I am going to kill the crows....

that live in the tree outisde my window. Yes, lets start cawing and fighting each other at two in the morning. Sounds like great fun to me. Arg.

Anyway, I figured it was time for another update. I wish I could tell you everything that has happened this week. I feel like I've been here a month, it seems so crazy that I was just at home last week!

Classes went well, I enjoy all of my professors, and my classes are generally pretty interesting. I have a lot of reading, but that's to be expected, and even with all of it, I still manage to get bored and run out of things to do on the days I don't have many classes.

We were raided a few nights ago. Basically it means that our brother floor came over and ran through the hall pounding on the doors and yelling just before floor hours were over and htey had to go back to their side. I was outside in the stairwell having my quiet time when I could hear all this yelling, and I thought, gee sounds like someone is getting raided. and then I heard pounding on some of the doors just inside the stairwell and I was like, wait, is it us? Are we getting raided? So I went up and looked in the little glass window and sure enough, guys were running around banging on our doors and yelling. So I went back in grabbed a sweatshirt and we headed out. The guys had a bunch of games planned and we ended the night with milk and cookies.

Last night we went out to Starbucks for this all floor tradition and just hung out. It was a lot of fun, and then we came back and watched "highschool musical." Which actually I didn't join in on, because it's not really one of my favorite movies, so I sat and listened to my friend tell me all about the Bebo Norman concert and getting to meet him and such things. Karin and I also had roomate bonding with tea on the stairwell. It's been a pretty great week.

Before this gets too long, I will say goodbye. I wish I could tell you everything, like going to the grocery at 11 the other night, and lunch with Aly, and watching Zoolander (best movie ever) in Nick's room, and such things. So much has happened, and I so wish I could cram it all into one email. But I guess you will hae to accept that I am just loving it here and growing so much. And I love you all!

Sara

just some thoughts

Well today was the job fair. and I didn't go. A girl on my floor told me there were only five on campus employers there, and she listed them off--basically, nothing I can or even want to be hired for.I came back to my room really discouraged, but a talk with Jess cheered me up because she just reminded me that there are other ways of getting jobs and I definitely can still get one, and not to worry.

We read Parable of the Dancing God for USEM. The part that really got to me was talking about the son who had stayed at home. The one who tried to work to earn his father's love and his inheritance. (Dancing God=Prodigal Son story)

Don't worry I will tie the two together, even if it only makes sense to me.

The father at one point, just looks at his son who is complaining that he has never been granted any special privileges, never given anything--when he is the one who staid faithful to his father! Coming to SPU is a big step of faith for me. Financially, this place is a miracle--or will be when I finish. My parents don't have money for this. I don't have money for this, but I knew this is where God wanted me, so here I am. And when I was so discouraged about not finding an on campus work study job, well, I felt like God was just looking at me, as the father did in the parable saying: "You ask me why I have never given you a side of beef to have a party with your friends? Son, it is all yours and always has been yours--don't you know that?"

God has given me all I can ever need. And that includes money, I mean, it sounds material and fleshy but I really believe that God controls the world's money. And I am just trying to trust him with that. Trying to live on his say that everything he has is mine, and he will provide in a way that I can never understand. I don't know how that will look, but right now, I am not focused on figuring it out. I am just trying to actually believe it.

shalom,
sara

ps, 6th hill is scary.

Isn't it amazing....

how God so often gives you just enough energy and stamina to get through waht you need to in that moment of that day? I've experienced that twice in the past couple days and it has been amazing.

first night---a date already??

Hey everyone,

just a quick note to let you know that my first night is awesome! I only forgot lightbulbs, but Karin (my roomie) did too, and her brother (Karl) has a car so we will be running out to get thouse some time. My room looks good, I'm excited. Two windows! Yay! and everything is working out great.

Tonight we met in our "UPods" they're the groups from our university seminar classes, and we're doing service projects on Saturday with them. My group is amazing, we have four girls from Colorado! And my leader is so sweet she's going to take me to her church on sunday, it's a cool mix of liturgical and modernness she said, so I'm excited. THe guy leader is pretty sarcastic and funny.


Then we had floor meetings--boring but great. My RA is amazing.


After that we had "DickerEllas." All the girls in Hill Hall went into the lounge and they kicked out the boys, and then we threw our shoes into the middle--a shoe. The guys came back in and had to pick a shoe and hold it up to find the girl. Then we went on a date to a resturaunt called Dick's (hence the name dickerEllas, like cinderella). My guy was a sophomore who is here early for Urban Invovlement Ministries. His name is Daniel, which is like the most popular guy name for the incoming class-weird. He was really sweet, he's trying to get me hooked up in UI, so we talked about different things I could do there. And we talked about music (he got excited about U2 and Beatles) and movies (The Sting!) and sech. Pretty much, I was really nervous when I found out what we were doing, but he was really cool. It was awesome to just settle in and feel like I have a guy friend already. He invited me to come watch Arrested Development, his floor buddies are going to start a group sort of thing for it. ahaha. He has a couch and a 27 inch tv! pretty much a party room.

anyway, it is way late so I'm going to bed. Love you all so much!

sara

Your neck is like an ivory tower.
Your eyes are the pools of Heshbon
by the gate of Bath Rabbim
Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon
looking toward Damascus
Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel
Your hair is like royal tapestry;
the king is held captive by its tresses.
How beautiful you are and how pleasing,
O love, with your delights!
Your stature is like that of the palm,
and your brests like clusters of fruit.
I said, "I will climb the palm tree;
I will take hold of its fruit."
May your breasts be like the clusters of the vine,
the fragrance of your breath like apples,
and your moth like the best wine.

well, I never knew Song of Songs could be so... erotic. (Ch. 7:4-9)

The Heavenly Man

Once I spoke in the West and a Christian told me, "I've been praying for years that the Communist government in China will collapse, so Christians can live in freedom." This is not what we pray! We never pray against our government or call down curses on them. Instead we have learned tat God is in control of both our own lives and the government we live under....Don't pray for the persection to stop! We shouldn't pray for a lighter load to carry, but a stronger back to endure! Then the wold will see that God is with us, empowering us to live in a way that reflects his love and power.

This is true freedom!
-Brother Yun, pastor in China under Communism

wow. just, wow.

hm. I found an old quote;

Gerlich: so, I have decided that we aren't going to do Reconstruction today.
Matt: Why?
Andrew: Because there was never any point in rebuilding the South.

There is nothing really to talk about...

...but I felt obligated because I haven't updated in a while.


I am in MS right now visiting my brother and his wife. It is pretty much amazing. You know, when we visited at Thanksgiving, I used to get really jealous when they got all cute and cuddly. You know, I was just really pinning away for my own guy. But now, when she sits on his lap and they kiss, or he comes up behind her in the kitchen while we're cooking, I just get this really big smile. I'm so happy for them, and I'm so happy that they love each other so much. It's so amazing to watch. It's also cool for me, becasue I feel like God has really grown me in this area.


I have also realized these past few days, how much I want a simple life style. Josh and Amanda own very little beyond their furniture and their books. I am going to clean out my room (again) when I get home. Especially since I am leaving for school, and I don't want to come home every year to a bunch of stuff.

other than that, to my friend who have already started at school--I hope you are having the time of your lives, and be aware that I am jealous I've been left behind! I'm praying for you to stay strong in the Lord. Walk with him always.

love,
sara