Wrath Undone

Wow.  I am really bad at this blogging thing.  I haven't posted since July!  I'll get to an update soon, but I thought I would share with you what I have been learning and realizing as I am reading through the book of Ephesians (slowly mind you - there's a TON of stuff in there).


Ephesians 2:3-5
We were by nature, objects of wrath. but God made us alive with Christ  (paraphrased).

To go from being an object of wrath to ones in God's favor seems like a very heavy thing right now.  Not sure why.  To be under wrath and then not.  That's a HUGE deal.  It doesn't sound pleasant  "gratifying the cravings" and "following it's desires"  It's like we had no control over ourselves.  There was this entity living inside us forcing us to serve it and do what made it happy.  That it craved things and it's desires were evil.

And God brought us out of that.

It does seem fun to b able to do whatever without worrying if God will think it's okay, or if it's right or wrong.  Just to do whatever one leases.  But that becomes tiresome and empty after a while.  There is not one iota of fulfillment in that lifestyle.  You are always looking for more, the next cool thing to make you happy, the eternal search for "something else."

And God brought us out of that.

Now, we can be fulfilled in Christ.  And this isn't a fulfillment that is partial that goes away after a while.  It is complete and FULLfillment.  That i what God did when h made us alive in Christ.  We were trudging along forced to gratify the cravings of the entity in our souls, the living dead.  (visualize a person with a parasite on their back walking around only doing what the parasite wills).  We were dead.  But God took us out o that.  He plucked the parasite from our backs, healed us, and gave us a path to follow.  Freedom to do what we want.  To follow him.  to make our own choices.  And we are alive because of Christ.  God allowed Jesus to be a substitute for me.  When Jesus died, God saw me through the perfection of Jesus.  It is in Jesus and through Jesus that I have this relationship with God.  That I have anything.

2 Years!!!!!!

Well, yesterday was our 2 year anniversary!  We knew when we were looking at dates that a summer wedding would make celebrating our anniversary difficult.  When Summer is in full swing there just isn’t time to get away.  We have tried though to do something special that day like go out to eat or something.  This year though celebrating our anniversary was a little more difficult.  Daniel was busy with Day Camps and Executive Director stuff, and I was 1200 miles away at a camp in Michigan with Victor and Linda Schiro.  Daniel being the stud that he is, made plans with Vic and Linda over a week ago to make sure I got flowers for the special day.  And I thought I was reminding him so he wouldn’t forget!  Silly me.  I did get Dan an anniversary present, he just has to wait till I get back before he gets it. 

When a couple is involved in camping ministry it can be difficult to set aside time for events with the family.  Everything that happens at camp is so important – we only have these kids for a week!  As a camp wife it’s important to be understanding and supportive of your husband so you are not the reason he feels guilty about doing his ministry. There are sacrifices that are made on time, eating a meal, going to church or even celebrating your anniversary together.  For all the sacrifices that are made – it is worth it, I think.  God has given us the ability and the opportunity to impact thousands of kids and adults each summer through our camps, and the groups who use the campground.  And if that means less time with my husband, so be it.  Life isn’t about me anyway – it’s about God’s will and his purposes.

I was conversing with a friend's friend tonight.  He did two tours in Iraq a short time ago, and he said something worth sharing.  He said, one of the things he learned in Iraq was that We are not in control of anything - God is.  The only thing you can do is to go on the path you are on and not worry about what is going on on the sides.  Cause you can be taken at any time.  And if you are that means that God is done using you and if you aren't, then God has something more for you. 

I don't live in a 24 hr combat environment.  In fact I live a pretty comfortable life.  Hearing someone who has been in harms way constantly for 2 years say this forces perspective.  I may live in a very safe and stable environment, but when God is done with me - God is done with me.  There are a lot of things going on around me and voices trying to get me off the path I should be following.  But what is best is to continue on the path I'm on and not worry about what's going on on the sides.  I need to focus on my calling from the Lord and forget about the doubts, fears, discontentment, and insecurities and just do what I know God has called me to do. 

Ah Weather...

We just received a wonderful bought of hail!  Ping pong sized hail!!  It came down for about 10 minutes, and it sounded like someone one tromping around upstairs, but really it was just the hail.   Thankfully it has stopped, and is just raining now.  Strange weather we are having!!  This morning it was cloudy and chilly, this afternoon for a few hours it was warm and sunny (had the windows open and everything) and then the hail!! 

I guess spring is really here!!!

Well, since I'm here I'll give you an update. 

