Too Much Homework!

I take quite a few pictures with my phone... and I edit most of them with Instagram, which is one of the most entertaining and addicting iPhone apps I've ever found.  Here are a few more I've taken in the last week or two.
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I have an interesting math professor.  She seems like a nice lady, but when it comes to teaching, perhaps her style simply clashes with mine.

Something she did recently was give us a packet of about twenty or thirty pages, filled to the brim with complicated math problems.  (Math is my most difficult subject.  I'm definitely an English person.)  My professor told us on Wednesday that the packet was due on Monday and a test would be over the entire packet.
But would she teach us how to do any of the problems?  No, because they were supposedly pretty easy to figure out and she had more important things to discuss in class... things that weren't going to be on the test.  Arrghhhghghgh.... but enough complaining.  I did okay.  I spent about nine hours in tutoring and about twelve more hours working on the packet on my own and I finally managed to do most of the homework.  Luckily for me, she didn't check whether or not it was correct.
And while the test was difficult, I passed it and will be able to make some corrections to achieve an A, so I'm currently surviving math class.
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Remember the beanbag I've mentioned in previous posts?  After ten days of owning the thing, it ripped... badly.  The problem was that there was no inner lining and the stitching on the outside fabric of the bag was very weak.  The bag was already becoming squashed.

After the ripping incident, I took that beanbag back to the store for a refund and got a similar-looking beanbag from PBTeen's website.  It was slightly more expensive than the one from Pier 1, but it's much fuller, has an inside lining and an outside lining, other colors were available, and it's much softer than the other one.

Anyway, here's my new beanbag.  It's a charcoal brown color (although this particular picture makes it look a lighter shade of brown than it is) and it's very, very, very soft.  (I'm sitting in it right now as I type these words).

The little decorative blue pillow came from Pier 1 for about twenty dollars.  It's a nice asset to the beanbag, both to blend it into the colors of my room and to provide a place to rest my head when I curl up on the beanbag.
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To your right is a picture that I took during my first Breakaway last Tuesday.  Breakaway is a big Christian worship session that occurs once a week on the Texas A&M campus.  At times, up to ten thousand students come to worship the Lord.  It's really neat.  Ben Stuart speaks each week and he's great.  He's funny, convicting, and at times, brutally honest.  Jeff Johnson leads worship, and he's always amazing.
One of the coolest things about Breakaway is the sheer amount of people who attend.  I stood on the top balcony when I was there.  Beneath me, I could see thousands of students who had come to worship God and fellowship with other believers.  It's such an awe-inspiring experience.  Every single chair on the first two levels was filled by the time Rebecca and I arrived (and we got there about five minutes early).  It's great.  It's really great.

Although I don't have the opportunity to go to Breakaway very often, it's a great thing going on at Texas A&M and I'm so glad it's there.  I'm so glad it's popular.  And if I ever have the chance, I'll invite people who aren't Christians to go and see the body of Christ worshipping at A&M.
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And finally, here's a quick snapshot of the box I bought from Michael's.  It was very inexpensive, probably because seems to only made from black cardboard, but it was exactly what I needed.

These days, getting mail has been the highlight of my week.  I love it.  My family realizes this, so I've received quite a bit of mail lately, from my mom, Amy, Ali, Nawnie, Naana, Grandma Marcia... and each time I get a new letter or little gift, I get so excited.  Mail!  It's like a taste of home.  A taste of family.

I was getting so many letters and didn't really have anywhere to put them.  They were in my paper shelf, but that's supposed to be reserved for my blog papers only (otherwise they're scattered all over my desk).  I suggested Ali to make Mom a letter box to hold all of the letters Ali writes her for Mom's birthday... and soon after, I realized I could do something similar for myself.  I'm not an incredibly creative person when it comes to making things like arts and crafts.  Besides, black is my favorite color.  I went to Michael's, looked around, and found a "Memory Box" for about a dollar.  Easy buy... and it holds every letter I've received while I've been at college.

Thanks for writing me, family. :)

Meet the Hairless Wonder

A few weeks ago, Ali and I spent three days at my Grandma Rhonda's house.  One of the best parts of living at College Station is being able to see Grandma Rhonda more often, since we're so far apart when I'm back home.  It was wonderful to spend the weekend with Grandma Rhonda and Ali.  We entertained ourselves with cows and food and plants and especially dogs.

All three of us love dogs... which came in handy, since my grandma has three dogs of her own.
Three crazy dogs with their own hilarious personalities.

Two of the dogs were Giant Schnauzers named Kenya and Kika.  They were black, fluffy, and huge.  At first glance, they can seem a little frightening.

Kenya was older and a little more laid-back.  She preferred to sleep around, but never hesitated to come and sit on our laps when we happened to be on the ground.  Kika was excitable and eager to play.  She carried around a slobbery rubber ball and often "threw" it towards us, hoping we'd catch the ball and throw it back.  Both dogs are super sweet and will try to love on you until you almost feel smothered.

Ali quickly fell in love with the Giant Schnauzers.  In fact, about a minute and a half after she first saw them, she said, "What kind of dog is this?"

"A Giant Schnauzer," Grandma Rhonda explained.

Ali grinned.  "This is the kind of dog I want someday."

And that's how true love starts.

It's true though.  The dogs are pretty precious.
They're huggable...

They're kissable...

And they even matched Ali's long, curly, black hair!

My favorite of the dogs was a little hairy hairless Chinese Crested named Snickers.  He was super sweet, super cuddly, and couldn't stand to not be in someone's lap, cuddled against their neck.  I'm not kidding... this dog would let you literally hang him upside down, so long as you were touching him somehow.  He seems like the perfect dog.  So, so sweet.

I'd always thought of Chinese Cresteds as being similar to the evil dog from 101 Dalmatians... or perhaps prissy and strange like the Poodle stereotype has become.  But surprisingly, Chinese Crested dogs are very friendly and very sweet.  I met Snickers' girlfriend, Chemo, while I was at Grandma Rhonda's, and even while about to burst from being pregnant, Chemo was just as sweet.

Now Ali and I joke that in the future, she'll have a bunch of rowdy Giant Schnauzers... and I'll have a Yorkie and a little hairless Chinese Crested like Snickers.
I did really like the cute guy.  After all, I like quirks... and there isn't much that's more quirky than a Chinese Crested like Snickers.  Maybe someday... :)

What's your favorite breed of dog?

The Screaming Bible Guy

As a Christian, I'm a minority on-campus at my large state university, Texas A&M.  Recently, I've come to realize the importance of being a light for Christ in every aspect of my life.  People look at me and my actions and think, "That's what Christians are like, so that's what Jesus must be like too."  It's so important to be a witness in everything I do.  Of course I'll mess up sometimes... and I do frequently, but it's so important to try.

Occasionally, I'll come across someone who is unraveling the few positive opinions there are left of Christians.

For example:
There is a young man who I typically call "The Screaming Bible Guy."  I've seen him on campus two or three times in the last few days.  He'll find a busy corner or a group of people gathered together, stand right in the middle or a few feet off to the side... and start screaming.

"REPENT!  REPENT!  TURN FROM YOUR WICKEDNESS OR FACE THE FIRE OF ETERNITY!  DO YOU BELIEVE IN HELL?  DO YOU BELIEVE IN GOD'S WRATH?  REPENT BEFORE YOU FIND YOURSELF BURNING FOREVER IN THE PIT OF ETERNAL FLAME...  YOU ARE WICKED!  THE STUDENTS AT A&M ARE WICKED!..." and etc. and etc. and etc.

