quote

"Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim"

-Nora Ephron via thatkindofwoman

This pretty much summarizes this semester for me! Either you can let life beat you up, or you can learn from the challenges and failures and move on. Embrace the hardships because they sculpt you to be the person God has created you to be. Be the heroine, but be humble enough to tell God that you can't succeed on your own. 

I haven't written in awhile, but I hope all is well :)

NovemberSweet

This video was followed by brownies in a mug and solid conversation about loving in a  1 Timothy 5:1-2 sort of way.  November anomaly.



Love,
Kierlyn

What I learned this week: finals, soap operas, and airplanes

This is a super belated post. Actually it pretty much takes the cake... 9 days late? Oops. A testament to how crazy everything was in the past week.

This week I completed a final project for one of the most important classes I will ever have, and it went well, I am happy to report. Actually went much better than either my partner or I expected. And why was this the case? Well, the surprise stemmed from the fact that the last week had been a soap opera of sorts. Okay, no one died and no one got pregnant, but about all the other elements were there. I don't like soap operas. I like being in them even less. Short story of it all is that people can change their minds and their emotions quickly. Soon the person that is being cruel and harsh and consequently delaying your project can turn around and come help WITH the project for the last push..overnight. God is teaching me a lot about patience and forgiveness. And he blew me away this week with his provisions and grace and love.

So this week I learned:

...God truly is good, all the time.

...it is always possible for life to get busier, crazier, and more stressful than it is at the moment. Or at least the incorporation of a different crazy will inevitably happen. So enjoy the moments you have. Take a walk. Don't forget to breathe.

...I have one of the most ridiculously awesome support systems in the universe, I swear. I was so stressed and overwhelmed this week. But u was completely blown away by how many texts, calls and messages I got of encouragement or prayer. And my mom deserves the 'Mother of the Century' award for how much she encouraged me. Calling me and praying for me over the phone is one of the biggest blessings ever.

....laundry should always be done pre-finals.

... When planning to wear rain boots on the walk, be prepared that they will still be on your feet in class, and you will want to cut a hole in them and install a mini air conditioning unit. Bring flats in your backpack to change into.


... The airport seems to be an excellent place for people-watching these days. My favorites are the adorable older couples who get carted around on the little golf carts. Especially when they hold hands.

... I cannot tell you how excited I am to meet my grandpa at the airport an go home for a late lunch with him and my grandma. Actually this will probably not be published until after that happens. But really, super excited.

... I am slowly learning to trust God withy he plans he has for me. It's difficult to know when to wait for an answer versus when to decide. But my mom always tells me it's a lot easier to steer a bike the right direction if it's moving.

... I will never learn to start packing earlier. My roommates are saints for dealing with my chaos. Also, a word to the wise: don't schedule your flight home for 6:00 am the morning after your last final, unless you have time and motivation to expertly pack up your entire apartment before said final. Two hours of sleep is never enough.

.... I cannot even begin to explain how excited I am to go back to Minneapolis and the beautiful state of Minnesota which I love so much. Yes, I am very biased because it's my home, but there is no where like Minneapolis. Albany, you're great but you totally don't cut it. Where are your lakes? Where are your food trucks? Why aren't you using your river? Why is it completely strange to smile or talk to strangers? I don't understand... but thankfully I'm going for a little respite to a place filled with people I understand a bit more.

... Southwest is definitely my favorite carrier yet. Actually friendly, free baggage, and they still give you peanuts and tasty beverages. Shape up US airlines, you're leaving me high and dry. Literally.

Welcome Home

Third day home from college, every day has had a little happiness {or two} of its own.

Day 1- the day I got picked up from school.  And this pup came with to get me:

Etta, my 2 year old Golden Retriever.

 Day 2- Skipping rocks on the river.  Peaceful with sunny sparkles.  I also found a nice sized agate, which is always an accomplishment.

