Remembering and Missing

Our lives have so many defining moments: The first day of school. Birthdays. First roller coaster ride. Getting your drivers license. Winning an important game. Choosing a college. Graduations. Weddings. Your first house. Raising kids. Moments we look back on and remember fondly. Moments we look back on and say, "I miss those days."

I've been finding my self thinking lately, "I'm sure going to miss this!" as I think about leaving Rochester and moving on from the college years in just four short weeks. A friend of mine must have been having similar thoughts the other day when she had the following lyrics in her Facebook status:

You're gonna miss this

You're gonna want this back

You're gonna wish these days

Hadn't gone by so fast

These are some good times

So take a good look around

You may not know it now

But you're gonna miss this

This is from a country song by Trace Adkins called You're Gonna Miss This - listen to the whole song here. Think back on the moments in your life that you miss and determine to make the most of the moments to come!

Last Test...Ever?

I've seen quite a few of these scantrons over the years! I spent many times filling in those bubbles racking my brain for information we had discussed in class. I started to prefer a presentation or a paper over a test, so I'm thankful my latest classes have been project-heavy.

This morning, I took my LAST test EVER! As I shared my excitement with a friend, he reminded me that post-college tests you have to take are often harder and cost money as he has found. I'm not sure what my future holds in test-taking, but for now I will celebrate the fact that they will not be a regular part of my life any more!

Living Through the Moments

Thinking about my time in school ending in a few short weeks, I am reminded of a story from when I was younger. My sisters and I used to have a movie with stories from The Book of Virtues. These were simple stories that had great life lessons. Are you familiar with The Magic Thread?

Peter was a schoolboy who loved to daydream. When it was winter, he longed to play in the sunshine, and in the heat of the summer, he longed to go sledding on the snow. He pictured a life with Liese, and was anxious to be done with school.

One day, an older woman came up to Peter holding a silver ball with a golden silk thread coming out of it. She explained the thread was Peter's life - don't touch the thread and it passes normally, but pull the thread, and his life would fast forward. Peter was thrilled! He decided to pull the tread a little each day, skipping over his hours in school. He then realized he could tug the thread a little harder and pass by all his years of schooling.

Peter continued to use the thread throughout his lifetime. He married Liese and pulled the thread during difficult times. He eventually reached the ending of his life. As he reflected back, he realized that he had not taken the time to appreciate what was happening in his life - good or bad. He rushed right through, wanting to know what was next.

The older woman met up with Peter again. He shared his disappointment in using the magic thread, wishing he could relive some of those moments again. She granted him one wish, and Peter asked to live his life over again without the ball.

Peter was then woken up by his mother - he was going to be late for school! He walked to school with Liese and enjoyed the sunshine, looking forward to his life ahead.

How many times are we like Peter? Wanting to move on to the next thing in life. As I prepare for my life's next stage, I am thankful for all the memories that have led up to this moment. I have come through good times and bad times, but all have added to my learning and growth as an individual. You can read Peter's full story here if you are interested and determine to life your life appreciating each moment as they come!

Frappes and Friendship

Mine and Honna's friendship really started over a couple of frappes from McDonald's. We were in Minneapolis together for SIFE Competition last May, and she kept talking about these caramel frappes from McDonald's. I decided I had to have one, and we headed to McDonald's for lunch. It was delicious, and Honna was pretty fun to hang out with!

Now, Honna and I had been in classes together for two years prior to our frappe experience, but we had never really initiated a friendship. I remember Macro Economics sophomore year - I sat by Honna every single day and even wanted to ask her to do coffee, but didn't have the guts to ask for some reason. We exchanged small talk, but nothing beyond, "What is Dr. N. talking about?" or "What word did he just try to write on the board? I can't read his scribbles!"

Well, after spending time with Honna in Minneapolis, I decided I needed to get to know her better. I was living on campus for the summer, and she was working at the church nearby. I sent her a Facebook message or comment to see if she would want to do lunch some time. After that, the rest was history! We had lunch several times over the summer and looked forward to more fun during the school year - and what a year we have had!

Today, Honna and I grabbed lunch - at McDonald's - and got frappes as we thought back to our time in Minneapolis. Why it took so long for us to become friends? We don't know, but we're thankful that we've helped make this an awesome senior year for both of us!

