Tech Weekends include Explosions

Yes, my friends. This last weekend at Tech included imploding a building. Dozens of mini explosions resulted in the whole building imploding and falling to the ground. Yes, it was epic. Yes, I saw it all. Very spiffy. See, they needed to demolish the building across the street from my apartment. So early Sunday morning, they imploded it. We went out and watched. Ben videoed it, which can be seen on my Facebook page.

Other than that, I had an exciting weekend. Friday afternoon I went running with Kelsey. She hasn't killed me yet. Although I haven't figured out if that's because she likes me too much or because Kaylyn threatened her with mob retribution if I died. O:) Our goal is to be able to run the Pi Mile at the end of March (sometime). We run the track for 30 minutes, or Kelsey does. This last time, I ran for two minutes, walked for one, alternating. So I ended up running for 20 minutes. A BIG improvement over my beginning of the week times. I'm very proud of myself and am glad that my endurance is going back up. I'd forgotten how much I really love a good workout, especially with friends.

That night, we had a D-Group party! I must say, Friday nights with all my friends just make my week. We had something like 20 people in Chris's apartment. The girls made dessert and showed up. We "prayed" all week for God to provide food. So just a little after we all got there, 7 or so of the guys come trooping in all in a line each carrying some pot of food to share. They made spaghetti, bread, salad, and various other yummy things. Darin even brought a movie to watch. Much fun.
After the movie, we played Mafia. I guess we forgot to grow out of that game :). Lots of fun, lynch mobbing, and assassination. Daniel got a new nick name and Jim was unanimously executed for the good of the town. One game, the two Mafia members even won! So we didn't get back until after 2 that night.

On Saturday, we had lunch with the Japan Society. Kelsey, Ben, Jim, and I went over and ate yummy Japanese food. Kelsey and Jim both speak Japanese. Me? I was just appreciating the yumminess and extremely glad I know how to use chopsticks. We played Bingo, and my team even won! Thank goodness Claire and Chris knew more about Japan than me, or it might have been much worse.
Later that day, Ben, Kelsey, and I went to the park. We threw the Frisbee and discovered that none of us are very good at it. Especially with the wind. So we got tired of chasing the little red disk and went for a walk around the park. It's a pretty park complete with a pond. Kelsey and I even got up into a tree! See my Facebook profile pic for some of the results :).
We came back to my apartment and made curry from scratch. I found a recipe and decided to try it out. Very yummy, although Ben and Kelsey had a few pointers for me. They're the curry experts. But overall, it was very good. I also made cinnamon rolls and banana rolls for the next day. But more about that when we get to Sunday.
After dinner, we watched The Matrix. Kelsey hadn't seen it, so that was fun. I really like that movie. Now we have to find a time to watch the 2nd and 3rd ones. We got to bed about 11:30, so not too bad.

On Sunday, we got up bright and early to watch things explode. See previous explanation. After the explosion, we came back to my apartment for breakfast. Kelsey, Ben, Jim, Nathan, and Airth. :) I love having people in my apartment. We had said cinnamon rolls and banana bread. Very yummy. Then we just hung out for a while until it was time to leave for church.
After church, Ben, Kelsey, and I went to lunch. More curry, although professionally made this time. Yummy. Although I'll trust Kelsey's curry judgment more than Ben's in the future :). Then ice cream! Yay for sweet melty-ness. Ben left and Kelsey and I tried to do homework. Then dance class, which is always a ton of fun. I learned a lot of new stuff. Ask me sometime and I'll show you :).
Sunday evening, I went home. Fallon's birthday!! She turned 17 and got a laptop. Needless to say, she was thrilled. So much so that words failed and screams of joy began. True freak out. Very epic. Her laptop is green, see her Facebook for pictures. She'd probably love to tell you all about it. She even has Microsoft 10, which is very cool.

