Self-discovery

Hello. My name is Leah and I have an addictive personality.

Saturday night, I played Rock Band (thanks Joe) for about 4-5 hours straight. I have been yearning to play since.

I have watched every episode of Lost at least twice and I’m counting down the hours until the season premiere.

I have/will read every Harry Potter more than once and have been/will be at the midnight opening of each movie. I even watch interviews of the cast on YouTube after I’ve watched all the special features on the DVDs.

Every day I think about Ethiopia and how much I love the people there. I put myself in imaginary situations with them, hoping that God will use me in any way.

(everyone) HELLO LEAH.

Booyah

I just had an amazing revelation and I wanted to share it. This may seem trivial and I know many have thought about this before, but what I know is this:

I get to spend eternity with God and Satan doesn’t. I get to forever be in His presence with my friends in Christ and he will miss out. And anything else we strive for on this earth does not matter. Anything on this earth that does not pertain to Him is pointless. So why am I wasting my time?

Ethiopia, here I come…

Koinonia

I know I’ve talked about community on here before, but I want to talk about it again.

I believe that it is so incredibly important for us as Christians to be in community with one another. I think that God designed us to desire and need relationships, not only with Him, but with others. I don’t care how much one may think that he or she doesn’t need friends. You do.

Today, I attempted to read my book for Christian Ethics and Social Issues, and although I didn’t get very far, I found some new ideas about community. The authors state that “character is formed not by self-made individuals, but by the shaping, encouraging, and correcting influence of community.” I guess I never really thought about how a community can shape who you are. I knew that it was important, but I think it just hit me on how it was important.

God also showed me tonight how important it is to be in community with your friends. Kelsey, Julie, Dani Beth, Natalie, and myself have started a Bible study together and I already feel that God has blessed me with it. Not only have I learned about who God is by reading the first chapter of Habakkuk, but I have also been put in the position of being vulnerable with my friends. It’s made me realize how I often leave them in the dark about things going on in my life that they have a right to know about. And now, since I have talked to them about it, I know that I’m not alone and I know that they will be there to encourage me and pray for me and love me for whoever I am and whatever I may be going through.

I guess what I’m getting at is that God wants us to love and be in fellowship with one another. It’s hard to be vulnerable, trust me, I’m the worst at it. And it sucks going through crappy things. But now that I have been open with them, I know that they will be there for me and I know that God can shape and mold me through them.

I’m sorry this is another serious post. So to end this, I’ll leave you with a really funny video of people falling. That way we can all laugh together, as a community.

Yay school

So I’m going to copy Kelsey and tell everyone about my classes.

Practice II, MWF 12-12:50: I am enjoying this class so far, and I have it with Julie. It’s the second part of the practices classes I have to take as a social work major. I am enjoying it more than Practice I because we are studying working with groups, so everything we do is with a partner or a group. The tests, the quizzes, everything. Our partners were randomly chosen and thankfully I like mine. I’m looking forward to doing tests together.

Policies and Issues, MW 2-3:20: This is another social work class, but I don’t think it will be as interesting. I have this with Julie as well. I love the teacher and the class is interactive, but theses kind of subjects don’t really click well with me. I think it’ll be okay though. I will get to learn more about laws and policies in the U.S., which is something I know nothing about. So that’s good.

Special Populations, M 6-8:50: My third social work class and it’s a night class. Sick. I like my teacher, but she talks a lot. The good thing is that I get to read some good books and we don’t have tests. Yay!

Christian Ethics and Social Issues, TTH 9:30-10:50: This will probably be my favorite class. We’ve only had one day of lecture and I’ve already heard some difficult questions. I like my teacher as well. I think this may be a very important class for me when I get into the real world. We’ll see.

Spinning, TTH 12:30-1:50: Not as easy as you would think. I have this with Kelsey and we ride next to each other. I like our teacher, she’s funny and plays 80’s music. My butt is sore from the seat, so hopefully I can find a bike seat soon.

So how are your classes? Anyone taking any exciting ones?

I want to adopt.

I want to leave this country really, really badly. I saw a picture on Facebook of someone somewhere in Africa and it made me sad/anxious. I cannot wait to go to Ethiopia again. I miss it so much and I can’t imagine what my life would be like if I had never have gone there. That’s why I’m going back this summer! And I get to teach kids English. Isn’t that crazy? How in the world do I get to do that? I’m not one to really like kids, but I’m really looking forward to playing with them and loving them. Are these not the cutest kinds you’ve ever seen? Watch this:

I just got really excited about this and decided to blog on it. If anyone gets the opportunity to leave the country, definitely go to Africa. Especially Ethiopia because they are the most wonderful people in the world. That is all.

Life is waiting for you.

School starts tomorrow. I have mixed feelings about it. I always hate leaving my home, just because that’s how I am, but once I get back into the swing of things at school I get better. Hopefully that will happen this semester.

Sometimes I wish I could escape my mind, only just for a moment. I wish I could pause it and think about nothing. It never stops, even when I sleep. I imagine myself in a white area, maybe a room, and I’m just standing there. And I can stand there for a while and rest in nothing. Maybe Jesus is there too, standing with me. I just want to stop to rest and then when I’m finished, I can jump right back into myself with a clear head.

I know things happen for a reason and I know our lives will not be perfect. I know God knows what He’s doing and it is for the best. I know that He can pull me through anything and I know I need to have faith in Him. I know this stuff, I know it. But I can’t seem to grasp those concepts right now and it sucks.

I was reading Job today and I realized what a pansey I was. I am so much more fortunate than I know and I’m constantly having to remind myself of that. My problem is so mundane compared to what I could be going through, it’s just really hard to see that when you’re in the middle of it. I hope I can climb out of this pit I’m in really soon and look back on this. I don’t know what I want to think of it, I just want to be out of it and at the point where I can just look back at it. There are so many things in my life that are more important and that I am looking forward to and I want to be in those places.

I know this is a serious post and I won’t get any comments, but I think it’s theraputic, so I may continue this.

Lord save me.

I love the Lord, for He heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy. Because He turned his ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live. The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: “O Lord save me!”

The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The Lord protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, He saved me. Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. For You, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling…

How can I repay the Lord for all His goodness to me?

Psalm 116:1-8, 12