A Silence Broken

Yes, I have finally posted! I kept thinking of my poor blog sitting here in its designated spot in cyperspace neglected and cold. Thus, I decided to take a break from trying to write my grueling essay for English and revive this poor blog. So..........what's been happening since July? Well, that's a little too much to try to write in one post. But, I can give you a summary in one word since August:

SCHOOL!!!!

Yes, school! Not too surprising. It's probably been one of my toughest semesters so far to tell you the truth, but it's also been a learning process outside of homework and endless lectures. I lost someone very dear to me at the very beginning of the semester and even though my heart ached and I wanted to be with my dearest friend who was hurting, I couldn't. Yet, my Lord has been there and showed me that He is my comfort and my song in the night even when I don't understand why things are happening.
I often find myself lost in thought. I've had some other issues come up mainly having to do with the hassle of trying to study abroad which I won't go detail about at this moment that often has me stressed and worried. Last night at French club, I often found myself staring out the window or intently studying the design on the table while vaguely hearing the ones around me conversing in French. I was a little surprised when one of the professors asked me what I was thinking about and I had no clue what to tell him. I just said that it was nothing really. I don't think he believed me though. I guess it's natural to wonder if what you're going through right now and what stage in life you are in will ultimately have a huge impact on the rest of your life. I feel like I have hit a crossroads, but am not sure what the crossroad is or which way He would have me go when I find it out. In any case, I shall keep you updated on my progress with study abroad and I promise, I shall relate some of the lighter things going on in my life. God bless you, who may perchance be reading this!

Pictures from My Journeyings

The Four Musketeers Reunited
Sacred Harp Class

Flag ceremony
High school/college class
Trying to keep Brother Tom comfortable so he won't send us to bed. ;)
Joseph the camp headmaster at Camp Moriah
Going in a few circles in the canoe race
Brother Abraham showing how to play volleyball
Chiggers!!!
The lake errr....pond
Emily's group
Some good visitin'
Throwing the camp headmaster into the lake! :)

Kara climbing out of the creek after an adventure looking for a missing softball Brother Chris and Sister Rachel getting a little out of hand with the water bottles
My beautiful, precious counselor group
Brother Zack our Bible study teacher

Well, I am glad to have been finally able to present some of my pictures from Harmony Hill and Camp Moriah. I'm sorry for the delay, but hope you're able to enjoy the ones I've posted. ;) Hope all is going well for everyone! God bless!

Pictures Coming Soon!

Yes, I'm back and have been back for quite a while, just keep forgetting to get on here. I will post pictures of my jouneyings soon. I don't have access to them since I'm at work (Yes, I do surf the internet at work when there's nothing to do) and I won't be home until tomorrow evening. If you have a facebook, I have posted them on there also. If you don't, I'll try to post some ASAP.

I had an absolutely wonderful time at both Harmony Hill and Camp Moriah. I think this year at HH was probably my favorite. We had several people missing because of jobs and school, but it was so sweet for those of us that were there. The theme was delighting to the will of God which was very fitting for me since I have a lot of decisions that are coming up for me to make. The singing was also so beautiful. We all really felt the Spirit there. What a sweet time and place!

Camp was also incredibly blessed. We had a lot of people come this year. The theme was the attributes of God which I really enjoyed. It's just amazing learning about all the different attributes of this awesome God we serve! I also had so much fun with my counselor group. I had the 6-8 year olds this year again, and although it was kind of tough to keep their attention at the beginnning of the week, we ended up having a wonderful time learning more about our Heavenly Father. I still find it amazing to find out how much some of those youngsters really do listen to sermons and have some mature questions. One little girl asked me while I was talking to them about the wrathfulness of God if God hates the child of God that hasn't been born again yet. I was rather surprised to hear this question from a seven year old, but tried as best I could to answer as well as I could so that she could understand. I still stand in awe of God and His majesty. He is just so far above us and we in our feeble minds can hardly even comprehend Him! I think though one of my favorite times was that night we sang "It Is Well With My Soul" because it was just so powerful! I wonder what it was like for Andrew B. leading to stand up in front of those three hundred people singing that song and feel the power full force.

