Life, Laughter and Thought

Addilyn Hawks

2012-01-30T23:07:00.000-05:00

Addilyn Hawks is the cutest little one year old I have ever seen. She is always smiling and you can tell she is going to have a spunky personality. Her mother, Krystin and I went to High School together in Germany and was always a good friend. You would never know it if you saw her but Addilyn was recently diagnoses with Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis-Type 2, a liver disease with no treatment and the only lifesaving medicine is a liver transplant. She is in stage 3 of 4 liver disease and for many people with this disease are eventually diagnosed with liver cancer. She was placed immediately on the transplant list but was recently tested for cancer and it came back negative. Because of this she was removed form the list. This just means that in order for her to return to the list we will have to get worse. Something that is very difficult to hear and deal with as a parent. Addilyn will eventually have to have a transplant and so the family has set up a fund for her through the Children's Organ Transplant Association (COTA), a national nonprofit that organizes communities to raise funds for transplant-related expenses. They are trying to raise $50,000 for the transplant and the medicine she will have to take everyday for the rest of her life. Addilyn's fund site is COTA for Addilyn Hawks. This is a very loving family and I know that they are seeking the LORD through this entire endeavor for strength, comfort and wisdom, but knowing too that it is all according to his plan and purpose. If you would like to donate just click on the link above and It will take you to the page needed. Addilyn is a baby girl who is fighting for her life everyday and her family is filled with joy everyday they see her fighting the odds. Please keep her and the Hawks family in your prayers and pray that the LORDS will would be done.

Baptism

2012-01-14T15:56:00.002-05:00

A lot has happened with the campus ministry since my last update, but one very happy event was the baptism of Allie Graham. She is a spunky little person on fire for God. She came to us this year not only as a new student but also as a new Christian. She grew up Jewish and became a Christian over the summer by the grace of God. Her family and friends traveled up for this important event which was huge for them. Even though her becoming a Christian has affected her family, it did not stop her from making the decision that she did. Her baptism was a clear example of what Jesus said in Luke 14:26 to the crowds following Him. I do not think the gospel could have been preached anymore clearly or intensely that night.

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple." - Luke 14:26

It has been amazing to be a part of her journey since she came to Johnson & Wales University and she has just grown so much in Christ. The very same night as her baptism she also became a member of Grace Harbor Community Church. It has been a very exciting year so far for the campus ministry and this is just one of the many ways the Lord has been moving here.

Giveaway

2011-12-13T11:09:00.000-05:00

I have been following a this couple for a while and have been greatly encouraged by them. Recently Katie has posted a giveaway to Shabby Apple. They have some very cute dresses. Here is the link to her blog so you can enter. Shabby Apple Giveaway

Fusion 2011

2011-11-12T23:21:00.002-05:00

This past weekend was the New England Annual Fall Retreat, Fusion. It was held in Hull, MA as it has been for the past 4 years with Matt Christenot and Tony Merida was the speaker. The topic this year was "Contend...Engaging an Inclusive World with an Exclusive Gospel", to encourage and equip the students to share the gospel with their families, friends and anyone they come in contact with. The four different sessions were on Following Jesus: 3 Crucial Questions, Making Christ Known in a Diverse City, Adoption: the Highest Privilege of the Gospel, and Love: the Final Apologetic.

Some of these sessions stood out more to some than others, but some of the things that stood out in my mind was: when sharing the gospel we need to remember to keep the main things the plain things and the plain things the main things. It doesn't have to bee too complicated. He told us a story, which I can not get out of my head, about how a christian gave a bible to Penn of Penn & Teller after a show and explained the gospel to him. Penn later said that he respected the guy because he shared his faith and said "how much do you have to hate someone to not share with them." That quote just hit me. How much do I have to hate someone to not share with them, even though I don't even know them. One of the final things that had an impact on me was the entire session on adoption and how it is an expression of the gospel. For many this was also impact-full because they had never heard of or thought of adoption in this way and they really enjoyed it. Tony also talked about how adoption was ever God's Plan B. This just made me think about what a sovereign and glorious God that we have. This just made me think about why don't we think in this way and plan on adopting as part of our family because that is how we came into God's family. Listening to this session made me just want to adopt (eventually, Lord willing) that much more. Tony has written a book called Orphanology, which I am excited to read and educate myself more on this topic.

This weekend was a great opportunity to grow our relationships with the students and begin building connections with the freshmen. From where I stand, I could definitely tell that the students who went made deeper connections and are pleased that they went. Of all the games we played this weekend, Pirates Monopoly I believe was the most popular and intense one played. Saturday was a gorgeous, warm (surprisingly) day so I decided to go for a walk on the beach and ended up going for 2 hours. It was a much needed time of peace and relaxation.

As usual we had to take a group picture on the beach and decided that this year we should take a leader's picture too. Well it got a little out of control as usual and we ended up with some funny pictures.

One of the great things about these retreats though is that we also get to see our friends from around New England and hear about all the things God is doing on the college campuses. Two new couples have joined our collegiate team here, one in Worcester and another at the University of Rhode Island. It was also great to hear how Itamar's group at Becker is growing and God is answering our prayers. We have been praying with her that the Lord would provide a nursing student who wants to see the gospel spread on campus, but also as a way to connect to other nursing students. Well God answered her prayers and brought a freshman nursing student to the collegiate group. Below is a picture of most of the collegiate workers in New England.

Autumn Festivities

2011-10-31T16:58:00.002-04:00

There have been a lot of happenings in the past month that have kept me pretty busy; from Apple Picking to Johnny Cake Festivals. It has been a lot of fun.

One of our biggest events for October is Apple Picking because it's fun, cheap and is a great time of fellowship. This year, as usual, we went to Jaswells Farm where we picked some of the best Empire Apples I have tasted. Unfortunately we went a little late this year for the Hay Ride but now we know for next time. We spent a couple hours picking apples, pumpkins, gourds and veggies and then returned to our apartment for the baking of apple delights and the carving of pumpkins. We also spent the afternoon playing Mario Kart Wii.

Allie and I with our Pumpkins

Hannah and I have been trying to attend more festivals and events going on in Rhode Island this year and have been getting better at including students as well just so they can get off campus and explore since they don't have cars. One of the first Festivals we went to was the Scituate Art Festival. It was huge. We were there for a couple hours and did not even see everything. There was everything from food, to jewelry, to antiques and local honey. Anything artsy you can think of, it was there. It was the perfect day too because it was one of those random weekends where even though we were in the Fall season it was 80 degrees out. Before we left though I just had to get a Funnel Cake, and for those of you who think it's the same as a Dough Boy...it's not.

Little Johnny Cakes

The latest festival we have discovered in Rhode Island is the Johnny Cake Festival. Now I had no idea what a Johnny Cake was until about last year I think. I had heard of them and knew they were made of corn but other than that, no clue. For those of you who were like me, a Johnny Cake is basically a pancake made with cornmeal and served with butter. Yes, they have a whole festival for this, although it is much smaller that the Scituate Art Festival it is a great place to find local things. It is held at Kenyon's Grist Mill where the cornmeal is made in North Kingstown, RI. There were vendors set up around the lake and mill with photography, jewelry, food and clothes. One of the most interesting two vendors was the Hannah's Farm Alpacas. They look just like Lamas but they make a funny noise. This place though makes all kinds of things out of the Alpaca wool, which apparently is very warm and expensive. They even had little Alpaca toys for kids. The other booth was the RI Spinners Guild. They were out with their Sheep wool and spinners, spinning away. I knew that they did that stuff in Scotland because I have seen it but I had no idea they still did it here. This festival was better than the Art Festival when it came to local food vendors. There were booths here with local honey, roasted nuts, BBQ sauce, spreads and milk. They even had popping corn for popcorn, which we tried and failed at.

Alpaca Toys

All in all it has been a great month and to end it we had a little Harvest Party to celebrate Fall and Halloween.

Support A Missionary

2011-10-17T14:51:00.003-04:00

As many of you know I am currently working as a 102b missionary on Johnson & Wales campus in Providence, RI. Ever since my first year at Johnson & Wales University I have been involved with Spiritual Life; more importantly “Christian Student Fellowship”; here on campus. Through my time and involvement here the Lord has given me a yearning to reach the college students in the United States, and in particular, New England. Providence, Rhode Island, consistently comes up as one of the most unreached cities in America from an evangelistic standpoint. The International Mission Board defines an unreached people group as any people group that is comprised of less than 2% evangelical. A nation within a nation without the gospel and without hope. According to TheAmericanChurch.org, the percentage of people that actually attended a Gospel-preaching church in Rhode Island was 1.4%!

Rhode Island has more college students per capita than any other state in the country. Providence alone has five major schools within the city limits: Brown University, Rhode Island College, Providence College, Rhode Island School of Design, and Johnson & Wales University; drawing students from all over the world. This last one, Johnson & Wales, has a student population of nearly 10,000 with less than 100 known Christians, many of whom are not connected to a church or discipleship relationship in any way. Though a completely secular school, I have the opportunity to work with the Protestant Campus Minister as a 10:2b missionary. This position is not only a volunteer opportunity to just help out with collegiate ministry but it is more of a mentorship. I will be working directly under the campus minister and will be learning about ministry, in particular collegiate ministry, and learning the different things I need to be equipped with if I am to continue a life in this area of ministry after my life at Johnson & Wales University.

College students are at formative time in their lives where they are asking many of the questions to which the Gospel directly speaks. The answers they find will shape the rest of their lives. At the same time, college students are at a time in their lives where, by God’s empowerment, they can be fully devoted to the faith as they are not yet settled anywhere. My desire is that students would come to be gripped by the Gospel and devote themselves to the Christ. Lord willing some of these students live the rest of their lives as missionaries wherever the Lord may lead them to next. We want to see some of them purposefully settle in Providence for the purpose of living out the Gospel and reaching Rhode Island. Others we pray will take the Gospel to other places in New England and the ends of the earth.

This past year I was approved by and invited to this collegiate position with the North American Mission Board (NAMB). The position is what NAMB calls an MSCV (Mission Service Corp Volunteer) missionary - a missionary opportunity requiring me to raise financial support that enables me to fully devote myself to ministry. Filling this volunteer position on campus gives me open access to the campus, to help the campus minister in the running of the “Christian Student Fellowship,” in discipling the current students, in particular the girls, and sharing the Gospel with as many to whom the Lord gives an open door.

How can you help? This opportunity is only minimally financed and I need to raise a minimum of $10,000 per year. I can only continue as I am supported by people like you. I am asking you to help support me in the mission field. Whether you can give large or small, one time or monthly, I need you. I have made an initial commitment of 2 years with intentions of staying as long as the Lord keeps me in this work. Should you desire to speak with me about this or simply have questions please contact me and I will be happy to talk either in person or otherwise. My cell number is 201-310-7577 and my e-mail is kgdeweij25@gmail.com. If you are located internationally and would prefer to use Skype my name is futurechef10.

Will you partner with me? Should you want to give, there is an account number with the North American Mission Board dedicated to me so that if you give to the work then you will receive a tax contribution from that organization and I will receive 100% of the money. The information is at the bottom of this post. Providence, Rhode Island, is a desperate, depressed, and oppressed place when it comes to the Gospel. I need much prayer. Please pray for me even now that God would enable me to carry out this task in the power of His Spirit.

In Christ,

Give:

North American Mission Board

Attn: Accounting - MSC

PO Box 116543

Atlanta, GA 30368-6543

Memo line: Kimberly Vroegindewey - #9732

You can also easily set up a recurring gift on the internet at http://www.namb.net/msc-recurring/

Phone: 201-310-7577

E-mail: kgdeweij25@gmail.com

Oh, The Things You Learn as a Roommate

2011-10-15T16:14:00.003-04:00

It's funny the things you learn about someone when you live with them. Hannah has discovered recently that there are some things about me that may seem shocking or you would never expect to come from me. Some of these are:

I have always wanted purple highlights. (that's right purple)
Some of my favorite shows are Stargate SG-1 and Doctor Who.
ThinkGeek.com is a sweet site and they have some cool stuff.
I think the show Top Gear is awesome and I would love to be in those cars when they go 200mph.
I love British TV.

So apparently these make me geeky and that's ok.
What are some weird hobbies or things that you like?

Book Review: Stop Dating The Church

2011-10-10T00:24:00.000-04:00

For the 10:2b program we have a list of books that we have to read, one of them being Stop Dating the Church, although now it is called Why Church Matters.
I would recommend this book not only to people who are church hoping and think that is ok, but also to the church member. There were things in this book that I had never really thought of before or needed to be reminded of. Here is as brief an overview as I can give you without giving you the whole book, which you should buy for your own library and notes.

Chapter 1: Can This Relationship Be Saved?

Are you a church dater? Do you jump around from church to church? Are you afraid of committing yourself to one place and one group of people? If so, not only are you cheating yourself but the church community and the world as well.

The world

The church is the vehicle that Jesus chose to take the gospel to every generation and people.
God has invited us to take part in His master plan of redeeming a people for His glory through being a member of a local church. It's our duty, our calling, and our privilege.
The church is also the best place or us to grow spiritually. It's here where God grows us and conforms us to the image of His Son. (He is not only talking about what takes happens in the walls of a worship facility).

The church community

This is where we learn to love God and others; where we are strengthened and transformed by truth from the Word; where we're taught to pray, worship and serve; where we can be most certain that we're investing our time and abilities for eternity; where we can grow in our roles as friends, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers. The church is God's specially designed place to start over, to grow and to change for the glory of God.

When you stop dating the church you are going to experience all the other blessings that Jesus promised to His followers as the fruits of the truly abundant life.

Chapter 2: He Still Calls Her His Bride

Christ views the church (you and me) like a bridegroom sees his bride.
We should want God's heart for the church. If Christ loves the church, shouldn't we?

Jesus is the only person who has the right to disown and give up on the Church. But He never has. And He never will.

Let's take a look at the Church from heaven's perspective:

They are in awe of the church because the "manifold wisdom of God is being displayed, and the spiritual mystery hidden for ages past is being revealed.
They see an amazing family. The power of the gospel is changing lives and creating a whole new kind of humanity. We have become God's children and members of one family.
They see a body. We're more than brothers and sisters in Christ. As we express our union with Him through service, worship, and love, we become the physical manifestation of our Savior on the earth.
Heaven see the Church as a magnificent temple. God is creating a beautiful structure like no other. It is not made of stone or bricks but composed of living stones. (I envisioned the most beautiful Gothic cathedral in Europe that I had seen and then magnified it because we are more beautiful than that.) The church is the temple of God, the place where He specially resides and manifests His presence. We are the dwelling of God, our lives joined together in worship and service.

