Memories

I really should be in bed right now.

I have plans to wake up around 6am so that I can run 5 miles before my 9am class. (It's all part of a training for the 10 mile Broad Street Run on May 3rd.) For some reason or another, while updating my profile picture on Facebook, I got stuck looking through some old photographs that I've taken throughout my time here at Albright. Don't you love/hate when that (randomly) happens?

Take a look at a few of the memories that I've captured and will always hold dear to my heart. (In chronological order, of course!)


Freshman Year: Dorm room shopping the summer before my first year at Albright! I was so young and naive then! Oh, what a precious picture!


Freshman Year: Ah, yes, an experience that has challenged and strengthened me in several ways: pledging, Greek life, and understanding how it all works.


Freshman year: Meeting my best friend, Nadine Varty, at Albright! MTV came for a "campus invasion" that year!


Sophomore Year: Eagles games+best friends. What more could a girl want?


Sophomore Year: Of course, no student can go to Albright without receiving PANKRATZ PHOTOS! This picture with some of my girlfriends has made the "Albright slide-show" quite a few times!


Sophomore Year: My first "InterVarsity" Christian Fellowship Conference. Who knew that I'd be applying to consider a staff internship a few years later?


Junior Year: A birthday bash thrown for one of my apartment mates, Teira, on her 19th birthday! If you guessed that we're at Applebee's, you're GOOD!

Junior Year: A favorite photo of Erica Rubin (2008 grad) and myself at an Open House-Preview Day.


Junior Year/Senior Year: The "POPS" (Peer Orientation People) 2008 Steering Committee. We bonded since the minute we were placed on a team. Yes, we ALWAYS wore matching T-shirts, too!


Senior Year: I'll never forget the moment of being honored as 2008 Homecoming Queen with Jared Epler, the Homecoming King!

Oh boy, if only I could explain the memories, stories, and lessons learned behind each of these (and hundreds more) photographs. I'm so grateful that I have kept separate scrapbooks for each year that I've attended college so that I can always remember these days. They'll be a resource that I'll be relying upon often as I continue my journey of self-discovery and love.

Sabbath

Today was a very different sort of day for me.

I had absolutely NO plans.

None.

Zero.

Zip.

And so, as I woke up around 11am, tidied some things up in my living room and kitchen, and moped around with no set plans, I realized something very significant about my life.

I have a really hard time "doing" sabbath.

I woke up today discouraged because of how late I had slept in. When not having a set "agenda" for the day, I found myself searching for things to do. I thought to myself, "maybe I can work on this job application or send out these references." I questioned, "what sort of things can I do now to prepare myself for a few months from now?" I just wasn't content with doing "nothing." I found myself saying, "if I don't find something to do, I'll have WASTED my day!"

I wonder what God thinks when he sees me wrestling with celebrating a sabbath day. As part of one of the creation stories, God creates and celebrates a sabbath day himself:

• "By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done" (Genesis 2:2-3).

If a sabbath day is "good enough" for God, it SURE AS WELL should be "good enough" for me! The Bible shares that God blessed the day, making it holy. Celebrating sabbath (rest) is not only important, it's a biblical command:

• "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy" (Exodus 20:8).

I've always struggled with celebrating sabbath regularly. As I've shared in previous blogs, throughout the school year, I thrive off of my "scheduled" lifestyle. I find pleasure in heading to the gym before most of my peers pull themselves out of bed, counting the number of "things" I accomplished that day, and setting goals for the completion of tasks throughout the remaining days of the week. Although I realize it's not the healthiest lifestyle in the least bit, I find myself "doing" and "going."

"Doing" and "going?" Didn't I just write about not wanting to define my lifestyle by those things?

Today, I felt challenged by the phrases I'm remembering from my last post: " It's so easy as leaders to go, go, go and do, do, do. But God is calling us to be, be, be."

Today was definitely a day "to be."


Once I accepted that today was a blessing from God, I took some time to sit in front of my large sliding glass window watching the snow fall as I journaled, prayed, and read some scripture. I'm not sure how long I sat there. It might not have even been that long, but time didn't make a difference. I remember some time later one of my roommates, Teira returning from her trip home, and us both sitting in front of the window together. For the first time in a long time, "T" and I had conversation about "everything and anything." We talked about class assignments, family, games, and most often, God, church, and some spiritual questions. I've missed my time with T; it's one of the reasons why I was thankful we would be taking an interim together. I really valued our time together today. It helped remind me of how blessed l I am to have her as a friend.

For one of the first times while at school, I truly felt as if I were celebrating the sabbath. My thoughts were not distracted with scheduled activities and I felt no burden to quickly return to my homework. Time for myself, time with God, time with a best friend; I need to remember that the sabbath truly is a day to be celebrated!