Of course, I also loved getting to fellowship with friends and family at both places. If you go to Camp long you find out that most of the people there are related somehow. Though I can't claim everyone there as a cousin, I can say that I'm related to a large number of folks that usually come and I find that to be a great blessing. It's always a blessing to see even those in your extended family following the Lord and teaching their children to do likewise. A lot of my friends and I had a wonderful time getting to catch up and had several laughs and giggles. Come on, what are friends for but to be there when you need them and also help you laugh. :)

To more recent history.....

I am glad to say that my room looks a lot better right now though it's not completely cleaned up yet. I took my long weekend last weekend since I had the 4th off and just worked on cleaning and sorting. I now have a lot of stuff moved to Shanna's house and have a few more things to go through when I get home. I mostly just have a couple of suitcases and some bags to sort. So, I am making progress. The main thing I'm waiting on right now is finding a chest of drawers (generally known around my household as chester drawers) at a cheap price to be able to put clothes in. Once I get that I can take the huge suitcase and unload it at Shanna's and that will take care of some of the mess. I did find a computer desk that I bought for $10 from a member of our church! That was quite a blessing, and I'm praying that I'll find a good price for a chest of drawers also.

Well, as far as pictures go, I might actually try copying some from facebook on here. Hadn't thought of that. I might try to tackle that this evening, so be patient, I'll get to it. Talk to you soon and God bless!

It's That Time of Year Again!

Ah, yes, summer.......

Well, as my little six year old nephew Samuel pointed out after I told him I was out of school for the summer, "But, Stacey, it's not summer until June 22! How could you be out for the summer?" while giving me a very confused look.

So, I guess technically it's not summer, but you know what I mean....... :)

Yes, I'm more than ready to start hunting up the old bug spray from last summer, the sunscreen, the cot, the sleeping bag, the shower flip-flops, that old faithful Mexican blanket of mine, a good notebook for taking notes, and all of those other necessary articles for going to Harmony Hill and Camp Moriah. We're hoping, Lord willing, to be at both, but we'll have to see how things go. Mom's been having some trouble with cellulitis, so we'll just have to see if it's healed enough to go by a week from Sunday.

I really feel a strong need to take a break from work and go have some fellowship with other believers and try to get some of my sanity back. Work's going great, don't misunderstand me there, I just need a rest from it. I've had a tough couple of weeks with some things that have happened and some of my own struggles that I'm dealing with. Yet, even I know that my troubles are very minimal compared to others, but I'm glad I have a great God to help me through my problems also even if they are rather small compartatively speaking.

Well, I must admit that my room at home is still a mess.........

I haven't been home much since I moved back, and most of my problem is that I don't know where to put most of the mess. I'm thinking of going ahead and moving a lot of it to my friend's house where I'm presently staying most of the time since I'll be moving there at the end of the summer anyway. I'll continue to think on it though I have the feeling Mom's probably going to want me to do something about it soon understandably. Oh, well, it's just part of being a college student living in two places at once which is quite an interesting experience, I must say, though it can be rather inconvenient when trying to remember at which place you left a much needed article of clothing or that missing hairbrush or those nice flip-flops. Keeps my life interesting that's for sure!

Well, until next time which possibly might be a while depending on whether I can get on here before we leave if we do indeed leave, I hope all of you are doing well and walking with Him each day! God bless!

Yes, it's been a while....

Okay, sorry, I must admit that facebook is taking up the time I would have normally spent posting. I've even got facebook open at the moment. I guess now I understand what happened to all those blogs that haven't been posted on in forever. Everyone got facebooks and forgot about blogs. That's kind of sad.......

Don't worry I'll try to keep posting, just forgive me if posts are sometimes slow in coming. ;) I am now out for the summer. That also includes being out of the dorms for good!!! Yahoo! I can now happily live off campus! :D Finals went fine. My only problem was feeling so weak that I had to pray for the Lord to give me strength to get there. I had had a reaction to some antibiotics I was taking. I won't go through the whole story since it's long and you probably don't really care to know all of it. Anyway, my doctor needed to run some tests and had to take some blood. That weakened me terribly and has taken me a while to get over it. Yet, it taught me how much I have to lean on the Lord to give me the strength for each day. It greatly humbled me.

I'm now staying at a friend's house while I'm working. I'm missing being home, but my room's a mess right now from moving out, so I must admit to not really wanting to return home to sort. ;) I'll get to it though. I'm not one to leave a mess for long.

Well, I shall post soon, I hope, now that I don't have school to worry about. Oh, I did get my grades back and I did excellent! Praise the Lord! :) Hope everyone's week is going well!

