Tea and Tales

Tea for my scratchy throat
tea before bed makes me miss Joy, who would read us a bedtime story while we sipped Candy Cane Lane or Sleepy time tea before bed...hugging our stuffed animals. lol. Yes, we are in college.
I also think of my old friend Dan from when I went to Nebraska Christian College.
On a couple of occasions he brought me some tea to the lobby when I wasn't feeling well.
I think that is one of the kindest things any non-related guy has ever done for me.

We need more chivalry like that.
I wonder how the level of chivalry in London will relate to here.

"Feed the Birds...tupence a bag...tupence. tupence. tupence a bag."

Tonight has been full of God-breathed surprises.
For the manuscript study that I lead, I had no idea what passage to study tonight...
half an hour before my group was going to show up, I was laying on the couch praying that God would lead me to a passage. I let my mind wander slightly and "Joel" popped in my head.
Hmm...Is Joel even a book? (I thought it was...but I'd never read it so I grabbed my Bible and sure enough, it's right after Hosea).
So I read through it...just a three chapter book...and loved it!
So instead of our usual chapter from one of the Gospels, we just had an informal study and discussion on the book of Joel.
SO GOOD!
I love it when God works like that.
He spoke to me through the passages in the drama and poetic, beautiful writing.
It's one of those books that you feel like you have to read it increasingly faster...as if it's a race to the finish....because it is so intense.
I discovered what Mt. Zion is tonight. I never realized that it actually refers to the city of Jerusalem...so that's good to know, it gave some passages more meaning. I love learning little facts like that...because they're "not-so-little" to God. :)

Joel 2:12-13
"Even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity."
Compassion. It's not an outward passive action...such as tearing clothes.  But a heart-wrenching...broken emotion, that "tears the heart." We are to be grieved at our sin and the condition of the world. A pouring out of the soul, returning to our Creator...who is compassionate Himself.

2: 21-23
Be not afraid, O land; be glad and rejoice. Surely the Lord has done great things.
Be not afraid, O wild animals, for the open pastures are becoming green. The trees are bearing their fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield their riches.
Be glad, O people of Zion, rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. 
He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. 

Holy Crap this painting is Gorgeous!

Doesn't it sound so lovely and poetic. I'm a sucker for colors and nature...namely green, autumn, and rain. :)

Then, after manuscript study I randomly decided to go out to Smokey Row and get a steamed apple cider (which they were out of...sad day). I got a lot of homework done though and I feel like I was there for some unknown purpose of God's because of some interactions I had with the people there.

God does indeed work in mysterious ways.
I think he knows that I'm attracted to mysterious things...
I've always been fascinated in the supernatural
...whether it be Santa Clause, fairies, Harry Potter, or Lord of the Rings...
mystical, magic, and fantasy has always captivated me.
I have a God who immortal and all-powerful.
When I creeped on the choir rehearsal last night, the director explained the meaning of one of the CHRISTmas songs. It was meant to sound very mysterious, which when you think about it...the birth of Christ is just that! God...being born as a baby.
A baby?
Through a virgin? And a peasant young teenager virgin?
So many questions accompany the CHRISTmas story.
It's one of the reasons I love Him, I will never uncover all of the mysteries.

He fills that desire within me for fantasy, and magic.

~Merely Mortal

Snowflakes and Prayer Paintings

This week has been great so far and is only going to get better...I can feel it in my bones. :)

I don't understand how it can be almost 50 degree weather yesterday and today be freezing and snowy.  Oh wait...yes I can...it's Iowa.

First snow of the semester. That actually collected on the ground.
Powdery dry snow.
When I was wiping the windows during my work study in Central Market I noticed a single flake stuck to the other side of the glass...right in the middle of the window.
I caught myself staring at it with my hand still paused in the air.
So beautiful.
Perfectly unmelted delicate geometry

Good grief...how my Lord romances me! :)

Mmm...simple beauty in mundane tasks.

Also, I enjoy hearing loud phone conversations about duck hunting behind me while I walk to class. lol


Dove chocolates peppermint bark
Steamed caramel apple cider
Role playing in Human Relations...hilarious (LEROY JENkins!!)
scarves
David's reaction to the lion I finished drawing for him
curling up under a warm blanket...with little to NO homework
AND...Sedona finally called me back. I have a job for Christmas break! Hallelujah...much needed travel money! I'm excited to see all those old ladies again at the factory.

"if you want to get it good girl, get yourself a...bad boy" ~yep, Backstreet boys...this was my "I feel like a rebel cause I like this song" song when I was in like fourth grade.

Speaking of the drawing I gave to David...I have this idea.
I want to make more of those prayer drawings/paintings in the future. I think that would be so awesome! I could even sell them. I could make an appointment with whomever and pray over them, jotting down notes of the images God gives me...and then create a prayer painting with verses and a prayer for them.
Man, I want to do this! With only a couple weeks left of school though...I don't know if it will become a reality....
Well, if anyone who actually reads this wants a prayer painting...let me know. I think I would charge $10 and the money would go to a good cause (probably Rapha House or something like that)

Lord, I want you to use my gifts to further your kingdom.

and this is just cute...a painting turtle (came up when I was searching Google images)

Also, we got the results from my Dad's MRI last night. He has a bulging disc in his back and will need physical therapy everyday for the next couple weeks. My Mom is now tending the chores on our hog farm all by herself whist he gets betters. Prayers for quick healing and a peace that passes understanding would be appreciated.

