Back Once Again

I'm home! Back in my little apartment. Being home was really great, but I'm glad to be back and get into a bit of a routine. School starts tomorrow...BIG sad face. BUT Amy reminded me yesterday that this is where God wants me...not in Korea, not in China, not in Antartica (hmm...), SOooo...that makes me wanna smile and do my very best in my last semester of school. God's been soooo good these last 3.5 years, and I know He can only get better! I'm gonna walk tall and proud to be where I am not, and he's going to walk with me. The battles are His, I give up the burdens and I share the smiles and happiness. Like the Apostle Paul, I have learned the secret of being content in whatever situation. Whether well fed or hungry, living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength and fills my heart with joy overflowing. Just try to get past that wall and make me discontent! HA! (thanks Amy!)

Sooo...I go to buy books tomorrow, and the first class I get to start with is Modern Chinese Culture...I love it.

I sent in my application to Korea! :D I'm so excited to find out if I get the job...I won't know until Feb. But, I gave it all to God, and whatever He wants to happen will. I love knowing that and not having to worry. He'll put me in the PERFECT place that He wants me. All I have to do is go!

Please pray for me that I can 1) do my best in all my classes and all I do 2) find a part time job to make a little extra $$ 3) stay content in wherever I am 4) make it to graduation with a 3.0 (at least 5) grow closer to my wonderful amazing God!

God bless!! Peace.

In Our Trials

"No matter if today holds trials, it's been given to us by God. Therefore, it is good."

Let's celebrate our trials! In them, God is there. ALWAYS (underlined and bolded!) He allowed them in order to teach us something...who knows what yet...but trials can be beautiful if we let them radiat our wonderful God! Embrace them and you will embrace Him.

"God doesn't drop us off at the beginning of the road of our next trial and then say "See ya at the end!" No, he goes before us, behind us, and beside us. He feels every ounce of pain and carries our burdens. He never leaves us."

Day after Day after Day

I work. I get tired of this job. I get ungrateful. In the Biblio, Paul teaches us that we need to be content in whatever (yes folks, even an annoying job) situation we're in. Doesn't matter what it is...we're to have joy in our hearts and be content because God has us e-x-a-c-t-l-y right where He wants us. Who are we to tell God that His plan for our lives, no matter how small the detail, isn't correct or good enough? Simply put, we're not. My lesson for the day (or last 3 weeks) get over it, get into it, get joy.

I'm *hopefully* sending in my application for Korea tomorrow. God will get me where He wants me (see above paragraph.) Pray for the process.

Well, it's up early tomorrow so nighty night. Peace.

Let It Snow

I never thought I'd hear myself say this, but I'm sick of snow. I wouldn't be if I had a four wheel drive really high off the ground vehicle. :D Like that would ever happen...hey, I can dream, can't I? It's STILL snowing here...very hard. And it has been for about 3 days now. Crazy crazy. I just hope we make it back to school on time...or do I wish that? ;) As the song goes...let it snow, let i snow, let it snow!

Christmas was nice and quiet. Rather uneventful, but a good time spent with family. The grandparents couldn't up as they usually do because of the snow, so we are postponing the traditional turkey dinner until the weather lets up a bit. and they are able to join us. For Christmas day (I laugh still), we had a true Janke dinner...fondue. How drole it is to me...maybe you have to be a Janke to understand. Well, I got sharpies (which I LOVE), a note pad and book of inspirational quotes, some yum yum and then some body wash, and a wee spot of money. There were only two things that I really wanted...a camera and to travel...but those were a little out of reach this Christmas what with school bills and all. What more could I ask for, though, than to be home with family...safe and loved. God is good.

God is still good. Very good. He's teaching me patience, thankfulness (lets just say I detest my job, but I'm working on being thankful for the money that I know I need and the job that God has so graciously given me.) I'm learning more about me and how I tick and a lot about how I communicate with God. This is good because I can tap into the positive aspects of my communication with Him and make them even better and stronger.

