It's here.

It's here.

Finals Week.  May the odds be ever in your favor.

There are some extreme things that do happen during finals week and I would love to say that it has only happened once or maybe even that it has only happened to me, however I know that's not the case.  Wouldn't you know, three years into college and some things just don't change.  High school students - take some notes.

1.  Everyone calculates their grades in each of their classes multiple times.  They have put in about every variable including if they fail the test, because, well it's finals week and you never know what could actually happen at this time of year.

2.  People will look at a study guide for the first time for a class and actually begin to wonder if their professor gave the wrong study guide to the class.  People will have literally been in class the whole time and not recognize a single term on the paper.

3.  It is inevitable that people will begin to get sick.  Lack of sleep, eating weird foods, and it's winter are not good combinations for 18 to 22 year old people right now.

4.  It is acceptable for people to wear mismatching socks and green sweatpants - during finals week, no one questions what other people wear.


5.  The frying of one's brain after staring too long at notes and books causes one to buy unnecessary items at Target, drink way to much coffee, and watch too many episodes of Castle.

6. Highlighting is key.  Unless people have to highlight their whole dang book!!!

7.  The Internet will distract you - let it.

8.  There are many students that haven't figured this out yet, but everyone should use their sense of humor during the semester so that come test time, they can draw pictures, use puns, and write jokes to try and get humor points in place of their lack of knowledge.

9.  Girls especially begin to contemplate their major, but then they just remind themselves - an each other - just marry rich! Marry for money, love will come! 

10.  Then, once all finals have been completed, a mass celebration begins nation wide ... Until everyone looks at their classes for next semester only to see that finals in the spring will be at the very least, 100 times worse!!!!

HAPPY FINALS WEEK!

-Courage, dear heart. C.S. Lewis

Lexi

... and yet GOD is still constant.

Every morning up to this point, I have had the privilege to wake up.  I wouldn't consider myself a morning person, but I think I could become one.

God is still constant.

Some mornings I drink out of my "Grumpy Cat" mug.  Other mornings, I am in such a rush because I woke up late that I don't drink a single drop of coffee.

God is still constant.

There are days when I eat yogurt for breakfast.  Sometimes I'll eat a bagel, and if I'm really feeling good I'll eat a full breakfast with an omelet, toast, and fruit.  I try to read my bible or do a devotion or at the very least say a quick prayer in the mornings or during breakfast, but often times I fail.

God is still constant.

I can have a really bad attitude about going to class some days.  I don't really want to learn about drones or the way the law affects what I could print in newspapers and magazines some day.  I don't really want to take notes about the environment or listen to lectures about people like E.P. Sanders (I still am not quite sure who he is).  Some days I am a lot happier though, and I like to have discussions on how technology affects our society or the letters Paul wrote in the bible.

God is still constant.

I turn on the news and I watch protests and hear about how the world is hurting.  I get frustrated for my hurting friends and the ones I love and even people I don't know. I want to hug them and protect their hearts.  I fear for future generations and the world they will be living in; I fear because someday I could be a parent to some of those children and I will be responsible in making sure they know the truth.

God is still constant.

Family friends recently brought home their new daughter from Africa.  The joy on their faces to know that she will be in their arms for the rest of their lives makes me overwhelmed and reminds me that joy will prevail and that love always wins.  My family supports me and cares for me; my roommates give me lots of hugs; my grandparents send me funny cards in the mail. 

God is still constant.

There will always be ups and downs, whether it is regarding simple things like breakfast foods or major life decisions like choosing which job to take.  I will never be in control of the world or my circumstances, only my attitude and even then I won't be constant the way that GOD is constant.  I am not invincible and I am learning to be okay with that.


Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
he makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his names sake.
Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

-Courage, dear heart. C.S. Lewis

Lexi

Because I am THANKFUL

I know there may be people who will roll their eyes at what I am about to post, because I would probably do the exact same thing.  Yesterday was Thanksgiving so obviously I should post about how thankful I am and whatnot, but the truth is that I am INCREDIBLY thankful, not just yesterday or today, but every day.  I believe our world has heard enough negative thoughts lately so I hope this post serves as a fantastic reminder to all that we really do have a lot to be thankful for.

I am immensely thankful for my family - they are such a bunch of loons!  I am thankful for the voice-mails that my dad leaves me on his way to work or before one of my games if he isn't able to make it.  I am thankful that my mom sends me care packages and makes me coffee and sits at the kitchen table with me just to catch up whenever I come home.  I am thankful for my brother and the annoying way he tries to give me a hug when he knows I am insanely upset with him.  I am thankful for my twin sisters - for the movie quotes Ellie and I say to one another and the cuddling that Emily and I get to do when we hang out.

I am incredibly thankful for so many great friends.  I am thankful for the roommates who put up with my messy room, my talking addiction, make me hot chocolate, and are living lights for Jesus to me every single day.  I am thankful for my guy friends who play basketball or cards with me, who let me barge into their rooms unannounced, and don't care how blunt I am with them.  I am thankful for my boyfriend who goes great lengths to make long distance work, whether its driving hours to hang out or sending me text messages in the morning with Bible verses to remind me where my focus really should be.

I am overwhelmingly thankful for my teammates - girls who make me shake my head in disbelief and cause an abundance of laughter every single day.  Girls who wake up early on Friday mornings to go eat pancakes.  Girls who listen to me rant about papers I wrote and I know are probably not in decent enough quality to turn in.  Girls who I miss after not seeing in the last 48 hours. 

I am really thankful for my education, even though I will admit to spending an enormous amount of the time complaining.  I am thankful that I get to go to college, write papers, make videos, and God-willing, graduate in a year and a half with a degree!  I am thankful, specifically, for my private university, no matter how many stereotypes there, ones that we even fall into, at our small Christian community.

I am thankful for coffee and the way that it gives me enough energy some days to make it to my morning classes.

I am thankful for water because it hydrates me after my six cups of coffee along with chocolate and good books.

I am thankful good smells and a messy kitchen to come home to whenever I am able.  I am thankful I live on a farm so I have an abundance of meat to eat and my mom makes my favorite caramel bars. 

I am thankful for Target as it has saved me many times and also provided me with many unnecessary items, but a lot of really good deals!

I am thankful for the pranks that have been pulled on me, as it means I get to be a prankster as well, but also because it reminds me of the weird, but great, friends I have.

I am thankful for fleece blankets and warm winter boots as I live in the Midwest tundra, but I am also thankful for seasons and the knowledge that although it may be nine months, summer will eventually be here again!

My list could go on and on, as I could write of the vast joy and thankfulness that overwhelms my heart each and every day.  After writing so many of these things out, how is it possible that I ever lose sight of the goodness that abounds me?

Psalm 107:1 "Give THANKS to the Lord, for he is good; His LOVE endures forever."

Most of all, I am thankful for a God who endures my unfaithfulness and graciously loves me every day that ends in "y."  Even after posting this, I know I will forget - I am only human, after all - but my hope and prayer is, that I will be more likely to take a step back and remind myself of the greatness of God.

I am feeling so thankful.

-Courage, dear heart. C.S. Lewis

Lexi