Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

I led Sunday school today. We are basing our Sunday school lessons on the book The Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel. Each chapter is about an issue that Christians deal with and ways in which we often act like there is no God, though we say that we believe in and follow Him. This week addressed shame, and I was a bit nervous about it, but the Lord was good and it went well. I enjoy leading, and we had really good conversation. I try to leave it very open and let people participate and the conversation go where it will. (Within reason, of course.) I always include scripture study, so we looked mainly at Psalm 51, which is David's repentance psalm after the Bathsheba incident. I will be leading Sunday school for at least the next 2 weeks, as the regular leader is attending a different study with his wife. I'm glad to give them the opportunity to have Sunday school together. I'm a bit self conscious leading a coed study as a woman, but no one really seems to mind. I have been a big proponent of peer leadership, and if I want it to be done, I should be willing to participate.

School is going well so far. I have a lot to do. I need to accomplish some things this afternoon. Finish a cover letter and start some other stuff. I am installing an exhibit of political and propaganda puzzles tomorrow morning, and I need to go to the Lilly and really work on my project/exhibit for my manuscripts class.

I had a wonderful evening yesterday, as I went to the university cinema and watched Fort Apache and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. I like Fort Apache better, though Henry Fonda's character drove me crazy. It is kind of based on the story of Custer, or at least very similar to Custer's stupidity, which is frustrating. I do not like or revere Custer. He was stupid and got all his men killed because of it. Fort Apache has a wonderful cast though, Henry Fonda, John Wayne, Ward Bond, and a grown up Shirley Temple. I have decided that some of John Wayne's best movies are when he is alongside or opposite other very excellent actors/actresses. Thus the goodness of Rooster Cogburn and all the movies in which he played opposite Maureen O'Hara.

Today has gone very well so far, and I hope to do some homework, go to the Dave Ramsey session, and then work out after that.

TTFN

Grit

The craziness is starting early. I knew this would be a busy semester, but I'm really going to need to work hard and have it together, and I don't feel like I do. I really need motivation. I have this problem every semester, and I feel like I say the same thing every semester. At least its my last semester. :-)

At church, people have been emphasizing the idea of choosing one word to define one's year. My word is change. I know there will be a lot of changes this year, and I hope that I am up for them. I also want to change in other ways (for the better of course): spiritually, mentally, and physically. I'm off to a good start with the physically. I'm starting to run more in preparation for the half marathon.

On Sunday I had lunch with my adopted parents, and then we watched Rooster Cogburn. Later that night, I went to the movies and saw True Grit. It was cool to see both movies in the same day. The new True Grit is really good. I love the language they used, more old fashioned, and the characters did not use any contractions, which lent a different feel to the dialog. Also, the musical theme was Leaning on the Everlasting Arms. I love hymns. The casting was really good, especially for Maddie, the young girl. It was a bit violent/graphic, but otherwise very good.

Night.

Hunger

I just finished reading The Hunger Games. Wow. I don't necessarily like reading best sellers. I like some popular authors, and reading tried and true books, but I can be contrary and I don't always like to jump on the band wagon. I am still holding out against Harry Potter and Twilight. I was, however, totally caught up in The Hunger Games. I can't wait to read the other books. Thankfully, the holds aren't too long at the library. The book is well written, and it alludes to the Roman games, with some Roman names, like Cinna, Portia, and Flavius. So, there is the classical flavor, as well as a feeling of revolution and resistance, that I loved. Also, I hate love triangles, but the romance part keeps me guessing. I can't really figure it out yet. It's fast paced and intriguing.

I made real food tonight. Poppy seedless chicken. I'd been craving it.

My schedule is out of whack. I have a lot of things I need to do, but I am almost paralyzed in doing them. Motivation is so hard. I just want to be done and on my way. Done with school. Ready to start a new job. I feel like the world is my oyster, but I'm also scared. It's hard to apply to places without any frame of reference for the library in specific and the place in general. There's a battle between the familiar and the adventure.

Happy New Year!

I like New Years, even though January seems like a weird time to start the new year. It would make more sense to me to have the years follow the school cycles, but not every one is in school, so I guess that wouldn't be the most practical. Anyway, I like New Years because it gives a sense of a new start and looking forward to what is to come in the following year. I also like making New Year's resolutions, and I have tried to make more practical ones that I actually plan on following through with in the past few years. I had one main resolution last year, and it was a continuous process last year, but it has been accomplished and I can make new ones this year.

The first resolution is the same one that everyone makes: exercise more. But, I actually will, because I will be running a half marathon in May, and I have to train for it. There are a lot of other resolutions I want to make, but the main one, on a more abstract level, is to really pursue God and work on my spiritual life. 2011 is going bring some really big changes for me, and I want my spiritual life to be firm and grounded in Christ, as I will need that constant in my life amidst all the upheaval of a new job and new place to live.

I have the whole day to myself! Yay holidays. No work, no outside obligations, only my own plans. I love days like this. I have a lot planned, though. I need to clean the house, write thank yous, and apply for jobs. Yes, I am starting the job application process. It seems fitting to start on the first day of the year. I have a few jobs picked out that look good, and I checked out some cover letter and resume books from the library. We have a rather good Job Search collection, so I decided to take advantage of it.

Also, I am no longer a reference intern at the public library. Yesterday was my last day. I am going to miss working over there, but I am grateful that I still have a position at the library.

Blessings to you all as you start the new year. I pray that God would guide your steps and that 2011 will bring growth, strength, and goodness.

Faith, hope, love, and the greatest of these is love.