born identity

Today is my 12th birthday. That may sound funny to some, as I celebrated my 20th birthday exactly a week ago. On December 17, 1996, precisely one week after my 8th birthday, I received a new born identity. I realized that I could not save myself & no matter how hard I tried, I would never be able to live up to God's perfect standard. I've grown alot since then. Sometimes, learning a new lesson was easy, other times, growth only came thru purging & pain. Through it all, I know that I can no longer live for myself because Christ has given me a new born identity.

As I reflected back on the day I was born again, I was reminded of a song I heard for the first time this summer: Identity by Phil Stacey. Phil Stacey gave his personal testimony as an introduction to the song. In his testimony he shared 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are past away; behold, all things are become new." As I celebrated my 12th birthday of a new born identity, I couldn't help but think of how the Lord has changed me, is changing me, & will change me.

The lyrics to Identity are a challenge to me. A challenge to daily seek to be more like Christ, to live up to my new born identity.

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Identity

by Phil Stacey

You are love, so I am love

You are joy, & so I am joy

You are peace, so I am peace

Lord, everything you are

Now becomes me

And the line between where you begin

And where I end is gone

I'm in You--I know who I am

You're my true, born identity

And I'm not the one I use to be

'Cause now there is no seperating You

From who I am

You are strong, so I am strong

You are power & so I am powerful

You are mercy, so I am mercy

Lord, everything you are

Now becomes me

And the line where You begin

And where I end is gone

Now I'm in You--I know who I am

You're my true, born identity

And I'm not the one I used to be

'Cause now there is no seperating You

From who I am

Anything less is not us

Anything else is not who we are

party for two

One night, not too long ago, when a few of us girls "just wanted to have fun", Katie & I discovered that our birthdays are one week apart. Almost immediately we began planning a party--a Party for Two!

Katie & I got together to plan the most amazing party in the history of parties. After choosing the venue & activity (ice skating at the Pettit Center), setting the date & time (Friday, December 5, 2008 from 6 pm to midnight), & confirming who we would like to celebrate our birthdays with us, we sent out both paper & e-mail invitations just before leaving for Thanksgiving break. I waited anxiously by my computer to see who would be able to join Katie & I for our Party for Two. Of the 30 invites sent out, 16 people agreed to celebrate with us. This past week of classes seemed to pass in slow motion. I could not wait for classes to end yesterday & get to my Party for Two!

Katie & I were joined by 16 great friends at the Pettit Ice Center in Milwaukee. I had so much fun ice skating (one of my favorite winter activities) & talking with friends. Mandy Jo & I were able were talk quite a bit as we spent most of the evening together. The most fun of the evening, at least for me, was watching others & helping Katie skate. We were a pack full of giggles & snorts as Misty, Kat, & I helped Katie around the rink. Being at the Pettit Center reminded me of countless skating activitiesback home & of other activities that I had done with my friends that joined me at my Party for Two. I felt so blessed that so many took the time to have fun & celebrate with me.

We were kicked out of the Pettit Center after two and a half short hours of fun on the ice (no worries, we weren't bad, the rink was closing for the night). Kat recommended that we continue our fellowship with food & ice cream at Kopp's. I enjoyed talking with everyone as they enjoyed homestyle ice cream & burgers. The food & fun at Kopp's was the perfect end to Katie & I's party for two.

I am truly thankful for all of my friends, whether they were able to Katie & I's Party for Two or not. They all may not believe me, but the greates gift I have receive could not be bought with money or created with man's hands, but is the comfort of being surrounded by friends. Thank you all for joining me at my Party for Two!

so much to be thankful for

Have you ever taken the time to stop & count your blessings? I am never ceased to be amazed at how good my God is to me--especially when I don't deserve His love. I guess that is what I love about Thanksgiving: God opens my eyes & I see that I have so much to be thankful for.

Thanksgiving dinner has always been a big deal in my family. My mom's siblings & their families gather around one (well, actually 3) long table at my grandparents' house to enjoy a Thanksgiving feast. No one person is responsible for the dinner, the entrees are divided amongst families. Some of the entrees have become traditions: Auntie M & her family bring the turkey & meringue pies, Dad makes his famous stuffing (complete with hickory smoked bacon, yum!), Mom makes the world's most delicious rolls, our family bring ham (yes, we eat ham at Thanksgiving . . . & Christmas . . . & Easter . . .), pumkin bread, & pies, & I made mouthwatering garlic mashed potatoes. Other traditional foods, like cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, & gravy are filled in by whomever. As I looked at the 17 faces of family & friends that surrounded the tables covered with amazing food, I realized, again, that I have so much to be thankful for.