This guy is a Texas A&M student.  He's young, curly-haired, small-built, and he wears a pair of black glasses.  He doesn't pace when he yells, but instead sways passionately and waves his Bible in the air.  When he screams at everyone, his voice is so loud and carries so far that he almost seems violent.  It's a bit frightening, to be honest.

Once I saw The Screaming Bible Guy standing in the middle of a common area, screaming at everyone around him.  People were moving about a hundred feet away at the very closest in order to pass him to go to classes.  This guy looks vicious when he yells.

The other night, I saw a freshman leadership group having a meeting outside.  This meeting happened to contain a stereo and a bit of dancing (there may have been some inappropriate dancing... I'm not sure.  I'm not a part of this group and I didn't stay to watch).  Probably a mere three or four yards away stood The Screaming Bible Guy, doing his best to yell at them over the music.  Everyone ignored him, but I couldn't help but feel very embarrassed because of what the guy was doing.

Does he actually think he's affecting these students other than causing fear, irritation, and anger against the Christian faith in general?

I admire this guy's passion and zeal, but all he's doing is hurting his witness.  No one will listen to him.  The harshness of his words will only shove people away and cause them to never look back.
The first time I saw The Screaming Bible Guy, I felt a great sorrow.  During my literature class, I scrawled out a quick poem.

LOUD WORDS

Your loud words echo in their ears,

But don't you see? They do not hear.

Harshness doesn't bring true faith.

You speak of fire and not of grace.

I see your heart. I see your zeal.

This truth I know you greatly feel.

However loud your words may be,

They'll pull away. They will not see.

His love matters, not the other,

So THAT'S what you should preach, my brother.

9-19-11

Emily Whelchel

Since then, I re-wrote the poem onto another sheet of paper and included my email address.  And the next time I see The Screaming Bible Guy, I will approach him, hand him the folded up sheet of paper that contains his poem, and say, "I wrote this for you."  If he has anything to tell me after that, he will be able to email me.

I don't know if he will change his screaming ways after I give him the poem.  But I feel like I need to share with him the truth of what he is doing.  He will win no hearts for the Lord with his anger and loud words.

I haven't seen him on campus for a couple of days now, but when I do, he'll get a poem (and I'll be sure to let you know what happens).

Pregnant Mannequins and Hairless Dogs

Here are a few of the photos I've taken during the last couple of weeks with my iPhone.
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Ali and I spent the weekend with Grandma Rhonda a few weeks ago.  Ali and I met in Temple, Texas before Grandma Rhonda arrived to pick us up and we decided to browse the mall to spend some time.  We visited the food court, had some smoothies, and then we began to look in some department stores.

For some reason, Ali loves maternity clothes.  No worries: it's not like she actually buys and wears them.  She simply likes to look at them, admires them, and imagines wearing them a few years in the future when she gets married and starts her own family.

At the particular department store we visited, they seemed to be lacking some decent mannequins for their maternity department.  In fact, all of the "pregnant" models looked as if someone had simply stuffed a round pillow beneath their shirts.  Actually, for all I know, they could have stuffed a couple of sweaters under there.  The "baby bumps" weren't even a little round.

I wonder what these ladies' babies will look like after they're born.  I mean, imagine how misshapen they must be now to create such deformed stomachs.

Okay, okay, I know this isn't real... but Ali and I got a good laugh out of the "pregnant" mannequins.  I mean, look at them.
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Here is a new friend I made while visiting my grandma's house.  His name is Snickers and he is a Chinese Crested.  He's also the daddy of a brand new litter of puppies, but that's another story.

Snickers may be ugly, but he's also one of the sweetest dogs you'll ever meet.  He isn't happy unless he's snuggled in your lap or leaning against your shoulder.  His very attached to his mamma, Grandma Rhonda, but he quickly bonded with me and Ali as well.  By the end of the weekend, I could hardly bring myself to put Snickers down.  He was just too sweet and cuddly.  I could have carried him around forever.

Sweet dogs like Snickers sure make me miss Jack back home.

The way Snickers looked was extremely entertaining.  He's hairless other than his "mohawk" on the top of his head, a tuft of hair on his tail, and fuzzy socks on all four of his feet.  How fun is that?  Most of his skin is smooth like a baby's... in the winter, he'll need to wear thick sweaters to keep him warm, just like we have to do.  Snickers also has big green eyes, which look extremely unusual on a hairless dog.  Of course, everything looks unusual on a hairless dog.

However strange or ugly Snickers might have looked, his personality outshined it all.  By the end of the weekend, Ali and I both ended up kissing his little hairless face and saying, "You're just so cute!  You're just so cute!"
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The next two pictures are from the Japanese garden I wrote about yesterday.

These are some of the trees that have been affected by the drought.  While much of the garden still looked life-filled and green, occasionally we'd pass some trees that had lost most of their trees... or a big patch of flowers that were wilted and browned by the sun.  The drought in Texas has been so bad lately.  It's amazing that any plants have survived at all.

However sickly some of these plants might have been, they still contained beauty.  God sure knew what He was doing when He created them.

In the middle of the Japanese section of the garden was a little sanctuary of sorts.  Its walls were made of bamboo sticks and its ceiling was made of thatched grass.  The one-roomed building was peaceful and filled with beauty.  It also provided shade from a hot sun.  The picture you see below is of the bamboo walls, overlooking part of the garden outside.

The Sanctuary

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to spend the weekend with my Grandma Rhonda and Ali.  We had all sorts of adventures together, like going to a French restaurant and ordering nearly all of the desserts on the menu, and staying up half the night talking.
One afternoon, Grandma Rhonda brought us to a Japanese garden near her home.  Despite the terrible drought that has affected Texas the last year, most of the garden was still beautiful and filled with life.  There were a few differently themed sections, but the most beautiful one was the Japanese garden, which featured a bridge, a beautiful waterfall, and a little creek that flowed through the garden.
One area even had a place where you had to cross the creek on little stepping stones.  The water was covered with lilypads and filled with colorful fish.  Trees hung above us, shading our eyes from the bright afternoon sun and leaving small squares of light on our faces.

After you followed the stepping stone path, you came across a stone arch, surrounded by low-hanging trees.  Moss cloaked the gray stones.  Everything around us seemed to be so beautiful and filled with life.  Even the stones carried life.
Beyond us was a beautiful waterfall that sprayed the air with a cool mist.  After all, it was nearly a hundred degrees outside.

Another area of the garden was an American theme.  Little cottages that were hundreds of years old sat tucked amidst the trees and bushes.  In the middle of the stone path was an old-fashioned well.  There was no water in the well, sadly, but it looked so quaint and beautiful that Ali and I had to capture a picture.
Wouldn't it be lovely to have a little well like this behind your house, even if it wasn't real?
It would be wonderful to live in a cabin out in the woods, surrounded by shady trees and beautiful flowers and the scent of the earth.  It would be wonderful to live in such a quiet, secluded place, far apart from busy schedules and stress and time.

The garden was beautiful.  In a place of drought and wind and sun like Texas, a place like that was a sanctuary.

So much love in one blog post!

Day 6: 5 People Who Mean a Lot to You
Okay, there are so many people I can think of who mean so, so much to me, but I thought I would go ahead and list the five people in my immediate family.  I miss them so much.