The Last Day of Class!!!

Woop! Yep, today's the last day of class for the semester. I just have one more class and then finals starting on Thursday. I'll be so glad to finally have this semester behind me. This year has been tough, but it's had its good points too. I'm not really looking forward to finals other than having them overwith. I guess everybody's the same way.
God has yet again blessed me! I have received two more scholarships. One from the university for a foreign language major and one from the French department. I was quite surprised by the one from the French department. I had applied for it, but wasn't very confident that I would get it. It is $500 a year for the rest of my undergraduate work as a French major. I am just overwhelmed by His wonderful blessings to me in helping me to be able to pay for my college education. He's such a great and kind God who cares for His children. I feel that as long as I continue to do His will, He will continue to bless me with the knowledge and ability to do what He would have me do. Praise the Lord!!!!!
I hope everyone's finals go well and that they have a great week!!!

A Few Thoughts

As I near the end of school for this semester and am also dealing with some allergy problems, I've been doing some thinking. In the past couple of weeks I've heard some interesting statements by a couple of professors. My English professor apparantly grew up Calvinist and decided during one discussion of Robert Louis Stevenson's Calvinistic beliefs to make fun of Calvinism which wasn't too surprising since this is a college course, but still.... My logic professor also decided one day to talk about how the argument that God created everything was illogical and invalid. I just stared at my logic professor and pitied him because he was denying the very One that gave him the knowledge to be able to understand the complex subject of Logic. My English professor talked about how Calvinists often talk about themselves being as worms, and how in Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde that Utterson asked forgiveness for being human. She told us that she didn't feel so lowly about herself to see herself as worm, nor did she the reason for asking forgiveness for being human. "What's wrong with being human?" she asked. I didn't try to answer her, but her question and statement about not feeling as a worm mixed with my logic professor's statements set me thinking about how arrogant and blind we humans truly are unless God chooses to open our eyes for us to see what we really are. It's a hard thing to look at, to see how ugly on the inside you are and that all you have to possibly offer to a holy God is equivalent to filthy rags; yet, I thank the Lord that He showed me. I know the true meaning of grace and forgiveness because the Lord reached His hand down to me when I was weighed down by the chains of sin and death. There was nothing I could offer Him that could have possibly paid my debt of sin, but Christ paid my debt that day on Calvary and He did it because He loved me. How could I then raise myself up and claim that I wasn't a worm (when I really am) or that I shouldn't ask forgiveness for being human (when I have to ask it countless times a day)? How can I deny that God created everything when I see His hand everywhere--in the flowers, in the clouds, in the song of the birds, in the leaves, in the way the wind moves across the plains, in the miracle of a newborn baby.

"The Heavens declare the glory of the Lord; and the firmament showeth his handiwork."
Psalm 19:1

I know you would probably tell me that at college it's just to be expected to run into professors like that, and I know that. However, I often wonder how they live everyday without the comfort of the knowing that a great Heavenly Father is looking out for them and guiding them. They will never be truly happy because only Christ can bring them true happiness, for the only happiness they will feel here will only be temporary. Yet, maybe God will open their eyes, but that's in His well-capable hands. We should thank Him everyday for the wonderful gift He's given us: the gift of salvation.

Crunch Time For Sure

Yes, "crunch time" has officially begun! It's been almost unbearable the last couple of weeks with my professors trying to cram in so much. It's like they realized that there's only about a month of school left, so they've got to cram as much information into our aching heads as possible. I think I agree with a friend of mine who suggested that instead of having spring break we should get out a week early because it's nuts to expect us to remember stuff for an exam after being gone for a week. Thankfully, it's eased up, but I had been stressed out with feeling very behind in just about every class.
Everything is coming along now. I'm supposed to rehearse my scene with partner for acting tomorrow. I've been working on my lines and such. I'll be happy to have it overwith. My choir concert is also next week followed by my B'day the next day. I'm not really sure what to do to celebrate. I guess I'll ponder that this weekend.
OH, GUESS WHAT!!!!!!! I GOT TWO SCHOLARSHIPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was so excited! It will really help out with a lot of my expenses, especially with studying abroad next spring semester and all. It was such an answer to prayer and so exciting!

I hope you all are doing well! God bless you!

Alas, I Must Return....