Kat was unable to go home over Thanksgiving break, so I invited her to spend the break with me in KC. I was so thankful she was able to come, not only because we were able to have a ton of fun, but also because without her, Jarid & I would have had no way to get home.

On Saturday, Kat joined my family at TCCS's annual Purple/Gold basketball games. I enjoyed catching up with old friends & was given the opportunity to cheer. Seeing all my high school friends & teachers reminded me again that I have so much to be thankful for. God blessed me with not only a great Christian education, but also with great friends & mentors who have encouraged me to live for Christ.

After the games, Jarid, Lindsay, Kat, & I joined the College & Career Sunday School class for some fun at the Asher's farm. I was able to shoot a gun for the first time in my life--it was so much fun! I missed the clay pigeons with Pastor Bishop's shot gun, but hit the target on my first try with Dad's .410. I could definately get used to skeet shooting. As the sun sunk behind the trees, we all loaded up for a hayride around the Asher's property. The sky was so beautiful! My heart yearned once again for the opportunity to live in the country someday...After the hayride, we all snuggled up around a campfire to enjoy hotdogs and s'mores. When everyone had their fill, Chris asked us to share testimonies; we all have so much to be thankful for. It was an encouragement to see & hear how the Lord is providing for myself & my friends--only because of Him do we have a reason to be thankful.

Sunday was a fun surprise--for me & for Pastor Herbster. The church celebrated Pastor & Debbie's 25th anniversary. Though I usually hate missing classes, I am so thankful that the Lord allowed me to go home early & hear testimony of how He has used Pastor to lead & direct my church. The deacons & members kept the celebration of both services a secret, planning & preparing to honor Pastor & Debbie for their service to us. The Herbster's received quite a shock in the morning service as the head deacon presented the couple with their gift: a cruise following the steps of one of the greatest missionaries--the Apostle Paul. The morning service was only the beginning, for the evening service was a full blown Baptist potluck--an event that has not happened at my church for quite some time. Matt's impressions of Pastor & the testimonies that were given overwhelmed me. The Lord truly blessed me by allowing me to grow up in such an awesome ministry. Once again, the Lord showed me that I have so much to be thankful for.

Thanksgiving break provided me with a much needed opportunity: a job. Jarid, Lindsay, Kat, & I (with a little help from Craig) were hired by Mr. Bob to clean & paint one of his rental properties. The project allowed us to spend time together.Laughter & country music echoed through the empty house. Anyone passing by would have found 4 young adults having a little too much fun working (I'm blaming it on all the chemicals & fumes). Though we were not able to complete as much as we would have liked, I was very proud of our finished project. I almost wanted to stay home & rent the property myself! Hard work always pays of--in this case in both experience & finances. The job gave me some much needed help towards my college bill. As I worked, the lesson of the week began to sink in: it was Thanksgiving break & I have so much to be thankful for.

Finally, the focus event of the week: Thanksgiving! Along with eating too much of my family's traditional scrumptious food, I was able to spend time with my cousins. Craig led games of Settler's of Catan all afternoon--they became addiciting, I did not give up until I won a game! What a blessing it was to look around & realize that I was surrounded by people who love me & want the best for me. Friends may come & go, but family, family lasts forever.

Thanksgiving break was a much needed vacation from college. Though I worked, I was able to have fun with family & friends & learn more about the Lord. Though it seems obvious, the Lord showed me in my 10 days at home that I have so much to be thankful for.

girls just wanna have fun

College isn't all about academics & work. No, every once in a while (for me, more often than most) a day is set aside just for fun. A day where homework is put aside & completely devoted to relaxing & enjoying life--you know, girls just wanna have fun.

I was able to devote two days to such nothingness. Two days devoted to enjoying the company of two different groups. Kristin & I took pictures at a park on a sunny day in October. It was so nice to leave my dorm room & all the stresses of homework behind & just waste time (don't worry, I completed all my homework by its due date). We walked a park near the school, enjoying the warm sunshine of mid-October. My favorite part, as always, was the chance to talk one-on-one with Kristin. When it started to get dark, Kristin & I headed out to the nearby shopping mall, not to shop, but to take more pictures. We had a blast goofing off & showing the world that girls just wanna have fun.