School is almost over.  Classes have been going pretty well.  I have tried to keep up my 9-5 deal, and it has worked for the most part, there have been a few papers that I had to stay up late and write, but mostly because I have been out of the paper writing habit for long enough that I can't write a 6 page paper in 2 hours anymore.  Crazy deal!  Two more weeks left, then two days of finals!

I have really enjoyed being in Kearney.  I have been able to spend more time with some friends, and make some new friends.  I will not miss being in K-town however.  I am looking forward with great anticipation to the month of May. I will be done with school, and the Summer Staff arrives!!!!  I can't wait!  Daniel is gradually getting busier and busier.  The closer Summer gets, the more there is to do.  I guess it had to happen sometime. :) 

I have been looking for an English position somewhere close.  One position opened up at Brady, and I sent a resume and cover letter, but I haven't heard back from them yet.  Still praying!  The next closest position after Brady is a Language Arts position in Medicine Valley about 1 hour or so away.  I am praying for a position in North Platte to open up.  That is where I would really like to be.

Other than the crazy hail we just had, life has been pretty normal.  Oh wait!!  Camp opened a Coffee Shop called Camp Grounds (I love the name myself!!) and I have been working there when I am home.  It is so much fun!  I will even get to work there this summer and it is super exciting!  What's even more exciting though is how well it is doing.  People are actually paying for coffee!!  It shouldn't surprise us that people don't quibble about paying 4.00 for a cup of coffee, they do that everyday anyway.  But we are excited that guests are taking advantage of the coffee shop.  We just got a blender Thursday, so we can do frozen drinks, smoothies, and frapacinnos.

That is all for now! 

Topsy-Turvy

Let me say that I did really well last week!!!  I did my homework the day it was assigned and I was done each day before 5:30.  For me, that is impressive!  Fortunately there is a coffee shop right across from campus that serves as a great study place. (I only got a drink once) 

I feel so collegiate!  

This week has gone by so quickly. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was Monday so no class that day and I only have one class on Fridays, so short day there.  Really I was in school 3 1/2 days this week.  I feel like it only started yesterday...oh well, certainly not complaining.  

This week didn't go as well/smoothly as last week.  I completely missed two assignments!  Luckily they weren't "important."  It will be easy to catch up though, that is a definite plus.  Today (Thursday) was a total wreck.  I woke up 15 minutes late, and had to rush through a response I needed to write for my morning class.  Therefore I left home 30 minutes behind schedule.  When I got to class this morning (on time, thank you Jesus), I found out I missed a reading assignment.  Then, I checked my email and found out that I was on the docket for a poetry workshop that afternoon.  Two original poems - 15 copies each.  I totally misread the syllabus and thought I had until February 15.  Nope - Today!  So I quickly wrote two poems between classes, then was late to class because I had to print and copy the stupid things.  

         And guess what?  

We ran out of time in class, 

and I didn't have to workshop today.  

 

Kind of a blessing, but kinda annoying at the same time.

Needless to say, I came straight to my K-home (that is my home in Kearney) and organized myself.  I added everything to my checklist and checked syllabi to ensure all items made it to the list.  Also, I checked my email again to make sure I didn't miss anything.  I am back on track now.  

I don't know  how I made it through college the first time!!  I was nowhere near this organized the first time.  A day like this would not have stressed me out very much.  But I just felt like my entire world went topsy-turvy.  It's over now, and the weekend is almost here.  Thank you Jesus!!!

I started attending a Bible study (did I already tell you that?)  We are going through John MacArthur's book, Twelve Extraordinary Women.  So far it is pretty good.  This week we looked at Sarah (Sari).  I have to admit, I have never been a fan of Sari, but I think I respect her more now.  I'll have to tell you about it some other time.  

Good Night!

Second First Day

So the Second First day has come and gone.  Today I went to two new classes.  Electronic Literacy this morning and Poetry Writing this afternoon.  I am excited about both of these classes.  They sound like fun, and the professors are pretty cool.  We've already had a great discussion about the impact of Technology and Mass Media on Society.  We talked about how our lives are different from those of people our age 100 years ago and what has facilitated that change.  I'm not going to go into details here cause I'd have to get out my notes, and that would require effort on my part.  

I am trying something new this time around.  When I went to college the first time, (oh that just sounds weird) I did quite a bit of procrastinating.  I would be lazy during the day and therefore up super late every night working on homework.  

I do not care to fall into that cycle again.  

