IT's TIME! Time for switching the wardrobes!!!
I walked outside today and it was overcast and a little bit chilly...definitely not cold yet but it's supposed to rain tomorrow! I love the change in the season! And I feel like I have all new clothes because I brought out my winter scarves and jackets and put my summer dresses and shorts away!
I'M SO EXCITED!
this word has been rocking my lately. it's a simple word, 2 vowels & 2 consonants but together they form something so powerful.
for the past several weeks God has made love the center of my world. seriously, EVERY scripture i am lead to has the word love in it...every one...not an exaggeration.
i listen to John Mark McMillan's "How He Loves" like everyday, and every time i am within reach of my laptop i share with someone the YouTube video of when he shares about the song. he wrote it after his best friend Steven died. One morning Steven prayed that if him dying caused a youth movement among this generation he would be willing to give his life and that night he was killed in a car accident.
the next day John Mark McMillan wrote the song; believing that if God fulfilled the first part of the prophecy that he had to fulfill the second half. And I believe that this song has stirred up a movement among this generation...
we, knowing God's love for us, being know by our love.
I can't get the words "a generation known by love" out of my head. the love for each other and the love of the Father.
So last night Nathan talked about the sexy elephant. Awesome. Seriously, Nate has such an amazing way of speaking about the things that no one wants to talk about...shedding light on the things the Church has hidden.
After each service Derrick had a specific word for the women and men. To the women he said that the no longer do we need to live in shame, that we need to know that we are enough.
So let me back up a little bit...for the past few months I have had several people approach me and speak out that I have a heart for women. Nate has specifically told me that he sees me disciplining women and being a voice for them. I received it but didn't really do anything with it. Honestly, I've never had a heart or women..actually, I like and connect with very few of them (especially those my age).
But last night something changed...when there (sorta) was a time of ministry at the end of 3rd gathering I started shaking. Now this usually happens when I am supposed to pray for someone. My life verse kept coming to mind and I was kind of frustrated by this, I asked God why this was the only verse that ever came to mind when I was praying for women...and it was like he clearly answered me, "BECAUSE THESE ARE THE WORDS I HAVE TO SAY TO THE WOMEN OF YOUR GENERATION! YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO SPEAK IT OVER THEM!"
Ha...awesome.
"The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing."
Isaiah 51:3
and I started sketching again...
I honestly thought I had lost my capability to draw. I had started painting so much and only cared about that, I could barely remember how to hold a pencil! So I designed a dress and a peacoat of sorts...Now I just need to learn how to sew so I can make my creations come to life!!!
haha.
Fashion design has definitely been a good stress calmer...I'm finally feeling the college pressure.
My first huge paper. I know it won't be my last or the longest for that matter, this one's only 7-8 pages...but I'm definitely feeling the stress.
Globalized government...based on history if it is possible. Heavy stuff. Not the easiest to write about. I took me 3 days to write the first 3 pages...but now I'm working on the 6th page! ALMOST DONE!
Just got back from grabbing some food at my parent's (I missed dinner because I was hard at work on my paper) and caught the last view minutes of the Debate. Important stuff...definitely cemented who I'm voting for.
Now I'm off to the Freshman Mugging (aka bowling night)...not so excited about it.
I haven't paid for a cup of coffee in 5 days! FIVE DAYS!
I've spent plenty of time in coffee shops too. For a matter of fact I'm sitting in YAKS right now and you know what? I brought my own coffee in! Ha! And yesterday I went to Starbucks...and brought my own coffee.
okay...so to some of you this may not seem like a huge deal but for me...it's incredible. I average about 3-4 cups of coffee a day...the first cup I usually get at my mom's office, the second YAKS, the third E. Cypress Starbs and the forth either from YAKS, E. Cypress or my coffee pot in my dorm room.
So I average about spending money on 2-3 cups of coffee daily.
Now I don't get any of those fancy drinks, I'm an Americano or Pikes Place drinker...so my drinks are normally under 2 dollars. Now it's math time...
$2 x's 2 = 4 (I'm brilliant...I know!)
4 x's 7 = $28
$28 dollars A WEEK!! on COFFEE! That is absolutely ridiculous!!! That's $112 dollars a month...do you know what I could do with an extra $112 dollars...so much.