As my devo dared this morning, I hope that I can continue to challenge myself to "carve out a rhythm (including a sabbath time) that renews me." I want to one day be able to celebrate my "no plans-Saturday." I no longer want my evaluation of a "good day" to be measured by the amount of tasks I've accomplished. I want my days to be holy.

Gifted for Leadership

I've recently added a new section to my blog. The name is sort of cheesy, but it's a list of women bloggers who I admire for their leadership in ministry-and being able to blog about it! The blog list is called "Girl Power Blogs." Check out some of the blogs if you're a woman reading this who feels that she's called into leadership and/or ministry of some kind.

One of my favorite blogs to check into is a blog for women who are Gifted for Leadership, hence the name of the blog. The blog is currently focusing on a 14-Day Devotional Journal for women, if you're interested in checking it out for yourself, you can download the devotional for FREE by clicking here and follow the prompts!

Today's "devo" was called the "Antidote to Over achievement." I immediately was hooked. Here's a short passage that spoke to me from the devotional:

• It's so easy as leaders to go, go, go and do, do, do. But God is calling us to be, be, be. To-do lists, bullet points, and check marks have their place, but when it comes to your spiritual life, you need to toss an“achievement” mindset into the garbage and spend some time in God’s presence simply being the real you.

I then read this post on the leadership blog, and I couldn't believe the similarities between its author and myself:

• Did you feel like Sally had you in mind when she wrote today’s devotion? I sure did. As soon as I read her introduction to today’s devotion, I felt like this could be a prophetic nudge from the Lord about an all-too-familiar topic. Because, you see, I’ve always been someone who wants to be not only good at things, but distinctively the best. I’m naturally driven and inquisitive, and find peace in lists and accomplishments. My default is please others and follows the rules. This propensity to overachieve easily went in to hyper-drive when it came to school. In fact, the only intentionally disobedient thing I remember doing in elementary school was to sneak into the forbidden teacher’s lounge and steal extra homework from the recycling bins. Later in high school, I took high-level classes and worked hard for straight A’s. When people at church told me God would take care of all my needs, I would sneer, “Oh yeah? God’s going to write this paper for me?”Clearly, I have problems. While my parents praised my grades, they knew that I sometimes let stress rob me of confidence in God and ultimately of my submission to him. One day, I found a note on my bedroom desk. During his morning devotional time, my dad had been praying for me and felt strongly about Titus 3:14, which says: “Our people must learn to do good by meeting the urgent needs of others; then they will not be unproductive.” Dad jotted me a note (below) which simply reads, “Titus 3:14. Live this out and let the grades fall where they may.” I think he knew that my perfectionism was breeding self-centered anxiety instead of concern for other people. He was telling me that true productivity happens when we love others like God loves them. And he was enabling me to be free from a bondage to over achievement. For me, this verse and memory are what Sally refers to as “antidotes to over achievement.” Like her, I think prayer and meditation – taking the time to refocus and let God get a word in – are invaluable solutions to anxiety. When I really open myself to God in prayer, I begin to feel so small compared to him…and it’s wonderful. That insurmountable task doesn’t necessarily solve itself while I pray, but God gives me the ability to see its importance for what it really is: not very. Do you ever feel this way when you pray? (Hollie Baker-Lutz)

Needless to say, I'll be posting Titus 3:14 on my desk. I'm also not ending this devotional nor blog reading any time soon. I'm finally beginning to feel some clarity about understanding who I am, why I feel gifted in leadership, and how, even as a leader-I'm to focus on "being" rather than "going" and "doing."

Interim at Albright

When I was driving my familiar route back "home" to Albright last night after a satisfying Eagles win, I couldn't believe that I was returning to school from...well, what has been my very last break. "Already?" I pondered. Oh, why does it always seem like our college breaks last "forever" until we find ourselves shoving clothes into bags the day before we're to return, wondering how the time passed so quickly?

The truth is, I'm actually returning to college three weeks early.

The reason I've returned so early is because I've chosen to take my last course of my college requirements during what Albright refers to as an "interim" period; essentially, a three-week January session. The spring semester doesn't begin until January 26th, so, until then, a few hundred students have chosen to return to Albright's campus to practice for a sport's team, work an on-campus job, or sneak in an extra class (class are held for 3 consecutive hours each day).

I absolutely love "interim" at Albright.

When I was a freshman, I didn't return during Albright's interim time; thinking that instead, I'd want to celebrate the extended break with my family. I remember working, scrap-booking, hanging out with friends, and then, being very, very bored. Understanding that I'm a person who loves to "always be doing something," I vouched to never have that long of a break again! Every year since then, I've made sure to sign up for an interim course.