The Ultimate Planner

I have a book called His Princess that contains Love Letters from God, our King, to his daughters. The short letters have a way of making you feel extra special and loved. The one I read today was very applicable - it was about allowing God to be your planner, something I usually want to be in charge of!

Here's the letter:

My Princess, Give Me Your Plans ~ I know you have an idea in your head on how everything should unfold in your life. Even today you have an agenda. Because I love you, I need you to give Me back all of your plans for today and for all your tomorrows. If you let Me have your day, I can then intervene with something special. My intervention will give you more joy in your journey than your good intentions. I know all that your heart longs for, and I want to do more for you than you could ever do for yourself. So give Me a chance to change your agenda from ordinary to extraordinary, because that's the kind of life I've destined you to live, My beloved. Love, Your King and Your Planner

I love to think about my future and make plans for what I hope to accomplish. This can be fun, but I must realize that God has ultimate control of my days. I have come to rely on my planner to accomplish all that I need to day by day. However, I want to be sure to not be so controled by the tasks written in my planner that I miss an opportunity from God. I want to make Him a part a my plans as Proverbs 16:3 suggests, "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."

Final Weeks in Rochester

This is the City of Rochester. I cross that bridge several times a week as my internship and church are on the other side of the city from school. I have enjoyed my time in Rochester these past four years, and this past year especially!

As my time here comes to a close, I am trying to make the most of it. Here is what I will be involved in during my final month in Rochester:

Internship - I have completed my required 90 hours with Heritage Christian Services, but I am putting in an extra 30 hours because I recognize the value of my experiences in their Development Office. I will continue to go to Heritage two days a week until Easter Break.

Bible Study - I took a break from this for the semester, but my schedule has become a bit more flexible this past month. I joined a Wednesday night group that is studying Ephesians and hope to continue this until graduation.

Youth Group - I have been helping out with the youth on Sundays nights at Browncroft. I spend time with the 7th grade girls, discussing the topic of the evening and getting to know them.

Sunday School - I was asked to help with some sessions for the high school seniors about transitioning to college. I am planning to lead the week on expectations, something I can relate to from my experiences freshman year. I hope my insight will be helpful as these students prepare for their next step.

SIFE Involvement - Our team is preparing for Nationals, but there's more to be done here! Because of our partnership with a Rotary Club, I am helping to prepare Easter baskets for needy families and serving at a pancake breakfast in the coming weeks. I am also hosting a SIFE Girls Night this week for us to all hang out before the end of the year.

Group Projects - What would the life of a business major be without group projects? I have five going on right now, so that is fun to juggle everyone's schedules. Good thing making power points is a favorite activity of mine!

Ultimate Frisbee - I have perfect attendance for ultimate frisbee intramurals. I have played every year - and was an ultimate frisbee champ for two of those years! One final year to go out there and have some fun!

This is going to be a busy month! Throw formal, SIFE Chapel, classes, work, and Easter Break in there, and there will never be a dull moment! I'm looking forward to a great last few weeks in Rochester!

Expectations: Friendships

This is the Japanese symbol for friendship. I have been thinking about friendships lately and the expectations I had freshman year.

I have blogged before about my struggle to form solid friendships during my first few years at Roberts. I had high expectations coming into freshman year, thinking I would make all these great new friends! I have a few friends from freshman year, but most have fallen away over the years.

Eventually, the Lord answered my prayers and blessed me with many many friends in Rochester! Many of whom I have learned from and grown with spiritually. I have a full social life and many memories with lots of friends!

I am, however, leaving Rochester after graduation. I took a job back home in Binghamton where I have about two friends left from high school. Here we go all over again - my next big step and seeking to form new friendships again. I am taking the lesson I learned last time and trying to not place high expectations on creating solid relationships quickly. I understand that this takes time, and I will need to be patient as friendships form.

I hope to get involved with a church that offers programs for young adults. Some of my new co-workers are my age, so I am looking forward to getting to know them. I am also going to look into kickball or volleyball leagues similar to the one I participated in last summer in Rochester. I am hoping to meet new people my age and find fun activities to do in Binghamton.

It's my desire to keep in touch with friends from Rochester, but I understand the importance of having friends that are able to be with you on a weekly basis. I do not know what I can expect of forming friendships in Binghamton, but the Lord knows my needs and desires of my heart. I will wait patiently on Him and be thankful for the friends I currently have and hope to keep in touch with in the years to come!