Addictions Body Piercing, Salem, OR

First, a quick track update. I was supposed to run a 5k on the 24th, but then the meet got canceled. Sometime during that that week our coach also told me that I should run steeplechase, because even if I qualified for conference in the 1500m, I wouldn't score any points for our team at conference because there are a lot of competitive athletes in my event. But the qualifying time for the steeple is very attainable (14:10 for 3000m with steeple barriers, 5 each lap) and he thinks I'd be really good at it. Plus, usually only 7-10 girls run this event at conference, and the top 7 score, so there would be a good chance I could score. Well, I told him why not and on Saturday I will be running steeplechase for the first time in hopes of qualifying!

Anyway, it was actually really nice that our meet was canceled, because I had a lot of studying to do for finals and Monz was coming down on Saturday so it gave us a bit of spare time to do something fun. Our "something fun" was getting my tragus pierced! I'd been wanting to since I graduated, and I finally had the money, so we went! Kate came too, and it was fun! Addictions is the body shop I was recommended, and it was not very sketchy for a piercing/tattoo shop and the lady who owns it even used to be a nurse so she is very conscious about sanitation, etc. Here are some pics! It didn't hurt very much btw =)

yeah!

the piercing

the needle in the receiving tube (that's what's sticking out, the receiving tube). And now I don't have that great of a "final" picture, but now my tragus is pierced!

DONE with my freshman year!!

I just took my last of six finals!! It was my anatomy final, and it was supposed to be on three chapters, but our teacher forgot to print out two of the chapters for the test so we ended up only being tested on one! Ya...kinda nice...but also kinda frustrating because I studied all three. This was also the only class from Corban I was really disappointed with, so unfortunately it is fitting that he ended with this screw-up...

I'm Pressing On...

Alright folks, here's my commitment till the end of my finals

(Wednesday the 28th at 11am!)

I am not getting on my blog or using the Internet for anything not related to school! Between studying, final projects, packing, cleaning, interviews, meetings, and track practice I do not need to let myself get distracted by unnecessary things!

So see ya then!

Sacred.

The pastor said something in church on Sunday that really stuck out to me, and I think it could revolutionize the way I treat people!

He said that we need to view people and ourselves as the dwelling place of God. I am sacred. They are sacred. This makes people and myself worth investing in.

Lewis and Clark Invitational

Same old story. Again. I ran the 1500m and got the same time as the last two times I've ran it! (5:20...ok this time it was actually 5:19.93, but in my book that's the same time) And again I felt fast and strong, until I looked at my watch and saw the time and was very disappointed. This time I did take second in my heat (the slow heat), but that too was a bit disappointing because I led the race for probably about 1100m. Grr. I have been having a hard time figuring out how to improve my time (and QUALIFY!) because I can't pinpoint a mental breakdown or even a point where I slow down. But my coach asked me how much each lap hurt, and I said realized that I just feel strong, I don't hurt. So, I'm going to run this next race to make each lap hurt more than the last and to be totally spent at the end! It'll be my last chance too, because this weekend (24th) I'll be running a 5k (yuck) and then our last meet before conference is the 1st, where I will run the 1500m to make it hurt.

Love doesn't make sense sometimes.

"Darling, my darling, one line in haste to tell you that I love you more today than ever in my life before, that I never see beauty without thinking of you or scent happiness without thinking of you... You have intensified all colors, heightened all beauty, deepened all delight." [Duff Cooper]

Jason sent me a package that I got today! In it was a calendar page with the above quote =) A "Sweetheart Deluxe First Aid Kit" (heart shaped band-aids), a flash-drive with songs, chocolate covered coffee beans, a letter, and $3 for a coffee! He is such a sweetheart!

Lately I've been learning that love doesn't make sense, and that's how you know it's true love, because true love is a small taste of God's love, which is the ultimate example of true love, and God's love for me doesn't make sense. For example in Hosea. God called Hosea to love even when it hurt, even when there was unfaithfulness, even when there was mistakes. He called Hosea to a sacrificial love, a redeeming love. That's how God loves. The love He called Hosea to practice is the same way that He loves us, and it's how He calls us to love. It's why love is a choice sometimes. It's why love doesn't always make sense. There are countless times when I've messed up so bad and treated the one I love terribly. I feel like I should've used up my chances long ago. I feel like I should be loved less, because the world has trained me to view love as a measure based on my performance. But God's unconditional, self-sacrificing love breaks this worldly mold, and it's hard for me to wrap my mind around. He says I can't use up my chances. He says He loves me more. If God didn't love me unconditionally, I'd have been lost long ago. Fear cannot exist in God's perfect love, because His love casts out the fear of punishment. (1 John 1:18). In God's perfect love for me, I don't have to fear when I blow it. He loves me. He cleanses me. He redeems me and forgives me. I don't even have to fear His discipline, because His discipline is out of love. When I blow it, I don't have to fear losing His love. God's love for me is also a jealous love, literally demanding my life, my soul, and my all. He wants the way I love Him to make all other love look like hate in comparison (Luke 14:25-33). He desperately wants me to give Him all of my attention and affection and put Him first in all things.