1.) Dad
Daddy, I admire you more than words can describe.  When I am in a difficult situation, I often think, "What would my dad want me to do right now?"  Your wisdom and faith are so inspiring.  The fact that you've overcome every adversity in the past few years and you've still been an involved dad amazes me.  These days, fathers are often not around, and yet I've been blessed by someone like you.  You're not only "around," but you're an active and supportive part of my life.  I look up to you so much.  I'm so proud of you for being an elder at our church and a constant missionary at your job.  The way you use every opportunity given to you to reach out and invite people to church and share your faith is so encouraging and inspiring.  I am so thankful that you work hard to support us.  Thank you so much. I love spending time with you and I cannot wait to be able to wrap my arms around you again and just hug you.  I love you, Daddy.

2.) Mom
I don't think anyone has a better mom than me.  Seriously, I talk about you all the time to my friends and the people sitting next to me on the shuttle.  You've given me guidance and support throughout my life, but you've also given me the strength and encouragement to think for myself and depart on my own adventures.  You'll always be my mommy and I'll always be your little girl, but our relationship has grown so much deeper than that alone over the last year.  We're also friends.  You're someone who I'll never be afraid to talk to and ask for advice.  I love spending time with you, whether it's at lunch or the movies or shopping.  I know I can always bare my heart to you and you'll be there with a smile and a hug and the right words to say.  The fact that you've been such a wonderful mother has encouraged me so much.  God has given you such a nurturing heart and you've blessed so many people.  You've blessed me and Amy and Luke and Ali and so many others too.  I love you so much, Mom.

3.) Ali
You have changed my life forever.  There are so many things about our relationship that I can't even put into words.  I don't think I've ever grown as close to a friend as I have with you.  You encourage me with your steadfast faith and positivity.  I'm so blessed to know you.  You are beautiful and strong and you have so many qualities that I admire.  Your forgiveness and your strength and your boldness and... okay, okay, the list could go on and on.  I'd better be careful or you could use this against me someday!  ;)  I love our inside jokes and our multiple mini-social-experiments.  I love staying up alllllll night with you, even though we'll know that the next day we're going to be blaming each other to the parents for making us tired.  :)  I love making videos with you.  I love stalking people on Facebook with you and hearing about your adventures at college.  I love watching corny movies with you and spraying you with a water bottle when you fall asleep (or smacking you... or pushing you over... or... okay, I should stop).  I love YOU, Ali.  I love you!

4.) Amy
I love you so much.  I know we've had our differences throughout our lifetimes, but one thing will never change: you are my sister and I love you.  It doesn't matter how often we spend time together or how many things we agree upon.  We are sisters.  I see beauty in both your heart and in your outer appearance.  You have such a giving and generous spirit.  I admire your boldness and your perseverance.  I can tell already that God has amazing, amazing plans for your life.  He's made you to be strong and brave and very stubborn.  (You might get the stubbornness from me.)  Ultimately, it won't matter how many friends you have or don't have.  It won't matter how you look or how popular you are.  When you look back on your life, the only thing that matters is Christ.  He's given us such a beautiful family.  It's so special to have you as my sister.  I love you.

5.) Luke
Lukie, you never fail to bring a smile to my face.  I admire you a lot, you know, even though you're younger than me.  Your unfaltering faith in God is so pure and wise.  I love your innocence and your sweet, sweet spirit.  I love the way you stand up for what you believe.  It warms my heart when you cover your eyes or leave the room during bad scenes on TV and in movies.  My friends often notice how sweet you are.  I think every single one of my girl friends has come up to me at one point and said, "I want to marry someone like your brother," because they see Christ through your actions.  Keep respecting girls the way you do now.  Keep standing up for the underdogs.  And keep your humility.  I know you're good at a lot of things, but always remember that the Lord should always be the One to get credit for those gifts.  There is so much in store for you, Lukie.  You're so talented and I'm so proud of you.  I love you.

And because I know you read my blog daily and we've hardly been able to talk this last month, I have to send a quick shout-out to you too, Naana.  You're my hero in so many ways.  You have a servant's heart that I admire SO MUCH.  Without you, I would have never even found City Church.  You've influenced me so much.  It was in part because of your passionate example that I've fallen in love with mission work.  When I was in Africa, I couldn't stop thinking about you and how I wished that you could see in person everything that the Lord was doing there.  I think about you all the time here too.  You've shown me Christ in so many ways.  You are one of the most giving and loving and passionate people I know.  I've missed you so much.  I love you and cannot WAIT to see you in October.

My Confession.

Day 10: 1 Confession

Today is the last day of my ten day blogging challenge.  Did you take the challenge along with me?  Will you take the challenge later?  If you do, let me know in a comment so I can follow along.
I've been dreading this last topic because I'm not quite sure what my "one confession" would be.  I tend to share a lot of things about myself on this blog, so most of you know what I've been through and even quite a few of the struggles I'm going through right now.  I'm not sure if I have much of a confession to share.  But the day has come for me to write about "my one confession" here, so I should probably think of something, however lame my "confession" might be.
Okay, after puttering around a bit, I've decided on a confession.  Ready?

My name is Emily and I still doubt.

Jesus Christ has shown Himself in my life in so many ways.  He has worked through me despite my many faults and stubbornness.  He has forgiven me each time I messed up, held my hand as I cried, and brought me through circumstances I never could have overcome on my own.  And yet after a particularly difficult day, I sometimes find myself questioning Him.

"Why would You let this happen to me?  Why does life have to be so hard?  If You're here for me always, then why do I feel so alone?"

I have no right to question the Lord, and yet I confess, I still do.  Sometimes I still wonder if it was the right thing to let Him take control.  I still recklessly attempt to take control of my own life.  I still stumble, fall, and return to Jesus with bloody knees and scraped palms... and He always takes me back.  Every single time.

I cannot comprehend how powerful His love is.

I don't deserve to be loved by Him.  I don't deserve to be forgiven.  He gave everything so I could be saved... and I still pull away from Him.

After everything I've done, after every mistake I've made, after every unnecessary doubt that has passed through my mind, He still loves me.  He still carries me through every trial.  He still picks me up off the ground and kisses those scraped palms and knees.  I owe everything to Him.

My name is Emily and I am LOVED.

2,002 Words

Day 9: 2 Words to Describe Your Life Right Now

The fewer topics there are on the list, the more I'm beginning to think that this may not make a very long blog.  Two words.  Really?

Hmm... how can I share my heart while only being able to write two words?

I know.  A picture is worth a thousand words.  I may only be able to describe my life in two words, but if I share two pictures as well, I'll really be sharing 2,002 words, which should be enough to get my point across.  Ready?  Here goes.

Two words to describe my life right now would be...

Blessed.

Loved.

What are two words to describe your life right now?  If you are a fellow blogger, I challenge you to make a blog post sharing two words and two pictures to describe your life right now.  You don't have to take the challenge to do this.  The post can simply be titled "My Life in Two Words."  Then when you're finished, comment with the link to your post so I can read what you had to say.

Big Hair Ali

For those of you who enjoy reading about Ali, my best friend, I have some exciting news.  A few weeks ago, Ali asked if I would help her make a blog.  I got to work on some design ideas... and Big Hair Ali was created.  It's happy and flowery and just like Ali.
Ali's already written her first post.  It's filled with encouragement.  I'm so excited to see what she writes in the future.  Ali may not write every day like I do, but her posts are sure to be positive, inspiring, and filled with joy that comes from Christ alone.
Check out Ali's blog!

www.bighairali.blogspot.com

I'm slowly learning here.