Eric Lane describes these together as: "To be a member of a family is to belong to a community bound by a common fatherhood. To be a stone in his temple means to belong to a worshipping community. To be part of a body means to belong to a living, functioning, serving, witnessing community." These are the main functions of an individual Christian which are meant to be fulfilled not on our won but together in the church.
When we're saved from out sin, we become part of something bigger than ourselves - a family, a body, a temple. God is at work glorifying Himself and transforming lives, through the Church around the world.

Chapter 3: Why We Really Need The Local Church

A local church is a visible, tangible, real-world expression of the body of Christ.
When we fail to join a church we fail to obey Christ.
It is in the local church that we are attached to God's work around the world

Think globally, love locally
The apostles weren't caught up in the universal church but were busy planting and caring for individual local churches
You can not separate God's big-picture plan from everyday service and involvement with people.

One thing the church does best is to show non-Christians that the new life made available through Jesus Christ is the foundation for a new society. By living the gospel as a distinct community, they display the transforming effects of the gospel for the world. If we remain detached from each other they will not be able to see the larger picture.
The local church is different from a campus ministry or bible study in the fact that the church practices Baptism, the Lord's Supper and Discipline to name a few ordinances.
The church is there to verify or falsify our claims to be Christians. Many Christians today claim to be saved but are not living a changed life. One of the primary signs that we are told to look for in 1 John to identify evidence of true salvation in our lives is the "Genuine love for others" (1 John 2:9-10).

Mark Dever puts it; "Do you want to know that your life is real? Commit yourself to a local group of sinners. Try to love them. Don't just do it for three weeks. Don't just do it for six months. Do it for years. And I think you'll find out, and others will, too, whether or not you love God. The truth will show itself."

This is a scary thought for many. I know it was for me a few years ago when I was first taught this, but now I can see myself staying in one place for the Church and fellow Christians.

The church is also more than a group of Christians coming together for encouragement. It's where we benefit from the leadership of a pastor and our faith benefits from the involvement of others. Our salvation is not private but public. We need the ministry of others to:

encourage us
help us to apply God's Word to our lives
help us see our sins

Worship is another aspect of the Christian life that flourishes in community. We as individuals are God's temple but "we" collectively are God's temple and he manifests His presence in different ways when we are gathered to worship him. "Our corporate worship edifies and strengthens us and glorifies God in ways nothing else can."
We need to change our attitudes about the church. We need to stop attending church as a consumer, focused on comparing and complaining, but we need to become a communer who goes to meet God and express His love to others.

Chapter 4: Join the Club

What's your club? What are you passionate about? It's what you talk about, think about, and dream about. It's what you give your time to without complaint. It's what you find your identity in. It's what you're willing to sacrifice for.

This is the kind of passion that we need to be giving to the church.

Here is what the New Testament teaches us on what a passionate involvement in a local church should look like.

You join
You make the local church a priority
You try to make your pastor's job a joy
You find ways to serve
You give
You connect with people
You share your passion

These are also the essential elements of thriving in a church

Chapter 5: Choosing your Church

What defines you? We need to be first and foremost a Christian and then a woman/man/wife/husband, whatever it be, second. Being in a place that preaches and lives the gospel has to be the priority in choosing a church.
When it comes to choosing a church we need to choose based on the criteria God's Word gives and not our own preferences and comfortableness.
These ten questions are to help you focus on the issues that matter most when finding a gospel preaching church. Is this a church:

where God's Word is faithfully taught?
where sound doctrine matters?
in which the gospel is cherished and clearly proclaimed?
committed to reaching non-Christians with the gospel?
whose leaders are characterized by humility and integrity?
where people strive to live by God's Word?
where I can find a cultivate godly relationships?
where members are challenged to serve?
that is willing to kick me out?
I'm willing to join "as is" with enthusiasm and faith in God?

Approach a church with the right attitude. Approach it with humility and ask God to help you see the good in each church. You want a church that teaches, values and lives God's word.
We should consider moving to place ourselves in a local church where we can reap invaluable, eternal spiritual benefits. People do it all the time for jobs so why is it so hard to do it for the church?
Another great book to read after this book to go along with this chapter is "What is a Healthy Church" by Mark Dever.

Chapter 6: Rescuing Sunday

This was probably the most helpful chapter for me and the most thought provoking. There were many things in here that I had never really though about before. How many times have you woken up on a Sunday and been groggy, worshiped distractedly, woken up late or listened occasionally to the sermon? Well this chapter is for you then.

Sunday for a child of God is the best day of the week. Those hours have a strategic and irreplaceable value. They're meant to be packed with promise, full of surprises, pulsing with life.

It's a day to "receive and embrace as a privilege and a benefit, not as a task and drudgery." ~ Matthew Henry.

Wow. I know that there were times in the past where I felt like the latter half of this quote.

We need to see Sunday with new eyes. It's the anniversary of Jesus rising from the grave to defeat sin and death. It is also a day for us to come together as his people to glorify God, grow in our faith, and encourage one another, but through it all He is with us.
Sunday should be a day we enjoy to the fullest for God's glory. It's a chance to take a breather from all the hectic pursuits of the week and reinvigorate ourselves spiritually. It's a way to prepare our hearts for all the challenges and temptations we'll face as the rest of the week unfolds.
Build your week around Sunday and not the other way around. Develop a plan for what happens before, during and after the Sunday gatherings. Here are some practical ways of doing this:
Before

Prepare our hearts

It begins Saturday night

Get to bed on time
Ask yourself what activities will put you in a God-focused state of mind
Carve out time to read God's word and pray
Reflect on our need for the gospel and humbly acknowledge any known sin in our lives.

Sunday morning

Wake up early to not only get ready but to also spend some unhurried moments in prayer and the word.
Take time to thank God for His word and goodness towards saving you, but also recount His many blessings in your life.
Take a look at the intrusions on your Sunday morning ie: news, magazines, video games etc.

During

Remember you are gathering with the people of God and you have come to worship Him and He will be present by His Holy Spirit.
You are not here to be entertained, you are part of a congregation in front of the Audience of One.
Focus your mind on the truths that you sing and the Person you are singing too.
Be careful how you hear

Remember that when His Word is preached in a real sense God is speaking to us.
How we listen and apply what we hear either honors or dishonors God.
Listening to preaching is a form of worship.

After

Come on the lookout for God and leave on the lookout for people.
Our faith and love for God is always expressed in our love for others, so try to find people who are new in your church or who don't appear to know others.
Fellowship with others in the church and use the time to reflect together on the message.

Don't take Sunday for granted.

There is a chapter 7 but there isn't much to say about it other than the fact that we are called to love what Jesus loves and the church is what He loves. If you want to read more about His church and the apostles read the New Testament and you will see that the apostles did choose to love most what Jesus loves, and did tend His flock. The question is, will we commit to passing on through His church in this generation the treasure of His glorious gospel?

Charles Spurgeon once referred to the local church as "the dearest place on earth." Hopefully after reading this book, the Bible and becoming a part of a local church you will understand this statement.

New England Ministry

2011-10-03T17:54:00.001-04:00

Last week I was given the opportunity to see the affect of Collegiate Ministry in the rest of New England. On Monday we headed to Boston for a Church Planting/Collegiate Ministry panel at MIT. It was interesting. While I wouldn't say that I agreed with everything they said and at times it did feel like maybe they had no idea what they were talking about, they were excited about church planting and collegiate ministry both which gave us a positive feeling.

Later that week Hannah and I had ventured up to Worcester, MA to spend the day with one of the Collegiate Ministry leaders at Becker College. It was a very encouraging and informative day for us. We were able to see what a ministry looked like that was being pioneered and in it's 2nd year on campus. Even though there were not many students in the group, their commitment and the perseverance of the campus ministers to the growth and spread of the gospel on campus encouraged me greatly. A campus ministry is like a child. You just can't except it to be fully bloomed after a year. It takes time, care, and nourishment. It gave us a glimpse of what to prepare for when we try to begin a bible study at another campus in a couple months.

Some of the best hot chocolate ever.

That weekend we spent in Lowell, MA with the Christian Student Fellowship at UMASS Lowell. Hannah and I were "spying" on their On Campus Retreat for ideas to bring back to Johnson & Wales to facilitate one of our own.
The idea of an On Campus Retreat is actually fantastic. If you think about it many times a school's first retreat is a Fall retreat that is usually away from campus and it would be a freshman's or transfer students first time away. If they are not fully involved yet or don't know many people, how likely is it that they are going to attend that Fall Retreat. By having an On Campus Retreat first it gives the students and opportunity to get to know each other more and connect on a personal level. They wouldn't be traveling anywhere and it would help them to get involved. We spent the day Friday hanging out at local coffee shops (Brew'd Awakening) and cafes (The Bite). We spent the remainder of the weekend hanging out with friends and fellow ministry partners. I learned how to play KanJam, which is a new favorite of mine, and I also had Chick-fil-a for the first time in my life. Was it amazing? It wouldn't say that, but it was the best fast food I have had.

All-in-all it was a very busy, but encouraging week. It was great to see all the work that has and is continuing to be done on the college campuses throughout New England to further the Gospel and make the glory of God known.

New Year, New Journey

2011-09-18T23:00:00.001-04:00

We are into our third week of school here at Johnson & Wales and it seems like longer. Let me just catch you up on what has been happening so far with the Campus Ministry here and the 10:2b program.

We began this school year with Student Activities Night, where all the clubs & organizations set up tables and provide the students with information on them. We had a very good turn out and had many interested students. We handed out over 100 cups which contained the clubs information, a list of gospel preaching churches, a calendar of events and a John Piper "Quest For Joy" booklet. We had gone back and forth on whether to had out the cups because we did not want to encourage drinking but then we figured that they were going to do it anyway and so why not give them a cup that might help them to question things or start conversations with. The funny thing is that last year we actually found a picture on facebook where the cup was being used and the caption read "The Christian Cup". Not quite what we thought but at least our information is there in their face every time they use the cup.

Our first weekly meeting of Tuesday Night Truth was a blessing. We had about 40 students, both returning and new, turn out. We discussed the local church, what the bible says about joining one, how important it is to the growth of a christian and how Christian Student Fellowship is neither a church, nor a replacement for church. This is a very important command that we think the students should know straight away. Many students come to college and think that if they just find a christian group on campus then they will be fine. What many do not know though is that in joining with a local church not only are you obeying God but you are also helping your walking with him by being taught by pastors and elders whom the Lord has placed there and are able to speak into your life. You are also helping other further their walk with the Lord and furthering the kingdom. Your christian walk is not private but public.
Hannah and I

Since this first week we have held several events to get the students involved and get to know each other. Hannah (also a Semester Missionary) and I have been able to meet with several of the girls to grab coffee or lunch, just to get to know them and see where they are in their faith. We will also be meeting with some of them regularly for discipleship through reading a book.

Over the next couple of weeks we will be pretty busy with conferences, beginning our bible studies, meeting with students and having events. This experience has been absolutely amazing so far. College students can do so much in their lives right now and they are the next generation in this world that needs to be poured into. It is amazing the people that the Lord brings to a certain place and into your lives. If you had asked me when I started school if I thought I would be here when I graduated I would have said no. Well plans change and they are out of our hands.

Gone But Never Forgotten

2011-09-11T13:08:00.001-04:00

Ten years ago today, I was a 13 year old military kid getting ready to fly out the next day because we were moving to New Jersey. We were at a friends house for dinner that night I remember seeing the tower and smoke on the tv. Our dads did not come home till around 11 that night because they had completely shut down the base and did on let anyone on or off. I don't think I realized the mass impact of what had happened and what this meant or the future. To me it just meant that we were not flying out the next and I could see my friends again. You see I had never lived in the states before and so I did not realize the effects of the terrorist acts on the United States and the world. Not only did the lives of Americans living in the United States change but the lives of those overseas changed too. The whole World was affected. I have often wondered what would have happened if we were meant to fly out the 11th instead of the 12th, but this is a question that will never be answered.

I thank those people on Flight 93 who risked their lives to save hundreds of people. I thank the firefighters, policemen, volunteers and doctors who searched, rescued and cared for survivors so that they would be able to live another day. I thank the soldiers who through all of this were affected most of all in their careers and who risked their lives daily after this event to protect this country and others. But above all, I thank the LORD for protecting the many who survived that day and most of all for sending his Son to die on the cross for us sinners, who because of HIM we may one day rejoice in heaven with many of those who died that day and in the years since at the feet of the Lord Almighty.

Memorial Day. Why Celebrate??

2011-05-29T14:07:00.001-04:00

Do you know why you celebrate Memorial Day or is it just another holiday where you get an extended weekend, have a BBQ and hang out? Here is why we celebrate memorial day.

It all started in 1868 and was first known as Decoration Day because it was a day to honor the nation's Civil War dead by decorating their graves with flowers. Waterloo, N.Y. was declared as the birthplace of Memorial Day because they were one of the first to celebrate it and because they had made it an annual community-wide event where business were closed and residents decorated the graves of soldiers with flowers and flags. Congress declared it a national holiday in 1971and was to be celebrated on the last Monday of May.

Have you ever wondered why people wear poppies on Memorial Day. It is because of Miona Michael and her reply to the poem "In Flanders Field" by John McCrae.

In Flanders Fields

John McCrae, 1915.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

This was her reply:

We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.

She thought of the idea to wear a poppy on Memorial Day and began to sell them to her friends, family and co-workers, with the money going to servicemen and women in need. This tradition has since been carried over to France and other countries where the money raised helps war orphans and widows.

Memorial Day is to celebrate the servicemen and women who have died fighting for our freedom and the freedom of others. This day is not just observed in America but in France as well. I attended a service today at the American Military Cemetery in St. Avold, France where more than 10,400 American Soldiers are buried. 10,400 buried outside of the United States and that is in one cemetery alone. Many of these soldiers do not have people/relatives who can easily come visit them and place flowers on their tomb. Seeing this sight today made me proud to be from a military family who chose to answer the call of their country to protect and defend. These are people that we should not be thankful to once a year but everyday as we go about in our freedom because if not for them we could be under another rule or country entirely. Not only should we remember the Americans but also the soldiers from other countries who allied together to help us and other nations retain their freedom from suppressive powers.

