Regular 'ole update

I haven't really given a for real update on life in a while...so here it is:

School is good.

I have my nursing classes on Monday from 8-4. I've been encouraged by how much I enjoy them. Besides dosage calculations (which involves math), I have enjoyed sitting in class learning. I think every student in there is terrified to some degree because of the horribly scary things we have heard about nursing school, so the first couple of days were pretty tense. I'm not sure if we will ever really relax though...

I'm also in Microbiology, which you know if you read my top 5 funny moments the other day. We have lab on Wednesday and it is supposed to end at 4:20. Both times, we didn't get out until after 5 and we still weren't finished. Our teacher, who I really like a lot, told us that we can expect to spend 10 hours in the lab a week. 10 hours! Whoa baby! It's interesting though. Getting to look at little bacteria and viruses...really neat.

I'm taking a Gerontology class this semester which I am really enjoying as well. This class is based on lot of hands on experience and learning, and that is really cool. One of our major projects this semester is meet with a resident of a nursing home or retirement facility for 10 weeks. I met with my new friend Millard yesterday. He's 102 years old! He told me a few really neat stories...I can already tell I'm going to love getting to know him.

Besides school, everything else it good. I'm loving getting to spend a lot of time with friends. I'm grateful for them and the fun we have together. I've had a rough time with money this semester and it's about time that I get a job. I have a good idea of where I would like to work, but I think I'll do some more looking. Nothing stresses me more than money. I really don't like it. At all. Nothing relieves stress better than these people though:

Church is great. Dave, our pastor, is doing a sermon series right now about what our church is about, what mission statement means, what evangelism looks like to us as a church body, how we interpret scripture, etc. It's been an affirming series for me. I never doubted if I was at the right church, but hearing and seeing Christ in the center of everything our church is based on has been so great! Plus, we still are meeting in a school, and every once in a while get to play with the things kids make:

I guess that's about it.

love.

"When humans should have become as perfect in voluntary obedience as the inanimate creation is in its lifeless obedience, then they will put on its glory, or rather that greater glory of which Nature is only the first sketch."
-C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

Oh Funny Day

I realize it is nearly 1 in the morning. I realize that I should either be working on my math homework that is due in 7 hours or be sleeping so I can wake up early to do it. I realize that I probably shouldn't be sitting here at my computer typing this right now.

BUT. Today was such a funny day. So many funny things happened and I just want to remember this day for what it was. Hilarious.

I can't even write all the funny things but I will list my top 5:
1. After an hour long lecture about how to be safe in the lab Dr. Frederick (the microbiology professor) was showing us how to use the 70% ethanol to clean the counters. Right before he started this cleaning however, he informed us that this 70% ethanol is very dangerous and could cause *at least* blindness, if not death. Okay, so there he was, cleaning the counter. When he got done he set down the bottle pretty hard and it sprayed in Kelsey's eye. One might not think this would be number 1 on my top 5 funniest things of the day, but it was. Kelsey was okay, and as of 20 minutes ago she still has her sight.

2. Today in choir Mr. Mac asked Kendall to sing tenor at one part of the song and bass at another part of the song. Kendall leaned forward, tapped my shoulder and whispered "Allye, I need to confess something....I'm bisectional."

3. While in target today Kelsey was talking with way too much emotion and knocked her drink out of her hand and spilled it all over the place.

4. Mel was running out of the chapel after Focus like speedy Gonzales, tried to open a locked door and slammed into it super hard.

5. At Colton's birthday celebration tonight a bunch of us were laying on the love sac and someone jumped on top of us. I couldn't stop laughing. I laugh so hard that I cried so hard that my hair was wet.

I know number 5 doesn't sound very funny. And really, it wasn't. I just got so used to laughing today that it had to come out.
Oh funny day, i love you.

What will be left when I've drawn my last breath besides the folks I've met and the folks who know me? Will I discover the soul saving love or just the dirt above and below me?

Dear 2009,

A whole year has passed since I wrote this. I really love that post for several reasons. One, I was open and honest; something that I have kind of stopped being with my writing some of the time. Two, it is fun to read my thoughts from a year ago. I think that might be my favorite part about blogging, going back and reading what you wrote. I also like that particular post because it helps me remember what my goals for the year were, and opens my eyes to either the progress or the digression that has taken place. Mostly, when I look back on 2008 I see progress. I learned a lot this year. I grew so much in knowledge of the word and learned to understand and appreciate the magnificent love of the Lord more than I ever have before.

Some parts of my life however, were unfortunately left untouched. The parts that are hard and ugly, I stayed away from. That right there shows me that I didn't live 2008 with complete faith. I wish I could say that I planted my feet %100 on the solid ground of truth says, "And the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." I believe that. I do. But I didn't live like I believed it...which kinda shows that I don't believe it. I lived in a way that says to the Lord "I cannot be restored. There is just too much".

This year I want to act upon that truth. When 2010 rolls around the bend I want to read this and think about how far I have come, how many walls God has broken down and see how much of the nasty I have finally let go of and given to him. This is going to take courage for me. I can say with complete certainty that the hardest part of my Christian walk so far has been revisiting, and letting go. It is so hard for me to forgive, and that is sin. It is so hard for me to have true faith that God can restore all evil, and that is not believing.

It is hard to write that because I desire to believe with the strongest of faiths. But it doesn't come easy, and in 2008 I think I stayed on the easy road most of the time.

So 2009, you are going to be another year of growth. But because of my desire to grow and change in some of the toughest areas, you are probably going to be a little bit of a painful year too. I'm willing to accept that, and I won't hold it against you if it hurts too bad because I know it will be worth it. I'm excited to see what you have in store, 2009. I have a lot to be excited about. Here I go.

Love, Allye