Summer 2009

It's here! Well, in 3.5 days it will be, so here are some things I am looking forward to this summer.

1. Floating the Comal very, very soon.
   
   
2. I want to go to Sea World. For real.
   
   
3. Sitting out on the porch watching, watching the light fade, talking about anything and everything.
   
   
4. I am SO excited about the week in NYC, and getting to celebrate Ash & Dan's wedding with her family!
   
   
5. Seeing my cousins in Leakey while they are home on furlough from Taiwan.
   
   
6. Going to the Houston Museum of Natural Science.
   
   
7. Sitting by the pool, re-reading The Outlander Series (by Diana Gabaldon) in preparation for book 7.
   
   
8. Spending time delving into Dante's Divine Comedy.
   
   
9. Hanging out with some of my favorite kids in the world.

Conflicted so Confessing

Just how I feel right now. One minute I am completely trusting and believing and it is TRULY well with my soul; the POW! the next moment I am frantically trying to solve it all myself.  So I am going to combine a counseling technique (fake it 'til you make it) with an exercise another teacher introduced me to in chapel this week (confessing belief in scripture aloud -- or here written).  I say I am combining the methods because I realize that as I read these truths, I do believe them with my head, but I need to beseech the Author of my faith to increase my faith so that these truths resonate in my heart and that I am actually believing God,  not just believing IN Him. I think that's one of the greatest battles of Believers -- getting out of our heads and into the relationship with the Lord that leads us to trust.

* A couple of months ago one of my moms gave me this devotional...

as I read the preface a few nights ago Moore speaks to the sovereignty of God and how therefore she does not

 believe this book makes it into anyone's hand by accident, but by Divine intervention. I tend to agree.

I am going to act as though I believe Psalm 23:1-3

The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for HIS names sake. (ESV)

I am going to act as though I believe Proverbs 3:5-6

If I will stop thinking I know what's best in my limited view of the eternal "big picture" and trust my God and Savior with every aspect of my life, He will guide me in every aspect of my life. (Mindy's Translation)

I am going to act as though I believe Romans 8:28

And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. (ESV)

I am going to act as though I believe Romans 8:28-39

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ our Savior. (ESV)

The Big Apple

FINALLY! We have committed to a date, booked the tickets, and are heading to NYC! I cannot believe I am actually getting to do some leisure travel this summer! Our friend, David, moved to New York last fall to attend Columbia University so we are going to visit him. I write "our" not "Clay's" friend because I like David (as I do most of Clay's friends!) and think I have known him (and the rest of them!) long enough to call him my friend, too. We will be staying with him and his roommates for nearly a week (I hope we do not wear out our welcome -- hopefully we will not be "home"much).