my reading exploits, and etc.

Hey all!

I just got back from the C4C First Years Christmas party! It was great. I love hanging out with those guys - they are all so friendly and genuine, it's such a blessing to have friends like them (you!). Ahh, the semester is ending. It's kind of nice - I am definitely looking forward to a nice, looooong Christmas holiday, full of festivities and friends and family (ooh, alliteration!).

I would strongly, strongly, STRONGLY urge you to read "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers. It's a retelling of the Biblical book of Hosea in "western times", and it's amazing. It's a love story, both about human love and God's love. I read it, all 464 wonderful pages, in less than three days. That's how good it is. Haha, who needs homework and textbooks when you have a good fiction to pore over! Anyway, I absolutely adored it, and would suggest it to everyone looking for a good read - but, there are some "spicy" bits, so read with discretion. It's definitely PG-13. I'm starting into "This Present Darkness" by Frank Peretti next, which I'm very excited about, since I have a special place in my heart for Mr. Peretti. Next on the agenda: "Mere Christianity" by the great C.S. Lewis, if I can track it down anywhere! The church library has never had it returned by some sneaky (or forgetful) borrower, and the school library has a few copies but they appear to be on loan, according to the website. If you own it, let me know!

I've also just finished "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" by Joshua Harris yesterday - it was a challenging one, that's for sure. It's totally shaken my perceptions of dating, so I'm still trying to sort things out about that, and I'm working on how easily I fall into crushes. My punchline reading this book was "well, I've never kissed dating hello..." HA. I mean in a serious context, since there was that ninth grade fiasco.

It's been a pretty good week so far. I'm really happy to say that I've been able to stick to my morning quiet times - for over a week! I'm really surprised at myself - but I know it's not all my doing. Usually, I would fall asleep a bazillion times in the morning if I had just woken up and tried to read - it's happened often trying to read textbooks!! It's cool. I'm really being taught a lot about patience - waiting on God to do His will in my life, and not taking things into my own hands. I'm praying a lot about serving - where I should be, what I should be doing, and when. This is another area for patience - I need to wait and see what He reveals to me about serving and take it from there.

Tomorrow I'm donating blood (gulp). I'm hoping to find a "buddy" to come along with me, perhaps an official hand-holder that will help me not to freak out or think about the massive (kind of) amount of blood that will be making a hasty exit from my poor, poor veins.

Home on Friday! Woohoooo!!!

Until next time, ladies and gentlemen.