Kenya

I've been working on a powerpoint presentation of Kenya pictures for my parents Sunday school class. My dad and I have been asked to present our pictures and talk about our trip. This task of making a powerpoint has taken longer than it normally should, because I can't help but just sit and stare at the pictures of the babies. I realized how much I miss them!

This is a video that is posted on Jolinda's blog that she writes about the center (news, pics, updates). This video was put together by NMC and a past team that has traveled to Kenya.

All is restored in Nappanee

Welcome back Taco Bell!! Oh how I have missed you. If you've ever wondered what would cause high school students to skip school on a Wednesday, factory employees to risk taking longer than their allowed half hour lunch, busy people to wait in in line for a half hour, and people to stand while eating because of lack of space - now you know. The re-opening of Nappanee Taco Bell!! It was crazy over the lunch hour but oddly enough - I found it somewhat of an honor to wait in the drive-thru line for over a half hour for my food. In a weird way, I felt like our community was coming together to welcome this business back. As if we were saying - a tornado can take our favorite restaurant, our homes, and our material things - but we will rise again. We are rising again. (ok I know it's just an open taco bell, maybe i'm getting too much meaning from it, but it was a moment to remember nonetheless).

As for my continuing job search - the admissions counselor job in Hesston has come to a halt. All the current counselors look as if they are going to be staying, so they will not be hiring anyone new at this time. But I've still been looking/applying for jobs in Kansas. I'm ready to move back out there. So please pray that I have faith that God will put me there if it's His will. And thank you all for your prayers as I was stressing out about finding a job. I have realized after much prayer that it's all in His hands and God's timing is perfect.

As I sit here sipping on my dr. pepper (fountain of course), I am reminded of a quote I heard once that goes something like "Everything has already been decided. It was know long ago what each person would be. So there's no use arguing with God about your destiny." It comes from the verses in Ecclesiastes 6. There's no sense in arguing or worrying about God's plan for my life - it's been decided and I choose to follow Him.

For the Record...

I realize that all of this is in God's hands. But I'm obviously having a very hard time putting that realization into action.

SOS

Ok, I'm sending out a SOS call to all my blogger friends! I'm stressed out. Big time. Like the kind of stressed out where you can't sleep, can't focus, and when someone brings up the thing that you're stressed out about- you burst into tears. THAT is the kind of stressed I am. I'm stressed about finding a job after graduation. I need some help from all those recent (or not so recent) college grads out there. I'm feeling completely under qualified for everything!!

I applied for an admissions counselor job at Hesston and while I'm hoping, wishing, and praying that it works out - I have to be looking/applying for other jobs too, just in case it doesn't. So, I've sent my resume to several (when I say several I mean more like 7-10) agencies and companies. But I've heard little or no response. My mom thinks I'm stupid to rely on emails. But alot of companies do everything online nowadays.

I know it's only March, but I absolutely hate not knowing what my life holds after June of this year. So - any advice/prayer/reassurance/JOB that you can give me. I'll take it.

I'm restless. I can't sleep. I have so many things that I'm thinking about that my brain has yet to go into "sleep mode" while the rest of my body is aching for some much needed sleep! I've realized that the graduating class of 2008 is at a HUGE disadvantage. This is probably one of the worst times to be graduating college with the economy like it is. No one is going to be looking to hire anyone for awhile. I've sent my resume to a couple places, but with no avail. I haven't heard even an email reply yet. Mike and I are moving forward in our relationship. With talk of marriage, weddings, and what the summer may hold for us in terms of moving, etc, we keep thinking that it would be much easier to have our lives more put together if we knew where our jobs would take us. Will I get the admissions counselor job in Kansas? Will Mike get the job he interviewed for in Merrillville? Should I move there if he does? It's enough to make me scream, let alone keep me up all night.

Anyone have a job for a Social and Behavioral Sciences major who is graduating in May????

I just received a monthly newsletter in the mail from an old high school friend. I get these every month and I always look forward to seeing what's going on in the life of him and his wife. What makes it more special though, is that at the bottom of every newsletter he always writes a short note to me. He makes some reference to something that is going on in my life that he has heard about and wishes me the best. At this point, since he's living in another state, this is our only means of communication throughout the year. Sometimes I think I take for granted how special just a simple sentence or two can be to someone. High school feels like ages ago, and you couldn't pay me enough to go back, however I did meet some very quality people there in the halls and classrooms of NorthWood. Some I have lost touch with, others I talk to from time to time, and there's just a few that I still see on a regular basis. Just today I saw a picture of a girl I went to high school with that I had forgotten about. I wasn't great friends with her, but we had mutual friends and always had a good time together. I know that in the last few years she's had some troubled times, but as I looked at her picture today I thought "wow, I have no idea who she is anymore. Even where she is. It feels as if I never even knew her." I'm sure that she would feel the same way if she came across my picture. What amazes me though is that the person I get the newsletters from - I think of him on a regular basis, especially when I receive the newsletters. And the girl - I have almost forgotten about her on accident. But still - they have a connection to me. They both keep me grounded. They have rooted me into this Northern Indiana life and they don't even know it. When I see their faces, I think of my past, a past that connects me to Nappanee. No matter where I end up.

Letting Go..

This week is IUSB's spring break. I couldn't be happier to have a break from classes, however, I would really like to use this time to get caught up on some assignments and even get ahead.

Lately I've been thinking alot about "letting go". I have such a problem with holding on to old emotions, hurt feelings, etc. that I find it extremely hard to let go. There's a song by Corey Crowder and in it he says:

"You can't find happiness if you don't let go."

Simple words, but so hard to do! I know that God has forgiven me for the wrong things that I have done, but I can't seem to forgive myself. It's something I struggle with on a day to day basis. And not just with wrong decisions that I've made. I have trouble letting go of friendships that have been lost, bad relationships, etc. I have a couple friends that our friendship used to be solid. But now, because of distance, we hardly ever talk. I put in a lot of effort to try and reconnect with these people, but unfortunately it's not reciprocated. Mike is always telling me that sometimes I just have to let go and move on. But I think "there's so much time and memories invested into that friendship. How can someone just let go?"

Letting go. Moving on. Breaking free. Maybe I need to start looking at it as a positive thing. Look at all I might gain instead of what I may be losing.

Anyway, that's my tangent for the day. I woke up this morning with a horrible stiff neck. I'm having quite a lot of difficulty turning to the right. So I think it's time that I figure out something to do for that.

Every Monday Matters

Alright another plug for a great campaign! :)
I've just been asked to be the Indiana leader for a movement called "Every Monday Matters". This campaign is to take an ordinary, dreaded, Monday - and turn it into something that can help make a difference. There's 52 Mondays in a year- this provides 52 chances to help someone. 52 ways to make a difference. So as I start to pour some effort into this campaign I'm going to be taking to my blog to spread the word.
Go here to get more information.