So I think I'm off to a good start...I haven't paid for coffee in 5 days, I've drunken plenty of coffee. I've honestly gone to pay for Starbucks coffee and gotten it for free 4 times...and got a free coffee card too, that's pretty awesome. Someone told my it's the favor of Cafe con Christo.
It starts here...with this little cup.
I feel like the Lord has seriously been calling me to a life of simplicity, or more simple than I have been living. Lately, I've been realizing how much money I spend on a daily basis. I buy something new for my closet almost every week...I mean its not ridiculously expensive, most often it's something off the clearance rack at Target, but that's like ten bucks I don't have anymore. I spend money on coffee several times a day...I know I need to ween myself off the Starbucks IV but it is such apart of my life and culture that I don't think I can to quit all together...but I know what I can and will do! I am going to cut back and when I do go to my beloved E. Cypress Starbucks I will bring my to-go cup from home! It's so easy! And it's not about the ten cents I save, it's more about the hundreds of cardboard cups I go through on a monthly basis. My roommate was making fun of me the other day because I come home everyday with a little white cup with a mermaid on it...EVERYDAY!
I'm going to try to stop eating out so much too...I have an awesome opportunity for free meals at Simpson, I mean they are definitely not the most healthy or good tasting but free food is free food! And if I need some time away from Chartwells, I have the opportunity to go home to my parent's and eat!
I also, in the future, really want to learn how to make and modify my own clothes...this is a little extreme but I think it would be fun! and it would definitely help my budget! If I get tired of a certain shirt or dress...just change it up and make it something new!
There are exceptions for everything...I'm not going full on hippy here...I'm just going to start with Starbucks! But I definitely feel this is something I need to do. I checked my bank account yesterday and I have $26 left, and there is not paycheck coming to replenish that. I don't have a job anymore so I am forced to do something! But that's not even the reason for this lifestyle change! I feel like I've given into consumerism far too much in my short life and I need to stop...
keep my accountable please!
8 hours...55 minutes...and counting.
WHAT?!?!
haha too bad I'm not allowed to go. Meghan said so. She is forcing me to sleep in and be well rested for the night gathering! haha!
So today was an interesting day...first I went around Redding with my friend Emily to all these different artist's studios! It was awesome! Totally inspired me a little bit.
Then I met some friends at the e. cyp starbs and we made some plans for the evening.
Went to Racha Noodle...got an order of yellow curry to go. Didn't tip them...and then found out that you're supposed to tip for to go orders...I didn't know that! Is it true? Because I totally felt incredibly guilty...still do. I'll never do it again.
Then to my friend Reilly's house. Ate my food. Watched Arrested Development...never seen it before, enjoyed it...want to watch the rest of the episodes.
Then back to e. cyp Starbs with my friend Sarah. Did a word search from the newspaper. Proceeded to doodle all over the newspaper. Free coffee...always nice.
Left Starbs...saw Bekah. Met them in the Safeway parking lot...headed over to the dorm for a dance party in my room. I found a strobe light online! Seriously amazing!!!
Now I'm at home. It's Columbus weekend...So I went home. I like waking up and having my dad greet me with a latte and making myself some toast.
Mmm. the sooner I go to bed the soon I get toast and a latte! GOODNIGHT!
So maybe he wasn't the nicest man, and some argue that he didn't even find the America's...whatever...he is the reason for this holiday and for that I give him props!
I woke up today at 12:30! I would have just been getting out of my last class of the day! So awesome. I needed the extra sleep too. I went up to Ashland, Oregon with my dad last night to see a play for my English class. The Comedy of Errors: Western Style...I don't think this was exactly what Shakespeare had in mind, but it was a funny play none-the-less.
I just found this picture on the net but that's the play...just imagine it at night, raining and 34 degrees!
I seriously love Ashland though...I'm thinking day trip...anyone?
AND I STILL CAN'T TALK ABOUT IT!
seriously...Sigur Ros ruined my old life. I will never be the same.
People keep asking me about it and I can't put anything into words. Amy said it perfectly...it was like everyone was worshipping. The past 2 weeks God has been speaking to me about how He is not confined my religion (or religious music), and Friday night was like the finale of that lesson. All paths can lead to him. That's all I can say...and RAIN. wow.
My friend Dusten took these photos on his camera phone so I stole them...amazing.