So the next time you get an extended weekend for a holiday you might want to research the holiday and see what you are actually celebrating. The traditions of Memorial Day have often been forgotten so the next time you celebrate this day, purchase a couple flowers and place them on the tombs of buried soldiers in your area, fly a flag outside your house/apartment or take a moment of silence to remember those who gave their lives for you to live the way you do.

Operation Write Home

2011-05-22T23:38:00.001-04:00

This is something that my heart has been set on doing for a while. Operation Write Home is a support group that makes cards for soldiers in the Middle East to write in and mail home to their families. Cards such as holiday cards, get well, I love you, thinking of you, miss you, happy birthday and so on. Not only do they make cards but YOU can make cards as well and send them in to be dispersed. The reason this has been such a burden on my heart and mind the past couple of months is because my daddy was in Iraq and he used these cards to mail home. I would get a card from him almost every week and sometimes it was the highlight of my day. I have wanted to make some cards and mail them to the troops because that card from mommy or daddy could maybe just make the day of another son or daughter. I haven't been able to start this venture because of school but I hope to begin soon. Maybe even have a card making party one day. If you enjoy making cards and are creative then maybe this is an opportunity for you too. Let me know we might be able to get together. The website though has more information on the requirements of the cards and helpful links to help with ideas. Below are some sample images of cards I have received.

Contemporary Plated Dessert

2011-05-17T22:39:00.002-04:00

I just finished my second to last lab ever, Contemporary Plated Desserts and I loved it. The thing that I loved about the class is that we were given ingredients to work with that you wouldn't think would go in a dessert. We also had certain themes for each day where we had to use ingredients from that country in the dessert. This class gave me the opportunity to experiment and think outside the box, mixing flavors and textures.

Limitless

2011-04-16T17:13:00.002-04:00

This trimester I am taking Psychology and we have recently begun talking about the brain, it's different internal regions and the receptors used to function. This has all been pretty interesting so when my roommate wanted to see Limitless yesterday I was all for it.
The story is about a normal down on his luck wannabe writer (Eddie) who is dealing with writer's block, his girlfriend just broke up with him and he runs into his ex-brother-in-law. His brother-in-law decides to help him out and gives him one pill called NZT that is supposed to help clear his mind. He takes it and all of a sudden is brain is working at 100% rather than 20%. (We can only access 20% of our brains) He is more aware, he thinks clearer, is smarter, more confident than any man alive, and everything that he has seen, read and heard is organized and instantly available to him. After the pill wears off he sees his brother-in-law again because he wants more. He bargains for more than he wants when he discovers his brother-in-law has been murdered and he takes his stash. He starts to rise to the top of financial world and draws the attention of top mogul Carl Van Loon, who sees Eddie as an asset and gives him the biggest merger, in the financial world, to head up. Along the way Eddie is being chased by hit men who want this drug and he has to keep taking it to elude them. Along the way he discovers that in order to stay alive he has to keep taking the drug or else he will slip into a coma and die.
Now I'm not going to give away the ending although I pretty much just outlined the whole movie but I just wanted to talk about the idea of this drug. The possibility of a drug that will let you access your whole brain is scary. I mean the thought of it is cool but when you think about it, it's dangerous.

First, it would be amazing to be smart, not have to go to school anymore and to have full access to your brain, but there is a reason why we can't. God created us this way, he designed us and has a reason for why we can only access 20% of our brains. If we could all be the way Eddie was in the movie, would we need God? He wants to to rely fully on him but with a pill like NZT or natural full access to our brains would we become a world full of selfishness and idolatry, not that we aren't already, but would it be more intense than it is now? Would we idolize ourselves even more?

Secondly, there is a reason why we have a conscious and subconscious. This was one thing I noticed about the film. If our subconscious locks away memories that we suppress, then why when Eddie had full access to his brain, was he not shocked at all the things that he had suppressed for some reason because it was damaging or traumatizing? When people have remembered something that their brain has put away to never remember again, they usually have to go to therapy to get through it. With NZT would we all have to go to therapy or would we just suck it up and deal with it with the possibility of going insane? Were we created with a subconscious so that we would be able to function and fulfill the purpose that God has created us for; to glorify Him and to spread His word to all the nations.

What do you think? I think this is an interesting concept and makes one wonder.

Russia 2010

2011-04-05T11:39:00.001-04:00

I went to Russia again this Spring Break for the third time and I thought it was the best trip to date. This year the school supported each of the students half the cost of the trip, which covered the flights and visas. 72 hours before we were to leave for the trip we were told that there was a possibility the school was going to cancel the trip. 48 hours, Wednesday March 23rd, before our departure date our Campus Minister was told the school was pulling their support. This left us in a state of relief and confusion. We all thought we were not going to go on the trip and then after some conversation with the people at the International Mission Board it was decided that it was best for the witness of Christ and the local church that the students still go.

We all met that night at 10pm to discuss the options, the reason to still go and to pray hard. To be honest many of us were relieved the trip was canceled because it had been a stressful trimester and week with finals. Although we had a relief about the trip, we all agreed that we should still go and realized that if God wanted us to go on the trip he would raise the money we needed. We had to raise $5,200 in less than 24 hours.
The next day we took tests and contacted family members, friends and recent alumni to ask for their support. By the miraculous work of God we raised more than enough money and by 6pm that Thursday we had our airplane tickets.

The following day, Friday March 25th, we were on our way to Russia and excited to see the work that God would be doing there. We landed in Moscow fine and left for Zavolzh'ye Saturday evening. Seeing the people we had met the yeas before was exciting and brought us so much joy. It was amazing to see the work that the LORD had been doing at the Baptist church there to grow it and the people there with sharing the gospel. We went to four or five different schools this year, which gave us the opportunity to meet more students and build more relationships. We went to a teaching college in Gorodetts where we met students who were learning to be English teachers. Later that day we went to the Orthodox church in that same town and were given a tour of it. Orthodox is somewhere between Catholicism and Greek Orthodox. They believe that Mary is more forgiving and just than God and that is why they pray to her. They believe that if you touch certain pictures, icons, and the footprint of Mary (yes this was sewn into a pillow) then you will be healed. It was very sad and broke my heart for them. The tour guide really seemed to believe everything she was saying too.
We took part in an English competition at School No 15. The students were in groups by school and there was one American person in each group. The competition was to go around to the different stations and answer questions on English grammar, movies, food etc. The one thing that we Americans had to do was memorize all the names of the people in our group and their hobbies. It was a lot but I succeeded, as did many of us surprisingly :) While there we held an English Club at the church, where people from the church and surrounding community comes to learn English. However many people are turned away by the fact that it is held at a Baptist Church and are afraid of them or of becoming one of them. I am happy to say though that some of the people who have been attending the English Club have become Christians and members of the church. We went ice skating with the students on one of the days as well as a way to talk to them without the teachers around and to build relationships with them. Russians we were told do not usually talk about religion, politics and such things unless you have been friends for a couple years. This is why building relationships with the students and continuing them when we return to the United States is such a key aspect to what we are trying to accomplish and help the church there to do.

Our last day in Zavolzh'ye we were given a tour of the town by one of the English teachers and her students. This English teacher was the lady who had set up most of our visits to the different schools and had us over for dinner one night. She is also not a Christian and barely goes to the Orthodox church, but when she heard that there was a possibility the trip would be canceled, that was the first time she prayed. That evening we had a pizza party planned for the students to come and for us to enjoy time with them outside of the schools and in a more relaxed atmosphere. About 60 students came, which was amazing. Some of us were able to talk about what a Baptist was and clarify the fact that they do not drink the blood of their children. We did clarify that we were Christians during our conversations but not many students had questions or the topic was changed. Hopefully with the continued growth of relationships we will be able to knock down some of those walls. All in all it was a very productive week and thought to be the best trip so far.

We returned to Moscow on Friday morning, March 4th, and spent to days with one of the missionary families in Moscow. We spent the whole day with them learning about them, why they were there and ways we could help them in the future. We cooked for them as well. It was funny how it ended up. At one point all the women were in the kitchen cooking and the guys were in the living room talking. I had to laugh at it in my head but it was fun because we were able to talk to the wife and see her point of view on being a missionary in a foreign country as well as being a wife and mother. It was very encouraging and you could tell that they had been very blessed. We spent the next day relaxing and walking around an open air market. That Sunday we flew home on a very long flight.
If you have more questions about Russia feel free to come and talk to me or post a comment or send an e-mail. I would be more than happy to speak with you.
One thing I ask of you is that you would keep some prayers in mind and if you remember could you include them in your prayer times.
Prayer
1. Baptist Church in Russia - that they would be encouraged and keep growing in the sharing of the gospel.

2. The relationships we have begun to build with students - that we would continue to build on them.

3. For the English teacher - that she would come to know Christ.

4. That we would take what we saw in Russia and apply it to our lives here. That we would take advantage of the fact that we live in a free society where we can talk about religion openly and people are willing to listen.

Thank you for all your prayers and support.

God works in mysterious ways

2011-02-01T23:40:00.000-05:00

My sister finally made it back home safe and sound. While she was there she was able to see my dad a couple times. God is good.

While sitting in Mission Support School last week surrounded by other missionaries God sent to spread his gospel throughout the United States. While there I really did discover the meaning of the military being a small world. I discovered that one of the college ministers from Alabama, his wife, grew up in Germany for a couple years right where my family is now. I also found out that one of the missionary husbands in New Orleans is a chaplain in the National Guard. Well he was my dad's pastor in Iraq for 3 months. It's crazy how God brings all these people into our lives and while we may not know the reason for it then but we will one day.

Prayers

2011-01-04T17:28:00.001-05:00

My sister is in Iraq for three weeks for her work. She is there to do inventory for AAFES. I pray that she stays safe and that she is able to see our dad while she is there. I wish her the best of luck and all our love.

Christmas

2010-12-26T18:18:00.001-05:00

Christmas was fun and lonely this year. It kind of seemed like just another day. We read the Christmas story from Matthew, prayed and then opened gifts. We spent a couple hours baking and then headed to some good friends of ours for steak and baked potato dinner. I know not the usual Christmas dinner but we decided to do something out of the ordinary. We spent the rest of the day playing games and watching movies with friends and family. Earlier in the day my mom and I drove to Landstuhl to drop off desserts for the Wounded Warrior Center christmas dinner. They also deserve to have a good christmas especially because they are so far from family and have given their lives to fight got their country. What have you done to help someone during this time of the year or during the year?

Thanksgiving

2010-12-12T19:03:00.002-05:00

The last time I wrote on my blog I was still on my internship in France. Well that is over and am back home with my family. My dad came home for 2 weeks the day before I got home and then the day after I got back we packed up and went to the Edelweiss Lodge and Resort for 4 relaxing days. We sightseeing during the day and sat in the hot tub at night. We enjoyed tons of good quality family (minus 1) time together and even got wonderful professional massages. On the way home we stopped at Stuttgart, where we used to live, to have thanksgiving dinner. You see the dining facilities at all the bases have thanksgiving dinner for anyone who does not feel like cooking, are single, soldiers, airmen, people on vacation and so on. It was a fun time. We saw some old friends of ours and even a few old teachers. One sight did make my heart ache. This sight was the sight of single soldiers eating alone in a room of families. It made me sad to see that they had no one at this time of year when it has a lot to do about family.

Multiple Lives

2010-11-03T20:55:00.000-04:00

Have you ever felt like you have multiple lives but never really felt part of them when you are away or taking part in one life or another? Like your lives continue without you but everything still stays the same for you. It's just weird and awkward. Like you don't want to got back to one life or another but you don't want to stay in the life that you are in now. You try so hard to be in one or the other but you end up giving up and creating your own life or world.

Chocolate Project

2010-11-03T20:44:00.000-04:00

I previously published a post about the flavors that I was using for my chocolate project and asked for your feedback. Well you will be glad to know that the production part of the project is officially over as of Tuesday. On Tuesday we had to produce all three of our chocolates in 6 hours. Of course anything that could go wrong did. It took me a good hour to temper the chocolate for my molded bonbons and pour it into the mold. My marshmallow although the flavor came out great, I just mixed it a little more than I should have because I walked away from it for a few seconds. The caramels came out great, but I did dump 3/4 of my sesame seeds on the floor when I was taking them out of the oven. It was a bad day for everyone. They didn't have the ingredients that half the people needed which was the whole reason we had been practicing. It was very stressful. But all in all even though things got screwed up and we were all down to the wire my flavors were delicious and I was very happy about that. I am just glad that it is over.

Geneve

2010-11-03T20:18:00.000-04:00

This past weekend was a three day weekend because of all Saints Day. Annette and I decided to take the train to Geneve, Switzerland for the weekend because we would have gone crazy here in town and it was Switzerland. It poured buckets of rain on the way there but once in Switzerland it maybe drizzled for 10 minutes total the whole weekend. We arrived on Saturday night at the hostel, switched some money (because they still use the Francs) and went searching for food. We found a pizzeria still open so we sat for a delicious pizza. It was a little over priced though, but that's just the way Geneve is. Since everything, and I mean everything, is closed on Sunday we decided to do most of if not all of out sightseeing then. We saw the Jet Eau, the flower clock, St. Peter's Cathedral (from where we overlooked all of Geneve), saw the reformation wall, played checkers on life size boards and discovered Geneve. We walked around from 9 am to about 8pm. We were exhausted. But it was a fun time and can now say that we have been to Geneve. We got back to the hostel and since were were bored and nothing was open we ended up playing the box game and then conked out. On Monday since we had no school and everything was open again, that is when we did all of our shopping. A lot of that shopping was swiss army knife hunting to find the best deal. I ended up buying my brother one with his name engraved on it. In the morning though we stopped at the United Nations because part of it is located in Geneve, that is why they speak so many languages there. It was gorgeous and the beautiful morning added to it. With some more shopping, and the hunt (literally) hunt for chocolate shops, which was surprising. Our day came to an end with a dinner of the most expensive Chinese food I will ever eat. But it was good.

