Romans 12:10

Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

CU* L8r

*pun intended

It is so hard to wrap my mind around the fact that I am done here, at Corban University. I've been to my last chapel, my last meal at Aramark (our dining hall), my last class. I've run repeats up Schimmel hill and gone to 6am morning weights for the last time. I've worked my last shift at the gym and tutored for the last time. After two great years, God is calling me elsewhere in life. And I sure won't complain! I'm super excited to be the wife of Jason Paul Koemans and to pursue God and ministry together!!

This is what I probably won't miss about being at CU:

- 6am workout classes

- cafeteria food (minus the dessert!!)

- dorm life. not that it's terrible, it's just not my favorite thing, especially when all my friends are off- campus or in different states

- dirty pop music in the bathroom

- laundry only on certain days

- searching everywhere for a private space to make phone call

- not having any space that's truly just mine

- 5hr shifts at the gym, leaving no time for homework and no chance at a good bedtime

- eating alone in the cafeteria for 70% of my meals

- being 18hrs away from the love of my life

- the lonely and sometimes dark walk uphill from dinner to my room at night

- hours and hours and hours and hours of homework and studying

- only seeing my family over skype

- a gross & messy shared kitchen

This is what I probably will miss:

- friendly mail-room ladies, and the excitement of getting mail

- chapel 3 times a week

- rooming with Kate Tracy

- collegiate running

- the team, especially the distance crew...I'm gonna miss them a lot.

- Aramark dessert

- studying at coffee shops, especially Broadway, Ike, and Clockworks

- running at Bush Park

- the sunsets

- the green grass all.year.long

- the rain

- the flowers

- the professors, especially Shannon Simmons and Anne Jeffers

- Trader Joe's & Fred Meyer

- Sweet Papaya's frozen yogurt

- staying at the Fanny House (where Mel and Courtney lived)

- Mel, Courtney, Christi, Amy, and JenJen

- running and talking with the distance girls

- steeplechase

Regardless of missing this and not missing that, I am so looking forward to the next chapter of my life!!!!! Marriage!!

Did you figure out the pun?

Ministry = Blessing

I may not have blogged about this much, since the initial decision (read about it here and here), but since early in first semester I have been serving as a small group leader at Morning Star Community Church. Wednesday nights from 6:15-9:30ish was RIOT, the youth group, and Sundays from 11-12:45ish was Sonrise, the "Sunday school" version. I am so thankful for my year spent serving there. I grew a lot in leadership, and I learned a lot about myself. There were days when it was hard to go because I was tired or felt like I wasn't serving a purpose, but God has blessed me so much by my time there. The girls I lead were such blessings in my life. I love them. I will miss them. I could tell so many stories about what God did through those girls and in those girls, but I don't really have time!

Tonight, my last night, when we were ending our small group time, the other leader asked these girls to gather around me and pray for me. It was so precious. Most of the girls prayed for me, even the ones who don't usually pray out loud. They shared their hearts through prayer, and it really really blessed me. I didn't even realize I meant so much to them. I was so blessed to have them in my life!

First Kiss

This video is precious! Pay close attention to the boy's face and reaction after their first kiss! It makes me wonder what Jason will do after our first kiss =) Haha. Someone had better video!

What's the story of your first kiss?

Track Record*

*pun intended

"I believe that God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast.

When I run, I feel His pleasure."

Eric Liddell

Here's the scoop on my track season, since I haven't really blogged much about it!

3/5/2011 Linfield Icebreaker, McMinnville Oregon:

3k steeplechase, 13:00, 2/2

3/17/2011 Charles Bowles Springbreak Classic, Salem Oregon:

5k, 19:52.2, 2/3

*This was the first time I'd ever broke 20 minutes in a 5k!! I've been praying for that since my senior year of high-school. Praise God!

3/26/2011 Club Northwest Invitational, Seattle Washington:

3k steeplechase, 12:40.2, 3/3

4/1/2011 Willamette Invitational (Celebration of Distance), Salem Oregon:

3k steeplechase, 12:13.51, 5/6

*This is a season and career PR for me! I also broke our school record by more than 6 seconds! That race also put me at second in the conference, although now I'm more like 5th. I was really needing a solid steeple race, as my first two of the season had been significantly slower than last year.

4/8/2011 Northwest Relays, Oregon City Oregon:

open 3k (without steeples), 11:20.92, 1/9

*Again, I broke the school record, this time in the open 3k and by only 2 seconds!

4/16/2011 Lewis & Clark Invitational, Portland Oregon:

3k steeplechase, 12:30.2, 3/7

*My dad and two sisters got to see this race!

4/29-30/2011 Pacific Twilight, Forest Grove Oregon:

1500m, 5:18.00 35/44 (3rd in my heat though!)

*Last year I ran 5:19 in 3 times in a row for the 1500m. I really wanted a PR in this race. I got it, but only by one second...........

5k, 19:55.11 33/39

*I was hoping for a PR in the 5k, but I'm still happy that I broke 20 again!

Conference is May 12-14, and I race steeplechase on the 13th! I'm looking forward to this race a lot! My dad, grandparents, and Jason will be there. I have some great goals and plan to go all out! I will keep you posted, and hopefully will get pictures soon!

Did you figure out the pun?

Quote of the Day

"If everyone was perfect we wouldn't have problems."

- Jason Koemans

April 29, 2011

Friday April 29th was a day full of anxiousness for me!! Besides the normal race-day nerves, I was also taking the exam to become a certified personal trainer. I don't even know how many hours I'd been studying for this...lots. It's out of 800 points but you only need 550 to pass. Four students in my class had taken it before me, and two of them had failed!! There are 150 multiple choice questions and you get 150 minutes to take the test. The testing center was in Portland, and the classroom was very institutionalized - sanitary - white walls - intimidating. At the end of the computerized exam, you click one button, "End Review," which submits all your answers!! The next screen to come up tells you if you passed of failed, but not in big bold letters. You have to read the whole screen!!! Nerve-wracking!! Here are the results:

(Sorry for the poor picture quality)

Praise God I passed!! Now, I am officially, Lauren Cross, C.P.T. Soon, I will be

Lauren Koemans, C.P.T.

College 101: How To Study for Finals.

1) Relax. Don't stress.

2) Colorful markers are.a.must.have! They make studying so much more fun!!

3) Coffee!! Preferably enjoyed while you sit for 6 hours at a quite coffee shop!

4) Flash-cards.

5) A study group. Only if it stays focused and on task.

6) Sleep.

6) Pray and spend time with Jesus!

How did/do you prepare for finals?

PS: It's so hard to believe this is the end of my time at Corban!! These nine months have flown by. If nine months can go so fast...just imagine how much faster the next THREE will go!!!!