Day 8: 3 Things You've Learned Recently

1.) I've learned the value of relationships.  I'm an introvert by nature.  Back at home, I was often happy to spend several days alone in my room (or in my house, if my parents went out of town) with only my writings and guitar to keep me company.  Here, I get alone-time all the time and after a while, it's not fun anymore.  It's just plain lonely.  Since the closest family I have is two hours away, I've had to rely on friend-relationships, which can be difficult when you haven't made any close friends yet!
I'm finally starting to make a few close relationships.  I've really connected with a friend from Impact named Stephanie.  She's sweet, positive, and has a huge heart for the Lord.  I'm growing closer to Rebecca, who has been my friend since middle school.  And I've made a few godly guy friends who have blessed me in so many ways.

I'll admit: it's still lonely being away from my family and most of my "usual" friends.  I don't like living hours apart from those I love.  However, without the relationships I'm making here, I don't know if I could make it through.  Close relationships are vital to happiness.  I can see now why Adam was so lonely in the Garden of Eden.

2.) I've learned that as a Christian, I'm a minority.  Never before have I heard so much cussing in casual conversations all around me.  Never before have I seen so many immodest outfits worn on a day-to-day basis.  Never before have I heard so many people mock God and the Bible and faith.  Honestly, it's broken my heart.

As I write this, I'm wearing a t-shirt that says, "If there is no God, nothing matters.  If there is a God... (flip to the back) Nothing else matters."

I've heard so many students say things like, "I hate church.  I don't believe in God.  The Bible is a joke."  With each angry word, they are spitting in His face.  And then I look all around me and see the pain and confusion in the faces of so many young people.  There's an emptiness in their lives that is so evident, but they just don't see it.

Where I came from, nearly everyone was a Christian.  I lived in the Bible Belt, attended a Christian school, had nearly all Christian friends, was surrounded by Christians.  And while some were Christians in name only and may have turned away from Him with their actions, they still believed in God.  They often still went to church and were part of a youth group of some sort.  Here, it's flat-out denial.  A big adjustment from where I've come from.  As a follower of Christ, I'm the minority here.  When I mention Him, I get weird (or even irritated) looks.  There is a lot of prejudice against my faith and stereotypes about who I must be.

But you know, I'm not sad that I'm here.  In fact, I'm glad.  I'm willing to be a city on a hill and do my best to shine for Him, even if I mess up sometimes (which I know I will).  Texas A&M is a huge mission field.  There are so many students who only need a seed to be planted.

3.) I've learned that I don't know nearly as much as I once thought I did.  A few years ago, everything was black and white to me.  I treasure knowledge and I like to know what I believe and why I believe it.  People would often come to me with questions about theology and controversial subjects and say, "What do you think about this?" because I nearly always had an opinion about it... and if I didn't, I was eager to research it and form an opinion.

After a year of confusion and emotional (and spiritual) struggles, I've finally come to realize how little I actually know.  I'm young, I'm naive, and while I might have knowledge about things, that doesn't mean I know.  I was just having a conversation with a friend the other night about how that during this difficult transition time of starting college and all that, the only thing that we can know with absolute certainty is God's unfailing love.  Life and death and earth and beauty and everything is His.  He loves us with an everlasting love... and right now, even if I'm exhausted or confused or in the midst of the struggle, I am content to let His love be enough.

I'll still research and learn things because I do like to know what and why I believe, but above all of that, I want to place His love as what matters most.  Sometimes I'm going to have to sit back and say, "I don't know why this has to happen" or "I don't know whether this is true," but ultimately, I can look to Him and He will love me through it all.
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What are some things that you've learned recently?

I have tall friends.

Day 7: 4 Photographs that You Love

1.) Puppet
I actually didn't take this picture (obviously), but it brings a smile to my face every time I see it.  I actually have it hanging up in my room.  The location is Kenya, Africa.

There was a soccer (or futbol) tournament at the Ring Road school.  I was watching the tournament with a big group of children.  After a while, I could tell the kids were beginning to get restless.  As a child, you can only watch soccer games for so long.  We sang some songs, played some games, and then I pulled my journal out of my bag.

We began to play Hangman, although I renamed it "Puppet," because I wasn't sure if "hangman" would be a very good title for a children's game.  Even though the kids said they had never played before, they were great at that game.  They caught onto the words very quickly and would have played for hours if I had let them.

What I love about this picture is how many kids are swarmed around and totally focused on the game.  You can see it in their faces that they want to guess the answer.  They are so innocent and intelligent.

And I have my "teacher" face on too.  :)

2.) The Lion

This next picture was also taken in Kenya, although I was the photographer of this one.  I took it when I was at a wildlife park in Nairobi, I believe.  There were so many beautiful animals.  The lion happened to be asleep right up next to the wire fence.  I managed to poke my camera lens through the fence and capture the lion close up.  It was such a neat experience.

I love lions.  I think they're so beautiful and majestic... and of course they remind me of my experience in Africa.  Look at how wonderfully the Lord made this great cat.  She's so big.  You can tell by her giant paws and the muscles in her shoulders.  She was so big and strong and golden.  I just wanted to run up and throw my arms around her neck and hug her forever.  Her big nose is just so sweet.

I will always love this picture because when I was in Kenya, taking close up shots of the zebras and monkeys and rhinos and lions, I felt like a wildlife photographer.  Animals are so beautiful.  This was such a peaceful and gorgeous lion.

3.) My Tall, Tall Friend
This might seem like a silly picture to choose.  It's a bit blurry and taken from far away.  At first glance, there might not seem like anything remarkable about this picture, but if you look closely, you'll notice something odd... perhaps you'll notice someone doing something amazing!  This is a photograph I love, so I had to share.  The two people in this picture are two of my best guy friends, Zeek and Caleb/Muber.  This was during a service project at our school where we had to clean up a camp ground.  After we finished cleaning, we had a bit of free time to be silly and take some pictures and videos.
Now Zeek is an amazing, amazing dancer.  Because of that, he's extremely flexible... (and it helps that he's 6'6!)  He can kick very high and his legs are crazy-long, so we challenged him to touch the ceiling with one foot while keeping the other foot on the floor.  To our shock and amazement, he could do it!  Zeek loves pictures (like we all do), so he yelled, "Take a picture of me, Emily!" and tried it again.
About the same time, Muber decided he would try.  Since he's shorter than Zeek, he stood up on a ledge... and you can see how far he still had to go before his foot hit the ceiling.

Man, Zeek is just so TALL!

4.) The Cutest Puppy in the World
I am proud to say that I am the photographer of this image.  To my eyes, this seems slightly out of focus, but that doesn't even matter because of the sheer cuteness surrounding this picture.  Although I've shared it many times on this blog, I had to share it again and include it on the list of four photographs I love.

This would be Jack, my precious Yorkie, at about seven weeks old.  Wasn't he the cutest puppy ever?  It's like a cute explosion.  Don't look for too long or your eyes might fall out of your head.  His stubby little legs, his huge eyes, his ears, his round little nose, the blue blanket... everything just worked together in the moment to create one of the cutest pictures of Jack ever.  Some of my friends called him a Pokemon dog when I posted a few pictures with his giant puppy eyes.

I'm so proud of this picture.  Jack was the cutest ever.  I mean, come on.  How could anyone resist that fuzzy little face?

Here's the mail. It never fails. It makes me want to wag my tail...

Day 5: 6 Things That Make Your Day

At this point, lots of things make my day.  Even a simple Skype call from a best friend can bring a huge smile to my face.  But here are some big ones.