25 Years and Still Going Strong

2010-10-22T16:56:00.000-04:00

This post is a tribute to my parents. They have been married for 25 years as of October 19th. For a couple's 25th they usually do something special, like go on a vacation or have a fancy dinner. My parents spent it in separate countries, thousands of miles from each other.
They met at Friendly's. My mom was a waitress and my dad was management I believe. Mom thought dad was annoying in the beginning and wouldn't go away but grandma loved him. Mom eventually came around and they began dating. My dad is one of the reasons my mom became a christian. Mom was raised catholic but always questioned the faith and practices. Dad was raised protestant, so she attended church with him a couple times. She became a christian and it's a good thing too because dad wouldn't have married her otherwise and I wouldn't be sitting in France right now doing something I absolutely love. They were married in 85' and my sister was born the next year. They have been through TDY after TDY, move after move, 5 kids, 3 dogs, stitches, broken bones and illnesses; and they are still together.

They are amazing parents and I couldn't of asked for better. They raised us in a christian home and showed love and kindness to everyone. They supported us in everything we did and still do and will love us no matter what. They also support each other in whatever comes their way and is the shoulder to lean on for the other. This is for them...the best parents in the world. Love you both :)

Crazy French

2010-10-22T13:47:00.000-04:00

This weekend is going to be another weekend of finding stuff to do in Yssingeaux. A friend and I were planning on going to Provence this weekend for her birthday but we can't leave town. The train system is on strike, the citizens are on strike and gas is being rationed because people are refusing to deliver. So we are stuck in Yssingeaux and are going to go crazy by the end of the weekend.

Chocolate Project

2010-10-18T12:08:00.000-04:00

The project for our internship this year is to create a chocolate line and then produce 3 different chocolate from 11 families. I have decided that my line is going to be Sweet & Savory. Of the 11 families I have chosen Molded Bonbons, Marshmallows and Caramel. My Molded Bonbon is going to be a dark chocolate shell filled with a white chocolate passion fruit and ginger ganache. The Marshmallow is to be lemon and rosemary dipped in dark chocolate. And finally the Caramel is a sesame seed caramel, twisted and dipped in dark chocolate. I have to also research how long the shelf life of the product is, who I am to promote it towards and how I am to package it.

What do you guys think so far? Let me know.

Marseille, Boats and Fruit Vinegar

2010-10-12T17:09:00.000-04:00

Last weekend one of the girls and I decided to go away for the weekend because we NEEDED to get out of here. We decided to go to Marseille in the south of France on the Atlantic. The first day was gorgeous weather but it rained the second day which was fine because we were leaving anyway. The hostel we stayed in was classic, modern and nice. We ended up staying 1 minute from the port after hours of searching for a hostel. We toured all day Saturday from 9:30am to 9 at night. We saw the Notre Dame, went to the Old Port (Panier District), saw some cathedrals, went to the highest point in the city and found tons of deliciousness. The Notre Dame is small but is gorgeous inside. Tons of color, gold, pictures and candles. It also has a beautiful view of the city. We found an outdoor market selling soaps (which Marseille is known for), pictures, vinegars, bags and other stuff. Unfortunately we did not buy anything because it was only the beginning of the day and we thought that we might find some other deals else where and if not then the market would be there in the morning. Well it rained the next day so most of the sellers weren't there and the only thing we found elsewhere was the vinegar. While walking in the Panier district we came to a cute little shop where the lady was canadian so she spoke perfect english and french. The vinegars in the store were so good that we had to buy one. I bought a black currant and my friend bought tomato. We went back the next day to buy the one each other had but she was closed. They were delicious though. We also bought these cookies that are famous to Marseille. They are about 12 inches and smell of citrus and flowers. They taste of lavender and citrus and last for a year. They are very interesting but good. You could probably only eat one at a time, which is why they are good for a year :) For lunch we ate at a pizzeria where the owner sat down next to us to eat his lunch and then helped us with directions and places to go. He told us that if we wanted the best view of the city and port that we had to go up the hill on the opposite side of the port and go into some port. So we did and he was right, so we decided to go back to the hostel and change into warmer clothes and go back to the park to see the city at night. It was beautiful. Dinner was pasta and the tomato vinegar...deliciousness in a bowl :) The next day we decided to trek up to the Palais du Longchamp in the rain. We didn't realize how far it was but it was totally worth it. It was beautiful. It was a great weekend and well needed. It was nice to be away from the people, and city here. Not that it's a bad place but every once in a while you need to get away.

School Excursion

2010-10-06T13:16:00.000-04:00

This past Monday we went to L'Hermitage, France; located on the Rhone river. We all piled on a bus and drove 1hr 30min to the final destination. We were given an 1hr 30mins to walk around town and then meet up for lunch. The first stop on some of out lists were the M. Chapoutier wine shop. We walked in and it was amazing. There was wine everywhere, they had samples of the gravel that the grapes grow in, barrels and wine bottles. One look at the price list thought and out first comment was "No way," then we found the affordable wine. I ended up purchasing 2 bottles, a red and a rose, as gifts for the parents. We had time to walk around the town and visit bakeries and take a view at the Rhone River. Lunch was a 3 course meal, during which we experienced a huge rain storm that was blowing chairs all over the place. Once most of the rain had subsided we left for our excursion at the Valrhona Chocolate Factory. We were not allowed to take pictures inside the factory but the chocolate was delicious. We got to see the whole process of making the ingredients for chocolate. The chocolate bars and candy themselves were all made at the Valrhona school. At the end of the tour we were given a gift back with sample chocolates and recipes books. All in all it was a very fun and interesting day.

Food in France

2010-09-29T16:30:00.000-04:00

So the food in France is not much different then food in the rest of Europe. He have had a lot of meat, vegetables and bread. An interesting fact is they do not put their bread on their plate, it is placed on the table to the corner of their plate. It is also rude to keep your hands in your lap during the meal. Our lunches everyday consist of an appetizer, the entree and a dessert. The other day we had Salmon Mousse with spinach. I decided that I would give it a try and ate half of it but it was difficult. I am not a very big fish eater and I can't eat it if it tastes like fish. This did. The appetizer though was delicious. It was either couscous or small pasta with tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, onions and lime juice. I was glad I had a big helping of that so I was full when the entree of fish mousse came.I am learning to open up my mind and try new things. We will see how the rest of the 2 months pan out.

"New Englnd is the New American Missional Frontier"

2010-09-26T17:17:00.000-04:00

I read an article today by Jared Wilson, a pastor of a church in Vermont. In the article he talks about how he is a man from Texas who lived in Tennessee for more than a decade but God was pulling his heart toward the unreached New England area. He states that New England is the New American Missional Frontier and gives three reasons why.

1. It is the least churched region
2. The few churches that do exist do not preach the gospel
3. It is spiritually fertile

Whether to stay in Providence or not after I graduate is something that has me on my mind for a while. I have decided to stay in Providence for a while helping the campus ministry at Johnson & Wales. I do believe that even though college students are where some of the focus should be because they are the next generation. Not all of the focus should be on them. What about the people who ride RIPTA, those who you pass on the street, at the mall or sit by at work? What about your neighbors? We all need to share a little everyday with the people we meet. You never know how much of an impact you could have on someone's life.

Update

2010-09-24T17:11:00.000-04:00

It's been a while from the last time I posted something and a bit has happened since then. In September we went to Ireland for a week for my cousin's wedding. As a traditional Irish Wedding it was over the course of 3 days. The wedding was Friday, there was a party at the bar on Saturday and Sunday was a family lunch. Then they left for their honeymoon. It was tons of fun and we got to travel for a few days. Although at the wedding cousins were coming out of the woodwork that I didn't even know I had and they were either named Ann, AnnMarie or Marie (I am never naming my child any of those names). What was interesting about the ceremony was that she grew up catholic and he grew up protestant so they had a priest and a reverend perform the ceremony. It was quite interesting. For traveling we went to Galway, Cashel, Cobh, Kilarney, Blarney and the Cliffs of Moher. All within 3 days. It was a lot of fun. I even kissed the "Blarney Stone."
We got back from Ireland and the Bazaar was at the base the next weekend. I worked that all weekend with my mom and then left on Wednesday for Yssingeaux. My mom and I decided that to leave a day earlier than I had to be there so that we could stop along the way. We made a pit stop in Nancy and Dijon. Nancy has what is considered the most beautiful town square in Europe and you can't go to Dijon without buying some mustard.
I made it to Yssingeaux yesterday and today was our first full day here. It's been slow, cold and wet all day but that's ok because we have the whole weekend free and plenty of time to get used to the town. I will keep you updated on the school and all my travels while I'm here but from my first impression it looks like it is going to be a great program and we are going to learn a lot. Bye for now.

This Little Light

2010-08-29T15:06:00.000-04:00

So one day my sister and I decided that we would buy some CDs. Well we ended up spending $45 on 4 CDs....crazy? I know. Not sure why CDs are so expensive these day since everyone buys them online now.I ended up buying Addison Road and I forget the other one, but they were both christian, very rare to find at the BX here. They always have gospel and hymns but hardly contemporary christian artists and if they do they are under pop or something else. Anyway there is one particular song on the Addison Road CD Stories called "This Little Light" . Listening to it again recently after everything that has happened this summer brought me, I guess you could call it, comfort. It talks about how we all have a light in us burning for christ and how we should nor lose it during the happy times and the sad. We need to remember through it all that we are child of God. A God that loves us very very much that he sent his Son to die for us so that we may live with him in eternity. A God who has shown us mercy, peace, grace, joy, sorrow and pain, but has NEVER EVER left us. We also need to cherish the time we have with those around us because a life could end just like that, but also to never forget those who have gone from our lives because they are in a better place and they served their purpose here.

"This Little Light"
There's a little flame inside us all
Some shine bright, some shine small
The rains will come and the waters rise
But don't you ever lose your light
In this life you will know
Love and pain, joy and sorrow
So when it hurts, when times get hard
Don't forget whose child you are

Chorus:
This little light of mine
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I'm gonna let it shine, gonna let it shine

May you live each day with no regret
Make the most of every chance you get
Let your eyes get wide when you look at the stars
With the same sense of wonder as a child's heart
With the ones you love treasure the time
And for those who are gone keep their memories alive
Hold on to your dreams don't ever let go
There's a fire inside you burning with hope

Chorus:
This little light of mine
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I'm gonna let it shine, gonna let it shine

There will be days when you want to give up
When the clouds settle in
But after the rain comes the sun
Don't you ever forget
One day there will be no more pain
And we will finally see Jesus' face
So until then I'm gonna try
To brave the dark and let my little light shine

Chorus:
This little light of mine
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I'm gonna let it shine, gonna let it shine

There's a little light inside us all

Family Wedding

2010-08-08T17:58:00.000-04:00

Last weekend my Mum, Heather, Rachel and I drove 6 hours (should of been 5 but there was tons of construction) to just outside Dresden for my cousin Adam's wedding. The party was over a three day period because as the invitation said they like to celebrate. My cousin and his wife have been married for a year but they never had a church ceremony. We were staying at a hotel/hostel run by Monks and some mission. What the mission does is help people in East Germany who have dropped out of school or been in jail and they teach them different skills and morals and things in life. The buildings on the property were all restored and were actually built with the help of the people who have been through the mission. My cousin, his wife and her family have had strong ties to the mission and what they do for a while. The rooming situation though I have to say was a little awkward. Everyone else had rooms with the people they came with and my mom ended up with her own room because the room we were going to have was going to be used for something else. So Rachel, Heather and I ended up sharing a very large room with Marci's (Adam's wife) brother and his girlfriend and a friend of Adam's. The guys however were up in the loft so we did not sleep on the same floor but it was still slightly awkward because we didn't know them.

We arrived in time for the BBQ and the rest of the festivities. That night we had a BBQ with friends and family from both sides of the couple and then celebrated the Baptism of Adam that evening. As the evening led on some of us sat around the table for a little chat and get to know each other time. Breakfast was a traditional German breakfast followed by free time till the wedding at 3pm. So we decided to go into Dresden for a few hours. We only walked around a small area of the city but it was fun to
see all the old buildings and the beautiful detail on everything. It used to be where the Royal family of that region lived. before leaving we stopped for lunch and had the most delicious flammkuchen (a very flat pizza with no marinara sauce); my sisters ended up getting bratwurst. the funny thing is is that we don't think the cook charged us for the bratwurst and my sisters are convinced it's because the cook thought I was cute but I'm not totally sure. Anyway it was a neat little cafe where they cooked the pizzas and food outside and served it to you sitting down at a table or standing up. We made it back to the hotel in time to change for the wedding, which was in a very small rustic church, completely their style. After the wedding on the way to the reception, Germans do a vehicle line where they drive along behind the happy couple honking their horns till they arrive at their destination. We returned to the hotel for tea and cake, had a break and then had the remainder of the reception and dinner.

A neat little thing they did was a picture guest book where you would have your polaroid taken and then stick it in a book with a little message for the couple. They also did this thing where everyone went outside to the lake where they had a little dingy set up and the couple got in and rowed out to the middle kind of as a crossing of the water because he's from England and she is from Germany. They then set up fireworks from behind a set of bushes. I must say it was very romantic. I enjoyed many things about this celebration and one of them was that almost everyone who attended was a Christian, which was very enjoyable because many of our conversations were about Christ and the church. They were also all very welcoming and friendly. It was amazing to see such a loving couple who are completely dedicated to Christ and furthering his work, join in a holy union set up by God. It is very encouraging and gives one hope for the future and the people of the world.

Not another one!

2010-08-02T09:49:00.000-04:00

This summer has turned out to be a very morbid one filled with accidents and death. We were away this past weekend at my cousin's wedding and so we did not receive the phone call until last night. Apparently my Great Uncle Joe passed away on Friday from natural causes. I had not seen him in many years but from what I remember when I was younger, is that he was a really fun and nice uncle. Why all this stuff is happening in one summer I am not sure but I am glad it is this summer because I am not sure if I will be home next summer to help my mom. I suppose though that you have to be joyful about their life and pray that they lived it to the fullest.

