Bonhoeffer

"The family trees of Karl and Paula Bonhoeffer are everywhere so laden with figures of accomplishment that one might expect future generations to be burdened by it all. But the welter of wonderfulness was that their heritage seems to have been a boon, one that buoyed them up so that each child seems not only to have stood on the shoulders of giants but also to have danced on them."

I want my generations to come to stand as a monument to the Lord's faithfulness.

P.S. read Eric Metaxes' bio on Bonhoeffer. I am in the first chapter and cannot put it down!

Photographic Evidence

YES, I did graduate.

And YES, I am excited about it!

Budgeting

I just made my budget for the next few months. Whew! That's a whole lot of work for just a few dollars worth of savings!!!! If anyone in the upstate needs a babysitter, I. Am. Game. I will be squirreling away all I can for the next few months because there may be two and a half desert years ahead of me financially.

Next Thursday I start my job (A week from today!!)--and you better believe I WILL work overtime!!

Merry Christmas!!

I hope that everyone had a day full of love and joy yesterday. I know that for many this is not an easy time of year and feelings of fear, loneliness, sadness, etc. can't simply be taken away with pretty lights and songs and even gifts you thought you so desired. I pray that this Christmas you experienced the joy that comes only in Christ. As my amazing minister said, "He comes as an infant in order that He might do from the beginning of life what we have failed to do from the beginning of life." We will fail over and over again but Jesus came to redeem us all, to separate us from our sin so that we are able to enter into the Father's presence so that we may one day experience a joy and love that is without flaw.
He left complete joy and love and glory to come down to Earth as a babe and experience rejection, humiliation, pain, and, worst of all, separation from the perfect joy in harmony with the Father and the Holy Spirit that He already had. But He came for us----"Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift" (2 Corinthians 9:15).
Merry Christmas to all!

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

It's blurry---but there it is.

I'm a graduate. 

"Boy Wanted"

Recently one of our favorite books from childhood has resurfaced and somehow landed on the coffee table in my parents' den. It is The Children's Book of Virtues--a beautiful hardback book filled with all kinds of virtuousness. I was perusing the book last night as I sat resting my bones and I came across a gem of a poem written by Frank Crane, apparently it appeared in a "want ad" in the early part of the 20th century.

WANTED--A boy who stands straight, sits straight, acts straight and talks straight;

A boy whose fingernails are not in mourning, whose ears are clean, whose shoes are polished, whose clothes are brushed, whose hair is combed, and whose teeth are well cared for;

A boy who listens carefully when he is spoken to, who asks questions when he does not understand, and does not ask questions about things that are none of his business;

A boy who moves quickly and makes as little noise about it as possible;

A boy who whistles in the street, but does not whistle where he ought to keep still;

A boy who looks cheerful, has a ready smile for everybody, and never sulks;

A boy who is polite to every man and respectful to every woman and girl;

A boy who does not smoke cigarettes and has no desire to learn how; 

A boy who is more eager to know how to speak good English than to talk slang; 

A boy who neither bullies other boys nor allows other boys to bully him;

A boy who, when he does not know a thing, says, "I don't know," and when he has made a mistake says, "I'm sorry," and when he is asked to do a thing says, "I'll try";

A boy who looks you right in the eye and tells the truth every time; 

A boy who is eager to read good books;

A boy who would rather put in his spare time at the YMCA gymnasium than gamble for pennies in a back room;

A boy who does not want to be "smart" or in any wise to attract attention;

A boy who would rather lose his job or be expelled from school than tell a lie or be a cad;

A boy whom other boys like;

A boy who is at ease in the company of girls;

A boy who is not sorry for himself, and not forever thinking and talking about himself;

A boy who is friendly with his mother, and more intimate with her than anyone else;

A boy who makes you feel good when he is around;

A boy who is not goody-goody, a prig, or a little pharisee, but just healthy, happy, and full of life.

This boy is wanted everywhere. The family wants him, the school wants him, the office wants him, the boys want him, the girls want him, all creation wants him. 

I'll also include my very favorite from the book--one that is, to this day, repeated regularly in our household. 