Spring break ends today! Oh, I've so enjoyed my time off. I was really needing a break and have thoroughly enjoyed mine. Now, I wish it was longer, but I'll just be thankful for the time I did have. I shall return this evening to my place of residence on campus and finish out my last five weeks of this semester. I must admit that I'm not at all looking forward to waking up at 6:30 tomorrow to head to class yet again, but I shall persevere....

I'm so glad it's spring though!!!! It's my favorite season except for the allergies. It's a time of new beginnings as the flowers bloom and the grass and the trees become green again (at least the few we have out here). It's such a poetic season....

Well, I think I shall now go enjoy my few remaining hours of freedom before I go back to my busy school and work schedule tomorrow. I hope everyone is doing well! God bless!

Happy St.Patrick's Day!

Thought you might enjoy this levity on St. Patrick's Day. I regret to inform you that although I have Irish ancestry I neglected to wear green today and instead wore red. I mainly just forgot what day it was and also half didn't really care. ;) I'm enjoying my spring break tremendously so far! God bless and enjoy!

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Yes, It Finally Happened....

I WAS LATE TO CLASS!!!!

Course, I guess I could say the weather was partly to blame. We had winds of up to 50 mph and snow today. Anway, I was trying to walk against the wind to get to choir from logic discussion. The philosophy building is a good distance away from the music building, and class let out a little late. I had about five minutes to make it to class walking against the wind. I felt bad that I got there late because I've always made it a point to try to be punctual. What's not so great is that in the choir room when you walk in everyone is facing you, so everyone sees that you're late. Oh well, it was bound to happen at some point, I suppose. I did talk to my instructor afterwards and she was very understanding, so that made me feel better.

Well, let's see what else has been happening around here lately? Acting class last Friday was rather interesting. We had a substitute for a couple of days while our professor was gone to an acting competition. The sub was rather interesting to say the least. On Friday he walked in wearing a masquerade mask and a shiny viser saying "Happy Mardi Gras!" We quickly told him that mardi gras was over, but he said that he had to do something silly the last day of his subing. Anyway, we were doing something called character actions that day. Another words picking an action word and actually using that word to act out a scene. For instance, if you were to have the word panic, you would say your lines in such a way to make the other person panic or act like they were panicking. That was fun though I must say a little weird. My partner and I who are known as the "quiet ones" ended up doing a couple of these type of scenes which were anything but quiet. In one instance, I had to act like I was pressing his head to try to get the idea across that I was trying to press an answer out of him. That got some laughs.

Not much else is really going on at the moment. Just school, work, homework, and few other activities. I hope all is going well for the rest of ya'll! God bless!

Where I Hope to Be in a Year

Can you guess? Oui! C'est Paris! I have begun the process to study abroad in France next spring semester. However, I only want to do it if it is the Lord's will, so I am praying every step of the way for Him to show me the way He wants me to go. Thus, let me rephrase that. I hope to, Lord willing, study abroad in France next spring. ;)

It's actually rather exciting to think about really! I mean, if it all does work out it will be like a dream come true! I hope that studying abroad will help me become fluent in French. I'm at the moment debating on whether to go to Paris or Grenoble. Please keep me in prayer as I make

these decisions.

I often get the question as to what in the world I will do with a French major. I even had one person kid that it was a useless major. I guess the main reason that it's my major is that I love French. I also feel that this is the field that the Lord wants me to be in. He has given me a fascination for languages and a desire to learn new languages. I am eager to see how he will use this desire and talent He has given me. At the moment I am thinking of becoming an interpreter for the government. Course, a person at French club told me that if you are fluent in another language like French, you can enter almost any industry because they need people who know foriegn languages. Knowing another language does definitly open doors.

The main worry I do have with French, however, is the French culture. What is so sad about Europe is that they have pretty much turned their back on God. Their culture does not have the Christian background that ours does and all they seem to think about is sensual and carnal to put it vaguely. This I have picked up just by watching a few French movies and from talking to some exchange students. I often get the feeling that although they do fulfill the desires and lusts of the flesh, there seems to be an emptiness and despair there as if they really don't understand the true meaning of life or why they are here. No one has actually told me that this is how they feel, I have just sensed it by what I have seen and heard. France needs the Lord to put it plainly. Maybe one day there will be an interest there in the doctrines of grace. If there ever is and if by that time I am fluent in French, I will willingly offer my services to help in any way I can.