Things happen in Threes....Well not with my family

2010-07-27T16:27:00.000-04:00

Lets recap the mast few months. My Dad was deployed to Iraq, Rachel broke her ankle, Hovis (the dog) died, and Nathan decided to get 70 stitches in his head. The set of three did happen after my dad left but then of course my family had to break that saying like they always do. Our other dog Hunter started having problems walking on Sunday and he was whining about his left ear. We thought it was an ear infection and that is what was causing him to be off balance. We took him to the vet and he wasn't sure what it was, so he gave us antibacterial medicine for him. We were to return to the vet in 2 days. Well he only got worse in those next 2 days. When we went back to the vet he suggested that we get a CT Scan done to find out if it was tumors or something else. It turned out we had to drive him to an Animal Hospital 45 minutes away, where they took blood tests, spinal fluid and a CT Scan. He stayed there for the week and then my mom got a phone call today from the vet since the tests had to be sent off to be looked at. Apparently all the tests came back negative for bacteria, cancer and everything else they tested for and that it was tumors in his head. We drove over there around 7pm today to say goodbye before they put him down. He was much worse than when we saw him on Sunday. At least he's not in pain anymore and he's probably running around with Hovis in the farm in the sky. Do you think that God cries when one of his creations leaves this earth?

Travel Junkie

2010-07-24T06:20:00.000-04:00

I did it. I started a travel blog. http://kgdeweij-traveljunkie.blogspot.com/ I only have 2 posts so far but it is still in the process of being edited. Let me know what you think.

New Blog Idea

2010-07-19T17:56:00.000-04:00

So I have been thinking about doing this for a while but I am not sure if people are going to read it. I have been thinking about adding another blog to my current one. My idea is to start a travel blog and have a post about where I have been with information about the town and city. What do you think?

The Joys of Space-A Travel

2010-07-10T08:31:00.000-04:00

One of my best friends got married a week ago in Pennsylvania and I was planning on attending. So I decided to take Space-A, which means it's free and I might not always get out. Well I got out the day I walked into the airport and was in the States last Monday night. I was able to see family, friends from HS in NJ and attend my friends wedding (which was beautiful). I was planning on flying out Space-A on Monday after 4th of July. The flight ended up being canceled an hour before I got there so I stayed with my friend from HS for the night because there was a flight the next day. Nope, that flight got pushed back to Wednesday. Wednesday came and the flights got pushed back to Thursday and then canceled completely. There were three flights on Friday though so I planned on those. I was able to get a seat on the second flight out, but then they told us that they would be stopping in Dover, Delaware because of maintenance problems but the plane was flyable. We arrived at Dover and were told we would be there for 30 minutes. Then we deboarded the plane and were told to collect out luggage because we were staying the night and that our roll call time would be at 13:45 today. Of course the hotel on base is booked through to Sunday and I have no idea where the hotels off base are. So we all pretty much bunkered down in the terminal and USO for the night. I think I have had a collective total of 4 hours of sleep so far. Now I'm hungry and the roll call is not supposed to happen until 19:45 tonight. UGGHHH!!! Kill me now. But I must say I have met some very nice people and if people see you walking on base with luggage they are more than likely to give you a ride. So I have to say I have been privileged to help and company.

An Accident Prone Family

2010-06-23T05:27:00.000-04:00

With 5 kids, 2 dogs and a horse there were bound to be some sort of accidents. Well the horse is now gone and so is one of the dogs. They went to the farm in the sky. My older sister broke her leg when she was about 6 and then a little while later. She ended up with a cyst in her knee. My brother got stitches in his lip when he was 18 months and again about 18 months later. He then got stitches in his forehead when he was 7 or 8. I broke my pinky toe when I was about 13 (now 22) and we've had a couple sprained ankles and shin splints in between then and now. My dad recently got deployed and then my sister decided to brake her ankle playing Softball in May. She gets her cast off today though. Then the dog dies about 2 weeks ago. A week later my brother decides to try and scalp himself and ends up with 70 stitches in his head. He didn't really do it on purpose. He was walking under those wooden bridges at playgrounds and thought he had cleared it when he came up and hit his head. He had to of been coming up with such force to cause what he did. We are hoping that he is done because he has worked his way from his lip to his head. My sister's not so sure. There may be a few more broken bones and twisted ankles in the days to come.

How accident prone is your family?

Death of a loved one :(

2010-06-11T19:10:00.000-04:00

Loosing a loved one is never a fun thing including when it is one of your pets. As many of you know I have two English Golden Retrievers. We have had them ever since they were puppies. One of them is 16 (Hovis) and the other is 13. The 16 year old has had many surgeries, broken legs and infections but has managed to last for 16 years. She almost died 4 years ago when we were in Stuttgart. The vet told us that if we had waited a few more days to bring her in she would have died of an infection in her uterus. She has slowly been getting worse and worse ever since 2004. She had arthritis in her back legs, especially on the left side and battled infections. On my trip back home my mum told us that she was not doing well and that they discovered a cyst in her throat so she was eating canned food.

I was the only one home on Wednesday and since my friend was coming the next day I was meant to clean the bathrooms. I cleaned one and then went outside to get rid of the stinging nettles because I didn't want her little girl falling in them when she came. As I was going outside Hovis went outside as well and she was breathing a little funny and heavy so I kept an eye on her. I gave her some water which she drank but then she dumped it over as she moved to a different spot. After couple of hours she still sounded bad but she wouldn't drink any water, so I sat with her trying to pour water on her tongue. I called my mum around 4:30 to let her know and to reminder about going to the commissary. She asked me to come to the base to pick up the groceries and my siblings since she had to work that evening. I must have left around 5pm and got home around 6:30pm. I told my brother he had to pick up the dog poop outside. The next thing I know he's calling me into the back room to tell me that Hovis is dead. I check and she was. She already had flies on her. I was balling...couldn't get a hold of my mum so I had to call me sister to run to her work and tell her. My dad called later (who is in Iraq) and asked how things were, I told him about Hovis and he started crying (she was practically his dog). When my mum got home that night we started digging the hole in the back yard and since it started thundering and lightning we had to stop and finish it the next day. My brother kept his head on during the whole thing and didn't cry, which is a good thing because it was only me, my sister with the broken leg and my brother home at the time. The worst thing though is that she was alive when I left at 5 and dead when I got home. I felt terrible. I know there wasn't anything I could have done, but if I had just sat there with her longer instead of worrying about the weeds.
Hunter (13 years old) is having a hard time adjusting. He has always known Hovis being there. This morning our neighbor found him across the street looking into the butchers glass window, wagging his tail, staring at his reflection. My mum thinks that maybe he thought his reflection was Hovis. He locked the back gate this time and when I went out later I found him trying to get out again to go and look for her. He hasn't quite grasped the fact that she's not coming back. Not only is it going to be hard on him but it's also going to be hard on all of us. Hovis picked us. as her family, we didn't pick her. When we went to pick out a puppy, we all got out the car and all the puppies came running up. They then turned right back around and ran back. Hovis was the one sitting by my dad's feet looking up at him. It's funny how even though pets can't talk back to you and they have to soul, they can become part of the family.

Graduation...Jersey...Home

2010-05-27T15:32:00.000-04:00

So Graduation was last Saturday and I can tell you that I was not paying attention during the ceremony at all. Well first of all my sister, mom and grandma came up on Thursday and then on Friday we went to Boston. While there we had to have one of Mike's Pastries cannolies. Then graduation was on Saturday at 8 am. Not sure why it was that early but it was. My uncle decided to drive up that morning from Jersey and arrived at 6am...again..CRAZY!!! He had to leave at 3:30am to be on time. I had found Leeta that morning at the Dunkin Donuts Center, that way I

knew someone that I would be sitting next to. During the speeches and stuff though no one was paying attention at all. On our left there was a group of people with blue hair and yellow t-shirts that said Team Kevin and during the ceremony one of them left and came back with nachos and cheese as if it was a basketball game. After graduation pictures were taken as usual and then we had lunch at Joe's American Bar & Grill. We then did a quick packing up of my things and drove down to Jersey for my Graduation BBQ at my aunt & uncle's house. It was great to see everyone, even though it wasn't for very long. We repacked everything on Sunday and drove down to South Jersey on Monday to take a hop back to Germany. For roll call for the flight was at 5:30pm and we got there and signed up at 1:30pm. This man who was a civilian and who looked like Morgan Freeman put our information in the computer and signed us up for the flight. We waited around in the terminal for 5 hours before getting on the flight although we almost didn't get on. We are so used to other places where they call you up to the counter by name to sign in. Well apparently they don't do that at McGuire AFB. So around 6 when they kept calling for people to check in for the flight we didn't think anything of it because we had already done it and then they announced that the flight was closed and that people should start moving to the gate. At this time we were confused because they hadn't called us and we still had all our luggage. My mom went up to the counter and they said the flight was closed and we explained that we had to get home and that we thought they would call up by name. They didn't want to argue so they took our bags (all 7 of them) without question and put us on the plane (there were 3 of us and 4 seats left). Once we got through security and we were waiting to get on the bus to go to to the plane the guys who had checked us in came out to give us our boarding tickets and said it took some time because we weren't in the system...which was weird because we signed in 5 hours earlier. They asked who it was and we said he looked like Morgan Freeman and they knew who we were talking about. Apparently he didn't put our information in right or something and he should have also taken our luggage when we checked in, which he did not do. So we were lucky to get on the plane. We made it to Germany by the following morning at 10am, went home and crashed (vegged out) the whole day.

Ughhh....Packing

2010-05-17T11:31:00.000-04:00

So for the past day and a half I have been packing and separating my stuff according to what I need to take with me for 6 months and what can get put into storage. I love to pack put I hate packing. I hated the fact that I had to pack for 6 months (May thru December), which means I needed to pack summer, fall and winter clothes. That was the worst part because I felt like I was packing too much, but I felt that if I didn't pack too much I wouldn't have stuff that I needed.

So this morning the packers arrived to pick up my stuff for storage and I will tel you this, packers are not environmentally friendly. They stuff about 10 sheets of paper into a box and then start to pack it, and then stick more paper on top. They also wrap stuff more times than they need to be and wrap stuff that don't need to be wrapped and could fit in another box. It's surprising how I have moved so many times and never really noticed it before. Maybe it's because at school everything is about going green and saving the environment, but they are all about that in Europe too, it's just not taught in schools.

My room is mostly empty and I still fee like I kept too much stuff. Do you ever feel that way? Like you just have too much stuff that you didn't een know you had or use once a year?

Pondering the Future

2010-05-16T00:08:00.000-04:00

I was at a very enjoyable BBQ at a friends house today and as all the girls went inside later on the conversation quickly turned to marriage and weddings (seeing as three of them were already married and another was soon to be). As they talked about their relationships, engagements, weddings, and things that happened at them and such it made me wonder...Where am I going to be a year after I graduate? (they all got married right after college). Am I going to be in RI? Am I going to be in a relationship? Am I going to be in a kitchen or a bakery? It makes one wonder. I feel that when one is married it is easy to know where one is going to be because you are going to be wherever the other person is, but when you are alone it's kind of confusing and not real clear (although not everything is clear and laid out because it is all in God's plan). But in situations like today it does make one wonder. It also made me feel lonely and inadequate. Because I have never been in a relationship before and thus there obviously no wedding in my future anytime soon. It also hits home when people make comments like "Why don't you have a boyfriend yet" or "Oh, I was excited for you" (when there is a miss communication about who someone is). It does make someone feel like "Well why aren't I in a relationship?" or "Is there something wrong with me?" I do know that I can not control these things though because God is in control of it all and He is all I truly need, but it is difficult in situations like this.

Chocolate Mousse

2010-04-18T14:01:00.000-04:00

One of my classes this trimester is 4061. What it is, is the running of a restaurant. We are in groups of 3 people and we have a budget of $125 to fee 16 people a minimum 4 course meal. We then have assigned days and each group executes their own menu. We pick our employees from the rest of the class and create our own menu. My group went 2 weeks ago and it turned out great. This week I am a BOH employee and am making the dessert. The dessert the group chose was chocolate mousse and since I had not made mousse since over a year ago, I decided to test it out this weekend. It turned out really well...no chocolate chip mousse, thank goodness. I am now prepared to make the best mousse that I can this Wednesday.

Bored...bored...bored

2010-04-16T23:37:00.000-04:00

You know what really gets me. Facebook and the internet was fun way back when, but recently I have become very bored with it. I always find myself going to the same sites over and over again and they are not very educational, ie; Facebook, e-mail, shopping, amazon, jwu, etc. I get very bored with it and it frustrates me when I catch myself doing it. I need to start reading more and finding other things to do. This does not mean that I am going to stop being on my computer because I need it for homework, but I just need to stop being lazy and find other stuff than going on Facebook all the time. So if you find me doing this, please stop me and tell me to find something else to do.

Marriage From the Beginning

2010-04-13T10:41:00.000-04:00

Voddie Baucham

Marriage from a biblical perspective, marriage by design, what marriage was intended to be.

"Marriage was designed on purpose for a purpose, and when we use it for things it was not designed for we will find ourselves in trouble. Gen 2:18 - "The Lord God said that it is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." Marriage was God's idea. Marriage is a good and honerable state. It is a gift, holy and wonderful thing. It is an incredible relationship, ministry and opportunity but we do not believe that. Proverbs18:22 - Proverbs 31:10-

2 basic biblical purposes for Marriage:

1. Procreation - the idea that we would represent God on the earth. The idea that he gives us marriage to have children, to raise them up as and represent the image of God among the earth. "Be fruitful and multiply" - the first command that God gave to man.

2. Illustration - Ephesians 5. designed Marriage to be a living breathing illustration of the relationship between Christ and the church.

3. God Designed man to desire marriage - do not shy away from the desire that God has given you for marriage."

Projects...UGHH!!!

2010-03-29T17:59:00.000-04:00

I really hate it when every single class that you are in has projects. The biggest project due first is for my 4061 class, which is where we basically run a restaurant. We are in groups and we have to design our menu within a $125 budget, with 5 courses and serve 16 people. We have to do everything from picking who we want for our employees from the rest of the class to running and managing the restaurant on the day of service. My group was smart and picked to be the second group to go...which turns out is next Wednesday. Our whole project is due this Wednesday and we have been working diligently on it all day today and now I am just worked out. For some reason I have no umph to finish the thing today but I know it has to be done....and Alon and I have another project that is due tomorrow that we need to finish. UGGHHH!!! I can't wait till I'm out of school.

Light After Dark

2010-03-25T10:50:00.000-04:00

http://www.lightafterdark.org/

This is a great website. They have the videos for Crazy Love by Francis Chan if you don't have time to read the book. They also have the audio for Marriage by Design by Voddie Baucham, which are also very good and something that everyone, especially those who are single need to listen to.