Try, Try Again

'Tis a lesson you should heed,

Try, try again;

If at first you don't succeed, 

Try, try again;

Then your courage should appear, 

For, if you will persevere, 

You will conquer, never fear;

Try, try again. 

End of an Era

I am done with college. My grades are in (and I passed all my courses), my eportfolio is done, no parking tickets to be paid, no library fines to be paid THEREFORE I am 100% positive that I will be getting a diploma on Thursday!! It feels good--a little weird--but good. I feel immensely blessed as I have already been showered with much love and awesome gifts for my life to come and I'm just 24 hours out!! My friends, my family, my church, my community--I am blessed beyond measure!!!

Let Christmas and all the family time begin!!!!

Another "In the Morning" Post

And this time it's my last!!

Since my last post I have completed 2 exams---blasted one completely out of the water and the other, well, I made just 4 points more than what I had to make to get an A(just a wee bit too close for my comfort). So here I find myself at the "2 down, 1 to go" point. Perhaps the hardest point of all in the exam week process. My brain is rebelling, my body's reeling from all the crap food I've eaten in an effort to clean out the fridge, my butt is tired of sitting, my knees are tired from being crossed beneath me in an effort to keep my butt from hurting, my nails are shot, my hair's a mess, etc. So, Clemson, way to provide a solid exam week in order to get me emotionally ready to detach from you.

Alright, back to studying I begrudgingly go---8:30 in the am is coming fast and it's my LAST ONE!!!!!

Talk to y'all soon--as a "Candidate for Graduation!"

In the Morning

8 am tomorrow: History of Country Music exam :)

Must get a 60 to make an A.

I think we're ok. (If I wake up in time)

After that: 2 exams are all that remains of my college career.

Study Party

I'm having a study party for one currently. It's cold outside and I'm at my corner desk in front of my drafty window so I have my down throw on my knees and a pink wool sweater on, along with my reindeer pjs (Yes, reindeer--I'm festive, don't hate.). Pandora is playing some lovely Christmas tunes and I may just make a cup of hot chocolate in a few minutes. This is fun. This is just what I wanted my last exam week to be like---a final push with real effort and some Christmas spirit thrown in.

My Car

I have always loved my car! I got it in October of 2008 and my Daddy blessed me with buying it new so that I can have it for a long, long time and not pay for a car until I'm at least 30 (ok, maybe overstatement BUT I hope so!). Funny aside: When we were shopping for it the car salesman even started talking about how it was a great car for kids and yadayadayada--I think it freaked my Dad out a little that this could be the car I drive my family around in one day. Aside done--back to my story.
I name objects, my whole family does, and those names reflect the "personality" of their respective objects. For example: my coffeemaker's name is "Javier" (he's sleek and hot [get it? hot]) , my J.Crew necklace that's an elephant is "Fred" (he just looks like a Fred), my childhood blanket is "Blankie" but the corner I sucked my thumb with is "Corny" and the little creature in the opposite corner whose eyelids are all tired and droopy looking was "Night-Night" (yes, 3 names, one object. . . I was a particular child). So with all those names, of course my car had to have a good one. He (yes, he) was dubbed Fin. You see Fin is a white, 2009 Hyundai Sonata and the antenna on that model is very dolphin fin- and cute-looking, one of the things that I love about him.

3 years later and Fin is about to hit his 29,000 mile birthday (yes, only 29,000 miles in 3 years--I love it! Maybe I will have him 'til I'm 30)! He and I have taken many road trips back and forth to Clemson, one or two to North Carolina, a few to Charleston and errrr, that's about it!

Note the "fin"