1.) Getting mail.  One of my favorite things ever is to get mail.  I check my mailbox in the front lobby probably four times a day.  The feeling that somebody took the time to write me a message or stick something in the mail for me brightens my entire day.  Plus, it's so good to hear from people I miss.  Lately, my family has been great about sending me things in the mail.  I've gotten several packages and cards from my mom and my sister.  My Naana has been wonderful about sending me things regularly that always make my day.  Other grandparents have also sent me some sweet things.  Just yesterday, I got a new beanbag in the mail.  Hooray!
I actually just went and bought a letter box today from a craft store.  In it, I will place all of the letters and notes and cards I get from my friends and family.  Right now, they're in the shelf where my blog schedules should be.  I'm a letter-hoarder.  Back at home, I would keep my letters in a big scrapbook, but I don't have the time to do that right now.  At the moment, they'll be just fine in my little letter box.

2.) When a favorite song comes on.  Isn't it one of the best feelings ever when you're on the bus or at the store and a song that you not only recognize but really like starts playing on the radio?  That always brings a smile to my face.

3.) Seeing other people smile.  Since I can get lonely over here, sometimes a mere smile from a stranger can brighten my day.

4.) When I catch a meaning in a song you've never quite understood.  I love when this happens.  You're listening to a song that you like, but then a lyric hits you and you think, "Ohhhhhhh...." and from that point on, you can't even listen to the song without a bit of awe.

5.) Inspiration.  This comes in so many different ways, but sometimes when I write for my blog, I'm not really inspired to write.  That's usually why I have blog challenges like this one.  They keep me focused.  After a time in the desert of writer's block, something will hit me and I'll find a source of inspiration that keeps me up for all hours of the night, scribbling in a notebook or typing on the computer.  Sometimes I'm inspired to write for this blog.  Other times I write a song or a poem or a story.  Whatever I'm inspired to create, writing gives me so much joy.

6.) Starting a new book.  I don't get the chance to read a whole lot these days, so when I find a book that interests me, I love the feeling of cracking open its brand new pages (or opening it for the first time on my Kindle).  Even better is when I find a book that I know will catch my attention enough for me to take the time to finish it.  Truly good books are so hard for me to find these days.

What are some things that make your day?  Make my day and leave your answers in the comments below. ;)

Puppy Blues

Day 4: 7 Things That Cross Your Mind a Lot

1.)  Poverty.  I feel like I constantly must remind myself about what breaks the heart of God.  It's so easy to become self-centered.  I like to be comfortable and have things, but there are people around the world (and in the town where I live) who don't have food.  Instead of spending four dollars on a drink at Starbucks, why not donate that to help the 2,000 families who lost their homes from wildfires in Texas recently?  Instead of spending twenty dollars on that new shirt, why not use it to help a starving child in Kenya?  Jesus didn't live as a wealthy man.  Why should I have that right?  I need to sacrifice more than I do.

2.) Being a witness.  Witnessing has come to my mind more often in the last month than it has in a while.  Since I attend a big state university, I am a minority.  Most of the students here don't know Christ.  So many people around me are lost and it breaks my heart.  Lately, I've been striving to be a witness in my actions and my words.  I also try to integrate my faith into every conversation I have, which can be tricky at times.  I know the Lord is calling me to be a witness for Him, just like He has called all of us, and it's scary.  However, it's been a huge blessing to begin to reach out to several of my peers.

3.) Homesickness.  I've been living on my own for about a month now and it's tough.  I miss my family so much and I think about them often.  They cross my mind multiple times each day.

4.) Homework.  Sadly, this is also something that crosses my mind a lot.  I've never really had homework or studying to do in the past, so I've had to learn how to work hard in school.  Even though I had a great high school, I feel that because I didn't struggle academically at all, I wasn't fully prepared with the difficulty of the schoolwork here.  So homework has been on my mind... constantly.

5.) Stories.  I constantly have little characters floating through my mind.  In some ways, I think being a writer is like a form of schitzophrenia or multiple personality disorder because there are people speaking in my head all the time.  Okay, not really, but they're there.  And they do have distinct personalities and voices.  And they do seem to write my stories for me... it just takes a little imagination on my part.  Even when I'm not currently writing fiction (like now because of my busy schedule), my characters still whisper to me and ask me when I'll turn back to writing them out onto paper.  Soon, my children, soon... (Okay, I added that part just to sound creepy.)

6.) Friends.  I've been so lonely here that wherever I go, I'm keeping an eye out for a new friend.  Sometimes when I'm walking by myself, I see someone and think, "I wonder how they would react if I ran up to them and gave them a big hug."  In my head, I imagine them either smiling and patting my shoulder awkwardly, jerking away from me, or hugging me back and willingly becoming friends with me.  I should probably stop admitting these things.  I bet I sound like a crazy person by now.  Anyways, what I mean to say is that I'm actively looking for friends because I don't have many right now.

7.) Puppies.  I miss Jack like crazy, my grandma's dog just sired some puppies, and there is a puppy store where I live that I visit frequently.  I have the puppy blues right now.  I think about them often.
(Don't you just love that picture of Jack?  I took this when I got home from school last year.  He really, really, really wanted to play.  That's him standing on the stairs in between me and my bedroom.)
What are some things that cross your mind a lot?  You can share big things like poverty or reaching out to the broken people around you... or little things like homework or job stress.

I love Carmex

Day 3: 8 Things You Couldn't Live Without

1.) The Laptop.  My laptop has everything on it: the things I write, the pictures I take, access to the world... and if I was only allowed to have eight objects, then it would give me access to a lot of other important things, like the Bible and even other books I need, both for school and for fun reading.  Without my laptop, I would survive, I know, but my life would be much sadder than it is today.

2.) Phone.  Since I live ten hours away from my family, a phone is pretty essential to my life.  Unfortunately, I don't have phone access in my dorm room, which has been extremely difficult, but I still use my phone constantly.  My phone has a GPS, local restaurants, a flashlight, an alarm clock, and multiple apps to make my life easier.  I do talk on the phone to my parents every single day.  It just happens to be when I'm out and about, usually on my way home from class.
(The picture to your right is actually pretty old, now that I think about it--around four years old--and I'm not holding my iPhone in it, but it seemed to fit.)

3.) A comfortable pillow.  I'm an insomniac.  It takes me a long time to fall asleep and sometimes it's difficult to stay asleep.  I have strict rituals I follow in order to be able to sleep through the night.  I need a quiet and pitch-black room.  Even the light of my clock is turned off.  I need the room temperature to be cool, but not cold.  I like to be bundled up in at least three blankets.  Most importantly, I like my pillow to be comfortable.  It needs to be the perfect mixture of fluffy and not-too-fluffy.  Without my pillow, especially on this uncomfortable dorm room bed, I don't know if I could ever fall asleep.

4.) My camera.  I take pictures of everything.  Most days, I carry around a digital camera and a video camera in my purse.  Even though my digital camera actually takes great videos, I take so many videos that having a video camera with a huge SD card can help keep room in my camera for all the pictures I take.  Plus, having an HD video camera helps a lot.  I love capturing memories, editing videos and pictures, and sharing them with everything else.  Sometimes I wish I could be a family photographer and capture memories for other people all day long.

5.) Carmex.  When in was in middle school, I wore lip gloss all the time.  Now it's Carmex.  I take it everywhere.  Before I went to college, Mom and I went shopping for all of the toiletries I needed... and I came out of the store with a big bag filled with tubes of Carmex.  You may be a Chapstick person and if you are, I still love you, but Carmex is the way to go.  It's shiny, it's healthy, and I love it.