Russia 2010

2010-03-21T14:02:00.000-04:00

I am finally back from our Spring Break Mission Trip to Russia; Zavolzh'ye to be exact. The trip flew by very fast, except for the flights. They were both 10 hours, there and back. We landed in Moscow at 11am on Saturday morning with maybe all of us having 45 minutes of sleep the whole flight. Needless to say it was a long day touring Moscow until 10:30pm when we had to go to the train station. We got to Nizhny Novgorod at 6:30am Sunday morning and then had an hour drive to Zavolzh'ye. That morning we had about 1hr 30min to get ready for church and then were out the door again. It was such a blessing for Alissa and I to be at the church again and see how far they had come since last year.

The year before we entered in the front on the ground floor with planks of wood and drywall everywhere. This year we entered through the back and there the construction supplies used to be there is now a room they use for childrens church and for the english club. There is also a kitchen off of the room that they never had before. When you go up to the sanctuary there is a brand new floor similar to the one used in the room downstairs. Last year it was just planks of wood that if you dropped a pen it would fall all the way to the ground floor.

On Monday through Thursday mornings we went into the school and spoke with the english classes. We gave a presentation about life in Providence and at Johnson & Wales. We then broke up into groups and we able to speak with them one on one (with translators of course). They loved to perform for us as well and would dance, play the guitar or sing. Some of the students actually came to every session on all 4 days, and they were the ones who were so eager to learn from us and had the dream of going to the language school to become a translator. It was a blessing to see the smiles that we brought to the students' faces just by being there and being interested in their lives. Many of them were confused as to why we chose Zavolzh'ye and why we were interested in them considering we are Americans. Many of them also had such gloomy faces and this look of sadness in their eyes because they do not see much hope in the future or ever in Zavolzh'ye. Many of them want to leave Russia or go work in Moscow but the teachers tell them that they are not going to make it very far, and all they are going to know is what they learn at the technical school. It is really very sad.

I found that the church this year was much more open to inviting the students to the church for a special youth group on Tuesday and Thursday of that week. When the youth leader got up at the school to invite the students to the one on Tuesday there happened to be a teacher in the audience that was atheist. She told the principal that we were actually connected to the Baptist church and were not Orthodox. (We had never told them that we were either. They just assumed we were orthodox). Well when they found out they cut our 2nd sessions at the school on Wednesday and Thursday. (we were meant to have 2 sessions on those days but instead we had one on each day). That was ok because even though we did not announce it publicly, we did invite the students in our groups personally. And the students came. The reason for the removal of the sessions though is because Baptists in Russia are viewed as a cult.

While there we were able to help Mike sort out the stuff for the English Club. Someone had given Alissa a Netbook before we left because they thought she needed a new computer. Since she didn't she gave it to Mike to use for the club. Mike and Jake were able to set it up so that the projector and everything was run off of the top of a cart that someone had made for them. We also organized the books so that they fit on the bottom of the cart. This way the whole cart is run off of one wooden cart and it saves Mike and Alissa from lugging books and cords and computers back and forth to the church.

The Tuesday and Thursday youth groups were a great turn out. Each night I think we had about 7 students from the school that came. We found though that the church is very guarded when it comes to sharing the gospel because they were underground for so long and because they are viewed at as a cult. So they had asked us to plan the program for Thursday. So we decided to play a game, sang some worship songs and then Erica shared her testimony and Kevin was able to share the gospel because how else were the students from the school going to hear it. Hopefully we were able to encourage the church by doing this, by showing them that they should take advantage of every opportunity that they are given to share the gospel.

We toured Gorodetts on Friday and that evening Kevin, Jake, Erica and myself left Alissa and boarded our train to Moscow. We went to the open air market and toured Moscow on Saturday before turning for a goodnight sleep before our return flight on Sunday. I think I slept a total of 30 minutes on the flight back.

I am looking forward to next year and seeing the progress that the church will make in the coming year and how we are able to serve them. Please keep them in your prayers when you remember. They need the courage to share the gospel and be ready to take risks.

Russia Prep

2010-02-25T23:21:00.000-05:00

I have to say that tomorrow we leave for Russia and I am in no way ready. I have been putting off packing all day; i just haven't been feeling like sitting down and doing it. Not sure if it just comes with age but these days I haven't been able to stay absolutely focused. Anyways, today was the day of making sure that we had everything and when all the running around started. Laundry had to get done, made a run to walmart, said good bye to friends and now it's packing time. I pretty much have everything it's just the whole organizing and putting it in the bag now. I am hoping I can get it done by midnight and get a good 8 hours of sleep....but we'll see. I won't be writing for the next 10 days, but I will have a ton to write about when I get back. Pray for us as we travel.

Poppy Seed Bread

2010-02-22T23:04:00.000-05:00

Hannah stayed over this weekend for some much needed time away from the dorms and roommates. It was a pleasure having her over. Well last night we decided to make Poppy Seed Bread. Love the stuff. Although ours didn't turn out like they normally do. They got slightly over-baked on the sides...something our oven has a tendency to do. Anyway, the quick bread turned out ok, but it wasn't as moist as I had liked or as it had previously been.

Poppy Seed Bread
3c. Flour
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
3 Eggs
1 1/2 c. Milk
1 1/8 c. Oil
2 1/4 c. Sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. Poppy seed
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp. Almond extract
1 1/2 tsp. Butter extract

Mix all the ingredients together in the order that they are listed.
Grease and pour the batter into a loaf pan, bundt pan, muffin tin or some other baking pan.
Bake in the oven at 350 F for 40 min or until a knife comes out clean.

Glaze (optional)
3/4c. 6x sugar
1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. Almond extract
1/2 tsp. Butter extract
water or orange juice

Combine together the 6x sugar and extracts in a bowl. Add enough water or orange juice to make a slurry. Drizzle the glaze on top of the poppy seed bread once it is removed from the oven and has cooled slightly.

Visas

2010-02-20T23:09:00.000-05:00

Praise the LORD!!! Our visas (Kevin, Jake, Kim and Erica) have been approved and we have received them. We were originally told that we might receive them the day before we leave, which is this friday, but they arrived yesterday. We have also raised all the money needed for everyone to go on the mission trip. We have been very blessed and the LORD deserves all the praise. We now need prayers for Alissa. She has received her letter of invitation for Russia and she is now waiting for her visa to be approved. If ours was approved in such a short time, hopefully hers will be as well and she will be able to travel with us on Friday. If not then she will be following behind us.

My Forever Valentine

2010-02-14T15:58:00.000-05:00

To My Darling One~

Today is Valentines Day, a day to let the ones you love know how much they mean to you. As I think of you and look at you, so many thoughts fill my head. You are an amazing woman and I love to watch you throughout the day. I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.

You are beautiful, inside and out, and I am so proud to say that you are mine. You are a gracious woman, one that can accept fer defeats as well as her victories. Your sorrows are my sorrows and your joys are also mine. I will be here for you for all eternity. Tell me your thoughts and feelings, and the things that you need from me. I will never let you down. I will always give to you only the very best, so trust me completely. The love I have for you is immeasurable, and nothing will ever change that.

Know that you are deeply loved and that I will forever be your valentine. All the roses and the candy in the world cannot exemplify my love for you. I sent the one I loved the most, my only son, to die for you so that we could be together for all eternity.

This is my valentine gist to you for every year. I love you, my valentine. You are deeply loved. Remember that always.

Your forever valentine,
Abba Father

Getting ready for Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T15:55:00.000-05:00

So yesterday Alissa got the sudden urge to make Valentines Day cards after seeing her friends' online. So we decided to drive up to Michaels later that night and buy decorative paper. Hannah was with us and we were all so starving on the ride back that we decide to go to The Cactus Grille for dinner. It was delicious and so much food. We then went back to the apartment and started making cards. They started off looking like the picture above and ended up looking like the one to the right. We ended up making about 25 cards and ended up going to bed around 2am. I have to say though, that the reactions from the people that they were given to made it well worth staying up that late. Love all the memories we made Alissa :)

Creepy

2010-02-08T20:01:00.000-05:00

Saturday night Alissa decided to watch one of those documentaries about a real life haunting online and at first I decided not to but those things always seem interesting so I joined her. It was about a haunting in Connecticut. A family had to move from New York City because their son had cancer and was getting treated in Connecticut. The only place they could find to rent was an old mortuary. Well it wouldn't of been as creepy a place to live in if the gurney, wash basin, needles and stuff used had not still been in the house. Well as the show went on Alissa and I were just so confused as to why the parents wouldn't believe the kids and everything they were seeing. The kids just got tired of the parents not listening and so the older boy (the son who was sick) one day decided to confront the demon and it began to slowly take over him. Well the son was eventually removed from the house because he was becoming violent and the demon started to attack the others in the house. Then the parents realized that their kids were telling the truth all along. They brought in demon hunters and stuff like that and eventually got the catholic church to perform and exorcism. And of course after you watch things like this something creepy or weird happens the next day. Well I woke up for church the next morning around 7am and thought I heard music coming from Alon's room while I was in the kitchen. This wouldn't of been as creepy if we had not watched the documentary the night before and if Alon had actually been here for the weekend. It turns out it was coming from Alon's room but I was too freaked out to go in. I let it go for an hour and then finally knocked on the door once Alissa was awake. Her iPod was on. Apparently it was set on a timer, for her alarm. But the thing is is that I did not hear it Saturday morning and neither did Alissa.....Creepy.

Closer

2010-02-06T13:22:00.000-05:00

This movie has always looked interesting to me, but I never knew what it was about. The back says it is about 4 people who the only thing they have in common is each other. The beginning was interesting, but far fetched. It opens with everyone walking down the streets on their way to work as you see in New York City. Jude Law and Natalie Portman are walking towards each other, and seem to meet eye to eye. She gets hit by a car because they are in London and she looks the wrong way before crossing the street and Jude Law runs to see if she is ok. They wonder aimlessly around after the hospital and that is how they start to date. Julia Roberts is a photographer who is taking Laws picture for her opening and they end up kissing. Portman picks him up from the studio and over hears their conversation about the kiss. It si a very strange movie. Clive Owen meets Jude Law in an in appropriate chat room, but Law pretends to be Roberts. Owen meets Roberts at the aquarium and talks about their supposed conversation on the internet and that is how they begin to talk and date. It is very awkward. There is a lot of swearing and sex talk in the movie. Well throughout the whole thing Roberts and Law are apparently having an affair while with these other people but you never know until it each tells their significant other about it. Apparently it has been going on for 3 years. That is another thing about the movie. You never know how long it has been or how many months or years things have been going on for. I turned it off part way through because of all the sex talk and weirdness of the movie. It is not a movie that I would recommend and would care to finish or start watching again.

Vanity Fair

2010-02-06T13:06:00.000-05:00

I watched Vanity Fair today; a movie I have wanted to see for a while. It is not what I thought it would be. The main character is called Becky Sharp; she grew up a starving artists daughter and ended up working as a maid in a girls boarding school when she was very young. She tends to wither her way to the top of wherever she is, but the women do not like her. She becomes the assistant of a very wealthy women who likes her but when she finds out Becky married her nephew she hates her. It's funny how someone is a delightful person but when they marry into the family they tend not to be good enough. Her and her husband are disowned by the family but they don't care because they know their luck will turn around and they are absolutely in love with each other. She doesn't seem to care about any other man because she has the love of her life. But the way she uses the people around her to provide for her family causes her to lose that love. I found myself rooting for Becky and her husband to stay together, hoping that she would turn from her ways a realize what she was doing, but sadly it did not happen. She meant good, and in her eyes that is what she thought she was doing, but it was driving a wedge between her and her husband. Not only did she lose the love of her life but she lost her son as well. He was sent to a boarding school and she never saw him again. The end is not what I expected though. I actually did not like the end. She ends up marrying a man whom she would have married in the beginning of the movie but he never proposed. It made her seem cold and insensitive. There is actually an alternate ending that I liked better. It made her seem like she had feelings and cared about the people in her life that she lost. All in all it was a good movie and very enjoyable. It was excellent acting and a good story line.

SEX180

2010-02-01T20:49:00.000-05:00

I have finally finished this book that a friend of mine gave me called "Sex180: The Next Revolution" written by Chip Ingram and Tim Walker. She told me that she felt like I needed to read it, which made me wonder what she noticed. After reading it I am still not sure why she felt like I needed to read it but I did like it.

It is not one of those classic books about purity and staying pure till marriage. It is about staying pure but it also talks about why we should stay pure and God's reason for it. It talks about how to live it as one, as one + one and as one + the world. In other words as an individual, in a relationship and in the world. We need to be a person who has inward character, outward modesty and upward devotion. It talks about the reason God wants us to stay pure till marriage and that is because sex is sacred and serious. It is not something to be given away lightly. It was given to us as a gift from God and he desires to give it to us with the right person at the right time in the right place. Every time someone has sex with someone else ie; bf/gf, one night stand, etc. they give away a piece of themselves that they can never get back. A scar is created that can never be erased completely. It is ok to say that we are staying pure till marriage but it is much more than that. We need to live it out in our relationship with God and others, as well as in what we say, how we act and the way we dress.We need to see fellow christians as our brothers and sisters first and then move into a relationship if that is the right direction. In that relationship though the growth of the other person's spiritual life should be the most important.

I could be doing a bad job of explaining all this, but it is a great book for young men and women who are coming of the age when they are going to be confronted with sex. It is a good book even for christians who are further in their walk or just starting no matter the age.

Christian de la Huerta

2010-01-30T01:32:00.000-05:00

So this guy came to speak at Johnson & Wales on Wednesday evening about religious tolerance and religion. The title of the event was called Beyond Belief and it was true in some sense because Alissa, Jake and I were Beyond Belief that the school had him as a guest speaker. There were about 20 - 25 students that showed up, which did not surprise me, but I think they were expecting more. Christian de la Huerta is a Gay ex catholic, who writes books on bridging homosexuality and spirituality as well as women empowerment.

He started off by talking about Religious Tolerance and what it was and what it wasn't. I agreed with him on that topic. Then he started talking about different religions and started bringing in all these facts, that I am not sure where he got them from. He said things about how Christianity and Catholicism oppresses women and how if we empower women to their fullest we can solve all the world problems. Islam on the other hand is very liberating toward women. He also said how all religions work towards the same end destination and we can get there on our own as well (the end destination being enlightenment). Basically he picks and chooses what he wants to keep from each religion and so he is his own religion. He says that we all have this whole inside of us and we try to fill it with ice cream, music, friends and food etc. But we can't. We can fill it ourselves, we just have to look deep down inside us to our inner-self. He also answered someone's question by saying that the bible has been used for good and bad (meaning the crusades and spanish inquisition) and that it had been changed and twisted so many times. Also, apparently reincarnation used to be in the bible until they took it our a couple centuries ago. This is only a little of what he talked about. There was a bunch of other ridiculous stuff that was said as well.