Today was class. I went to lunch with Isa and Katelyn at CCF. That was very cool. They have a HUGE building and a lot of people compared to Crusade. But I always love getting to know more of my brothers and sisters in Christ. Family is important!
Now, I have to go do some homework before I-group starts at 5. I'm working out with Kelsey at 8:30 then going to prayer in the student center. So not a lot of time. I love how busy my life has become. All these lovely things happening and I'm in the middle of them, just being with my family. And how much I've really come to see them as that, a family. Not just my friends at school, but real companions that I can depend on and enjoy life with. People who love Jesus as much as I do and are willing to do whatever He says. People who will encourage me to do the same.

So, let's do life together. And that includes homework :).
~Loren

He said "Go"

After my second college graduation, I hope to move to Latin America to practice. I know you've heard me say this so many times, but I think I've almost been trying to reassure myself more than inform you. I think I've been questioning myself and my calling. I always do that.
Especially when others doubt me. When my friends say "Oh, that sounds dangerous." Or "Your parents will never let you do that." Or "You don't want to raise your kids in a different country." Reasonable doubt, to be sure. But I'm not sure reason has everything to do with the question.

My point here requires some background. So here goes. Genesis 12:1-4:
The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to teh land I will show you.
     "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you;
     I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
     I will bless those you bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse;
     and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran.

Wow. So, here's my thoughts on this reasonable doubt.

When Abram was 75 (75!!! not 17, not 25... 75!!!), God called him to go. To leave everything he knew and go. Because of Abram's great faith (and we know he was seeking God at this point), God asked great things from him; but because of his great obediance, God gave great blessing.
God didn't tell Abram the specifics, He just said "Go." God didn't say where he'd end up, He just said "Go." God didn't tell Abram why or what he'd be doing when he got to this unknown place, He just said "Go." Abram didn't know if he'd be safe or if his wife or nephew would be safe, but God said "Go." Abram didn't know if he'd be fed, have a job, find a place to live, but God said "Go." Abram didn't know what his kids would experience or how they'd grow up or what this new as-yet unknown culture would teach them, but God said "Go." Abram didn't know if he'd ever be back or if he'd simply be traveling forever, but God said "Go."
If God says "Go," who am I to question? Who was Abram? Who am I to refuse such a call? Who am I to demand answers? Who am I to argue?
But God always provides. Yes, He does! Will I question? Yes. Will I doubt? Often. Will I wonder if God really knows what He's doing? Oh, yeah. Will I want to change the plan to help things move along? More than once. Will I worry about my family in this strange place? Of course. Will I miss my family and friends from home? Daily. Will I cry out in desperate fear of the unknown? I already have.
But God simply said "Go."
To His command, I may ask "Where next?" I may ask "Am I to go now?" I may even ask "Why?"
But the answer, as I already know: "Why? For My glory, of course. Go."

As my mother tells everyone who asks her "Why are you willing to let your baby girl move so far away?" Becasue God said so. And if God's chosen path for my life leads me down dark allies, then I may only lift His light higher and walk with confidance.
As God tells Job:
"Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone-
while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? ...
Have you ever given orders to the morning,
or shown the dawn its place,
that it might take the earth be the edges
and shake the wicked out of it? ...
Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep? ...
Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?
Let him who accuses God answer him!"
(parts of Job 39 & 40)

And I, like Job, can only reply:
"I am unworthy-how can I reply to you?
I put my hand over my mouth.
I spoke once, but I have no answer-
twice, but I will say no more. ...
I know that you can do all things;
no plan of yours can be thwarted.
You asked 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?'
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.
You said, 'Listen now, and i will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.'
My ears had heard you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."
(Job 40:4-5; 42:2-6)

So, why am I going? The simple answer: Because God said so.

Best Weekend I've Had in a While

So, I'm now convinced. Tech weekends are worth sticking around for :). No, Mom, moving away from home wasn't as scary as I thought. Especially not with friends like these.

After school on Friday, I got a little nervous. Yes, I'm 20 years old, in my third year of college, and I still go home every weekend. But not this one.
We went dancing Friday night. I know you've heard me say this before, but I love dancing. Friday night was swing dancing. I have a new definition of the word "dizzy"... Dance with a guy that likes twirls, have him spin you 15 times ... in a row... then dance with Chris Becker. If I were sane, life wouldn't be so much fun.

