Catching Up

What up yo? (That's my new thing...)

So, I've been meaning to write this for a while, but school is happening. A lot.

So, this edition is going to be about my adventurous ride back to school after spring break. It started out fine, you know, just talking and listening to music with my friends Josh and Matt with whom I hitched a ride, and right as we put in by far, my favorite album at the moment, we hear a weird chunking, and smell a weird smell. Josh pulls off the side of the road so we can assess the damage and no joke (see the picture), it looks like someone took a knife and drew a circle about an inch from the hubcap all the way around the tire.

We proceed to unpack the trunk to get the tire-changing equipment and the boys start the whole process. Josh has changed tires on this car before, but this tire really isn't coming off. Really not coming off. So we are calling parents to think of the next step we should take, when we see some people walking toward us on the side of the highway. Thankfully, my friend Alex and two other people happened to by driving by us on the same highway (in boonies Ohio), and recognized me, so they pulled over to help!

One of the guys that was in his car has a AAA card so he calls and find the mile marker and they tell us it's going to be 40 minutes or so. We settle into a nice posse by the side of the freeway waiting for AAA to come rescue us, when a pickup truck with a 4-wheeler in the back pulls over and one of the two people in the truck gets out and asks us, with a think country accent, if we need help with the tire. We explain that the tire will not come off, but he wants to try himself, so he's kicking and whacking and swearing just as hard. I can't help but notice the harley boots, tight white rolled-sleeved t-shirt (in the cold drizzle) and the harley tattoo among others. He was nice as he tried to help. He called to the other person in the truck for him to bring out his 'steel-toes.' Te other person, who was equally as tattooed and booted up, with a little more facial piercings, brings out the boots and looks around at our group. He says something along the lines of "...Five guys and one girl? That don't seem right to me... which one do you belong to?" referring to me... All I could say is "uhhhhh..." and he laughs and says something like "oh, I get it..."
There were more comments made, one about how I should make him dinner after he sees one of Josh's cookbooks on the ground... After guy #1 decides that he can't get the tire off, and after telling us that we should have gone a different way to Athens, and about how they were out 'beer-hopping,' they decided to leave. They both shake all our hands and when guy #2 gets to me, holds onto my hand for a little second, gives me this look like he was assuming I was something that I definitely I am not, and makes me a tad bit uncomfortable. They get into the truck, throw out a couple of empty beer bottles, and drive away. I was stifling laughter the entire time. It was a ridiculous situation.

So AAA comes a few minutes later and doesn't have a hammer, which is what we really needed t get the tire off. The find a piece of wood and knock at the tire until it pries loose. Someone made the comment about how, only in southern Ohio does AAA come with a piece of wood. It had completely rusted to the whatever it is that is connected to the tire... so we get the tire changed and drive 50 mph to the closest Walmart (is that one word?). The tire center at the nearest Walmart was closed so Josh patiently drove the rest of the way to OU in the dark and rain, on the spare. We left at 3:30, and got back at school at about 8:00... but God is good, so we stayed safe.

God is SO good. My life has been so wonderful lately....

But more on that later.

Some Words

Recently I've been feeling this amazing Joy, just knowing that my sin is taken care of, and that I don't have to be perfect, and that everything in my life is being taken care of. It is unspeakable how wonderful that feeling is...
We sang these words in church this morning... None could fit better...

It Is Well With my Soul

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

This Is My Father's World

This is my Father's world,
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father's world:
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father's world,
The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their maker's praise.
This is my Father's world:
He shines in all that's fair;
In the rustling grass I hear him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father's world.
O let me ne'er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father's world:
Why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!


Wow, it is His world; God reigns.
Thank you Lord.

Another Current:

So right now, I am sitting at my desk after a night of bible study with some amazing women of God. I am so blessed to have them in my life.

After bible study, my friend, who I haven't really hung out with in quite a while due to the busy-ness of both of our winter quarters, drove me back to my dorm. On the way back, as a side note, I asked her about her dating situation and asked her to pray about mine. It turned into her turning around to her apartment to get me this book that helped her with giving her love-life up to God, which is one of my biggest struggles, even though it's a really important and fulfilling step to take. We prayed together about it and I'm excited to experience that step.

Alright, back to the task at hand.

The classes I am taking this quarter are as follows:
-Statistics (I added a business minor so that it the one and only reason I am taking this class...)
-History of Folk Music (You know you're in for a ride when the professor starts the first class of the quarter with delving into the meaning of life, it's supposed to be history of folk music right, did I miss something??)
-Management (Once again, business minor)
-Industry Recording Survey (looking at the history of recorded music and reading music blogs is pretty sweet for a class, plus I love being in class with audio people, they're a fun breed)
-Independent Study (Recording Campus Crusade for Christ's weekly meetings is a pretty sweet way to ear some credit hours, I would be doing it if I wasn't because I love it)
Total Hours:18!!!!! (YES, Im so happy it's not 20)!!

So it's pretty sweet that my hardest class is statistics; it's going to be a good quarter, I can feel it in my bones.

Memories

There are moments when there are so many memories that come at once that they all blend together into this collective unit. These sights and smells and pictures, sometimes snapshots, sometimes extended scenes that flash in front of my visual cortex, and I'm back there, living it again, smelling it, experiencing it again.

My grandma passed away a few years ago after many long battles with cancer. She was light and happiness and strength and celebration all wrapped up into this package with soft hugs and white hair; in the pink house with the brightly colored front door.

She could cook.

My memories of her are so tied up into the taste of her food; I can feel that familiar comfort when my mom makes one of her signature dishes. She knows that not one of our bellies will go away hungry when she makes one of grandma's recipes.

While I was home on spring break a few weeks ago, my family went to go visit my grandpa because he wanted to take us to lunch. My grandpa was such a wonderful partner for my grandma; their personalities fit each other so well. He is strong and has certainly gone through his share of heartache, but seeing the smile on his face helps us all forget that as we share stories over our lunches. The house that they both lived in is quite large and it was time for him to move on from it. We helped him sort through the it and find things that he graciously let us take back to our house. Some things for practical uses (like this sewing kit that I can use at school) and some because they remind us of grandma; a wall decoration or a rug that she had made. She could work with her hands, and I believe that she was happiest making things. She decorated the house, crocheted, painted, designed. The house was filled with her touches everywhere you looked and it just added to the comfort of it all.

While gathering up the items that we would take back, I was flooded with memories. I was always happy in that house, looking and learning from grandma and grandpa. Parts of both of them will be with me always, weather it is the bracelet of grandma's that I am currently wearing, the joy I feel when I smell that familiar casserole cooking, or when I think back and remember how much they both love me. I can only image the flood of memories that my mom was experiencing at that moment. Misty-eyed while looking at grandma's cookbooks, I ask her if this is hard. She admits to being a little sad but I think the grieving is over for my her even though the memories at that moment were rushing back. Grandma will forever be with her in so many ways, I can see similarities in their personalities; their laugh, their soft hugs, and their capability to love. I hope that I can provide moments of joy for my grandchildren the same way grandma and grandpa did (and do) for me and my brother.

Grandpa is happy in his new place. It sounds great from what I've heard of it. He has touches of my grandma throughout and my mom told me that it smells the same way the house did.

There was so much joy in the pink house with the blue door in the harbor town. Family is for life.

Lord, thank you so much for blessing my life with an amazing family. Thank you for the joy and the memories. You created each of us with the capability to love each other and although she is missed, I know that grandma is with you, happy and comfortable in your arms. I will see her in time, because you love me so much that you gave up your life for me, so I can be in your arms as well.
Amen