6.) My guitar.  Even though I don't write songs as much as I'd like, I love my guitar so much.  In my opinion, it's the most beautiful object in my entire bedroom.  If my room was burning down and I had the chance to grab two things, I think I'd grab my laptop and my guitar.

7.) Calendars.  People are always surprised when they walk into my room and see the number of calendars I have.  I usually have two wall calendars, a desk calendar, a day-by-day calendar, and several calendar pages spread over my desk that I use to plan out my blog schedule.  I use the calendar on my iPhone frequently as well, along with the planner in my backpack right now.  I'm a calendar addict.  They make me feel secure and scheduled.  I couldn't live easily without a calendar (or five) nearby.

8.) Blankets.  I'm usually cold.  Most of the time, I'm wrapped in some sort of a blanket.  Right now in my small dorm room, I have five blankets that I use frequently.  Without my blankets, I'm not sure how I could survive.  I would be cold and miserable most of the time, at least.  I love watching movies while wrapped up in a blanket.  Don't you?

What are some things you can't live without?

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today is my mom's birthday.  I probably am not allowed to tell you how old she is, so I won't.  I love my mom so much.  She's been just like a mother to me. ;)

Mom,

You have been such a rock in my life.  You are my nurturer and my friend and I can't imagine life without you.  You inspire me so much.  I've missed you like crazy and I'm so glad to spend this weekend with you.  I've missed our lunches and shopping with you and watching "Lost" or "Monk" with you.  I've missed you.  Maybe one day I can move a few blocks away from you, just like you did with your mom.  After college, I don't think I ever want to live so far away from you again.

I'm working on the CD, but it isn't finished yet.  But don't worry... I'll try to have it done by Christmas.
Thanks for your encouragement and your spiritual guidance and your hugs and your texts and for sticking up for me no matter what.  I don't know anyone who has a better mom than I do.  I brag about you all the time.  You are a huge blessing to me and I thank God for giving me a mother like you.
Thanks for everything you've done for me.  I love you always.

-Emily

Tackle Hugs

This was my reaction when my family arrived at my dorm yesterday night.  I love my family.  Poor Lukie.

Six Year Old Animal Hoarder

Day 2: 9 Things I Remember from my Childhood

1.)  My stories.  I've always loved to write since before I could even write.  I've always made up interesting stories, usually full of crimes and murders and intensity.  One of my best friends from my childhood was Rebekah, who I've mentioned on here before.  We were actually next door neighbors for several years.  During this time, I wrote a very "impressive" book series called "The Best Friend Mysteries."  In these books, we were kidnapped multiple times, fought off many bad guys, traveled all over the world, sold into slavery, befriended animals, and remained best friends forever every step of the way.  I bet you're jealous of that genious idea, right?

2.) I used to have rats as pets.  In fact, I didn't only keep them... I bred them.  I had quite a few interesting breeds of rats, including a couple of hairless.

3.) More than anything in the world, I wished I could fly.

4.) I was really, really, really bad at sports.  I've never been much of one for competition.  Dad often tells stories of when I was a member of an Upward basketball team as a third grader.  I would watch and make sure that everyone got to shoot the ball at least once, even the girls on the other team.  I'd often pass the ball to girls on the other team to make sure they got a chance.  My dad would be standing on the sidelines, yelling, "Emily, what are you doing?!?!"  I just wanted it to be fair.

5.) I always dreamed of making my own website.  I remember "designing" one when I was about eight years old on a piece of notebook paper.  I decided it would be a sponsorship organization of sorts and I would somehow find a lot of impoverished children and have people write letters to them.  On the page, I even drew a little picture of a child dressed in rags and gave her a name.  Unfortunately, the website never worked out.
I did make several relief organizations all growing up.  Their names usually consisted of an... interesting acronym, like:

Smiling

Eager (kids)

Ready (to)

Visit

Everyone!

Of course, Rebekah was always excited about the idea.  We'd plan for hours about how to save the world.

6.) Another interesting game I would play with Rebekah.  We actually held spy lessons in our front yards for the other neighborhood kids on Wednesday nights right after dark.  We would dress in all black and teach them how to drop to the ground or duck behind bushes when cars drove by, how to spy on the parents during their Bible studies, and how to identify bad guys to turn them into the police.  We even had the "younger" kids run relays and do push-ups and things like that.  We thought we were some legit spies.
I even carried a notebook around and made little notes about suspicious-looking people.  About a month ago, my grandma gave me one of those notes she found in her house.  She made me promise never to throw it away.  I haven't.
In fact, once I got in trouble because my black pants were dirty so my mom caught me wearing my long black velvet dress skirt instead.  My response was, "But Mommmmm, I'm a spy and spies HAVE to wear all black!"

7.) I wanted to own a ranch one day and fill it with a bunch of abused animals who I could talk to all the time.  I remember making lists of all the animals I wanted, like:
37 ponies named Crystal, Sarah, Jasmine, Starlight, Firefly, Blaze, Twilight....
16 dogs named Cupcake, Pal, Rico.........
23 cats named Percy, Lucy.....
10 kittens.....
13 foals....
8 puppies.....
and the list goes on and on and on.  At age six, I already wanted to be an intense animal hoarder.

8.) I always thought it was gross to have a crush on a boy growing up.  My friends would whisper, "He's so cute.  I have a crush on him," and I would either say or think, "EWWWWW, he's a BOY!"  What's funny is that I was the first of my friends to actually make friends with a guy.  But I wasn't "interested" in guys for about two years after that.  Basically, my friends all "liked" guys but were afraid to talk to them.  I didn't "like" guys for quite a while, but I loved being friends with them.  So it all worked out.

9.)  In fifth grade, I was one of the tallest people in my class.  I just never grew after that.

Did you know?

Day 1: 10 Things Most People Wouldn't Know About You

1.) I recently discovered that my love language is quality time.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, you may want to check out this website and take the free quiz.  Love languages are big in my friend group and in my church.  Basically, your love language is how you best receive love.  Knowing the love language of your spouse is important, but it's also great to know the love languages of your friends, family, and even your co-workers.  For example, if your love language was physical touch and mine was words of affirmation, so I praised you all the time but never gave you a hug, you wouldn't feel connected to me.  When you learn someone's love language, you can better show them that you love them in a way they'll understand.

I always thought mine was words of affirmation.  Ali and I were having a long conversation the other night and I blurted out, "I must be unlovable because words of affirmation don't really affect me that much."  Sure, I enjoy compliments, but I usually don't care what people think or say about me and criticism doesn't bother me a whole lot either.  So how could words of affirmation be my love language?

"Well," Ali finally said, "what language do you use to show love to people?  Like your mom?"

It certainly wasn't words of affirmation.  Unless I know that someone's love language is words of affirmation, I tend to feel a little timid and even hold back my compliments.  I'm not a very vocal person.  We finally realized that I usually give love by spending time with someone.  I like my privacy and alone time, so when I reach out to spend time out of my day with someone, I'm showing love.  In the same way, it's very important to me for my friends and family to spend some quality time with me or else I'll start to feel a bit rejected.