May the Lord bless each of you with a wonderful week!

A Few Reflections and Some Changes

Yes, we've made a few changes in the past couple of weeks. Joy, my roommate needed a drafting table in our room, so I was nice and let her have my bed space in order for her to be able to have one. Thus, I am now posted underneath her bed. It was hard to get used to, but I think it will work out fine. We both have some adjustments though. For instance, my slightest movement on the bottom starts what feels like and earthquake to her on the top. This wasn't so great when I kind of woke her up one night making a lot of movements because of some weird dream I was having. I was dreaming that I was spreading white copy paper all over an empty room (don't ask me why) and woke up to making this movement with my hand that was shaking the entire bed. She was groaning and asking me what in the world I was doing. I just turned over and went back to sleep a little embarrased. At least we have some laughs over it all. ;)
School has been less stressful this semester, but there have been some struggles this semester that have been hard to deal with. I've witnessed some things I'd rather not have seen and have also nearly decided that I've had it with French movies. It's hard to stay pure and then sit down to watch a French movie. It also seems that there is much more temptation out there than I had quite been aware of last semester. I just have to stay in constant prayer and read my Bible consistently.
I guess I need to call it a day because it's getting late, and I've got a French exam tomorrow. I don't think it'll be that bad really, but we'll see. ;) I survived my Logic exam, so I think I can survive this one. God bless you all with a wonderful week!

Something to make you laugh!

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Alas, I Digress...

Yes, it is true, I've finally done it. I truly thought I wouldn't do it, but it finally came to a point where I had to. I had planned to be one of the last people on the planet to not have one, but I guess that will be left to someone else. I have....


GOTTEN A FACEBOOK!!!!!!

You may stare in shock or you may sympathize, but that is for you to decide. I wasn't planning on getting one, but decided to after my logic TA told us about a group he was starting on facebook for our discussion. After that I finally decided that I would just break down and get one. Now, I'm addicted and have to ration out when I can get on. It's a fun way to keep up with the events of friends and family, but I still am not so sure about it. I'll just take it a day at a time and see how it goes I suppose.

Well, I guess I'll go for now. I probably need to prepare for turning in this evening. I think a nice shower sounds good especially after the dust storm we had blow through campus. God bless you all with a wonderful week!

Is that statement logical?????

Yes, I'll be answering that question a lot in this semester. One of my classes that I'm going ahead and taking to get out of the way is Logic. I must say, this is going to be one of those classes that you're really not sure whether you understand it and whether it will be really worth remembering in the future..... Ah, well, with the Lord's merciful help and grace I shall persevere through it!!!!

I guess my main problem right now with school is just how incredibly cold it is! By the time I walked all the way across campus to get to volleyball class early last Thursday morning my nose was running like a faucet and I felt like a walking ice cube. Oh, well, I better not complain too much. I understand that there's a chance of snow this Thursday. I'll just try to make sure to bundle up like a eskimo. I think I'll definitely be getting into shape this semester! I'm just so tired right now from all my walking hither and yon and trying to get used to a completely different schedule. I think I'll head off to LaLa Land here in a bit after taking my daily dose of vitamins and such. God bless!

We Are Back on the Air....

After a brief time out, we are now back to the constant monologue of this blog....

By the way, Happy New Year to everyone! Yes, I had a wonderful break and new year. I went to Grace Chapel's meeting and had a very blessed time. It's just hard to describe what a blessing it was to welcome in the new year singing "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" and the "Doxology" while standing in a circle around the room at the church holding hands with dear brothers and sisters in Christ. I'd say there's no better way to welcome in the new year!

So, what am I up to right now? Well, I'm back at school. I just completed my first day back and am already missing my break. I'm also trying to recover from being sick. First I had this cold that kept me out of commission for a couple of days and then had some sort of stomach bug issue the night I returned to the dorm. I'm much better now though I could probably sing something similar to bass with this cold the way it is.

The first day of class did go well. My Introduction to Acting class should be interesting. We will have to actually act out scenes in front of the class for a grade and then critique other classmates' acts. It should prove an enjoyable class if I can get over my timidity. ;) French also went well. I believe I've found an excellent teacher! No more Stahcee for me! Hee Hee!

Well, I hope and pray all is going well for all of you! May the Lord bless you all with a very special day!