Well, I have always liked Fin a whole lot but never really truly appreciated him until yesterday. Yesterday, on my way home from class I was taking the off-ramp off 76 and turning right onto 93. I was stopped completely at the red light, humming to my Christmas music, and watching the traffic and then that sickening metal on metal sound and a jolt. Ugggghhhh. Got out, saw that the girl was okay and told her to follow me to a parking lot right off 93. Apparently, her brakes stopped working and so she crashed into the back of me (although they worked just fine when she drove into the parking lot and parked in a space). If that's truly the case I am glad I was there to keep her from going into the oncoming traffic.
Anyway, I call the police and the wait for them to get there begins (Hint: no one get seriously injured in Clemson and need help fast). Poor girl is really flustered and tells me how glad she is that it was me and how she just knew it was going to be a 50 year old woman screaming at her who came out of that nice, new car (Is this a compliment to my shiny, clean car [thanks mom and dad for insisting I get it washed last time I was home] or should I be upset that she basically told me I had an old-person car??). Policeman finally comes, determines that her front bumper went up under my back bumper on impact, and goes to start writing the accident report. But my flustered friend isn't done. She stops the nice policeman and asks, "Do you know what time it is? I have to be at the courthouse by 1:30 to pay a ticket." He gave her a bit of an incredulous look (in a kind way), told her the time, and made his way to his car to write the report. I had to remind myself to shut my mouth and turned to get out of the cold rain and text my mom to give her a heads-up that Fin would need a new bumper.
Finally the report was done and we were all able to go on our merry way. Oh, and the girl definitely still had time to make it to the courthouse by 1:30.
My sheer relief that it wasn't my fault and that Fin isn't super-damaged is tinged with a little sadness though. First, when the girl explained to the policeman that her brakes wouldn't work, he gently told her that she didn't need to be driving it and she sighed and said "But it's my only form of transportation." Here I was standing by my "shiny, new, 50 year-old woman car" that  my parents so graciously have blessed me with and she is so unable to afford better brakes that she's risking her life driving around every day. I then got the insurance report and not only is the car in her name, but also the insurance. I was so proud of her for doing the legal thing and even having insurance (I am sure it's not easy to see money going out of your already-low account if it doesn't buy you food or a roof over your head.) but it made me sad that she had to absorb that cost on her own. She's a student at Tri-county in the Dental Hygiene program and it wouldn't shock me if she was paying her way through that on her own.
I don't understand paying a honkin' tuition check or fighting for my next meal or not having a financial and emotional safety net below me for the few things that I actually pay for. The whole thing was an eye-opener. Today as I drove Fin around I found myself going slower over the speed bumps in my apartment parking lot, braking a whole lot earlier in the Clemson "rush hour" traffic, and whipping into my parking spot a whole lot more carefully. So thankful to have a car that is safe and reliable and (mostly) intact. As I listened to my Christmas playlist that is chock full of songs that I didn't blink at the price of when downloading, I began to think about what I have and what I think I "need." Catharine, "need" means nothing to you. You don't know the meaning of that word.
I hope and pray that the girl is able to get a more reliable car soon. I hope that she has someone to spend Christmas with who loves her and who she can love back. I hope that she didn't get another ticket that would cost her more money she didn't need to spend. And I hope that I never forget how stinkin' blessed I am that the Lord chose me to be my parents' child and how much they have scrimped and saved on themselves to provide above and beyond for their children and others. I pray that with every material blessing I have in my life I seek to glorify the Lord with it, just as they have done, whether that be with a car, money, a home, a job,  anything and everything.

Thoughts for this Tuesday

15 days until I graduate!!!
Have my cap, have my gown, have my stole.
1 test and 4 exams stand between me and walking across that stage in Littlejohn Coliseum on December 22nd at 11 am!!!!!

Also:
- I have a start date for my job: January 5th--Coming to a bloodmobile near you!
- The TIGERS WON!! ACC championship for a graduation present--not too shabby.
- I am sure that if they studied it, Christmas lights would be found to release endorphins.

Happy December!!!

It's been a busy week. Phew! If I can make it through Tuesday I will still have exams ahead of me but I will be feeling very, very good! Between now and then I have a research proposal due, a presentation on an article about the cost-effectiveness of community-based blood pressure control strategies in developing countries, and an interview and paper with a health management professional. eesh!
But here are a few great things:
-CMA Country Christmas (w/ Miss Piggy)
-Homemade Veggie Soup (with cornbread AND tabasco)
-Cold Weather
-Feeling Better
-Groceries
-Getting up to workout in the morning (that's how much better I feel)
-Going to bed before midnight
-Heading to Charlotte this weekend
-Attending ACC Championship (Go Tigers!)
-20 days to graduation!!!!!!!!
-It's December.

"Hallelujah, Hallelujah is the jubilant refrain! God is sending us a Savior--Peace on Earth, Good will to man."