And another beautiful thing is I've been discovering is that God gives us human relationships as a taste of His perfect love, and Jason aims to love me with a love that comes from God. 1 John 4:16-17 says, "God is love and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God our love grows more perfect." The love Jason has for me is truly a taste of God's perfect love, and as Jason grows in love with God his love for me also grows and is perfected by God. Jason's love gives me the permission to be me, to make mistakes, to be imperfect, to be weak...but to be loved. If Jason didn't love me the way Christ loves the church, in a way that is redeeming and forgiving, I'd have lost him long ago. I'm so thankful and amazed by this true love that I've found. And I'm so thankful that God grows and perfects our love as we live in Him. He must be the center of us, and in all things He must be first. (Col 1:18)

This is our prayer: "That [our] love may abound more in more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that [we] may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God." (Phil 1:9-11)

Here is THE picture!

Remember the bucket list from a while ago that Kate and I made? At midnight last night Kate and I went and got coffee...and then we played pool in the lobby! We're both TERRIBLE at pool! And she beat me! It was fun =) We both took long naps today =) So far we've accomplished this off our bucket list:

* midnight coffee run

* get Kate a boyfriend (YEA!!! He's from back home =))

* pool in the lobby after midnight

* sweets/desserts only on weekends

* go to bed early!

* jump in mud puddles

* pictures in a photo booth

* Coffee House Cafe

We've still got more to accomplish though!

We also played kickball yesterday for girls intramurals! There were only two teams... My team won! Kate's team lost!

I'm going on a midnight adventure tonight! I'll post pictures!

And Now Some Pictures From Easter!!

After track on Saturday Kate and I headed up to Portland to spend Easter weekend with Corie! That night we went to Ikea and watched a movie.

On Sunday morning we went to church and then came back and made Easter Brunch! Resurrection Rolls, green-bean casserole, chicken, and rice! It was yummy!

After church and brunch we went to the zoo! It was so fun! It was pouring rain too! Corie made us hot-chocolate (home-made!) after the zoo cause we were cold!

This is the lion at the zoo!

This is Kate and I riding horses at the zoo!

I love the zoo! My favorite animals are the wild dogs, the sun bear, the otters, and the polar bears! I like the giraffes and elephants too...

I was gonna post this on Easter...but it didn't happen...

[NOTE- this post is not for the faint of heart. It can be gruesome. But is is real.]

Now that I am more aware than even my attempts of righteousness are just filthy rags, and more aware of how grotesque and horrible death by crucifixion is, I am in so much more awe and thanks of the sacrifice Jesus made for me. In chapel on [Good] Friday they read to us from Death by Love by Mark Driscoll. It spoke of the crucifixion in cultural and traditional terms and really detailed how horrifying this kind of death was. The word "excruciating" was actually invented to describe the intense pain because of crucifixion. This kind of death was only reserved for the most detestable criminals, because the Romans didn't want "just anyone" to suffer so much. Before being nailed to the cross, one would be scourged, a process literally meant to tenderize the flesh by ripping skin, muscles, tendons, and even bones off one's back. Many died just from this beating. Upon the cross, on would be mocked, spit-on, and jeered at... The one being crucified would be in such intense pain that it would be a struggle just to breathe, and one would loose complete control of all bodily functions, so usually blood, feces, urine, and saliva was running down the body and pooling at the foot of the cross. Death usually came by suffocation, sometimes after days of struggling to lift one's chest enough to breath. This is the death that my Savior died for me. Even in all this unimaginable pain, Jesus didn't open His mouth. He didn't defend Himself. He didn't call for revenge. He didn't save Himself. He took my sin and my penalty upon Himself. My sins caused this. But now I have life! And I have His righteousness!

God I cannot even understand why You Son would willingly die the most awful death in the world just for me! For someone who will fail Him and get distracted away from Him and fall so short! I'm so amazed by You love! You love is self-sacrificing and unconditional! And if it wasn't for Your love, I'd been lost long ago!

"Lord You gave my life for me, so I will give my life to You."

"You did it for me. You did it for love."

"...That He should give His only Son to make a wretch His treasure."

"...broken for the sins of the earth..."

"Oh my God, what have we done? We have destroyed Your son!"

Of course the most amazing part is - He is alive! He has risen! And now I can be dead to my sin and alive in Him!

Thank You for the cross...thank You for the cross...

ATTENTION:

Please don't leave anonymous comments! I love comments but I also love to know who you are!

Psalm Gallery

A couple months ago my hall did an activity where we took these canvas boards and painted or collaged them to represent a favorite Psalm. This is mine. In case you can't read the words on it, they are: "make everyday wonderful," "wired," "enjoy beautiful days of protection," "limitless," and "show the world what you're made of." I chose Psalm 143:8 "Let me hear of Your unfailing love each morning for I am trusting in You. Show me where to walk for I give myself to You."

Prewitt Prom!

Last night our dorm, Prewitt, hosted a girls-only prom for all the girls on campus. It was my FIRST prom ever! At first I was a bit awkward and nervous...cause I've never danced...at all... But then Jen and Courtney came and I was a lot more comfortable with them so I had a lot of fun trying to dance! It was fun to wear my black dress again too! And I was glad there were no boys =) I do wish MY boy could have seen me though! =)

Before the prom I had a track meet at Western Oregon University. I was one of two Corban runners running at that meet, everyone else was in Oregon City at a relay meet. I competed really well and felt awesome about my race (the 1500m), until I saw my time...5:20... I am REALLY hoping for a 5:11! To qualify for conference! But I really think I'm almost there!

Pictures From the Seattle Meet (mentioned previously)