Grown-up Plans.

So, the Lord has really been opening doors - and I am so thankful!

I finally decided to commit to a grad school (woohoo!), and I'm starting classes this summer - rather than in the fall. I'll be able to take 3 courses (5 credits) during the month of June. It will probably be a bit intense since all the curriculum is squeezed into 4-6 weeks, but I'm glad to be getting started.

I've also had 4 interviews - with 2 offers! Praise the Lord! I'm still not sure which one it's going to be, though - one is a daycare and one is a bookstore. As of now, the daycare can offer me more hours; however, lately I've been concerned that it's going to be too exhausting. (Kids are a lot of work!) I would like to work at the bookstore, but it sounds like they can't give me a whole lot for the summer; however, I told them I'd be willing to take what they've got for the summer if I could have more hours in the fall. We'll see! God has provided so much already - I know that He'll work all this out. I'm actually working at the daycare next week as a bit of a "trial run" so we'll see how that goes.

Since things have been falling into place as far as a job and classes, I am going to be moving into my friend Chelsea's apartment sooner rather than later! (As long as I get approved. ;)) Soooo, home decor has been on my mind lately. :) I'm having to down-size to a twin bed because my new bedroom will be a bit small - but I'm excited to see how I can be creative with the space! Even though this bedding is for a full-size bed, my Mom & I were talking about cutting off the excess fabric and using it for pillows! Pretty excited - I've had my eye on this bedding for a while!

I also went "garage saleing" today & got a few things... as well as... this adorable antique head- and foot-boards!! I looovvveee it! And can't wait to put it with the bedding!

Obviously, the first picture is the bed. Isn't it cute? And in the second picture... I got a couple of small, white vases; a cute Old Navy water bottle; an apron!; some IKEA jars; two green & brown place-mats; and a mini-thesaurus (which might have been my favorite purchase of the day). I probably spent about $7 on all of that - which is why I LOVE garage sales.

Blog-Kick.

Wow. I don't blog for 3 months and then all of a sudden I post 3 times in one night!
Don't get used to it.

I just wanted to put up a few photos that I took for my friend Amy Jo and her fiancée Thomas. This was my first engagement photo session, and it was a lot of fun!

I met Amy Jo sophomore year of high school when she moved to my hometown. Band brought us together (ha), and then we ended up going to the same college and rooming together for 3 years. She is such a great friend, a beautiful sister in Christ, and one of the funniest people I've ever met. Thomas is a lucky guy. :)

Inspiration.

Throughout college, I have been a faithful Firefox user; but recently, a friend mentioned Google Chrome & how great it is. I was hesitant at first because Firefox has served me so well. (Is this ridiculous enough yet?) But I decided to give GC a shot just to test it out.

Turns out it's pretty sweet.

Anyhow, short story short... I was switching my bookmarks over to Google Chrome and happened upon some amazing blogs. At first I thought it was slightly silly that people have these websites simply to share design and art and photos (some of which is not even their own), but then I noticed that I was getting an itch for creativity. Yes, I was, in fact, quite inspired by some of the blogs I was visiting. I don't think it's that ridiculous to say that. Art comes in many forms. Why not weblogs?

This is one of my new favorites. This lady from Paris has so many fun DIY projects! I wish I was a bit craftier, but it just takes some practice and a lot of patience.

Although I am not actually a cooker/baker at all, I truly admire people who use food as an art-form, and it definitely motivates me to try out some of these recipes. One of my favorites so far is called Picky Palate, which basically describes me. My friends often joke that I have the same food preferences as a 5 year-old. (Mac & cheese, ice cream, Cap'n Crunch. What else do ya need? And, yes, I still buy juice boxes at the age of twenty-two.)

And, finally, take a look at THIS. Can you say inspiration? I've always been a fan of HGTV, but I didn't realize how much I enjoy design and style. (These blogs are so much fun!) This one in particular is giving me all kinds of ideas on how I want to decorate my future bedroom at my friend Chelsea's apartment in Peoria (Lord willing!)...

  

Oh, blogs.

Oh, goodness.

Well, I would say this blog has been sufficiently neglected. Sadly, so has my discipline of verse memorization.
However, I am hoping to get things back on track! THIS WEEK. (Lord, help me.)

I graduated from college on May 7th, which was a pretty terrific feeling. Actually, it still doesn't even seem real. It's strange to think that I won't be heading back to Bourbonnais for school in the fall. And it's been a bit sad to say goodbye to friends for who-knows how long. But I am looking forward to the future. I am planning on spending the next three years getting my Masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in Peoria. At present, I am job-hunting. This is no easy task, let me tell you. But I am confident and hopeful that the Lord will open a door. I just have to put my big girl pants on and wait on His timing.

I really enjoyed my time at Olivet. I matured in many ways, developed meaningful friendships, received an excellent education, and most of all I have fallen more in love with Jesus. Things did not always go exactly as planned, and there were definitely some extremely rough times. In fact, during the last week of school, as I was having a real heart-to-heart with my roommates Angela and Emily, I was finally able to recognize and express something that God had been working in me over the last few years. In high school, I was on fire for the Lord. I was part of a thriving youth group and really became a spiritual leader. During that time, everything about God was new, fresh, and exciting. But throughout college, His presence was not as obvious to me. I often felt distant from God, not able to feel His Spirit, and often frustrated because I couldn't feel Him. It's not that I never experienced the Lord's presence in my life during this time, but it was certainly a "dry season," if that makes sense. However, on one of those last nights in my apartment with my close friends, as I poured my heart out, I finally understood how God had been at work in me.

It was a bit like the Lord's conversation with Peter in John 21:15-12.

I sensed Him asking me:

"Do you truly love Me? Or do you love the way I make you feel?"

It was as if a light turned on inside of me. It was an "A-HA" moment of pure insight.

During high school, the Lord was so kind in allowing me to feel and sense His presence constantly. But in college, that became more uncommon. Instead, I had to constantly remind myself of His consistency, His faithfulness, His unchanging character. I had to keep telling myself, "God is with me, even though I cannot feel Him."

And that night, I knew it to be true. 100%.
He showed me that, even through dry seasons, He is who He is. He is the same God that I worship when I am on a mountaintop of emotions, when His presence is obvious and richly dwelling in me and spilling over.
He is the same. And He had been with me the whole time.

This lesson gives me hope and assurance for the future. No matter how I'm feeling, I know who He is - His true character. No matter where I am, I know that He is with me. No matter what I'm doing, I know that He is leading me.

Praise the Lord.