The beauty of interim at Albright is that it's a comfortable "in-between" transition from break to the spring semester. With only taking one course either in the morning or evening, students are free to collect green, catch up with friends, or have time to themselves to enjoy personal activities like reading, watching movies, or sleeping! For me, the start of interim was refreshing as I thrived off of jumping back into my "usual routine." I was excited to be running my usual three miles at 7am this morning, jumping in the shower by 8:10am, and walking into the campus center by 8:45am to grab a bagel before my 9am class. Having a chance to eat lunch with friends by 12:30pm, my afternoon quickly filled with a meeting at the career center at 1pm, research in the library at 2pm, shopping at Walmart until 4pm, some organizing, homework, dinner, a quick nap all before hanging with friends at 7:30pm. I even had a chance to "relax" with my roommate as she watched TV and I read New Moon, the second book of the Twilight saga.

Early mornings, busy afternoons, schedules, I just love it. (Not all the time. There are times to relax "schedule-less" of course!)

I'm excited about my 2009 interim course, Educational Theatre. Taught by a team of two professors (one in the education field and one in the theatre field), the class is designed for future professionals that are going to working closely with people, in a business, counseling, teaching, or other relationship. The course aims to assist future professionals in being able to use theatre techniques as tools for such human relations professions. With 13 days, we're expected to produce a 20 minute play in ensembles of 5 as well as present an "personal theatre project" to illustrate our individual growth within the course.


Outside of class, I'll be working 16 hours each week between three different jobs in the fitness center, admission office, and at Hope's Hangout, an after-school program in Reading. I hope to spend time reconnecting with friends a few nights each week and using the weekends to invite friends from home to share in some of my Albright experience-most have never ever seen my apartment! I've even set some (more) goals for myself regarding my improvement in what I call "domesticating myself." Because I only have a meal plans to eat 7 meals in the campus dining hall, I'll be challenging myself to cook dinner a few nights each week. And when I write myself, I truly mean myself seeing that the "usual" cook of our household, my roommate Sarah, will not return until the 26th! I hoping that with the extra time, I'll be able to exercise the patience to prepare and cook my own meals, especially as I adjust my eating schedule for student teaching!

Interim will be a time of growth, self-reflection, and (of course) good ole' Albright fun! It's my last opportunity at school to have the freedom to stay up late, hang with friends, and celebrate the flexibility of my college schedule-especially on the weekdays!

Oh, how I'm going to miss college-well, Albright College!

New Year's Resolution

2009: I can't believe it.

This is going to be a huge year! Full of graduations, weddings, celebrations, and major times of transitions, 2009 is going to be a year that sticks in my mind forever.

As always, it's a tradition to make a resolution (or a few) for the new year. This is easy for me to do. Too often than not my mind is preoccupied with thinking about the future. Some of the New Year's resolutions that I've set for myself include the following:

1. I want to read the entire Bible in one year. I know, I know, this sound super ambitious, super nerdy, and maybe super boring to lots of people. I think I made this resolution last year too. Obviously, it didn't exactly turn out as I'd wished. This year, I've looked into a few additional resources that can help me. I've chosen to follow an Old/New Testament reading plan, in which I'll be able to read a bit from the Old and New Testament each day. Other selections offer Bible reading plans to read the bible in chronological, historical, or from beginning to end. Check it out at Bible Gateway.com and www.ewordtoday.com/year/.

2. I want to continue to love myself and my body through emotional, spiritual, and physical care. Up until a few years ago, I never realized how difficult it was for me to love myself and my body. I never thought I was one of those young girls whose mind was filled with junk about false beauty, security and self-image until I faced some of those issues head on in college. I'm now excited to share that I've been pursuing a transition in which I'm truly beginning to celebrate my body. I'm recognizing God's creativity through it's uniqueness-curvy, short, and strong. Likewise, I've been trying to celebrate my strengths, gifts, and passions and focus on these areas in which God has specifically made me. I look forward to continuing to find freedom in eating healthy and exercising because of the right reasons, such as wanting to keep the body that God's designed me with strong. Just as equally, I hope to continue to understand that a love for myself is not based upon achievements and accomplishments, but on loving who I am on the inside, my character, my values, regardless of all that "stuff," especially when no-one's watching.

3. Finally, I want to continue to seek out opportunities to discover my passions. (Or, to perhaps narrow the focus on my passions!) With being interested in so many different things-teaching, ministry, speaking, etc. etc. etc.), I NEED to continue to seek out all different types of opportunities and record my thoughts along the way! Thus, in the New ear, I intend to network with speakers nation-wide, seek out speaking/presentation engagements, and blog about all of my experiences. Beginning with my student teaching experience come February, I hope to include my thoughts, struggles, and frustrations about teaching so that my responses are effectively considered!