On Saturday, I got up and did a little work. Then we went out for Chinese. 13 of us, to be exact. It was so much fun and reminded me of actually being in China again. Lots of conversation and opportunities for good natured teasing.
Saturday evening, another dance! Contra this time. Imagine swing and square dancing squashed together. A lot of fun because we got to change up dance partners so often and learn some new things and dance in new formations. We all agreed that it was pretty awesome.
After that, we went out to Waffle House. Yes, the dance ended at midnight. We're college kids in a big city... But let's just say that we were all kinda weird that late. Jason, Nathan, David, Jim, Kelsey and I sat together and ribbed each other. I've never really gotten to know Nathan or Jason much, so it was a new opportunity. I've been talking to David and Jim more, but still crazy fun. Then Kelsey... she's always a wild one.
So we didn't get back until two in the morning. :)

Sunday, I got up and cleaned my apartment some. Jim made breakfast, so Kelsey and I went over. Apparently, I was a bad Southerner cuz I didn't like grits. Jim changed my mind :). I also ate eggs in a way I never do. Quite the extraordinary breakfast for me.
We went to church. No, we didn't get lost, dispite Nathan's dire predictions. We even made it mostly on time. I enjoyed the church and the sermon was especially convicting.
Home for a little homework before dance class. I learned some super cool new moves! One of which I really like cuz it's pretty easy but looks really complicated. It also involves twirling, which I love. And, best of all, the guy gets to spin too. So it's not just a "here, do this crazy spin while I stand here awkwardly..." type move from his point of view.
Then back to the apartment for a few last minute clean (vaccuming...). Then people showed up for dinner and the Passion video. We had chilli, corn bread, and salad. Jim brought yummy bread and Devi made dessert. We listened to Francis Chan's message and discussed.
Apparently, next time we have to have a bread baking competition. And something about learning to braid hair. Of course, Nathan wants to add something more manly. Jim thinks baking is manly. Me? I'm all for a manliness competition and baking! Best of both worlds.

Now, I'm off to bed. Not much productive will come out of this tired body tonight. So I'll get up and make the morning productive.

Little Miracles

I can't even understand how amazing our God is sometimes!

For the past week, my campus ministry has gathered in the student center every night for prayer. We have an hour where anywhere from four or five to over a dozen of us gather together to bow before an awesome God. The consistant time with my brothers, sisters, and Father have been so encouraging to me. But besides being completely in awe of my Jesus during our worship time together, I've begun to look at so much more of life with a dropped jaw in the last week.

Many of you know that my sister, Fallon, has been having some medical problems. The doctors are in the process of figuring out what, exactly, is going on. Current theory is that her gallbladder is ... not functioning correctly. I'm not even sure what they think is wrong, but something. This is after she spent a week in the hospital last summer with blood clots in her lungs. She only came off her blood thinners last month. Now this. Yesterday morning, Fallon had an upper endoscopy. Basically, they stuck a tube with a tiny camera on the end down her throat to look at her stomach.
Last night during our prayer group, I shared Fallon's story with my brothers and sisters in Christ. We gathered together before our Almighty Father and begged for healing for my sister. Most of my school friends have meet my sister once, maybe. They don't know her. Don't know her situation. Don't know much at all about her life.
But they begged for her healing. Immediately after my request, half a dozen of my friends lifted up my sister to our Father. Just hearing the pleadings of those around me encouraged me. Challanged me. Awed me.
Today, I talked to Momma to get an update on Fallon. Fallon kept down all her food both yesterday and today. Momma said that Fallon woke up with a new excitement for life. She felt better than she has in a while. She was ready to go conquer life. Fallon went to school and even stayed afterwards to do makeup work. Granted, she came home and collapsed in exhaustion.
Isn't our God amazing? The skeptic could say that it was coincidence, just a good day for Fallon, her gallbladder didn't spazz... whatever they want. But in my heart, I believe that God heard our prayers and gave us a little miracle.