Day3- Writing in my quote book {inspirationally speaking}.  Good additions.  I also discovered {or re-discovered, maybe} that waking up to rain just beginning to fall and pound on your roof mixed with wind and a purring cat is a very good way to wake up.

Also prayer.  Prayer is very good.  And powerful.  And the connection you get to people through prayer is fantastic.  God is good!

Love from Wisconsin
~Kierlyn

The Finals Are Coming

 

Things I learned this week: dreams, wheat, and set-ups.

I'm a little late on this post. Eh, it's still the start of the week.

So this week I learned....

....I am really really stupid and gullible when I first wake up in the morning. I'm serious. I've been fabricated these elaborate dreams in my head which incorporate my alarm and some reason I need to shut it off or hit snooze 500 times.. My favorites? Dream A: It is quiet hours for finals, and that includes all alarms and other loud noises over a certain decibel level. Alarms aren't allowed to go off from 11:00 pm until 7:00 am.. so my 6:00 am wake up time needs to be delayed in order to avoid getting into trouble. Problem? Not even finals week. ...and quiet hours are usually instated to deter loud/drunken/obnoxious people rather than those that are getting up early to study...    Dream B: My alarm is secretly linked to the lasercutter, and every time it goes off it's just signalling that my file is cut; hitting snooze starts cutting the next file. Yeah, pathetic archie dreams, I know. But I believe them. Wholeheartedly (at 6:00 am).

...the Ultimate NPR Workout Mix exists. It's hilarious and amazing. I've heard everything from 80s grunge pop to Prince to Eminem (yeah...that happened) to current indie pop. It probably would be a great workout mix if I were running right now,.. but as is, it's serving as entertainment and an attempt to keep me upbeat and awake :)

....wheat might not be that great for you? Blew my mind.  I read this book called Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight and Find Your Way Back to Health. Actually, I'm half lying. I read the first two and a half chapters (what was free online) ..but I'm thinking of getting the actual book. What he says actually makes some sense... Wheat is the common denominator in a lot of things. So, for the next few weeks (or days.. or however long it lasts..) I'm going to try to eliminate most wheat from my diet. Obviously I won't be going cold turkey right away, but it's an experiment. No, I'm not exactly looking to lose weight (I don't have much to lose....) but he wrote about how it increases energy and helps eliminate that sluggish sleepy feeling, and also helps athletes and runners. Also it improves digestion and keeps your insulin levels steady (no more drastic energy swings and crashes throughout the day). Eh, I figured it was enough to try. So here goes day 1...I'll get back to you on all that....

....thanks to my friend Greg, I am officially hooked on almond milk lattes. There is nothing better than sipping that sweet, amazing coffee-infused foam off the top of my mug at home. Instant happy.

....even though I go to a very young church (read: everyone either in college or recently out of college, kids all under the age of 15..most much younger than that), there is still the possibility of getting set up with someone's son out of the blue. Yep... I'll get back to you on all that later... Life is an adventure, I tell ya.

... the weather seems to be completely bipolar. Freezing last week, warm this week? I've gone back and forth between my winter coat/scarf/warm boots and crops/t-shirt/flats in rapid speed.

...coffee with a mentor can do wonders for your weekend. Also, being a regular at said coffee shop just makes my life better. Scratch that... I've become a regular/known-by-name at all three main coffee shops downtown. Life is good.. .and caffeinated apparently.

...I am incredibly good at making myself homesick. Lisa can probably attest to that. I neeeed to stay away from The Current, The Vita.mn and the Star Tribune while I'm away... but I can't. Guess I'll just have to head home soon then .... ;)

...more learning to come this week. Lessons of patience and humility seem to be tailor-made for me lately. But God is good and faithful. And that's all I need.

Love from the east coast,

- Angie

bring it finals.. there is a purpose in this

"I can no longer remember the books I have read than the meals I have eaten, but they have made me". -Gordon B Hinckley

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