, especially at the beginning of the day. On the way down I was contemplating the fact that my lapse of consistent times with Jesus usually coincide with the hectic and unstructured times in my life. Hopefully, intentionally, with classes started I'll find a good schedule and routine.

Anyways, God is good and the trip was thankfully uneventful and surprisingly quick. I got here looking forward to being able to settle into my room and unwind. God has a sense of humor - not only is my apartment not ready, the furniture hasn't arrived yet. But there's internet. So I sit in an empty apartment that will not be mind, waiting and wondering if I will actually get into my place tonight, and of course blogging.

Packing, Packing, Packing

Packing is an emotion-packed activity. While packing I came upon many pictures and memories that just choked me up, and so much junk which made me wonder why on earth I kept some of that stuff for so long. But the packing is (mostly) done. I had to leave some things behind, but I do have a lot of junk.
Tomorrow the rest of the aspect of packing will happen - the unpacking. Making a new home in a new place. Yikes! Scary and exciting paired together.
South Carolina, here I come.

The first of many (?)

In starting my new adventures to seminary, I have decided to embark on blogging as well, for the countless people who will be so enthralled with my life that they want all the little details of what's going on in my life. This may be challenging to figure out what to put up here - what's interesting, important, and God honoring, but I hope that this will not be my random ramblings but something useful, encouraging, and edifying to all concerned.

Right now I am preparing to leave on Thursday. It still seems crazy that it is so close. I have said 90% of my goodbyes and God has sustained me in amazing ways. I can't wait to see what God will do once I get down there... after all my packing and that long car ride.