Last night, I also asked God for small daily miracles in our lives to remind us what an awesome God He really is. I asked Him for those little things in life that we like to take for granted. That we like to overlook. I asked that He would show us a miracle.
I got a miracle.
In my Materials class today, the girl next to me leans over as we're waiting for class to start and asks if I went to Passion. She recognized the bracelet I'm still wearing in support of Passion Fort Worth in April. I said yes and we spoke for a minute before class started.
After class, we spoke some more. It started out with comparing lab experiences. But we came back around to our faith. She's a part of Campus Outreach on Tuesdays at Tech. She spent last summer in Florida (with a friend of mine from my home church, small world?) with Campus Outreach doing ministry. She's going back this summer.
The crazy part? She got something on facebook that invited her to our prayer time in the student center!
My little miracle for today.

We serve a God who is not some apathetic, stick-in-the-mud clockmaker who made the world only to watch it turn. Our God is Alive, and He's passionate about His Glory and our part in His story. I've known this for a long time. But today, He gave a miracle.
And I'm so thankful.

A First Time for Everything

So, this past week has been an eventful week of firsts for me.

On Tuesday, I attended my first West Coast Swing dance. Very fun! The west coast style is much more linear than the east coast style. But know some east coast definitely helped me learn west coast! The president of ASEDA (ATL's swing dance club) was there and spent probably 20 minutes teaching me stuff. Very exciting!

On Thursday, I changed my first tire. Or I helped. Kelsey's roommate, Sahithya, called her with a flat tire. We were at Felini's with Crossroads at the time. So Kelsey, David, and I come riding to her rescue. David knew how to change tires. Yay for auto-saavy guys. Well, we arrive. It's freezing. No one has a flashlight. The ground is wet. Thank you Jesus, it wasn't raining anymore.
David gets the jack out and starts jacking. The tire (its the front-passenger one) gets just off the ground and the car starts rolling forward. Oh, lovely. So we ask Sahithya if she put her parking break on. She says yes. So we can't figure out why in the world the car is rolling. The jack pops and we must start over.
At this point, an awesome guy named Kyle randomly stops to see if we need help. David says yes, we have no idea why the car is rolling and how to fix that. So after some collaboration (while I'm holding the flashlight app on my iPhone so they can see under the car), they decide to put the jack in a different spot. We jack.
The car rolls. Oh, lovely. Are we sure the parking break is on? Yes, she says. Let's check.
No parking break.
We pull that, but the jack is at a 45 degree angle. Not good for jacking. Or really even for unjacking. We're stuck. So we pull the jack out of my car and double jack the system. My jack, being newer, is much easier to use we all agree.
So we get the car up far enough to pull out the other jack. Then we get it far enough up to change the tire. Lug nuts across and all that jazz. The tire isn't nearly as heavy as I thought it would be. But she has small tires for her tiny car. We put the new tire back on.
Unjack. Yay! it works! Clean up. Thank our new friend Kyle quite profusely.
So, the whole process took us almost an hour and a half. Meanwhile, our friends are waiting for us at Felinis and are stuck because I drove several of them and there aren't enough seats to bring them home. So we rush back to Felini's to bring everyone home. Our pizza to go... It was midnight...

Another fun first this week is an official lab report. Mine is already like 20 pages, and its not finished. I've done lab reports, but I've never done the real kind. They're much harder, longer, and fancier. More work still to go on that. It's due next Friday.

On Saturday, I streak my hair red for the first time. I had it highlighted once for my 15th birthday or something. The guys laughed at me cuz my hair glowed under the black lights while lazer tagging at my party that year.
But now, Momma and I found some red, or rather Light Auburn, dye at the store. We highlighted my hair in the bathroom. I now have red streaks through it. It's not RED. It's a natural color and not too many so that it looks fake.  But its definitely there. I love it.

Now, I'm about to go to the first prayer meeting of the new week at 10 this evening. Very excited that my Crossroads group is so much about prayer and praying corporally. It's so very important, and so many groups forget to bathe everything in prayer. Not this group!