I NEED that relationship with God more than I need to breathe. I look around the world at people who have tragedy in their lives, and they cry out with the feeling of hopelessness. Well, here I am knowing full well that I don't have to worry about what life will bring because I have a God who is bigger than any problem that could come my way. Those who don't know this perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3+4) are lost in confusion and doubt, faithlessness and self-pity. I admit that I don't always fully trust what I know if fully there and ever-strong, but God forgives me when I doubt and makes me trust Him even more. Now, my job is to share with the rest of the dying world the hope that I possess inside. The hope that gets me through every hour and every day even when I feel like the world is falling in on me. Why would I not want to share that? Why would anyone not want to? How can I keep silent? My God, how can I keep from singing Your praise?

The Whole World

I'm more inspired every day, more changed. I'm more moved, more pulled by the force of love. Love. What do I know of love? How do I show love? The questions are too deep for me to answer. I feel a love, but it's more hidden than I'd like. It's more trapped by selfishness that I don't claim, but rather that I strongly deny. But, it's there. More care for myself than for others. More love for the things of me than the things of the world around me. A world lost and alone, without the greatest gift of all that I already posses. Should I still hold it up inside of me and not release it? No. I should fight to spread it around. To share love to its fullest degree. To break free of me and share in what I have. Oh, I know a great deal about love. Oh, I show love. I know more than I share. It's pulling me out of myself and into God. I vow to work on letting it out so that it can be the wind of truth over the world. The heat that warms the cold hearts. To give of me until I am given...completely emptied. To show, to know, love.

Home

I'm going home! I'm so excited to see the parents and puppy and church friends! :D :D :D :D :D We're sitting at the airport right now just waiting for our flight to board (soon!) and then it'll be a long treck to Cincinati and then Seattle...there's a snow storm back home so who knows if we'll be delayed or what might happen. It seems we always run into problems on the way home for Christmas.

Well, the Lord will keep us safe if He chooses to. He's got us in His hand so there's really nothing to worry about. He gives good gifts to His children. Makes me wish for Heaven, my real home. I can't WAIT to go there!! :) I can only imagine what it will be like....aaahhh!

So here I go home! Very tired but ready to escape the usual for a while. I managed to fit everything in a very small duffle bag, and I didn't even NEED to bring it all. I think I'm well on my way to easy travel. Peace!

Tears are passing

Well, today was the last day of student teaching. We had a party, I hugged all of my students goodbye, and gave them cards. They had all made cards for me yesterday, and they presented them to me today. I started to read one and had to stop because I had already started crying. I have yet to read them because I know I'm going to bawl! They also gave me gifts in sweet gestures of kindness. I'm surely going to miss them! I'm also going to miss my cooperating teacher. She taught me soooo much...more than a class could ever teach me. In actions and words. I learned so much this semester, and I'm grateful that God put her in my life and specially picked her to see me through my student teaching. I got an A! I was very happy because I knew I had done my very best, and I guess they thought it was A material.

All the praise, however, has to go to God. He's the heart and soul of what I do. Without Him, I would be lost in nervousness and stress, confused and frustrated. He keeps me calm, gives me joy (even when times aren't happy) and leaves me with no regrets. I love Him so much, and I'm so thankful for the strength that He gave me this semester and all the other semesters. I have one more road ahead of me before I'm done school, and I know He's going to get me down that one too. Holding me up, leading me, and loving me. Only through Him...so all the glory, praise, and thanks goes straight to Him.

I've been becoming more and more aware of how much more I need to SHOW GOd in what I do. I love Him, I talk to Him, I read His word, but most of it is in private. I don't join in with things I don't agree with, but I don't really speak up for my faith all that much unless prompted to. I need to show God on the outside more. That is one of the things I'm going to start really working on very hard. With God's help, I can.

Have a great day! God bless! Peace.