After a couple of hours of chit-chat & pictures, Kat joined Kristin & I to some late night fun in the park. Kat & Kristin showed off their soccer skills while I . . . uh . . . attempted to direct the ball at a person. The hour that we spent out at the park was both hilarious & fun. What had started as a time of refining soccer skills, turned into a midnight (not literally, of course, we have a curfew) photoshoot. Proof once again that girls just wanna have fun!

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A month later, I was stressed from school & ready for another day of fun. I had a problem, though: Kristin's weekend was full of projects & Kat was in Florida for a soccer tournament. I felt alone. The Lord saw through my selfishness, though, & helped me build new friendships with Katie, Mandy Jo, & Deb. Each of us devoted our morning & early afternoon to school work so we could just have fun later in the evening. The four of us drove out to the shopping mall & then headed over to WalMart (we are college students, after all) & finished up the evening with a late night snack at Applebee's. The best part of the evening was, once again, the opportunity to talk & get to know each other. So far, some of the best nights of my school year have been the nights when girls just wanna have fun.

follow the leader

Last night I joined several of my dormmates in various hilarious & fun activities including a corn maze, a "trick-or-treat" scavanger hunt, & pumpkin decorating. For each of the activities I had to follow the leader in order to understand & enjoy the activity to its fullest.

The first activity was a corn maze. This is only my second time in a corn maze, & I have to say, this one was soo much fun! The maze was split into 8 pieces. Before starting, each group was given a full map of the maze stapled shut (only to be used in an emergency), a grid for 8 pieces, & the first piece of the map. A star was located on each piece, leading to a mailbox with the next map piece: the 8th piece leading to the exit. Jessica, Brittney, Amanda, Mandy, & I started off together. Running through a corn maze, one should always choose to follow a leader: but it took us getting lost a few times before we chose leaders. Before we knew it we were somewhat lost (we had a general idea of where we were). Mandy & Jess just started running, paying no attention to the map--would you believe that we almost ran into the first marker?! After that we tried to follow the map more closely, but found ourselves confused again. I looked at the girls & said, "Eenie, meenie, minie, moe, someone choose a way to go." Mandy Jo took license to lead us & after just two turns we found ourselves at the second marker! Jessica & I decided we did NOT want to lost again, so we began counting turns & quickly arrived at the other 4 markers & finally to the exit. We were the first group to finish by correctly following the markers (another group finished 10 minutes before we did having only reached 4 markers). Mandy Jo joked that Jessica & I should be Lewis & Clark, for leading the other three through the maze. I flipped the joke on her, saying that Britt, Amanda, & she were Lewis, And, Clark, & Jess & I were Saca & Jeweah, because Sacajeweah was the true leader of the Lewis & Clark expedition. It was so much fun to play "follow the leader" thru the corn maze!

Back on campus, we started the second portion of the evening with a devotional from Miss Heather Erickson. She spoke on the beauty of a woman who follows the Leader: Christ. A beautiful woman does not look on evil, is quick to hear & slow to speak, does what she knows to be right, sings songs, hymns, & spiritual songs, walks looking to spread the Gospel, & radiates God's holy fragrance. The devotion was perfect, encouraging each of us to follow our Leader everyday of our lives.

After the devotional, we were split into four groups: Creepy Crawlers, Wacky Werewolves, Vicious Vampires, & the Ghosts. The first game was a "trick-or-treat" scavanger hunt. 10 pumkins with candy were hidden around campus: some buckets had 10-12 pieces of candy, others only had 4 pieces. The goal was to find as many different buckets as possible. Each group was encouraged to split into smaller groups & then sent out to find the candy. Jess & I took off for the darkest places on campus--the most probable hiding places for candy! What we didn't know was that several of the guys in our brother dorm were dressed in all black & were to scare us. I was startled the first time, but then, I just laughed...until I found Jason, then I screamed! The crazieness of running around the campus looking for candy was hilarious!

At 11:30 all the groups returned to the dorm & enjoyed an hour of food, fellowship, & games. We were again asked to work together as a team & follow a leader. The night, though late, was filled with fun. I can't wait to do it again!

these are my people

Spirit week has once again come & gone. I love all the excitement & craziness that accompanies the week: looking completely ridiculous is fun! Maranatha has made some changes concerning societies: they are now led by brother & sister dorms. To encourage unity within the dorm societies, the brother & sister dorms worked together to win spirit week (in the past, spirit week is fought between the classes). I loved walking around the dorm & classes, realizing that no matter how crazily they were dressed, these are my people.