My Dad has told me about this concept a few times and tried to get me to embrace it when I was in college, but I didn't.  He told me to treat school like a 9-5 job, regardless of what time the class met.  Basically this means that you get up at a decent time in the morning (even if you don't have an 8 o'clock class) and work on school work until you go to class.  Then if you have breaks in the middle of the day, you work on school work.  Whenever classes get over, you spend the rest of the time (until 5) working on homework/projects/etc.  At 5:00, you stop doing school work, and you have the rest of the evening to do whatever you want.   I think it was also my Dad who told me about some girls who did this, and they always had plenty of time to get assignments completed and never had to do homework after 5.  

So far, this is working pretty well.  It kinda stinks because I don't hang out with people between classes, but since I already went to college once and have graduated (as have my friends), I don't really have anyone to hang out with anyway.  I do have to say, it is very nice to spend the evenings relaxing and not having that voice in the back of my head saying "Carey, stop messing around - do your homework."  

Pray for me, that I will be able to keep this up.  I know that I tend to fizzle out pretty quickly when it comes to things like this.  But, as a wise man in my life says, 

"Discipline, Carey, discipline."

Back to School

In case you didn't know, I have returned to college.  Yes, I have rejoined the academic world as a student.  I am taking four classes a week, and driving to Kearney to take them.  Thanks to the Lord, there is a family from the church I went to in college, who are letting me live with them a few days a week.  They have two kids and they are a ton of fun.  We played blocks, stacked towers, pushed button on the pretend computers, and even completed a Sudoku puzzle this morning.

"I thought you were taking classes!!"  

Yes, I am, but my first class today was at 9 and I came back to the house afterwards.  I have one more class today after lunch, then Supper with an old college friend who still lives in town.

The first day of class is always my least favorite.  You have to walk into a room full of people you don't know, and wait awkwardly for the professor to show up.  Then when the Prof wants to start a discussion, no one wants to say anything.  Oh well, that will all pass soon enough.  Tomorrow we get to do the whole first day awkward mess again.  That will pass soon enough as well.

I am looking forward to learning more about literature and poetry this semester.  It is a different field than I am used to so it should be interesting.  I'll try to keep you all updated!!

Attack Neutralized!

"The more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied, and the more they spread abroad."  Exodus 1:12

I like this verse.  It makes me laugh.  Pharaoh had a problem.  He was afraid of the Hebrew people.  He thought that because they were so many, that they would rise against Egypt if Egypt was ever in a war.
First off, Egypt had lived in peace with the Hebrews for years and years and years.

If anything, the Hebrews would probably have fought with

the Egyptians, not against them.  

I get the feeling that maybe Pharaoh wasn't very secure with himself as a ruler, or had some dissension in the ranks or some advisers who didn't like the Hebrews and made him think this way.
So what does Pharaoh do?  He gives the Hebrews a reason to fight against him.  If they didn't have one before, they did now.  He used them as slaves to build cities for him.
Also somehow he thought that if he used them as slaves, that their number would decrease.  Again, a very illogical thought.

And what happened?  They grew even more.  

No matter what Pharaoh does, nothing changes!!! 

Shows you just one reason why Pharaoh was not a God - 

he had no real power.

The next thing Pharaoh does is try to get the Hebrew midwives in Kahuts with him.  Tells them to kill the baby boys but let the girls live.  This doesn't work either.  The midwives feared God, so they disobeyed Pharaoh.  I think this is an example of when it is okay not to follow the rule of the government.  And God rewarded the Midwives for their faith - he gave them children!!! (midwives perhaps didn't normally have children of their own?)
The last thing Pharaoh tries is to have soldiers go to the Hebrew cities and kill every boy child.  This is the most drastic thing he has done so far.  Probably getting a little scared at this point, frustrated, and angry that nothing he does works.  SO he restores to extreme violence.
But even this plan is thwarted by God.  One child was saved and where does he end up?

In the arms of Pharaoh's Daughter.  

I don't think all these things are coincidence.  I think that God had an active part in all of it.  Everything Everything Pharaoh tired to do to the Hebrews to  oppress them failed.  Not because he was a bad planner but because God was protecting his people.  Yes, the Hebrews were enslaved.  That was not thwarted.  But God prevented their extinction as a people and Society.  I think that is probably more important in the long run.  Not everything was perfect for the Hebrews.  Why God allowed them to be slaves, I don't know.  I'm sure he had a reason.  But the point is, God is totally in control of what goes on down here on earth.  Nothing happens of which he is not aware.

God is in control.