~Merely Mortal

Monday Monday...so good to me

Well, today started off with a bang.
I got up thinking I could get ready for my TB check appointment at health services in 20 minutes. But shortly after rolling out of bed I got a call from a lady at health services informing me that I was 10 minutes late for my appointment and should get there immediately...(or, so it sounded, I would put their entire schedule for the day into total chaos). Apparently my appointment was at 8:00, not 8:30, as I had thought.
It's a good thing I've mastered the "get ready in 5-10 minutes" thing.

I understand that they had to check my arm within so many hours of the TB test, but they didn't need to freak out about me being late to my appointment. It only takes about five seconds to look at my arm and call it good anyway. lol.


On the bright side, I actually got my chai tea before going to class this morning...and some extra alone time, which is rare these days.

So good So good!

It might be time for a nap. I had one of those toss an turn...weird dreams...sort of night. Good weird dreams, but the kind that don't allow you to sleep well. Nothing like my dream the other night though, when I had the ability to climb the side of buildings like Spiderman....or another night when I flew around inside my old church.

Hmm, superhero theme in my subconscious? Fantastic...I just wish I could save the world and not wake up still exhausted.

On a slightly...but not really...related note. Last night I was laying in bed and my alarm clock fell to the floor. I pointed at it and groggily said "accio" and waited a few seconds before realizing that it wasn't actually going to fly into my hand.

So...the nap didn't work out and I went to the balcony in Douwstra like a creeper and listened to the choir rehearse instead.
Sigh...such beautiful sounds...and CHRISTmas music.

Always always a good thing. :)
Speaking of choirs and CHRISTmas music...check this out. I miss this. Good ol' NCC gospel choir.

It's rainy outside...but in the 40's...and almost December! Yes please!
Rain didn't stop me from standing on a tall cement block on the way back from dinner and then Sara gave me a piggy-back ride to Graham...even up the steps (Miss Muscles!!). But then we got to giggling so hard we had to stop...only to break out into singing Bohemian Rhapsody in our room.


I love life.

Surreal

No, I'm not a material girl
But can I just say how excited I am that my mother just ordered this Canon Powershot S95 for me?! Happy Christmas and Birthday combined...lol.
This is one of the few items that I really wanted before going abroad. I've been so frustrated with the current camera that I have. Let me inspire...let me create...let me take your picture. :)
Let the scrapbooking begin!

Also, I've been trying to decide what coat to bring and finally just settled on getting a new one. Hopefully this London Fog coat will fit me right. I ordered the black...it will be gorgeous for sure, but let's just hope it will keep my warm...and dry. :)

Yesterday was the first time I had ever been shopping on Black Friday in Cedar Rapids
mmm...I think I'll just stick to online deals during Black Friday in the future :)
I hate crowds...and congested traffic.
Mom and I went to Khols...and got a really nice swivel-wheel three piece luggage set (here I go...being all materialistic again. I promise, I'm really not that bad)...and the line was clear back by the shoes!! 20 minute wait. Best Buy and Wal-Mart were also insane. yugh...I'm claustrophobic in large groups of people.

So things are falling into place. Everyday I'm checking more off my list.
Just bought my plane ticket the other day
waiting for my visa to arrive in the mail
coat...luggage...camera.
Physical taken care of
Basically, I just need my visa and I'm ready to go!

It's happening. I'm actually going to Europe for 4 months.

Surreal

~Merely Mortal

Merely Mortal

This is not my first online journal of sorts.

Back when Xanga was "the thing" I had two accounts
first: ElfGurl_luvsSF
My Switchfoot and LOTR fanatic self came up with this username...I haven't much changed :)
second: JC_FreakForLife
I guess my faith became much more important to me that I felt the need to create a new name. lol.

Thus...with these xangas I recorded the minuscule concerns of my emotionally insecure and selfish teenage life that nobody really cared about but I considered important enough to blast into cyberspace because I was too quiet to tell anyone in the real world. (ah the life of a shy teenager...)
Eventually this got old because I realized that the hidden messages I left for certain individuals in my rants and musings...weren't actually read by the people I intended them for. How frustrating...lol

Then facebook boomed into existence...
And my public blogging ceased, although I kept one personal private blog.

anyways....

I'm going abroad to London for a semester.
I figured a public blog would be a great way to record my travels for friends and family back home to read and keep up to date with where I am and what I am doing.
But more than that, for my own benefit.
I love to go back and read old journals and to see how much I've grown.
For sure, I will grow up a whole heck of a lot while living independently in London for four months.
So...this is more of an adventure journal in the making than anything.
And if you know me...

you know how much I love adventures!
:)


First, let me explain the name of this blog, how I thought of the name Merely Mortal. I came upon it a long time ago when I was reading through Psalms in my New Living Translation Bible. I loved how "mere mortal" flowed off the tongue and how it is used it in this passage:

Psalm 8

For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by a stringed instrument.

¹ O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
Your glory is higher than the heavens.
² You have taught children and infants
to tell of your strength,
silencing your enemies
and all who oppose you. ³ When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
the moon and the stars you set in place—
⁴ what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?
⁵ Yet you made them only a little lower than God
and crowned them with glory and honor.
⁶ You gave them charge of everything you made,
putting all things under their authority—
⁷ the flocks and the herds
and all the wild animals,
⁸ the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,
and everything that swims the ocean currents.
⁹ O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!

Isn't it lovely? :)
Our God
who created the universe and every beautiful thing that I encounter each and every day
can look on me
a mere mortal
and love me and crown me as His bride.

I can't wait to explore even more of his creation overseas!

~Merely Mortal