Monday: Redneck Day
It was soo much fun to dress up for this day! The campus was covered in camo & hunter orange, beer-bellied boys, flannel, & blacked out teeth. The student body went out of their way to look as terrible as possible. A point was made that a "redneck" differs depending on the region of the country. We had them all: Southern NASCAR fans, East & West Coast trailer trash, & the mid-western farmer.


Tuesday: Clash Casual/Fashion Fauxpas
What a scary group we all made! Our mothers would have cried (mine laughed) to see us dressed so atrociously! As much as I love to be put together, I remember a time when fashion did not matter to me at all (I can see Momlady smiling as she reads this): as long as there was a stripe of the color in a part of my wardrobe, it matched. I remember dressing in all green when I was five telling Momlady that I matched because I was being monochromatic. I am proud to say that on Tuesday, I was able to wear a little of every color in my wardrobe, except orange. Tuesday was also Kat's 22nd birthday. Several of us went out to eat together in our spirit week garb. We received many odd glances from the other patrons at the Chinese buffet. A red-hat club was also meeting at the restraurant that afternoon & it was a blessing to talk to them. Though we were dressed rather oddly, those who found out we were from Maranatha only had good comments to say & encouraged us all to enjoy the remainder of spirit week.

Wednesday: Dynamic Duo/This & That/Famous Groups
Some very famous & some very uncheckable groups visited campus on Wednesday. There were several Superman & Lois duos, the Beatles, Sonny & Cher, the Bible staff dress as Bible referees, more than a few Thing 1 & Thing 2s showed up to stir up trouble. Jarid & I were part of two seperate Mystery Gangs. I loved being Velma & making ears for my roommate who graciously volunteered to be Scooby-Doo.

Thursday: 1968 Maranatha/Blue & Gold Day
Thursday was...interesting. Some did a great job dressing like they were students of 1968 Maranatha: Jarid & Korrine & Rachel (they dressed up like the original president & his wife, Mr. & Mrs. Cederholm). Others were floating between decades & majority of the student body donned blue & gold.

Friday: Dorm Society
Crazy chapel is held the Friday of spirit week. The dorm societies were sectioned off around the gym. Melford & Carey (Jarid is in Carey) wore black & silver, Hilsen & Leland wore green & white (rather confusing), Day & Armitage wore red & black, Gould & Spurgeon wore blue & white, & Weeks & Judson wore green & black. The student body officers put together games that provided hilarious competition between the dorms: a juggling contest, spelling with ping-pongs, a replica of Old Main out of chewed gum, & other games. My dorm society placed last, but nothing could have ruined such an awesome week.

As interesting as everyone looked this past week, I still proudly say, "These are my people."

i wanna be like you

On Saturday I had the opportunity to spend a little extra time with the 1st-6th graders of Windsor--we visited the Madison Zoo! It was so much fun to take a little time to relax & get away from my normal routine while getting to know the future of Windsor Baptist Church.

Abby & I drove to Madison from the school. After a slight delay (we got a little lost in Madison) we met the church group by the seals.I loved watching the monkeys swing from tree to tree, then press their faces to the glass because they knew they were being watched. I loved watching the polar bears, one swam laps almost the entire time we were there; they are such beautiful creatures. I loved the African animals: the rhinos, giraffes, & lions; the American prairie: bison, prairie dogs, &, of course, a badger (we were in Madison, WI, home of the UW Badgers). Abby & I felt like the kids from the church that we came to meet. Those kids, & their parents, were so excited to be at the zoo! Some of the kids, along with Abby, had never been to the zoo before. Their excitement was easily spread to their parents & workers. Shane & I & some of the kids bought animal masks to wear. I am so glad to be a human, but I felt like saying "I wanna be like you!" to some of the animals.

At church on Sunday & in AWANA on Wednesday, the kids were still excited to share about their time at the zoo. The AWANA lesson for Cubbies last night was Creation. It was hard to quiet them down after asking what their favorite animal was: they loved them all! One of the girls kept saying, "Me want to be a monkey. Me want to be a bird!" The feeling was mutual. In Disney's The Jungle Book, Louie wishes to be like man, but sometimes I think that we humans "wanna be like you."