*smile*

Hey there :)

Well today has been a CRAZY day.

Just made it to the bus this morning to serve, and as always it was such a wonderful experience.  I haven't made it out there the last three weeks, and I was really feeling it.
It's not about me, of course, but I've realized something over the last little while... I have been greatly criticized for everything I take on, and as a result have been given different suggestions and such as to how to better deal (right word?) with things.  And while that has helped a great deal in many ways, it as also opened me up to learning about myself - whether I wanted to or not.  And one thing I've learned is that this desire to serve others is ingrained so deeply in me, and while it can cause problems, it also cannot be ignored.
Something we learned about this year in one of my classes was the wheel of wholeness.  It has many parts, and many different things make up each part.  And while the wheel isn't exactly perfect, it does give enough to give you a helpful tool, and ideas about where you stand.  What I realized today when I was walking back to dorm, however, was that serving is very much a part of my wheel of wholeness. Now that feels selfish to me, and to be honest serving has felt a bit selfish for a little while now, because I am so... addicted (?) to it.  I guess I have more to think on about that part, but this all was definitely food for thought for me today.
While I was there this morning, I managed to get a nice war wound by having my arm stick to a very hot pot.  I actually wasn't the only one to get burned by the pot this morning, and I wasn't even the first (that's only notable because of how often I end up injured ahah).  It was apparently a morning of difficulties with that pot, and a morning of burns.
So long as I don't earn a new nickname because of this one, though...I have enough nicknames up here already ahah

So as the morning went on, I found out I did much better on my most recent mid-term than I thought I had.  And, I did better than the last time, which I don't understand at all to be honest, but is nice, regardless.
In the last half hour or so of this class, we were assigned a big presentation that's due tomorrow, after we just finished lab presentations yesterday (which were HUGE), and there was no warning whatsoever about the one assigned this morning.  It just continues to make me happy that Friday is the last day of this class.

I applied for more jobs again today, and have yet to become productive for this class, which is really going to cause a big problem... :/

There was more excitement today though, as the weather went rather crazy, and tornadoes were sighted and therefore a warning was issued (including our part of the city), and, at some point in all this mess a huge hail storm happened, as well.  Now while I'm not all that shocked about the weather because of where I come from, it did add extra events to the day - that's for sure.

I also found some pretty amazing stuff on Youtube, one of which I'd like to share with you cyberworld.  Te more I listen to it, the more I think.  About the ways God works, and how we as humans think, and how we associate things.
Actually, quite a few things lately have opened me up to how we think, and feel, and so many other things, to be honest.
But I digress.
I encourage you to take a listen to this song - the more you listen to it, the more thoughts and realizations come (at least, that's my experience with it).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGniRk_GcLs

I'd also like to share with you an article I read today from Relevant Magazine.  I've read a few wonderful and thought-provoking ones lately, and I can't seem to get enough of them.
The one I'd like to share with you at this moment is about loving other people.  It really made me think, and I hope that if you take the time to read it, that it'll make you think, too.
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/whole-life/loving-hard

Well, I think that might be it for me guys.  It's been quite difficult lately, truly, but even in all of the chaos and mess and brokenness there is love, and light, and hope, and grace.  There is so much in this life that I take for granted, and I'm realizing this more and more lately.
Are you taking things for granted?  Do you even realize it?
What about time...are you making the most of it?
Don't forget that you can take time for granted, too.  And it is not something that is in our control.  So like life, love, and everything else - it's up to us to make the most of it, and ask God constantly what He wants us to do, each and every day.

It's in Your hands, Lord.  All of it, and all of me.
Thank-you for this life.
And everything.
Amen.

Goodnight all;
Good thoughts, and God Bless :)