It looks like I have a bit of things to hold myself accountable for. I hope that by publicly sharing some of these resolutions, I stick with them and keep you updated on my adventures!

Good luck on your resolutions!

I LOVE the Wii Fit!

Okay, so I must admit, I have a new addiction.

Even worse, it's an addiction to a video game.

But not just any video game; one of the hottest video games on the market, the Nintendo Wii Fit.

This game is incredible! It offers games and activities in aerobics, strength training, balance games, and yoga for multiple players. The game can track your BMI and weight, calculate a "Wii Age" that fits a body test, and offer you fitness tips. You can even set and track weight loss/gain goals with the program!
Although I haven't quite explored the yoga exercises, I can't help but try to break records in the other areas. I currently hold a record for the tightrope and ski-jump balance games. In the strength training exercises, I've challenged my "trainer" to push-ups or jack knife exercises. My favorite games are the aerobic exercises. In fact, I'm excited to share that I proudly hold the hoola-hoop record of over 3,300 hoola hoops on the ten minute challenge!

Okay, okay, enough boasting, I understand!

You can just bet, though, that I'll be playing this game as much as possible while I'm here! It's a great game to play individually and especially with family! This is definitely a game that I'll be looking out for when I can afford a Wii of my own!

Explore the site and take a look for yourself!

Christmas Time

With Christmas passed, the weekend over, and New Year's right around the corner, I've reluctantly accepted that my relaxing time with family, games, and lots of food is coming to a close. This Christmas has been one of the best that I can remember. Whether surprising both sets of parents with family photos, playing hours of the Wii with my brothers, or spending time surrounded by extended family and friends, I realize how very blessed I am.

One of my favorite memories this holiday came as a request that my mom had for one of her Christmas presents. Her desire was for us, as a family, to serve others somewhere on Christmas Eve. And so, Christmas Eve began with some exciting adventures as my mom, brother John, and I set off in the late morning to volunteer our time at Boyertown Salvation Army serving community members at the Christmas Eve dinner.




It was easy to sign up to serve. We simply contacted Boyertown Salvation Army, asked about opportunities, and were marked on a list to serve from 11am-2pm. The meal began at noon, in which many members from the congregation, elders, and friends gathered for a free dining experience. A youth lounge area was decorated with dozens of tables set for eight, placed with candy-cane goodies and holiday decor.

All the guests enjoyed themselves. And for us, the experience was unforgettable.

Although we felt a bit out of place at first because we had no idea what our roles were nor the people with whom we were serving, my family and I quickly hit it off connecting with others. I was pleased to chat with several people; one young woman who recently has graduated from college and now teaches in the elementary division, two people whom graduated from Eastern, a youth minister, one individual going to seminary, a student at PV West in the 7th grade (my brother Thomas's school and grade), and even a twenty-one year old girl from Malawi, Africa. I collected cards, names, exchanged stories, and even was extended a job opportunity!

In addition to connecting with the volunteers and staff members, I loved conversing with the community members who came to enjoy the meal. As I was "assigned" to offer drinks to people at their table, it came easy for me to begin conversation about simple things; sports, school, Christmas plans, etc.! Some of my favorite points of conversation were with some older gentleman about football, movie collections, and old television shows. One teenager girl explained to me her Christmas t-shirt of "I want a cute boy for Christmas." One older gentlemen even asked me where the wine was, since Jesus drank wine at his dinners!

People are incredible, aren't they?

It's so silly how I sometimes-often- so easily pass over the individuality and uniqueness each single person has to offer.

Come 2pm, my family and I were sad to say goodbye to our new found friends. We shouted that we hope to see everyone at the same time and place next year. I collected Mwai's full name so that we could become official facebook friends and keep in touch. Even my brother John (who usually lacks expression for most family outings) talked about interesting parts of his experience on the ride home.

I think our family's found a new Christmas tradition.
(At least I hope!)

It's so amazing how contributing even just a few hours around the holidays towards serving others can help remind you of Jesus's most important two commandments: to love God and to love others.

• 29"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. 31The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'There is no commandment greater than these." (Mark 12: 29-31)

Sometimes, it's so easy to get caught up in doing things for ourselves around the holidays, even if that just means "relaxing with family, games, and lots of food." Of course, so much importance lies in spending time with family. Yet, why not try some ways to spend time with family, whether immediate or extended, by serving others together? Find a way to make a tradition for loving others; whether it be around Christmas or year-round. You may be surprised at how close it draws your family together.

I've included a few sites below that are excellent sources for serving opportunities. Take a look!

• Central PA Food Bank: http://www.centralpafoodbank.org/
• The Salvation Army: http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn_2.nsf
• Habitat for Humanity: http://www.habitat.org/