Ali and I were quite proud that we figured out my actual love language after such a long discussion.  I suppose I'm not unlovable after all. ;)

2.) I once desperately believed that one day, Peter Pan (yes, I believed he was real), would come and take me to Neverland before I grew up.  I was certain that there was no way I would ever grow to be an adult.  I thought that imagination was the most important and wonderful thing in the world and that you certainly couldn't have an imagination if you were over the age of ten or eleven.  I had a little Peter Pan doll and I would carry him around and write stories about him, waiting and waiting for the real Peter Pan, the one from my favorite story, to come get me and fly me away.  Man, I couldn't wait until I could fly.  I know I was an odd child.

3.) I love to read, but I often don't bother to finish books.  If a book doesn't keep my attention, then I won't finish it.  I feel like I'm busy and don't have a lot of time to read these days.  If a book doesn't suck me into the story, then why should I waste my time?  I'm very picky.  If I don't like a book, I'll take it to Hastings and sell it.

4.) My dream career would be to have something like Buck Williams' job from the "Left Behind" series.  Interesting, right?  Being an international journalist who got to travel all over the world and write for an amazing magazine would be my dream.

My other dream job would be to blog professionally.  We'll see where these dreams go. :)

5.) I'm incredibly stubborn.  When I get into a debate, it's difficult for me to let my opinion go.  When I get angry, it can take a long time to let go of my grudge if I'm not careful.  I don't think most people realize this about me because I'm very laid back and noncontroversial.  I will nearly always let an issue go because I don't want to have to get into any sort of disagreement.  But once I do, I can be quite stubborn.  This can be both a very good and a very bad thing.

6.) I apparently pretend to be tougher than I am.  Ali decided this about me recently and I don't deny it, although it did surprise me a little when she said so.  When I say this, I don't mean I act like a tough guy who threatens to beat people up and be "tough," but instead I suppose I try to be someone who isn't easily hurt or is rarely upset.  For example, if someone says, "I cry all the time in movies," I might automatically say, "Oh yeah, I never cry in movies."  I don't know why, but I hate being considered typical or emotional.  So I don't know if I'm as tough as I seem sometimes.

Actually, I probably don't fool anyone.  When I act "tough," everyone is probably chuckling to themselves the entire time.

7.) I actually do love being short.  And pale-skinned instead of tan.  I know that sounds strange, but I've grown to like who I am and what I look like.  When I sit here and think about when God made me to be this way, I imagine Him lovingly deciding that I would have very white skin and be shorter than the average person.  He made me to look the way I do and loved who He made.  I'm thankful for the way I look, even if it isn't always considered "beautiful" by my society's standards.

8.) I hate change.  In fact, I will keep something until it breaks because I so desperately do not want to change it.  My mom got me a new alarm clock.  It has a fantastic stereo with an iPod dock included, but I still keep my familiar old iPod dock on my nightstand... because I love it.  And I've had it for years and years.  And it's perfectly fine.  I use both here and there, but I don't think I'll get rid of my old speakers until they finally break.  And when I do get rid of them, I'll be very sad.

Because I'm a creature of habit, I like things to remain where they are.  Always.  I felt bad for Ali when she shared my room.  She would simply move something from one end of the counter to the other and I would become a bit disoriented.  I like things to stay the same.  Can you imagine how it's been for me to have a brand new bedroom in a brand new city, starting a brand new church and a brand new school and making brand new friends?  Scary.

9.) Remember those clear plastic bracelets filled with glitter that spun when you moved?  You may have had one when you were a kid.  I still wear them.  Daily.  Usually just one at a time, but I find the bracelets incredibly entertaining.  When I'm bored in class or sitting in a traffic jam, I will spin the bracelet around and around in circles.

10.) I am always cold.  If you see me in a giant sweatshirt or jacket or blanket, it's not a fashion statement.  It's because I'm cold most of the time.  In fact, when I take my temperature, my body temp is usually a degree or two lower than 98.6.

What are some things about you that most people don't know?

10 Random Days of Me

Over the next ten days (eleven actually, because I will be pausing the challenge for a day on the seventeenth), I will undertake a small blogging challenge.  My life has been very busy.  It's difficult to come up with everything I'd like to write about, let alone actually write it.  I figured a small blogging challenge to bring inspiration would help me out quite a bit.

I didn't write this particular blogging challenge.  I found it on a Facebook album and thought it was cute (and I really like making lists).  Feel free to join in and be sure to leave a link to your blog in the comments so the rest of us can follow along with you.

10 Random Days of Me

Day 1: Ten things about yourself that most people don't know.

Day 2: Nine things you remember from your childhood.

Day 3: Eight things you couldn't live without.

Day 4: Seven things that cross your mind a lot.

Day 5: Six things that make your day.

Day 6: Five people who mean a lot to you.

Day 7: Four photographs that you love.

Day 8: Three things you've learned recently.

Day 9: Two words to describe your life right now.

Day 10: One confession.

This should be fun.  It starts tomorrow.

I go to a big, big school.

Here are the last questions for the College Q&A.  If you ever have a specific question, you're always welcome to ask me in the comments or send me an email at [email protected] and I'll respond within a day or two.  You don't have to wait for a Q&A day to ask me something.  However, I wish there would have been a college Q&A when I was in high school, which is why I typed this up. 

Thanks for all of your questions. :) I hope this helps you out.  If you're in college now as well or have already graduated college, feel free to add your own input or experiences.

1.) Is college easier or harder than you expected? In what ways?

College is a lot harder than I expected.  I tried to walk into it ahead of time knowing that I would be homesick and lonely at first and that the schoolwork would be different... but nothing can really prepare you for something so unknown until you're actually in the moment.  So college is harder than I expected.

I've struggled emotionally more than I ever thought I would.  To be honest, I'm not a very emotional person.  I don't get homesick very easily.  For example, I went to Europe for nearly a month when I was twelve and I never really got homesick while I was over there.  I've been gone for only three weeks and I'm extremely homesick.  I miss my family and pets and friends and house and bedroom like crazy.  And I'm lonelier than I thought I would be as well.  I tried to tell myself that it's impossible to make close friends right away, but that hasn't made it any easier when I feel like there is no one around to talk to.

Schoolwork is also a bit harder than I expected.  While I knew it would be hard, I didn't realize it would be this overwhelming.  School tends to be my thing.  I'm not athletic, but I do like to learn.  I've always done well in school and I've never had to study until now, which has probably been to my harm.  This is the first time I've really had to study... ever.  And I'm having to read, read, read more than I ever thought I would.

2.) What is your favorite part of college?

My favorite part of college would have to be the independence.  It's nice to be able to make my own decisions about issues my parents controlled before  For example, I bought a fish when my mom wouldn't let me have one at home.  I am deciding my own reading material, my own church, and when and where I will go out.  For the first time, my parents are standing back completely and letting me control my own life.  While they have given me quite a bit of independence throughout my high school years, it's neat to be able to sit back and think, "I can decide what to do with my life today" and know that it's true.

About my particular college, my favorite part would be the people.  I have never seen so many nice people in one town before.  I rarely walk into a building without someone opening the door for me.  I have had my chair pulled out for me in the cafeteria.  I've seen guys give up their seats on the bus so a lady could sit down instead.  Guys have given up their place in the lunch line so I could go first.  There are so many gentlemen who attend Texas A&M. 

But it's not only the guys who are nice.  Girls are too.  Just the other day, I was having trouble loading my groceries into my car without the cart rolling away, so a girl around my age came up and held it for me.  People are so friendly in Aggieland.  You won't go anywhere without hearing, "Howdy" or "Can I help you with anything?"  I've come to realize that Aggies will do anything for each other.  That's such a wonderful bond to see.  It warms my heart every time I go out.