More later,
Loren

A Little Catching Up

Well, I'm very bad about being regular about this. Good intentions aside, I never can manage to keep it up.
So what's been happening lately? That could take a while to explain.

First, because its what's most on my mind right now. I'm studying abroad this summer! Six weeks in Mexico City, Mexico, then a week at home, then four weeks in Madrid, Spain. When I'm done, I'll have 15 Spanish credits (and a minor) and be fluent. Or so I hope :).
I'm still working to get some kind of scholarship, because I don't want to pay for all this! I have one to apply for this weekend, but so far most of them have been a bust. I also want to look again at plane tickets this weekend and probably go a head and order them. Plus the first round of fees is due tomorrow. So a lot of money flowing outwards.
I've already started to compile a mental packing list, isn't that sad? I'm like "Well, sometime when I'm at Wal*Mart, it wouldn't hurt me to pick up the smaller version of my favorite shampoo to take with me." I can make a box in my room: My Study Abroad Stuff. Yes, Type A personality at work.
But for real now, you have to think ahead on so many of these things. Because two weeks from now, I'll think: "Oh, I can't forget bug spray." But then I'll forget later. I'm notorious for forgettting. So if I write it down (or better yet, stick a bottle in my box) then I won't forget. I hope.
I am starting to compile some of the fun stuff. Like, I got my ISIC card this weeks. Basically, its an international student ID card. Lots of discounts! Yay! And I filled out my family-matching survey. I still have to write a letter to them, in Spanish. Which could be interesting. And fun, I hope :).
I'm going to have to take a good "passport picture" so I can send it in. Maybe Momma will be my photographer over the weekend. Sounds like a fun activity. We sit at the table and do work for a lot of the weekend anyway. Or I do.

Homework: the second biggest thing on my brain. It seems I'm never done. And the harder I work, the more behind I get. That's not true, I know. But sometimes, it feels like it. For example, I think I've spent the last week reading either in Ethics or Materials. And I still have more of both, plus Structures, to read. We're reading "Brave New World' in Ethics. Bad book, I don't recommend. It's frustrating and you just want to punch all the characters. I don't agree with the author, either, which doesn't help. Mindless slaves indeed! Not me, no thank you.
I have my first Statistics test on Tuesday, but it's open book so I don't think it will be too bad. The stuff has been fairly straightforward so far. I even got to explain some of it to the guy that sits next to me. When you can explain it to someone else, you know you've really got it down. I like that feeling.
I also have a huge lab report, which is my Weekend Project. It's like a 6-7 page paper (not including the appendicies!). I've never written an official lab report before, so this could be interesting. I've got all the details for how it should be done, but I want to get it finished this weekend. It's due a week from tomorrow. But next week, I want to take it in to the TA and see if I can get any feedback. All in the name of good grades and learning...

What else has been on my mind recently? Oh, I made cookie cake. Yes, you heard that correctly. Cookie cake. But it was more cake-ish than cookie-ish, even though it was a chocolate chip cookie recipe. I think I needed more flour, but I had almost exactly the right amount. So I couldn't go back at the end and add a little extra to make it the right consistance. Then it rose forever...
Tasted good though :). White chocolate, milk chocolate, and walnuts included. Very yummy. Now I have to do some exercises to work off the calories!

Speaking of exercising! I learned to West Coast Swing this week! Well, I learned the basics. A++ from me! ASEDA, which is Atlanta's swing dance club, helped host an event at our school on Tuesday. The president of the club is very nice (and an amazing dancer!) and a good teacher. He explained everything very well and demonstrated. I felt positively extrodinary when I danced with him, and I didn't even know what I was doing. Major brownie points for him.
Plus, I'm learning more East Coast at school on Sundays. Very fun. I love dancing. My mom told me I'm addicted, which is very true. On Sundays, we're learning some more advanced moves which look really cool when you can pull them off. My feet get tired, but I love it.

Wow, this little catchup post just took me 30 minutes to write. Hope you learned something useful :). I gotta go get on that reading homework now before its time to leave for Crossroads.

Love to all!
Loren