Ordinary Life

Well, in my life lately I haven't found anything out of the ordinary worth blogging about. So I'll just blog about my normal life. It's been cold lately, and it's snowing right now. I'm sitting at the kitchen table, looking out the back door, and it's beautiful. 

The sun is still up, shining through the dark grey clouds, as much as it can, as they fly by. The ground is mostly covered with snow, some places thick, some thin, with trees, bushes, and brown tufts of grass poking through all over the place. The light snowflakes that are falling take quite a while to get to the ground as they must swirl around in the air, fleeting now over here, now there, up and down, and then sideways. They will eventually meet the ground. 

And yes, it's chaotic, harsh even. But it's beautiful. 

You know, the other day I was walking back from a neighbor's house across our property at I noticed that inside some tufts of grass there is still some green! Hope and life live on, even in the middle of despair and death and fear. 

I want to grow up to be a women after God's own heart, but I want to be that now, not have to wait. This week my goal is to reach for joy, to pursue it until I catch it! To brighten the lives around me. I have to admit, the last couple of weekends I've been a little selfish. I want to give joy, not steal it from others. 

So, that is for this week. Maybe next I will dive a little into my own heart and root out some pride or selfishness or greed or hate. No, that's to light an analogy. I will fight it out with a sword and bow-until all the monsters and hideous beasts flee from me. :) With Christ, I can do anything.

Until next time,

Jo

P.S. Live the Adventure!

My Heart is a Little Sick...

Tonight my heart is a little sick. Heartsick. I've felt a little down all day, really, but dinner cinched it. I've been fighting it with counting blessings, such as: 

1. Cactus blooming, all red and bright, in the window

2. Wind blowing outside my window

3. Geometry Test passed =D

4. Butter thick on cornbread

5. A clean toilet

6. Hairspray!

7. The smell and feel of clean sheets 

and, 

8. A dried rose hanging by my window

And somehow, counting the blessings makes the hard parts of the day less hard. Know what I mean? 

But anyway, back to my heart. Yep, I need a doctor. Don't we all? Since the beginning of evil we have all had heart problems. Hardened hearts, stony hearts, calloused hearts, evil hearts, black hearts, sick hearts, weak hearts, proud hearts, and so on. 

I pray this, tonight and forever, that my heart will be none of these. That it will simply be a heart of flesh, that beats and feels and weeps and breaks for the world, just like Jesus's does. I want my heart to be like His. 

Okay, okay, a little courage, a little strength. Am I really about to type this? The most dangerous prayer I can pray right now? Can I take the overwhelming pain, heartache and sorrow? No. But Jesus can. 

And I want to live, fully live, be fully alive. So here goes.

Jesus, break my heart for what breaks Your's. Amen.

Live the adventure! Really live it!

Jo

-Isaiah 14:24

Nationals is Over

So, right now I am sitting in a hotel room, and it is almost ten thirty P.M. I haven't posted for the last few days, but here I am! 

We left Saturday morning, drove all day, drove almost all night, drove most of Sunday. And then I got to see those white beaches and the turquoise waves. Awesome!

We stayed on the beach for a few days, well, okay, two, and got up early Wednesday morning to drive the rest of the way to Orlando. We checked in, went through registration, had some dinner, saw some friends, I studied a bit, and we went to bed.

Okay! Now onto the good stuff!

This morning I woke up. It seems so long ago. :) I took a shower, studied, took the written, had lunch,  took the oral, had a break, had dinner, went to professionals, and went through the opening ceremony.

I did not make semis.

And yes, I am disappointed. I even held back a few tears. And even though right now I'm still getting over it (which I probably will be doing for quite some time), I know that I am right where I am supposed to be.

I gave it my best shot. I did what Jesus called me to do. I lived the adventure! And now it is time for another one. What will it be? Who knows? Only God. :)

A few of my favorite passages from this summer where Isaiah 14:24 and Psalm 115:1-3, which talk about God's control over everything. My plan was to make semis. God's wasn't. And I know He has something even more amazing waiting for me. What it is? How would I know. But I don't have to know, do I? That's part of the thrill!

So this is me. Pitiful. Yes, other people tell me that I'm great and amazing, or horrible, but it's not true. I'm just me. No better or worse than anyone else. The only difference between me and others is that I choose to say yes to Jesus, whatever He may ask. So yes, Jesus. Yes.

Nationals is over, but my adventure is not. 

Live the Adventure!

Jo

P.S. I'm sorry this didn't get posted till today. The computer I was using to post while in Florida stopped working before I could post. :)