Alissa and I were just so shocked that the school would bring someone like this to speak. Another thing is there were students in the audience who were there because they were searching for something and I feel like him speaking just added a whole bunch of confusion to their already confused mind. Please pray for those students and Johnson & Wales. If this is a reflection of what the school thinks the students are looking for then it is cause to be very nervous.

Breakfast dish or Snack

2010-01-25T18:56:00.000-05:00

I made Eggo Waffles the other day for dinner and decided I didn't really want butter or syrup on it like I normally have. So I pulled out the plain yogurt and fruit. My roommates looked at me weird, like "what in the world are you doing?" It is delicious. My mom used to do it all the time at home and it a great healthy dish. Just take some plain yogurt (or whatever flavor you want) and spread it on some toasted waffles. Then top it with fruit or something else. Don't knock it till you try it :)

Spirits

2010-01-22T23:58:00.000-05:00

Yuck!!! That's what I have to say to that. This week in Beverage Appreciation class we tasted spirits. Vodka, Gin, Tequila, Whisky and Rhum. I do not understand how people can honestly sit a sip on these without mixing them. They are revolting. The Vodka had no taste, it was just a cool burning sensation that you felt in your nose. The tequila tasted chemically, like a margarita mix. The gin tasted like I was drinking a pine tree because of the juniper berries that it is made with and the Rhum tasted like leather with a sweet taste at the end. The Whisky burned, it was slightly sweet and mellow but it did have a hot burning finish to it.

If anyone does drink these straight up on ice or however, could you explain to me why you do so? And why you like them.

Leadership

2010-01-22T23:52:00.000-05:00

This past weekend was Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend so we had Monday off. So we had a leadership retreat from Sunday to Monday up at the Rice Lodge in Northborough, MA. For a whole since the annual Fall retreat, some of us had expressed interest in getting together with the leadership teams from the other colleges in New England that we go on retreats with and get to know each other better and help each other in prayer and support. This past weekend was a blast. There were about 4 schools represented there and it allowed us all to grow much much closer to each other as well as see what other schools are faced with, with their fellowship at school. We met a lot of cool people and realize what God is doing in the New England area.

Dogfish Head Brewery

2010-01-13T20:19:00.000-05:00

Today in Beverage Appreciation class we had a guest speaker from Dogfish Head Brewery. They are a craft beer company and are based out of Delaware. Craft Beers are only 5% of the beer market, but they are gaining more customers with every year and beer that is tasted. Bud, Coors and Miller feel threatened by these craft beer breweries and feel that they need to offer more flavored beers to their markets, except that all their flavored beers mostly contain adjuncts (added flavors, syrups and stuff) and not actual fruits, herbs, wood, etc infused into the beers.

We tasted 4 different beers today and I have to say that it has my taste buds yearning to taste more craft beers. My favorite of all 4 beers that we tasted was the Midas Touch. It was like wine, but in beer form. It was sweet, but slightly dry. It was made with thyme, grapes, and honey I think. It is an ancient Turkish recipe from the 2700 year old drinking vessels discovered in the tomb of King Midas.

They have a variety of different beers and they try to incorporate flavors that one would not think would be in beer; such as, vanilla, maple, raisins, beet sugar, caramel, chocolate...you get the idea. They have seasonal beers and limited release beers. Another cool thing is that they take ancient recipes from hundreds of years ago and create a beer out of them. They have one from China, Finland, Aztecs and King Midas' tomb. Another interesting beer that I would like to try is called Pangaea which contains an ingredient from all 7 continents. That would be a flavorful drink to taste. I have to say though that once you taste craft beers you may never go back to Bud or those other beers.

http://www.dogfish.com/

Contemporary Issues in the Food Service Industry

2010-01-11T21:03:00.000-05:00

You know I have to laugh at my class on Contemporary Issues in the Food Service Industry. All we do in class is give presentations on different issues and write article reviews. The first two presentations have gone already and they were about Going Green and Organics. I have to laugh though at some of the things that these students say. In the Going Green group they talked about Composting and the girl said that it sounds confusing when you hear it, but when you know what it is it's not. Now I was sitting there wondering how the word Compost sounds confusing. Anybody know? The other thing that I have to laugh at, and I don't mean to offend anyone, but it's funny how all these students and people think that recycling is this new thing and how it's amazing and the same with composting. Europeans have been doing it for years. Ever since I remember I grew up composting and recycling. It's so funny how a country that is meant to be up in the world is just starting these new concepts.

Today was the kicker though out of all this stuff. Today was about Organics. I had found this article the other day about how organics really aren't that much healthier for you and the only way to eat healthier is to add more fruits and veggies to your diet and less animal products. The group today kind of said the same thing, and the fact that there aren't any pesticides on the products to make you get sick. But that's not the kicker. The kicker is what my teacher said in reference to a girl's comment. The girl mentioned how they have linked growth hormones given to chickens and cows to the sudden growth and earlier puberty of children. Then my teacher said that it's true and they have discovered that the hormones given to cows to produce more milk has caused people to grow taller or just grow more in general. Now this was about 10 years ago when they started all this stuff with hormones and I drink milk everyday; not organic and it's not straight from a cow, so why am I still 5'2"? Shouldn't I be a couple inches taller? I just had to sit there and laugh to myself because I am pretty sure that it is mostly genetics that affects how tall you are, as well as how you carry yourself.

It's funny how we can get caught up in the topic and so want to say something that we don't even realize if what we are saying is true or not.

WICKED THE MUSICAL

2010-01-11T20:42:00.000-05:00

Saturday Evening, I joined Micah and some of my fellow students for a wonderful night of the musical Wicked. I had never read the book or seen the play, but I LOVE the Wizard of Oz. I have to say it was a very good play and the story great. It was funny to see how they tried to connect the two stories and prove that the Wicked Witch of the West was actually not Wicked. There were a lot of good morals and underlying themes in the play as well. If anyone gets a chance to see it....GO.

New Years

2010-01-11T20:33:00.000-05:00

For New Years this year we slept until late in the afternoon because we got home late from England that morning. We did stay up until midnight though, playing poker, watching British Mystery Christmas Specials, and then at 11pm we watched German New Years Folk parties on TV. We then went outside and watch our neighbors set off fireworks into the wee hours of the morning. We stayed outside for a good half hour and then since it was freezing, decided to go back inside and watch Race to Witch Mountain (which is a cute movie). The sad part about this year was that we did not get our traditional New Years Book. Every year, since we were younger our parents would give us a book on New Years Day. This year however the mail was being stupid and weird and the stuff that was ordered didn't come in. Not all of the Christmas gifts came in either, so we may be getting some gifts in January or February.

England for the Holidays

2010-01-11T16:45:00.000-05:00

So my parents decided Christmas Day that we were going to England the next day to visit family and friends. So we loaded up in the van...which is very small with 7 adults....the next day and were on our way. It took 5 hours to get to the ferry in Calais, and 1 hr 30min ferry ride and another 2 hour drive to London. The hotel we stayed at the first night was ok, but the elevator was scary. We loaded 6 people into this closet elevator with bags and rode up to the 4th floor, on the way it felt like we were going to fall at any time. We decided to take the stairs from then on. The next day the elevator was marked as out of order...kinda creepy.

We saw my aunt and uncle that night, whom we hadn't seen in 6 years and they are the same as ever. My aunt is still as crazy as ever. But we love her. We took the Underground into London the next day and hit as many sites as possible because it was the only day we were going to have there. We went to 21B Baker's Street...a MUST. We are huge Sherlock Holmes fans. We went to the Bunhill Graveyard and Wesley's Chapel & Leysian Mission (that was exciting). We saw the Tower Bridge and London Bridge (which is not the real one). We saw the Globe Theater, but didn't get to go in...sad :( We walked the Millennium bridge and saw St. Paul's Cathedral, and stopped for a nice warm drink at Starbucks. We had to take the traditional picture though of how many people you could fit in a telephone booth....we fit 4 of us. And another must was the 9 3/4 platform at King's Cross, which was a little disappointing because it wasn't the actual stop they use in the movie but it was close enough. We went to Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and Piccadilly Square. These were all in the evening so we got to see all the lights and stuff for christmas.

The Next day we drove 4 hours to the coast to see some very good friends, whom we haven't seen in 6 years. It was so much fun to just relax and spend time with them, having dinner, walking around town (even though it was so cold). My friend Rachael had a baby girl 2 years ago named Gracie and I just got to meet her on this visit. She is so adorable and she has pudgy cheeks. She looks exactly like her mom. We had some of the best fish & chips in a long time......DELICIOUS!! We ate Italian the first night and the garlic bread that we ordered for an appetizer came out looking like a pizza and tasted like one too, but it was really good garlic bread.

Jan, 30th we began our drive back to Germany. Of course we had to stop at an English grocery store before leaving to stock up on delicious British food. We then headed out on our way and hit traffic and detours. We ended up missing the ferry we were meant to be on, but got on the 6 o'clock one. It was then an hour and a half boat ride and a 6 hour drive home. So we didn't end up getting home until around 2 in the morning.

All of us trying to fit into a phone booth...we only managed 4 people

St. Paul's Cathedral with the Sunset hitting it

Tower Bridge....not London Bridge...many people get confused

All-in-all it was a great trip with many, many new memories.

Christmas

2010-01-05T23:16:00.000-05:00

I'm a little behind on writing about everything but I am going to try and catch you all up.

So every christmas morning we have cinnamon rolls, open our stockings and read the christmas story from the book of Luke. We then open our gifts from under the tree. There were some really crazy gifts given this year. It's funny because everyone that I tell about this stuff laughs and thinks we are cray giving and getting gifts like this. Well last year my dad decided to get us compound bow & arrows and I also got a professional Belgian Waffle maker. This year however, I received tools (alan wrenches, pliers, a measuring tape, work gloves, etc.). My sister Rachel got an Egyptian sword from my older sister and my brother Nathan got an English shield (legit size and everything) from her as well. It was the year of weird and out there gifts. I also got this old pottery punch set that is really amazing.

We cleaned up and while my brother was trying out his new wii game my mom was in the kitchen making dinner. We helped of course. We sat down at the end of all the hard work to a delicious ham, roasted potatoes and carrots, homemade bread, stuffed mushrooms, mashed potatoes and stuffing.....I'm getting hungry just typing about it. And for dessert we had homemade apple pie and pecan tarts with eggnog. I almost forgot the christmas crackers. We always have christmas crackers at christmas. Everyone holds one and crosses their arms and holds the end of the person's next to them, so that the whole table is linked. You then pull as hard as you can and whoever gets the bigger end gets the prize inside. It normally consists of a paper crown, a joke and a toy.

That night we watched Poirot. We receive British TV so we get a lot of British shows and there seem to be a lot of detective shows. Poirot is a Belgian detective, with a funny mustache, who lives in England and solves murders. We love the show for some reason and they always have a christmas special on and we watch it every year.

What are some family traditions that you do at christmas?

Weihnachts Markt

2009-12-23T19:45:00.000-05:00

Christmas in Germany is so different than in the United States. I find that it is much more festive and there is more to the Holidays for people than shopping and running around everywhere. It is a time of family, friends, Celebrating the birth of Christ and the spirit of joy and happiness that this season brings.

On Sunday my family and drove down to the Stuttgart Weihnachts Markt (Christmas Market), our favorite one. The downtown shopping center and courtyard is packed with stalls of food, wood engravings, warm weather accessories, kitchen goods, candles, smokers, nutcrackers...etc. and even an ice skating rink. We took the U-bahn down to Koenigsstrasse and had an enjoyable bratwurst on brotchen with mustard once reaching the market. I ran into my good friend Tamara and her family downtown and we caught up later that evening before my family returned to Ramstein. It was great to see her. I miss her so much. I need to get better at calling and e-mailing people. One person I did not see but wish I had was Michelle W.

We walked around the christmas market for at least 2 hours; enjoying the smells, food, hand crafted goods, decorations and gluhwein. Gluhwein is a traditional spiced wine that is drunk warm at christmas time. It warms one from the inside out. I also ate a nice helping of cheese spaetzle...it was delicious. To end out the night, it started snowing, which simply added to the whole experience.

Elf Yourself

2009-12-16T23:33:00.000-05:00

This is the funniest website in the world.

So I was bored one night and decided to Elf my roommates and myself. Here is the link to our video

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/vyDYC52RVy3fHd9K?cmpid=ey_fb_friend

Hope you enjoy it and laugh as hard as we do every time we see it.

Cookie Exhange

2009-12-16T23:21:00.000-05:00

It's almost the end of the week and I fly out tomorrow to go home for Christmas. I'm sooooo excited. I can't wait to see my family and friends, go to the Christmas Markets, drink Gluhwein, enjoy the snow....it's going to be so much fun :)

Tonight I was invited to Norm and Cheryl's house for a cookie exchange. There were sooo many cookies, I'm not quite sure what I am going to do with them all or if they will even let me take them on the plane. (Maybe I can bribe the guards and flight attendants with them.) Anyway, I made Pfeffernusse, a German cookie. They are basically flour, molasses, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg shaped into balls and baked, and then rolled in powdered sugar. They are really good. The other cookies consisted of gingersnaps, sugar cookies, maple cookies, jelly cookies, peanut butter graham cracker chocolate cookies (made by Alissa Graham) and clumps of pretzels coated in chocolate (can't remember the name). They all looked delicious and it was a lot of fun. Norm and Cheryl are such hospitable, funny people and they have such a cute log cabin house.

So today was my roommate, Alissa's first time melting chocolate and it was a disaster. First she tried a double boiler, but she didn't realize that the water was not supposed to touch the bottom of the top pot, so the chocolate just formed a clump. Then she tried putting it in the microwave and it just got worse from there. Needless to say it was a funny spectacle.

If you have never done or been to a cookie exchange, you should definitely do one. It is interesting to see the and taste the different cookies and it is fun fellowship time.

