Nothing More Beautiful Than This:

Paper Update

Well, this has been an interesting subject indeed. I'd say I'm a few short hours away from finishing the first draft of the paper that is the current bane of my existence. I might post it here when It's all said and done, at least I will post a reflection. But for now, I am saying that I've turned a corner. I'm optimistic it will be done soon and I cannot wait to see what happens...

Thanks.. keep praying... :)

Help!

So I'm trying to write this paper... I've been trying for two weeks and it's not coming. I have no clue where to start. I've had no direction on this. I'm so frustrated. What am I supposed to do?? Not to mention it was due 5 days ago... yikes!!

Ok well I guess instead of writing here, I should be writing there... someone please help!!! I can't do this!! I feel so trapped!!!

Just because it's Thanksgiving...

I Ate Too Much
by Jack Prelutsky

I ate too much turkey,
I ate too much corn,
I ate too much pudding and pie,
I'm stuffed up with muffins
and much too much stuffin',
I'm probably going to die.
I piled up my plate
and I ate and I ate,
but I wish I had known when to stop,
for I'm so crammed with yams,
sauces, gravies, and jams
that my buttons are starting to pop.
I'm full of tomatoes
and french fried potatoes,
my stomach is swollen and sore,
but there's still some dessert,
so I guess it won't hurt
if I eat just a little bit more.

What I'm thankful for: My Pumpkins

I know that they are hard to read so under each picture I've listed them out.

People:


Dad, Gwen, Cara, Ian, Andrew, Louisa, Gabi, Nathan, Dustin, Kristina, Emily, Katie, Jeni, Ray, Roberts Family, EVERY SINGLE JR. HIGHER, IPC Family, Christie and Patrick, Koss Family, Erin, Pam and Teri, Ryan Caputo, Michelle and Curtis, Troy and Nora, Kirk, Nana, G, Raitt Family, All leaders, George, Kate, Billy, Brian and Ryan, Chad and Marisa, Jori and Patrick, Juli Vic Brady and Brandon, Tracy, PNC, Linda, Fernando, Michele and Tim, David and Michelle, All my nieces and nephews, Elodie, Annabelle, Meghan and Andy, Sydney, Sally

Things:


Bible, Starbucks, the mountains, red bull, USC Football, Rob Bell, the beach, seminary, fall leaves, Yosemite, Calvin Crest, this summer (2009), Disneyland Resort, laughter, my puppies, art, camera, nature, pictures, music, books, purses, shoes, musicals, K & B :), my diploma, chili in a bread bowl, my hair.

I know some of the things are kinda silly, but it's what I'm thankful for. I'm sure I forgot some things, but there's what I prayed for and thanked God for tonight in church.

Amen.

We Gather Together

So tonight is Thanksgiving Eve and at IPC we have a long tradition. We take pumpkins and write what we're thankful for on them and then place them on the alter, as a way to thank God. I have been going to this service for a long time, and while I don't like all of the service, the idea of all of us in the church, coming together to thank God for our blessings is nice. It reminds me of the classic song, "We Gather Together"

We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing;
he chastens and hastens his will to make known;
the wicked oppressing now cease from distressing:
sing praise to his Name, he forgets not his own.

Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine;
so from the beginning the fight we were winning:
thou, Lord, wast at our side: all glory be thine!

We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant,
and pray that thou still our defender wilt be.
Let thy congregation escape tribulation:
thy Name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!

I will post my pumpkin later. I always write one for the alter and then copy it and save one for me.. so that I can be reminded of all I have to be thankful for. If you don't have service to go to, I suggest you write out what you're thankful for. Write out your blessings. It's a great thing to come back and look at throughout the year. And I love to pull out the ones from the past and read them before the service each year.

God has truly blessed us all in many various ways. This year has been big for me. I don't think I'll be able to fit it all on my pumpkin, but we'll see...

Wishing you a very happy Thanksgiving Eve.

I don't wanna...

So I'm sitting in Panera and trying desperately to write this paper that has been haunting me for two weeks and it's just not coming. I don't want to do it anymore. It's not good, I can't fake it, and I just don't want to do it. I have this problem with pointless tasks asked of me. This whole class feels pointless. I just want to be able to go into the admin office at Fuller and yell, "DIDN'T YOU READ MY TRANSCRIPT?!?!? I KNOW HOW TO WRITE PAPERS, I KNOW HOW TO READ A BOOK, I GRADUATED COLLEGE!!! I TOOK MANY CLASSES ON WRITING PAPERS, NOW I'M IN GRADUATE SCHOOL AND I HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO DO IT?!?!? DID YOU READ MY ESSAYS OR MY RECOMMENDATIONS!?!?!?"

Clearly they didn't and now I'm stuck writing a research paper, just for the fun of it. Not to learn anything except the process of writing papers. I'm so frustrated. I don't know if I want to go to seminary anymore if this is what it's like. I'm assured over and over that this isn't what it's like, but at this point, I don't want to continue on.

That being said, I'm sorry I've been quiet. I know I promised I'd write more, and I didn't.

Sometimes when I read others blogs I feel like my random thoughts aren't good enough to put out there. I'm not deep enough or spiritual enough or even just witty enough. But is that what I'm supposed to be? No I'm supposed to be me. If I have questions or thoughts or even frustrations (see above) then this is the place for them. I will try to be better and I will just try to be me.

Ok... enough procrastinating. I have got to start writing...

'till next time....