3.) What is your least favorite part of college?

My least favorite part of college would be the loneliness.  I hate this part more than anything.  I'm ten hours away from most of my family.  I'm several hours away from most of my friends.  It's so lonely here.  I don't know hardly anyone yet, especially not enough to feel truly relaxed and at home around them.  I miss spending time with Rebekah and Zeek.  I miss Jack.  I miss my family.  I miss sitting in my room.

It's so hard to go to bed at night without hugging my family goodnight.  I simply go back to my dorm room, watch an episode of "Lost" or read a couple of chapters of a book, and then go to bed, alone.  I often eat in the cafeteria alone.  This weekend, I'll probably be going to church alone.  The loneliness that comes with starting college in a new place seems unbearable sometimes.  I'm hoping this will go away as I make closer friends.  I'm so tired of feeling lonely. 

4.) How did you choose the college you're going to out of so many to choose from?

I was horribly torn for the longest time about where I was going to go.  I was stuck between a tiny private university with only a few thousand students or a giant school like Texas A&M with fifty thousand students.  I was so afraid that I would pick the wrong school and not go where God wanted me to go.  For the longest time, I planned to go to Hardin-Simmons.  Interestingly enough, even though I felt fairly confident that that was where I was going to go, there was still a little part of me that was hesitant.  Something didn't feel quite right.  When people asked, I didn't feel very proud of the fact that I was going to HSU, even though it's a great school.  I felt almost a little embarrassed, like it wasn't the right one for me.  When I visited for the second time during spring of my senior year, I didn't feel at home at all. 

It was really all Texas A&M's fault, you know.  I never, never, never wanted to go there and when my dad finally asked me to visit once, I agreed just to satisfy him.  The second I stepped onto campus, a smile lit up my face.  It was the week of the big game between Texas A&M and Tech, so the whole town was full and bustling.  I got to attend a Midnight Yell.  I saw the Corps walking around with their loud spurs.  I heard everyone greet me with a friendly, "Howdy."  I fell in love.  After visiting Texas A&M in October, it took me several months to make an absolute decision, but in my heart, I knew it was where I wanted to go.

When picking a college, be sure to visit.  Take pictures, see how friendly everyone is, and try to envision yourself living there and walking around on campus.  If you can't imagine yourself living there happily, then it isn't the school for you.  If you're stuck between two or three schools like I was, make a list of pros and cons.  They'll help you out a lot. 

My cons for Texas A&M was that it was so huge and I am not used to going to a large school.  Also, Texas A&M was ten hours away from my hometown, which was much further than what I wanted.  Plus, I'd always expected I would attend a private Christian university.  After all, I was either home schooled or I attended a Christian school my entire life.  How would I fit in to a secular state school like Texas A&M? 

However, the pros outweighed the cons.  I loved the people in Aggieland.  They're all so nice and friendly and helpful.  There are a lot of Christian organizations like Impact and Campus Crusade for Christ and Breakaway and Baptist Student Ministries (and so many more) where I could plug in.  I felt proud to be an Aggie, like that's what I was supposed to be.  I saw a huge mission field in Aggieland.  Christians are a minority, even though it was a conservative school.  There were so many broken and hurting students, just like I once was.  I knew I could reach out to them and try to make a difference in their lives.  There are a lot of traveling abroad opportunities at Texas A&M.  There will be many interning opportunities as well.  And finally, I just felt like the Lord was tugging at my heart.  For some reason, He wants me at Texas A&M.  Even though I'm lonely and it's hard to be so far away from my family, I feel like I should be here.  I don't even want to be here a lot of the time--I want to be home.  But I can feel the Lord whispering to me.  This is where I need to be right now, even when it's hard. 

If you're going to college in a year or two, one of the biggest pieces of advice I have for you is to keep your mind open.  Don't just visit one kind of school, like only a private university or only a state school.  Visit a large variety and keep your heart wide open to what God might have in store for you.  I never wanted to attend a giant state school, but look where I am... and I love Texas A&M.  The Lord might want you to attend a school you never even considered until now.

5.) Is it weird going from a small school to a HUGE one?

It's been very weird.  It's the strangest feeling to have different people in every single classroom.  One weird thing is how big the campus is.  It's like a small town.  To take some classes, people have to ride bikes or take shuttles because it's too far to walk!  It's a fifteen minute walk from one of my classes to the other.  At my high school, everyone knew each other and it was only a few feet away from one class to the next.  Here, nobody knows anyone, you have to work hard to get connected, and it's probably best to bring a map everywhere you go at first. 

6a.) How is going to a secular school different from coming from a Christian high school?

At my Christian high school, there were definitely pretenders who weren't actually Christians and who probably didn't even believe in God.  There were kids who smoked and drank and slept around and even did drugs.  However, the vast majority of everyone around me was a Christian.  And the "bad" kids seemed more segregated in a little group.  I wasn't around them that much.

Here, I'm the minority.  Nearly everyone I meet cusses and drinks and sleeps around.  It's considered normal.  I'm the one who is considered weird and segregated a little from the rest.  To be honest, I think the cussing has been the worst part.  I can avoid places where people drink and party, but everyone seems to cuss, even the teachers.  And when I mention that I'm a Christian, I often get strange looks like, "...Why?"  Either that, or I get rolled eyes and grimaces.  Oh great, someone here to judge me.  I hope I can change that mindset.

I'm used to having Christian values taught in the classroom and here, they're not.  Before I dropped Psychology, the professor frequently talked about evolution and even wanted us to write a paper about it.  Most of my professors curse or talk about religion (and my political views) in derogatory ways.  I'm used to having teachers who will pray over me and minister to me.  That's been a bit of a change.

6b.) How do you like it?

In some ways, I don't like it.  It's a big change and it can be hard when I feel like one of the only Christians here.  However, I'm starting to not mind being the minority so much anymore.  What a huge mission opportunity this is!  So many people around me are lonely and hurting.  It's become a game of sorts to casually mention my faith in every conversation I have, whether or not it's talking about church or trying to find the right Bible study for me or a Christian song I listen to... I've been trying to invite some people to visit churches with me as well.  I think it's so important for Christians to keep attending state schools and not only private Christian schools.  So many people have a negative view of Christians.  We can change that.

6c.) How are you adjusting to the difference?

I'm trying to adjust myself more to the cussing.  It's not that I want to become deaf to it, but at this point, I feel myself physically cringe every time somebody swears around me.  When I was in high school, I retaught myself to hate the sound of swearing, but now I may hate it enough to let it physically affect me the more I hear it.  I need to let it go a little bit and be able to bear it more than I do now without participating in it myself, if that makes any sense.

The best way to adjust that I've found so far is to try to get involved in Christian activities.  I may be a minority in my faith here, but there are still thousands of Christians.  It isn't such a lonely feeling when I surround myself some of the time with those who believe like I do.  I'm trying hard to make some Christian friends so we can encourage each other.

7.) Overall, how do you feel about college so far?

At this moment, I'll be honest and say that I'm struggling a little.  I don't like feeling lonely and I don't like being away from my family, since we're very close.  I feel so far away from everyone I love and the schoolwork has been a little overwhelming.  I'm not making close friends as quickly as I hoped I would.  However, I keep reminding myself that even though I feel homesick, it's going to be okay.  God is in control and He's taking care of me through all of these hard feelings.  It's been hard, but I'm okay.  I'm surviving.  And I hope that after these first few weeks, I'll grow to love being on my own.