Hectic, hectic weekend

2009-12-09T22:59:00.000-05:00

This weekend is going to be hectic, hectic hectic. Tomorrow begins the women's bible study for the college students. I am taking my American Government CLEP test on Friday morning, which I have yet to study for. There is also our leadership meeting on Friday morning and then preparing and getting everything ready for the Christmas party. Then on Saturday I am going to the Boston Pops Orchestra with Micah, Elyse, Kyle, Hannah and Melissa. I also have to do homework, read and other things. Crazy, crazy, crazy. I don't know how my mom did it at times with 5 kids going in 5 different places at all times. Props to her and all the other moms.

Froehe Sankt Nikolaus Tag!

2009-12-06T00:26:00.000-05:00

St. Nicholas Day is celebrated on December 6th in Germany as well as in other European countries. On the evening before the 6th, children place their newly cleaned shoes in front of the door in the hope that Nicholas might fill them with nuts, fruits, chocolate, and sweets. If the children have behaved well, their wishes will be fulfilled. Children who have caused mischief will receive only a switch, which symbolizes punishment for their bad deeds.

Every year I have done this for my roommates to give them a little taste of other traditions, but also as a way to remind me of home. My parents always did this for us and I want to continue it in my Christmas traditions. I remember being so excited on December 5th for the surprises that we would find the next day in our shoes. This year is no different and I am even more excited to do it this year because of the roommates that I am blessed to live with. Their shoes contain chocolate ornament bells and balls that one would find in Germany, a wooden heart ornament with their name on it and a mixed CD.

What are some holiday traditions around this time of the year that your family does?
Are there any that you want to continue in your holidays?

New Trimester

2009-12-06T00:13:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone,

I hope your Thanksgiving was good and you had a great and memorable time with friends and family. I know I had a great time with my relatives, sister and dad. I am thankful for many things, people and all the gifts and blessings that God has bestowed upon me this year. One of these blessings this past break was a car. I am very grateful to have one. It is so much easier to get around to the grocery store and CSF and things like that. Now the whole big thing is finding a job.

There are a lot of changes happening this trimester. First there are new classes, Acct., Hosp Law, Beverage, and Contemporary Issues in the Food Service Industry. Then there is the fact that we do not have a campus minister anymore and so all the leaders at CSF are going to have to step it up a notch and take on more responsibility. We are planning a lot of new things for CSF this year, different ideas to switch up our weekly meetings and also ways to get people from the church and students to interact with each other.

My classes this tri I think are not going to be hard and I am looking forward to my Beverage class the most. We are going to be tasting different types of drinks; water, coffee, tea, wine, beer, spirits, liquors, sparkling wines, etc. You get the idea. But this stuff fascinates me and I enjoy it a lot. I also like the class because there is no homework except for a project. My law professor is a fun individual who has tons of stories to tell about his time as a lawyer and all the cases he did or remembers. His head also contains a lot of facts and dates that you would not think someone could remember. I know I had trouble remembering dates of things if it was not important.

It rained all day today and so around 4pm my roommate Alissa and myself decided to go for a little drive to Smithfield crossing. We found the cutest Christmas hanger for out door at Kohls and then when we walked outside it was snowing. At that moment it finally seemed like December. Earlier this week it was in the mid to high 60s. When is it ever in the 60s in December in New England. This led to a night of hot chocolate and crafts.

Trimester is finally OVER!!

2009-11-20T00:17:00.000-05:00

This tri officially ended for me today! YES! So excited for this break. It will give me a chance to just get away from Providence and think about what has and is going on in my life and here on campus. There are going to be many changes in the rest of the year to come.
I am now a member of Grace Harbor Community Church and am so excited about it. There are a lot of good changes happening within the church and I am excited to see where they go. Pastor Kevin has been talking a lot about church membership and the importance of being a church member and also the importance of the church. This is something that I have never heard before and has not been talked about ever, since I started as a Freshman.
This past week has been crazy. Monday and Tuesday were our "reading" days or study days before finals, so we had no classes, and my roommate Alon, our friend Hannah and myself went to the outlets for some shopping. I have to say, I did pretty well. I only got one thing for myslef and the other things were christmas gifts. Tuesday was our last TNT for the break and was out study TNT. We don't actually study during this time, it's more of a hang out. We talked about the mission opportunities for Spring Break, Florida & Russia. I am so pumped for these and am planning on returning to Russia to continue what has been started there by the students who have gone in previous years. Then we played a game of Cranium and ate pizza.
Wednesday morning I had a 9:20 final and woke up at 7. I just layed in bed for a while and then heard my roommate Alon in the kitchen exclaim "Oh my gosh." I knew it had to do with a mouse. We have been getting little visitors lately because of the cold days every now and then. So we had bought traps. They are plastic ones that react the same as the regular ones inside, except you don't see the dead mouse. Well this mouse was not dead and was trying to push the red flap down inside that was holding it back. We didn't know what to do because we didn't want to let a live mouse outside because it would come right back in. And we are cheap and wanted to re-use the trap. So Alon's fiance suggested first that we drop it out a window hoping it would die because we are on the second floor. We thought that since the trap didn't kill it a drop like that wouldn't either. Them he suggested we stick it in the freezer. So we put it in plastic bags a stuck it in the freezer. Needless to say when we went to empty the trap that night the mouse was not coming out of the trap so we had to just throw the whole thing away.
Today was a nice ending to a long day. I had a 7:10 final this morning and then another at 11:30. I then walked around the mall and bought some christmas gifts. Later tonight my roommate Alissa and I babysat Silas, our pastor's son, the cutest 2 year old ever, for a couple of hours. When they got back it was nice to sit and talk with Kevin and his wife Melissa about things and watch the Office with them.
I am really ready for this break. I cannot wait to see my aunts, uncles, cousins, sister and my dad. I am really excited to bake and cook and just to relax with no pressure, homework or running around. It will be refreshing. Hope you all have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Crazy girl time filled weekend

2009-11-16T00:34:00.000-05:00

This weekend has been crazy.
Lets see;
leadership meeting on friday morning followed by membership classes in the evening. That night Hannah and Katherine stayed over and we painted nails, had hot chocolate, ate stove top popcorn and watched elf. Followed by banana chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast and some more membership class and a day of finishing homework from proceastinating so much. Church sunday morning and helping out with the kids sunday school class, they are out of control. Reading and doing laundry for the afternoon and then Elyse came over to watch Louie Giglio movies about relationships that people should see. Later tonight we made a trip to Stop & Shop and rented Red Box movies, "The Ugly Truth" and "The Accidental Husband", with Sherita and Elyse. It was a fun packed night with german chocolate, chick flicks, tackyweddings.com and funny conversations. I am so thankful for having great friends to have crazy times with.

Nori the Fish

2009-11-09T22:43:00.000-05:00

Funny story....
So my roommate Alon has a fish named Nori.
Well last night she comes into the living room saying that her fish was gone. That is had flopped out of the fish tank. So I went in to take a look and it was gone. She didn't want to look for it, she wanted me to do it because she didn't want to see it. She stood by the door while I looked. I checked her shoes and by her bed and then I thought that there could be a space underneath the side table. So I reached round the back and felt for a space and there was one. I started to pull the side table away and there was the fish laying with its tail bent under it's body on the floor. Alon wouldn't look at it and she wanted me to get rid of it. So I took two dust pans and moved it from the floor to one of the pans. Then I dropped it in the toilet and it flinched. I thought it was just a reflex and then it started breathing. I told Alon and she was in shock. We both were. So we filled a bowl with water and took a ladel (yes a ladel) and scooped it out of the toilet into the bowl. We left it in there overnight and if it died I was to flush it, but it didn't. Nori is alive and happy. It's a good thing Goldfish only have 2 sec memories.

The Past Weekend

2009-11-09T22:31:00.000-05:00

I have been really bad lately about posting new posts so I am going to try harder to post them more regularly.
This past weekend was a lot of fun. Thursday 6 of us went out to Chilis for the 3 for $20 deal and had a great time. At one point some of us were in tears because we were laughing so hard. Also we decided that one of my roommates was like a camel because she drank about 8 cups of water and did not have to pee.
Friday was fun becuase we got to go to a Brown Women's Ice Hockey Game. We were about the only people there and the one's with the most spirit even though we don't go to Brown. We had made signs for each of the players, were screaming and had painted our faces. It was a BLAST!!! We plan on going again, plus we get free tickets. Saturday was fun because it was such a beautiful day out and so some of us went to Newport. We walked along the Cliff Walk and saw the mansions, had lunch at Panera and walked around Thames Street. The only downside was that the bus was an hour ride......crazy.

Non - traditional Halloween Party

2009-11-01T22:09:00.000-05:00

Pizza, junk food, Scene It, crazy game of Turbo Cranium and talking to 1:45 am....what better way to spend Halloween night. Last night my roommates and I had a non-traditional Halloween party. We hosted a get together for all the students and people who did not want to be in the dorms on this very skanky night or sitting at home. We had about 20 people in the apartment at one point during the night and it was intense. Our entire dining room table was covered in junk food and snacks. People stayed till 1:45 am, which I am glad about because then they did not have to experience a Johnson & Wales/Providence Halloween. I do not understand why people think that it's ok to dress up in the least amount of clothing possible and go and get drunk. And people wonder why they get hit on, raped or butt pinched. Anyways, enough of that rant. Alissa made her famous Hummus, pumpkin seeds and taco dip. I made the cupcakes and famous stove - top popcorn. Elyse brought the games and Sherita brought the pizza. Everyone else brought the snacks and the fun.

Friday night my roommate Alon and I finally carved out mini pumpkins that we bough on Columbus day. They turned out really good actually. Alissa baked the pumpkin seeds for the party....they were soooo good. And Hannah R. came over to finish the movies we started the night before and to color pictures.

Everyone here says that my apple pie is really good and I promised my pastors wife that I would make it with her one day to show here, so that is what I did Friday. It was a lot of fun and I am glad that I was able to spend that time with her talking and getting to know her better. I also made and apple pie for the apartment which is half gone already :{ Get ready Uncle Tony and Aunt Trish, I might be baking up a storm at thanksgiving.

Baptism

2009-11-01T21:53:00.000-05:00

I obeyed one of God's commands this evening by being baptized as an outward expression of my faith and acceptance of Christ as my LORD and Savior.

"I was baptized this evening because God commands us to be baptized as an outward confession of our faith and as a promise to follow the LORD, doing his work all the days of our lives. I grew up in a christian home and heard the gospel my entire life. I went to church and participated in Sunday School every sunday. At the age of 12 I accepted Christ into my heart to be my LORD and savior, to do his will and to spread his name until I am taken to meet him in heaven. I accepted christ because I realized that I was a sinner in need of a savior and it is for this reason that Christ died and shed his blood on the cross, to cleanse me of my sins. Coming to Providence for school has changed my life in many ways. I have grown more spiritually and have become much closer to God inmy relationship to him."

Death @ Johnson & Wales

2009-10-28T15:24:00.000-04:00

Last night when we returned home after youth group we discovered that a fellow student at Johnson & Wales had died earlier that night. I had heard something regarding the place were she died over the communicators on the bus but there was nothing said about a death. Simply that the buses could not pick up or drop off at that dorm until safety and security arrived. I thought maybe someone was drunk or someone had something stolen, it didn;t even cross my mind that someone might of died. The girls name was Franki Triano, the specifics of her death have not been released yet. Please keep her family, friends and roommates in your prayers as they go through this difficult time.

Last Week

2009-10-23T00:22:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone,
Sorry I didn't post anything last week, but it was sooo hectic. Last week was a great week. It started well and ended well. We had NO SCHOOL on Monday so we went apple picking. I think a little over board and picked too many apples, but that just means I have to bake more apple pies :) We did have apple crisp though that night....made by Alissa. We decided to use the mini grill for the first time and it was interesting. It took forever to light the coals and keep them lit, but when they did light the food was delicious. That Tuesday was terrible. We had a monday schedule on tuesday and it just threw everything off. We were all so tired at the end of the day, especially getting home late from youth group. Had a test that I studied maybe a grand total of 2 hours for but I did well on which I was suprised. Last Friday was fun. We had a girls night at our apartment. We were so excited about it for weeks. We sent out formal invitations that they had to RSVP to. We made fun little magnets, painted nails, watched movies, made banana muffins at 2 in the morning and had pancakes. Our living room looked like girl world exploded in it. It was a great way to end the school week and go into the weekend. Saturday was a lazy day and Sunday was backwards. We had church in the evening this time, but I didn't go. I went to a Support Our Troops Concert with Joe Nichols singing acousticly. It was a long needed night away for everything and a reminder of home. Tears were shed, laughter was heard and smiles were worn.

Roomie Love

2009-10-09T23:54:00.000-04:00

Last night was a great ending to an ok day. Drove 45 minutes with the roomies Alon & Alissa to eat at the Outback and surprise Alon's boyfriend. It was a well deserved time with the sisters; eating blooming onions, shrimp on the barbie, and thunder from down under for dessert. I am so grateful to have such amazing roommates this year, third time's the charm. I love these girls to death and they are an encouragement to be around. It's nice to have roommates who you can talk to about stuff and they know what you are talking about.

Tonight was fun as well. Jasmine came over and we spent the night making cute invitations for the girls sleepover coming up. It made us all excited and ancy for it to happen. It's going to be so much fun and it will help all the girls at CSF to get to know each other better.

AAAGGGHHH!!

2009-10-04T00:13:00.000-04:00

This week has gone by so fast compared to the others. Not sure why. Maybe it's because we didn't get any homework this week. I just feel like I have been drained, tired and stressed in the past few weeks. With classes and club and events it's crazy. But I guess not a crazy as it could be. I need to stop being on the internet as much and start reading more and doing stuff to keep busy.

I'm just sick and tired of people saying that they are going to do something and then go oh wait I forgot can you do it? Sometimes I just want to yell at them "NO. Be reliable. Follow through for once!" But I never do. Maybe I should. Another thing is when people are placed in a position of authority and leadership, but don't take it seriously and don't ask what they should be doing. I guess when mom and mrs. laurie said that Satan was going to throw everything at me they weren't kidding. AAAAGGGHHH!!! Sometimes I just want to scream and cry.

Baby Blogger

2009-10-01T17:27:00.000-04:00

Hey Everyone,

I'm new to this whole blogging thing so just take it easy with me :) I deceided to start a blog to let all of my family and friends around the world know what i have been up to and to see my life at Johnson & Wales University. I also created it as a place to express my thoughts and feelings and any random other things.